“Palestinians accused the United States on Sunday of destroying the Middle East peace process after Washington signaled it could accept some growth of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.” (Reuters )
Bush contradicts his own “Roadmap to Peace” by reversing himself on the West Bank settlements, in an attempt to help embattled Israeli prime minister Sharon get his Gaza withdrawal plan past the recalcitrant right wing of his own party. Palestinians have feared all along that the Gaza plan is a cover for reinforcing the Israeli presence on the West Bank.
