Bush, Sharon to Discuss Settlement Dispute



CRAWFORD, Texas - President Bush begins a spring schedule of hands-on diplomacy with Middle East leaders, but his opening session with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is overshadowed by a renewed dispute over Israel's settlements in Palestinian territories.





Sharon arrived in nearby Waco under heavy security and had dinner with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at his hotel Sunday night. Police blocked off surrounding streets, only allowing people to pass if they could prove they were also staying in the area.

Bush has said he wants an update on Sharon's progress in removing Jewish settlements in Gaza and parts of the West Bank. Sharon announced those plans a year ago with support from Bush. Israel is scheduled to remove all 21 Gaza Strip settlements and four more in the West Bank this summer.

The United States has objected to an Israeli plan to add 3,650 homes to the West Bank's largest settlement, Maaleh Adumim. The plan would cut off Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank.

Israel insists it has the right to continue expanding these settlements. The United States opposes any further construction there, saying it threatens peace with the Palestinians and violates the internationally backed "road map" peace plan that calls for a settlement freeze.

Bush said Friday he would raise the issue with Sharon.

"What I say publicly, I say privately. And that is, the 'road map' has clear obligations on settlements and that we expect the prime minister to adhere to those road map obligations," Bush said.

The president has made the spread of democracy in the Mideast a goal of his second term. He also plans to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah at his Texas ranch on April 25 and will see Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas when he visits the United States next month.

Some Crawford businesses displayed the Israeli flag to welcome Sharon, while a few dozen protesters waving Palestinian flags marched around the small town's downtown intersection Sunday. The Unity Coalition for Israel also planned a demonstration Monday to tout claims that Palestinian statehood would be a reward for terrorism.

The "road map" peace plan envisions an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel but has been frozen since its launch in June 2003 amid violations by both sides.

Sharon has said he will not begin talks on a final peace deal until Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas cracks down on militant groups and disarms them. Bush agrees with Israel that Abbas must do more to rein in militants.

Sharon wants Palestinian leaders to guarantee that Israelis will not come under fire during settlement evacuation.

On Saturday, Israeli troops shot and killed three teenagers in disputed circumstances in the Gaza Strip, shattering weeks of calm and raising tensions. In response, Palestinian militants fired at least 21 mortar rounds at Jewish settlements there, the army said.

Sharon, speaking to reporters as he flew to his meeting with Bush, said the mortar fire "is a flagrant violation of the understandings" reached at the February truce summit with Abbas.

"And this will be a central issue to be raised in my talks with President Bush," he said.