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ג'ורג' בוש אבו מאזן אבו-מאזן מחמוד עבאס הבית הלבן
Photo: Reuters

Bush to Abbas: US won't force agreement

After meeting with Prime Minister Olmert, US President George W. Bush sits down with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, tells him US will not force its vision of two states for two nations upon Palestinians

WASHINGTON - US President George W. Bush met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Monday and assured him that America would not compel any party to accept the two-state solution but would only work to help Israelis and Palestinians down a path to peace.

 

''We want to help you. We want there to be peace. We want the people in the Palestinian territories to have hope,'' Bush told Abbas during the sit-down.

 

 

The American president also thanked the Palestinian leader for his readiness to push for a two state solution with Israel and a Palestinian state living side-by-side in peace.

 

For his part Abbas said that he "had great deal of hope that this conference will produce permanent status negotiations, expanded negotiations, over all permanent status issues that would lead to a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinian people.''

 

He added that ''this is a great initiative and we need his (Bush's) continuing efforts to achieve this objective.''

 

During the question and answer session Bush dodged a question on how valid any peace agreement would be without the consent of Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip and refuses to recognize Israel.

 

On Tuesday, President Bush will open the Annapolis peace conference alongside Olmert and Abbas.

 


פרסום ראשון: 11.26.07, 23:47
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