The Israeli deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres told the US vice President Dick Cheney “not to worry about the constructions Israel intends to carry out near Maali Adumim settlementâ€Â, Israeli source reported.
The planned constructions in Maali Adumim will also be discussed during the visit the Israeli Prime Minster Ariel Sharon intends to conduct to the USA next week.
Cheney, during his Thursday meeting with Peres asked for ‘clarifications’ concerning the construction in Maali Adumim area.
Yet, a White House spokesman said that the upcoming meeting between Bush and Sharon will focus of disengagement and not on Maali Adumim plan.
“Cheney did not focus too much on this issueâ€Â, Peres said.
Also, Peres considered the construction at Maali Adumim settlement as a natural growth, and that construction in settlements cannot be stopped when it’s originating from ‘natural growth’ reasons.
“The plan was prepared 14 years ago; you can’t freeze the construction in settlements that is a result of natural growth, Israel does not intends to go further than this routeâ€Â, Peres added.
White House officials said that the main topic of the Bush-Sharon meeting will be the disengagement from the Gaza Strip and northern West Bank areas.
Peres suggested that the USA should appoint an economic coordinator for the disengagement plan in addition to General Ward, the US security coordinator.
