Bush hails 'historic' Sharon plan

Sharon's plan is opposed by hardliners and Palestinians

US President George W Bush has hailed Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon's plans to disengage from Gaza and parts of the West Bank.

Mr Bush called Mr Sharon's proposals "historic and courageous".

He restated his commitment to a Palestinian state, but appeared to rule out one which included the whole West Bank, saying realities on the ground had changed.

But Yasser Arafat said US backing for the plan would 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".

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 "disengagement" plan envisages Israel uprooting all settlements on the Gaza Strip but holding on to six settlement blocs in the West Bank.

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.

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.

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.