Sharon's settlement vow 'ends peace hope'

Ariel Sharon vowed Israel would keep the main Jewish settlements in the West Bank before a trip to Washington today to discuss plans for Israel to pull out of the Gaza Strip. Infuriated Palestinians, who want both territories, said the Israeli prime minister's comments effectively closed the door on a deal under the "road map" to peace.

Sharon said the settlements would "remain under Israeli control and will continue to grow stronger and develop".

There are some 230,000 settlers in the West Bank, which is home to more than two million Palestinians.

President Bush said he welcomed any Israeli pullout from Gaza as a positive step. He added, however, that it would not replace the plan to create a Palestinian state as described in the USbacked road map.