Tuesday, August 30 2005 15:27 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Jerusalem: Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told yesterday (Aug 29, 2005) that Israel would not hold onto all of its West Bank settlements, a week after overseeing the historic pullout of Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip.

Sharon, in an interview with Channel 10 private television, said that the final map of settlements that Israel would retain would not be presented until final status negotiations with the Palestinians.

However, he said that it would not include all of the 130 enclaves, which are dotted across the territory. "Not all the communities that exist today in Judea and Samaria (West Bank) will stay," he said.

"The final map will be presented towards the final stage of negotiations," he said. "The large settlement blocs will be in our hands with security areas. This can only come in the last stages."

Israel completed its historic evacuation of Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip and four small West Bank settlements last Tuesday, in the Jewish state's first withdrawal from parts of the occupied territories.

Sharon has consistently denied any further evacuation plans, while arguing that the pullout from Gaza would enable Israel to cement its control over large West Bank settlement blocs.