Barrier will kill peace, says Palestinian PM

PALESTINIAN Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie yesterday warned Israel that a controversial barrier it is building in the West Bank would kill off a US-backed "road map" peace plan.

Adding to pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, a new opinion poll showed half of Israelis see him as untrustworthy as he considers a go-it-alone plan to resolve the conflict with the Palestinians on Israel's terms.

With the "road map" stymied by mutual mistrust, Sharon has said he may evacuate some isolated settlements and set borders along the barrier, in effect annexing occupied land where Palestinians seek statehood as envisioned by the "road map."