JERUSALEM, Oct. 1 (UPI) -- Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's government Wednesday approved a plan to build barriers deep inside the West Bank to secure several Jewish settlements.
U.S. President George Bush, who opposes construction of barriers on West Bank land, recently warned Israel not to proceed with this particular segment.
Sharon's cabinet overwhelmingly approved the plan for building the fences around Ariel and three other large settlements inside the West Bank, the New York Times said.
The open ends of the fences will face west, and Israel will consider connecting them to the main West Bank barrier at a later stage, expected to be six months or more away.
The two-stage plan is an attempt to avoid antagonizing the United States.
After the settlements are enclosed on three sides, Israel will again consult the United States and decide whether to extend the barriers to join the main West Bank barrier.
"Israel is making this proposal to take care of its security concerns without getting into a fight with the United States," an adviser to Sharon said.
"The fence is a security statement, not a political statement."
