World News Bush endorses Sharon's Gaza plan

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WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. President George W. Bush on April 14 endorsed Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to pull out of Gaza and parts of the West Bank as "historic and courageous actions."

An elated Sharon said his plan would create "a new and better reality for the state of Israel."

In what appeared to be a major shift in U.S. policy, Bush said it is now "unrealistic" to expect that Israel, in any final peace deal with the Palestinians, would make "a full and complete return to the armistice lines of 1949." That is significant because Israel seized the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem in the 1967 war.

And, in a concession sought by Sharon, Bush also said a final peace deal should call for Palestinian refugees to be settled in a Palestinian state, not in Israel.

Bush said the "realities on the ground and in the region have changed greatly" and should be reflected in any final peace deal - a key concession, also sought by Sharon, to the fact that Israel has large groups of settlers in the West Bank.

Bush urged the Palestinians to match Israel's "boldness and courage." But Palestinians, who want all of the West Bank and part of Jerusalem as well for a state, have signaled their disapproval.

They fear Sharon is sacrificing Gaza and parts of the West Bank as a prelude to keeping other areas.

ブッシュ、シャロン案を支持

ブッシュ米大統領は14日、ガザ地区などのユダヤ人入植地から撤収するシャロン・イスラエル首相案を歴史に残る勇気ある行動であると支持した。

Shukan ST: April 23, 2004

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