RAMALLAH, West Bank - Palestinian prime minister Ahmed Qorei called on US President George W. Bush Monday to use his summit with Israeli leader Ariel Sharon to insist on a freeze of settlement activity in the West Bank.
Speaking to reporters after meeting the EU's envoy for the region, Marc Otte, Qorei said Bush should make clear that any expansion of settlements was in clear violation of the US-backed roadmap peace plan and also pressure Israel to stop building its controversial separation barrier in the West Bank.
"We are appealing to President Bush to insist during his meeting with Sharon on the necessity of putting an end to Israeli violations (of the roadmap), in particular the expansion of the settlements, the attempts to annex (east) Jerusalem and to build the wall," Qorei said.
"These issues are seriously worrying the Palestinians and we hope that President Bush will speak clearly to Sharon."
Bush has already slapped down the Israelis over recently approved plans to build 3,500 new housing units at the settlement of Maaleh Adumim on the outskirts of Jerusalem.
However Israeli officials are confident that Sharon's plan to pull out of Gaza rather than settlement expansion will be the focus of the summit in Texas.
Qorei said that "by continuing with their settlement programme and the violations of the roadmap, they (the Israelis) are digging a grave for the peace process."
The roadmap's ultimate goal is for the creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel but the blueprint has made next to no progress since its launch nearly two years ago.
04/11/2005 09:46 GMT