JERUSALEM -- Israel will ask Washington for hundreds of millions of dollars to help pay for next month's pullout from the Gaza Strip and four West Bank settlements, an Israeli official said Wednesday. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ordered faster work on building Israel's separation barrier, particularly around Jerusalem.

International pressure to resume Mideast peace talks is expected to intensify after the pullout and completing the barrier around Jerusalem would establish facts on the ground regarding the fate of the city _ which Israel also claims as its capital and which will be a key issue in final settlement negotiations.
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Newsmax.com