Olmert seeking Bush's views on Israeli plan for West Bank withdrawal

The United States is encouraging Israel to hold "serious talks" with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as an alternative to the Hamas-dominated Palestinian Authority.

Photo: Olmert seeking Bush's views on Israeli plan for West Bank withdrawal

The advice was publicized Tuesday by White House press secretary Tony Snow before Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called on President George W. Bush. Their meeting, Olmert's first with Bush since becoming prime minister, was expected to focus in part on the Israeli leader's plan to impose a West Bank settlement by relinquishing most of the area for a Palestinian state.

"We are interested in making sure that the prime minister has serious talks with his Palestinian counterpart," Snow said.

With U.S. and European support, Israel is boycotting the Hamas-led Palestinian government. Israel already has begun sounding out Abbas, who leads the Fatah faction and is considered far more moderate than Hamas, which refuses to recognize Israel's existence.

Abbas met last weekend at the World Economic Forum in Egypt with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and has appealed for an end to violence among Palestinians in Gaza.

"We think it's very useful and appropriate to keep those channels of communication open," U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

While not suggesting Israel could work out a peace agreement at this point with Abbas, McCormack said, "He is a political leader within the Palestinian political context."

Olmert might not get a conclusive judgment from Bush on Tuesday on the West Bank plan. But he is looking for clues on whether the president will insist that any plan to carve up the West Bank with the aim of establishing Israel's final borders requires the approval of Palestinian leaders, reports AP.

O.Ch.