] The road map to peace was launched last year, envisaging
] a Palestinian state by 2005. The plan did not specify the
] borders of that state, but senior US officials said
] Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza had to come
] to an end.
]
] The US president, George Bush, has since said it would be
] "unrealistic" to expect Israel to remove large West Bank
] settlements - a statement interpreted by Mr Sharon as
] backing for his plan to keep large settlement blocs in
] any future deal with the Palestinians.