GAZA CITY, July 29: Palestinian information minister Nabil Amr dismissed as “entirely negative” Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s comments at a press conference on Tuesday in Washington with US President George Bush.

“He gave no single positive sign at all,” Mr Amr said.

“He is not stopping the (Jewish) settlements and he is going on with the wall,” the minister added in reference to a security barrier being constructed by Israel across the West Bank.

“This means there are big obstacles in the way of the peace process and the implementation of the roadmap” peace plan, said Mr Amr.

Mr Sharon pledged at the White House to continue building what Israel refers to as a security fence, even though Mr Bush said during talks with Palestinian premier Mahmoud Abbas on Friday that it was undermining confidence in the peace process.

Palestinians regard the barrier as an attempt to set in stone the boundaries of a future state, but Israel insists it is merely intended to prevent entry of militants planning attacks from the West Bank.

“The security fence will continue to be built with every effort to minimise the infringement on the daily life of the Palestinian population,” said Mr Sharon.

Nabil Amr said: “There is a difference between Bush’s position and Sharon’s position about the wall.

“I think that President Bush made an effort about the wall but Israel did not pay respect to him.”

Abdelaziz Rantissi, the political leader of the Hamas, criticized comments by Mr Bush that the rise of a Palestinian state was dependent on defeating the threat of terror groups.

“He has run away from past statements,” said Mr Rantissi, whose group is regarded as a terror organization by the US.

“He has put obstacles in the way of a Palestinian state because he needs the support of Zionist groups in Washington in the next election,” he said.

Mr Rantissi added: “Sharon’s statement will have a negative impact on the hudna,” in reference to a three-month halt to anti-Israeli attacks called by Hamas and other radical groups a month ago.

But asked whether it could prompt an end to the truce, Mr Rantissi said: “It is an internal decision whether we call off the hudna. It is not to do with the Israelis.”

Nabil Abu Rudeina, an adviser to Yasser Arafat, said Sharon’s words were “not encouraging”.

“He made no commitment to implement the roadmap. We want a complete Israeli withdrawal from our cities and our areas and a release to all the prisoners and the cancellation of the wall.”

Mr Sharon and Mr Bush have both refused to negoatiate with Mr Arafat, whom they accuse of trying to undermine the peace process.

‘BERLIN WALL’: Palestinian President Yasser Arafat said on Tuesday Israel was building a new “Berlin Wall” to divide Palestinian areas into ghettos in the West Bank.