Sharon: Israel builds in W.Bank despite US objections

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said in a
published interview on Sunday that Israel would keep building
in its large West Bank settlements after a Gaza pullout,
despite expected U.S. objections.

Sharon, speaking to the Washington Post newspaper on the
eve of an army withdrawal from Gaza, reiterated his intention
to retain large West Bank settlement blocs under any future
peace deal and continue construction in them as Israel sees
fit.

“The major (settlement) blocs will stay as part of Israel
… yes, we have small-scale construction within the lines. …
even now there is construction,” he said in comments likely to
anger Palestinians who want the West Bank and Gaza for a state.

Asked how he thought Washington would react to building in
the occupied West Bank, which runs counter to a U.S.-backed
“road map” peace plan, Sharon replied:

“I don’t think they will be too happy, but they are the
major blocs, and we must build. We don’t have an agreement with
the United States about this, but these areas are going to be
part of Israel.”

Sharon also said Israel would remove some unauthorized
settlement outposts in the West Bank, as required by the road
map. “We’ll do that,” he said.

He reiterated Israel would agree to renewed peace talks
with the Palestinians only after the Palestinians disarmed
militants, a requirement under the road map.

Palestinians have welcomed Israel’s removal of 9,000 Jewish
settlers from Gaza and a corner of the West Bank last month but
are concerned Sharon is using the pullout as a ruse to keep
large swathes of West Bank land.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Nasser al-Kidwa said Saturday
he would appeal for more world pressure on Israel to halt
expansion of its settlements in his planned address to the
United Nations General Assembly next week.

Sharon, who will also address the General Assembly, told
Israeli television last month Israel would scrap some
settlements for peace but would not cede its largest enclaves.

Some 245,000 Israelis live in 120 settlements in the West
Bank, home to about 2.4 million Palestinians. Israel captured
the West Bank and Gaza in the 1967 Middle East war.

The World Court says the settlements are illegal. Israel
disputes this.