Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon says Israel will not keep all Jewish settlements in the West Bank in any final peace deal with the Palestinians.
But Mr. Sharon ruled out another unilateral pullback like last week's in the Gaza Strip. He says any future settlement evacuations will be the result of negotiations with the Palestinians under the international road map peace plan. He also told Israeli television that all main West Bank settlements will remain under Israeli control.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said it is essential that Israel stop expanding West Bank settlements in order for both sides to return to peace talks. He spoke after meeting with European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana.
Some information for this report provided by Reuters, AP and AFP.
