Ariel Sharon

The United States has signaled recently that it will allow Israel to expand existing settlements in the West Bank while remaining opposed to construction in undeveloped areas.

Previously, Washington has objected to all settlement construction, in line with the internationally backed "road map" peace plan.

As interim steps, the plan called for a complete halt in settlement construction while requiring the Palestinians to dismantle militant groups. Neither step has been carried out.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon plans to pull Israel out of the Gaza Strip next year, uprooting 21 Jewish settlements.

Sharon has made clear, however, that he wants to beef up major Israeli settlement blocs in the West Bank as part of his "disengagement" plan.

The vast majority of Israel's more than 230,000 settlers live in the West Bank, spread out among more than 2 million Palestinians.

The Palestinians object to all settlements in the West Bank and Gaza, lands Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast War and the Palestinians want for a future state.

The Japan Times Weekly: Aug. 28, 2004
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