Asked by journalists about the reported plans to expand Maaleh Adumim, a suburb north of Jerusalem, to make it contiguous with the capital, Bush responded that such an action violated the US-sponsored Road Map.
“Our position is very clear that the Road Map is important, and the Road Map calls for no expansion of the settlements,” Bush said at the White House Tuesday.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan made a similar statement Monday. "We oppose the expansion of any settlement activity. That has been our view and that remains our view," he said when asked about the new building project. He said the matter would be discussed when Bush and Sharon meet next Monday at Bush’s Crawford, Texas ranch.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said last month that Jewish building in Judea, Samaria and Gaza should come to a "full stop."
Despite the equivocal statements from the Americans, Sharon’s close associates have been claiming that the matter is still to be discussed, insisting that the statements do not undercut the supposed concessions of the “Bush letter.”
"A strip between Jerusalem and Maaleh Adumim will certainly be built. When, under what circumstances, and at which phase of negotiations, I honestly don't know," Vice Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told reporters Monday.
"The US is refraining from supporting Israel's plans for future building,” Justice Minister Tzippy Livni told Army Radio today, “but that does not mean that Israel should not strengthen them."
“Our position is very clear that the Road Map is important, and the Road Map calls for no expansion of the settlements,” Bush said at the White House Tuesday.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan made a similar statement Monday. "We oppose the expansion of any settlement activity. That has been our view and that remains our view," he said when asked about the new building project. He said the matter would be discussed when Bush and Sharon meet next Monday at Bush’s Crawford, Texas ranch.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said last month that Jewish building in Judea, Samaria and Gaza should come to a "full stop."
Despite the equivocal statements from the Americans, Sharon’s close associates have been claiming that the matter is still to be discussed, insisting that the statements do not undercut the supposed concessions of the “Bush letter.”
"A strip between Jerusalem and Maaleh Adumim will certainly be built. When, under what circumstances, and at which phase of negotiations, I honestly don't know," Vice Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told reporters Monday.
"The US is refraining from supporting Israel's plans for future building,” Justice Minister Tzippy Livni told Army Radio today, “but that does not mean that Israel should not strengthen them."