Israel will not return to the US-inspired "roadmap" on Middle East peace until Palestinians stage a complete clampdown on militant attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said after a summit with US President George W Bush.
"As long as the Palestinians don't take the necessary steps, there can be no return to the roadmap," Sharon told a briefing after the summit on Monday and before heading to Washington on the latest stage of his US trip.
Sharon insisted there "has to be a total stop to terrorism."
He added: "If it does not happen completely, we cannot go into political talks as part of the roadmap."
At his press conference with Bush earlier, Sharon said: "Only after the Palestinians fulfil their obligations, primarily a real fight against terrorism and the dismantling of the infrastructure, can we proceed toward negotiations based on the roadmap."
The US inspired roadmap, which is also backed the European Union, Russia and United Nations, has been effectively frozen since violence in the Palestinian territories erupted again.