Sharon seeks Bush backing on plan

Prime Minister Sharon is opposed by hardliners and Palestinians

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has met US President George Bush in Washington, seeking approval for his "disengagement" plan.

The plan envisages a withdrawal from the Gaza Strip but a consolidation of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

US and Israeli officials said Mr Bush seemed poised to accept the proposals, at least in part, but would continue to insist on a "two-state" solution.

Yasser Arafat has said US backing for the plan will wreck all peace hopes.

A statement from the Palestinian leader's office said American endorsement of Mr Sharon's settlement plans "will settle the issues that were up for negotiation in the final-status talks and will lead to the destruction of... the peace process".

Vague words

West Bank settlers (not including East Jerusalem): 240,000 Settlement block populations: Maale Adumim - 30,000 Ariel - 18,000 Kiryat Arba - 4,000 Hebron enclave - 500 Givat Zeev - 10,000 Gush Etzion - 30,000

The president's "roadmap" calls for negotiated borders between Israel and a new Palestinian state.

But US officials said realities on the ground had changed, and Mr Bush's spokesman said some of Sharon's ideas "have the potential to be historic."

US backing for the "disengagement" plan will mean Israel could uproot all settlements on the Gaza Strip but hold on to six settlement blocs in the West Bank.

Mr Sharon's vice premier, Ehud Olmert, said if the US did recognise Israel's right to keep West Bank settlements, it would be "an amazing victory".

But Palestinians fear US approval of Mr Sharon's plan could scupper the "roadmap" and with it, their chances of establishing a state that includes all of the West Bank and Gaza.

Mr Sharon's proposal to uproot settlements also faces fierce opposition from cabinet right-wingers and the settlers' lobby back in Israel.

The BBC's James Reynolds says any statement President Bush and Prime Minister Sharon agree upon will have to be very vaguely-worded if it is to fit the "roadmap" and the "disengagement" plan into the same sentence.

HAVE YOUR SAY Mr Sharon is paving a way for the Palestinians to build themselves a state entirely disengaged from Israel Eli, London Send us your comments

Refugee issue

Observers say Mr Sharon is hoping that Mr Bush's endorsement of the plan will win over doubters, sceptics and opponents in Israel.

His Likud party is to hold a binding vote on the issue on 2 May.

Many settlers also say they feel betrayed by Mr Sharon, who was seen as the champion of the settler movement.

The settlers are likely to block any moves to uproot them

About 92,500 Israelis live in the six settlements - out of a total of 240,000 in the West Bank, or 400,000 if east Jerusalem is included.

Another 7,500 live in enclaves in the Gaza Strip, alongside 1.3 million Palestinians.

Observers say Mr Sharon may also use his meeting with President Bush to discuss Palestinian demands for their refugees to be allowed to return to the region.

Israel wants to make sure any returning refugees will be confined to Palestinian territory.