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Bush praises Gaza pullout but ignores West Bank settlement growth
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| Contributor | Penguin |
| Last Edited | Penguin Sep 15, 2005 01:53am |
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| Category | General |
| Media | Website - Yahoo News |
| News Date | Thursday, September 15, 2005 07:00:00 AM UTC0:0 |
| Description | Wed Sep 14, 8:02 PM ET
UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - US President George W. Bush heaped praise on Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for Israel's historic withdrawal from the Gaza Strip but turned a blind eye to ongoing construction in West Bank settlements.
The two leaders met for roughly 35 minutes on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, in what was their first face-to-face meeting since the Israel's pullout from Gaza, ending 38 years of occupation.
"I know it was hard but I admire your courage," Bush told the Israeli leader at the outset of the meeting. "It is an opportunity that was created by a bold decision and we will work together to see the vision of peace come to be."
Speaking to reporters traveling with his delegation, Sharon said talks focused almost exclusively on Gaza's future and efforts by the Palestinian Authority to exert control in the territory that they hope to have as part of a future state...
"We are building in the West Bank settlements. Does that make the Americans happy. No. Are there any steps against Israel? No again," he said.
"In the biggest settlement blocs, the construction will continue. That is what I have said, and that is what will happen."
En route to New York, a senior official in Sharon's delegation acknowledged "differences" with Washington over the expansion of settlements on Palestinian territory, but said it would not be a key issue during the talks.
"The US focus is now on Gaza. There is no focus on anything else," he told reporters on the plane.
The Palestinians fear Israel will follow up the Gaza withdrawal with attempts to strengthen its grip on major settlement enclaves in the West Bank, where some 250,000 Jewish settlers live. |
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