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Rice Confirms Understandings on Settlement Blocs

(Ha'aretz) Aluf Benn - The American administration reiterated the promises Bush had given Sharon in April 2004, which recognized that the settlement blocs would remain in Israel's hands in a future final status agreement with the Palestinians. Speaking to Israel Radio on Sunday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said, "While we will not prejudice the outcome of final status negotiations, the changes on the ground, the 'existing major Israeli population centers,' will have to be taken in account in any final status negotiations." Rice made it clear that the term "Israeli population centers" refers directly to the "large settlement blocs." "No one should say there's no agreement between our two governments. That's wrong. There is; it was reached on April 14 last year and it's clear," Rice said.
2005-03-28 00:00:00
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