Israelis, Palestinians should discuss Gaza plan - Mubarak

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said Israel should talk with the Palestinians before embarking on a controversial plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip while retaining chunks of the West Bank.

He said unilateral action would only create more problems in the troubled region. "I think such an initiative, from my point of view, should be discussed with the Palestinians," he said.

"Withdrawal from Gaza first of all needs good preparation from the Palestinian side to maintain security and stability. They have to prepare the police force, the equipment and everything," he said in response to audience questions after giving a speech at Rice University in Houston.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has put forth the plan as a step toward peace and on Wednesday got backing from President George W. Bush.

He said at a White House press conference with Mr Sharon that Israel could keep some of the land it captured in the 1967 Mideast war, which was a break from previous US policy.

Palestinian officials protested, saying the Israeli plan would destroy hopes for peace.

Mr Mubarak did not talk about the West Bank settlements, which are on land Palestinians claim as theirs.

But he said it was imperative that any initiative be taken as part of the US-backed "road map" to peace that calls for the creation of a Palestinian state by 2005.

"To impose anything, they are going to reject it. That's why there's a lot of criticism going on now (of Sharon's proposal)," said Mr Mubarak, who met with Mr Bush on Monday at the president's ranch in Crawford, Texas.