Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has indicated to reporters he intends to brush off a warning from President Bush not to expand the number of settlements in the West Bank. Israel has plans to build 3,500 new settlement homes in the West Bank and to build a corridor connecting one of the area’s largest settlements to Jerusalem. The construction is illegal under international law and violates the so-called road map to peace On Tuesday Bush held a press conference with Sharon at his ranch in Texas. “I’ve been very clear. Israel has an obligation under the road map,” Bush said. “That’s no expansion of settlements.” But after their meeting Sharon defended the expansion and vowed to continue building a corridor between the large Maaleh Adumim settlement and Jerusalem — which will in effect permanently redraw the map of Israel. Sharon said “The blocs will be part of Israel, with everything that that entails.”