Peace plan may not yet be finalised

President George Bush's statement on the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians yesterday left many involved in trying to push the process forward more fearful than optimistic.

The main fear, according to international diplomats, was that Mr Bush has left a peace plan that was supposed to be finalised up for renegotiation.

The "roadmap" was drawn up by the Middle East "quartet" of the US, Russia, the EU and the UN. A detailed peace plan based around Mr Bush's call for a "two-state solution", it calls for the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel within three years of the plan being adopted. As Tony Blair put it yesterday: "The destination is a final and comprehensive settlement of the Israel-Palestinian conflict by 2005".

Although many commentators were assuming it, Mr Bush did not say that the peace plan would be made public – only that it would be "given" to Israel and the Palestinians as soon as the appointment of a Palestinian Prime Minister "with real authority" was confirmed – Mahmud Abbas is expected to be confirmed as the new premier within days. But both sides have already seen the plan, and the Israeli government has said it wants to make more than 100 changes to it.

Crucially, Mr Bush said that he would "welcome contributions" from both sides, and that he would encourage the Israelis and Palestinians to discuss the plan together – meaning it is up for negotiation.

The presidential statement will come as a rebuke to Ariel Sharon, the Israeli Prime Minister, after he hinted he would like to drop the roadmap in favour of a new plan agreed with only the US.