The United States has pressed Israel to withdraw from
much of the West Bank in 2006.
Officials said the Bush administration has urged the government of Prime
Minister Ariel Sharon to withdraw from large parts of the West Bank in an
effort to form a contiguous Palestinian state in 2006. They said the
administration envisions a military pullout and dismantling of Israeli
communities in the northern and central parts of the West Bank.
The U.S. plan was relayed by President George Bush to Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon during their meeting on Monday at the president's ranch in
Crawford, Texas. Officials said Bush did not detail the U.S. request, saying
this would be pursued after Israel completes its withdrawal from the Gaza
Strip and northern West Bank in July 2005.
"If there is success in the Gaza, in other words, if there's a state
that's emerging, the prime minister will have a different attitude about
whether or not it makes sense to continue the process," Bush told a news
conference on Monday.
Officials said Bush stressed to Sharon the need to implement the Israeli
withdrawal plan and preparations for an additional pullout in the West Bank
in 2006. They said Bush, who agreed to consider additional Israeli aid
requests, demanded that the Jewish state freeze all construction in the West
Bank in an effort to facilitate the establishment of a Palestinian state.
"I told the prime minister of my concern that Israel not undertake any
activity that contravenes road map obligations or prejudices final status
negotiations," Bush said. "Therefore, Israel should remove unauthorized
outposts and meet its road map obligations regarding settlements in the West
Bank. That's no expansion of settlements."
At the joint conference with Sharon, Bush repeatedly expressed objection
to Israeli construction in the West Bank and called for the removal of what
the United States asserted was more than 100 unauthorized outposts
established since 2001. Despite repeated
pledges, the Sharon government has failed to dismantle the outposts.
Officials said Bush's demand for a halt to Israeli construction in the
West Bank marked a rejection of Sharon's claim that the United States has
recognized Israel's right to maintain a significant presence in the area.
They said Bush, while acknowledging the presence of about 200,000 Israelis
in the West Bank, refused to stipulate U.S. support for their right to
remain in the area.
"While the United States will not prejudice the outcome of final status
negotiations, those changes on the ground, including existing major Israeli
population centers, must be taken into account in any final status
negotiations," Bush said.
Officials said Sharon, who earlier met Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice, refrained from discussing what he had earlier termed Palestinian
violations of the ceasefire with Israel. At the news conference, however,
Sharon linked the end of the Palestinian war against Israel to additional
concessions in the West Bank.
"Only after the Palestinians fulfill their obligations, primarily a real
fight against terrorism and the dismantling of its infrastructure, can we
proceed toward negotiations based on the road map," Sharon said. "I hope
that this phase will arrive soon."
The Israeli prime minister has urged Washington not to press for the
dismantling of the West Bank outposts, saying this could endanger his Gaza
withdrawal plan. In a television interview, Sharon said resistance to his
withdrawal plan was threatening the fabric of the country.
"The tension here, the atmosphere here looks like the eve of the civil
war," Sharon said in an interview with NBC television. "All my life I was
defending life of Jews. Now for the first time, steps I'm taking to protect
me from Jews."
