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Bush, Olmert Bolster 'Moderate' Abbas NewsMax.com Wires WASHINGTON -- President Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Tuesday sought to bolster Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, calling him a moderate voice and the only true leader of the Palestinian people. Bush and Olmert, at a meeting in the Oval Office, both spoke positively of the prospect for new meetings between Abbas and the Israelis. "I'm going to make every possible effort to cooperate with him," the prime minister said. Bush called Abbas "the president of all the Palestinians" and "a voice for moderation." Bush and Olmert met in the aftermath of turmoil that left Abbas, a Western-backed moderate, in control of one Palestinian government in the West Bank and his Islamist rival Hamas in control of the separate Gaza Strip. "Like you, I want to strengthen the moderates," Olmert said. He said it was vital to strengthen security for Israel. "Our hope is that President Abbas and Prime Minister (Salam) Fayyyad - who's a good fellow - will be strengthened to the point where they can lead the Palestinians in a different direction," Bush said. Olmert said he will be talking to Abbas but spoke of several prerequisties for progress towards peace. They included a much more responsive Palestinian government and increased security efforts, Olmert said. Story Continues Below
The prime minister also said he wanted to discuss with Bush the threat to Israel from Iran whose president has denoucned Israel. In 2005, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denounced Israel, saying it must be "wiped off the map." Bush replied that he views Iran's statements as a "serious threat" to Israel and that "all options are on the table" to make sure Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon. Bush said Iran must see that there is "a price to be paid for this kind of intransigence." Bush said Hamas attacked the unity government. "They made the choice of violence," the president said, adding that Abbas was "a voice that is a reasonable voice amongst the extremists in your neighborhood." The United States and European Union moved quickly to shore up Abbas. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Monday announced an end to an economic and political embargo on the Palestinians. Israel has seemed likely to free up millions in tax revenue it collects on behalf of the Palestinians, assuming it could ensure that the money flowed only to Abbas' operation in the West Bank. Rice was to brief members of Congress on Tuesday about the Bush administration's decision to restart the flow of aid to Abbas' government. The United States, more than a year ago, withheld money for fear it would benefit Hamas radicals governing alongside him. "It's a day late and a $100 million short," said Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-N.Y., who chairs a House subcommittee focused on the Middle East. "If we were delivering goods to (Abbas) and making him the Muslim Santa Claus in the Arab world so we was giving out the goodies, instead of Hamas, they wouldn't have lost the last election. And Hamas would have withered in the desert." Hamas' surprise 2006 legislative victory ended decades of rule by Abbas' Fatah Party. Hamas won largely on the strength of the services and smooth government it delivered in its Gaza stronghold. Hamas refuses to recognize Israel or renounce violence, conditions the world set for diplomatic engagement and aid. Hamas claims responsibility for the deaths of scores of Israelis in suicide attacks. Israel, the European Union and the United States list it as a terrorist group. Abbas was elected separately and retained office through months of political impasse and upheaval. He tried a coalition government this spring, but dissolved it last week after days of clashes in Gaza between his forces and Hamas that killed some 100 Palestinians. As a first step, Rice said she will ask Congress to rework an existing $86 million aid request for the Abbas-led government. At the same time, she announced a separate $40 million contribution to United Nations relief for Palestinian refugees, a gesture to the 1.5 million Palestinians living in increasingly desperate conditions in Gaza. The cash to Abbas' government will help him meet his payroll and could improve his standing with Palestinian voters, but he remains weak. Although the Bush administration has made a point of saying that Abbas remains the leader for all Palestinians, the near-total division of the two Palestinian territories means he can fully speak for only about half his more than 3 million people. Jon Alterman, a Mideast expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the split between the territories is a problem that U.S. money can't fix. Abbas and Fatah have other problems, too, Alterman said, including a history of corruption and inefficiency that had made Congress wary of direct payments long before Hamas became a factor.
© 2007 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Editor's note: Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
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