Bush still hopeful on achieving Middle East peace deal

Japan Policy & Politics, May 5, 2008

WASHINGTON, April 29 Kyodo

U.S. President George W. Bush said Tuesday he still hopes to see a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians before his term ends in January.

''I'm still hopeful we'll get an agreement by the end of my presidency,'' Bush said at a White House press conference.

Bush will travel to the Middle East in mid-May, where he will meet separately with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

''My mission is to...continue to work with both the Israelis and President Abbas and his government,'' Bush said.

Bush said he plans to work with the leaders to empower the Palestinians to take charge of security in the West Bank and remove obstacles to providing economic aid to the Palestinian Authority.

Israel restricts the movement of people and goods within and out of the West Bank due to security concerns. According to a recently released World Bank report, the restrictions hinder the Palestinian economy and reduce the effectiveness of economic aid.

Bush's hopeful assessment of a peace deal came after a more negative one Abbas gave last week. The Palestinian leader was pessimistic about the possibility of achieving a deal with Israel by the end of the year in interviews after a White House meeting with Bush.