Bush, after visit to Israel, focuses on Arab side of Mideast stalemate

Bush's meetings with Abbas late in the day - they have dinner after a more formal discussion session - follow his two-day visit in Israel coinciding with the Jewish state's 60th anniversary celebrations. That milestone is seen by Palestinians as a catastrophe because of the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who either fled or were driven out of their homes during the 1948 war over Israel's creation.

Bush did not visit the Palestinian territories while in Israel, nor did he mention their plight. In a much-anticipated speech Thursday to the Knesset, Israel's parliament, Bush only gently urged Mideast leaders to "make the hard choices necessary," without mention of concrete steps, and spoke of Palestinians only in one sentence that predicted they would have their own state by 2068.

Bush is seen in the Arab world as tilting much too far toward Israel. Comments Friday from Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal about Bush's speech suggested that had not changed.

"We are all aware of the special U.S.-Israeli relation and its political dimensions," he said. "It is, however, important also to affirm the legitimate and political rights of the Palestinian people."

He also sharply criticized Israel for the "humanistic suffering weighed upon the West Bank and Gaza Strip population" of Palestinians. He said Israel's "continued policy of expanding settlements on Palestinian territories" undermines the peace process.

Israelis and Palestinians have been negotiating since December, but nothing visible has emerged from the secretive process.

Both the Israeli and Palestinian leaders are weak among their own constituencies and fresh violence from the Gaza Strip and settlement activity by Israelis are diminishing an already precious supply of trust. The president did no negotiating while in Israel and left the Holy Land with no new progress on an accord.

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