Palestinian officials have urged Israel to heed US President George W Bush's call for a halt to the building of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
Mr Bush met Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at his Texas ranch to show US support for his plan to disengage from the Gaza Strip.
The president praised what he described as a "courageous initiative".
But he also raised concerns over Israel's recent decision to expand settlements around Jerusalem.
"I told the prime minister of my concern that Israel not undertake any activity that contravenes roadmap obligations or prejudices final status negotiations"
Saeb Erakat, a key Palestinian negotiator, said: "I believe this is the key to everything.
"Failure to adhere to the president's call to stop all settlement activity literally means we will not be able to talk about the two-state solution."
Despite strong opposition from religious groups, Mr Sharon is pressing ahead with the plan to pull all Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank in July.
But his government has also unveiled plans for 3,500 extra homes on occupied land near Maale Adumim - the largest Israeli settlement in the West Bank - forming a corridor to Jerusalem.
After meeting Mr Sharon, Mr Bush said the move was a clear breach of the terms of the internationally backed roadmap peace plan that envisages the creation of a Palestinian state.
"I told the prime minister of my concern that Israel not undertake any activity that contravenes roadmap obligations or prejudices final status negotiations," he said.
Sanctions?
Mr Bush did not specify what action, if any, might be taken against Israel if it continued to build in the West Bank.
The BBC's Barbara Plett said it was unclear whether Mr Bush was simply registering protest or exerting real pressure on Israel to freeze settlement activity now.
MAALE ADUMIN FACTS
Mr Sharon insisted he was committed to the roadmap peace plan, but added that Maale Adumim "would be part of Israel".
He added that talks with the Palestinians could not move forward until there was a full cessation of terror.
The international community considers all settlements in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.
The meeting in Crawford, Texas, followed the first deadly incident in Gaza since Mr Sharon and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas called for an end to violence at a summit in Egypt in February.
On Saturday, Palestinian militants fired dozens of rockets and mortars at settlements, after three Palestinian youths were killed in disputed circumstances in the southern Gaza town of Rafah.
Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom is heading for Egypt for talks that are expected to focus on Israel's request for Egypt's help with security during the Gaza withdrawal.
Mr Bush is expected to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the US in the next few weeks.
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