May 3 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. maintained its support for an Israeli withdrawal from settlements in the Gaza Strip and West Bank after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan was rejected by 60 percent of his Likud Party.

``Our own view has not changed: The president welcomed Prime Minister Sharon's plan to withdraw settlements from Gaza and a part of the West Bank as a courageous and important step toward peace,'' the White House said in an e-mailed statement. ``We will be in consultation with the prime minister and government of Israel about how to move forward.''

Sharon's plan was supported by 39 percent of Likud members who voted, the Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz said on its Web site, citing Army Radio. All votes have been counted, it said.

Sharon, 76, describing the result as a ``disappointment,'' said he won't resign, Haaretz reported. The prime minister and his allies made last-minute pleas for the party's 193,000 members to approve the withdrawal as newspaper polls showed he may lose. Opponents, led by some 7,500 Jewish settlers in the Gaza Strip, staked out voting stations to lobby for a rejection.

Sharon's plan was to evacuate all Israeli settlements in Gaza, home to about 1.3 million Palestinians, and at least four in the West Bank. Residents said they will take all legal means to prevent their evacuation from the settlements, built since Israel captured the strip from Egypt in the 1967 war.

``I know that much of the Israeli public supports my plan,'' Haaretz cited Sharon as saying in a statement issued late yesterday. ``I know that they feel, as I do, disappointment with the results of the referendum. We have difficult days before us where difficult decisions have to be made.''

Consultations

Sharon said he will consult Likud ministers and coalition partners to decide what steps to take. He is scheduled to address Likud members in the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, today, Haaretz reported.

Palestinian gunmen yesterday shot and killed a pregnant mother and her four daughters in the Israeli-controlled Gush Katif region of Gaza. The two gunmen were killed by Israeli soldiers, the military said.

Israeli helicopters later raided targets in Nablus in the West Bank, killing at least four Palestinians, Agence France- Presse reported citing unidentified Palestinian and Israeli security officials.

To contact the reporter on this story: Paul Tighe in Sydney at ptighe@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: May 3, 2004 01:08 EDT