by Mark Silva
President Bush spoke by telephone this morning with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and pledged U.S. support for the emergency government that Abbas has organized in the West Bank.
The consultations, held in the aftermath of the violent takeover of Gaza by Hamas, come on the eve of a meeting that Bush will hold with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert at the White House on Tuesday – with a security perimeter around the White House already tightened in advance of the visit.
Abbas told Bush that he wants to "resume political ties'' as quickly as possible, a White House spokesman said this morning, but the broader question of U.S. aid for the new West Bank government – with the U.S. having refused to support a government that was controlled by the terrorist Hamas organization – remains to be resolved.
"The president pledged help and support,'' Tony Snow, the White House press secretary, said of the 15-minute phone conversation that Bush held with Abbas this morning. They spoke of "reopening political channels.''
Is it possible that the U.S. will deal only with the West Bank government of Abbas and his Fatah party, to the exclusion of the newly Hamas-controlled Gaza, where about 1.5 million Palestinians live?
"What is important is, you have to have a partner who is committed to peace, and we believe President Abbas is,'' Snow said. "We have said that Hamas is a terrorist organization. I think it's pretty clear what our stance is with regard to Hamas.''
The question of aid for the new Abbas government is certain to come up in Bush's meeting with Olmert, Snow said. Abbas raised the issue today, but it was addressed in general terms.
"At this particular juncture,'' Snow said of Bush, "he said he would support this government.''
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Comments
We're not going to support the democratically elected Hezbollah? Whatever happened to that whole "spreading democracy" thing?
Posted by: Tom O | June 18, 2007 1:57 PM
"I think it's pretty clear what our stance is with regard to Hamas.''
Doesn't it sound like Tony thinks he's helping make these decisions about the US stance?
And, I think it is too early for us to be pledging support when we don't know what this new government will look like...or DO they?
Posted by: Anonymous | June 18, 2007 5:06 PM
Like any of Bush's pledges can be counted on. I'm sure the West Bank folks feel much like those Repubs who didn't want Bush coming to campaign for them.
Posted by: Rick/Sneads Ferry, NC | June 18, 2007 5:57 PM