Bush tries to convince Arab sceptics on peace push
SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (Reuters) - U.S. President George W.Bush sought to reassure sceptical Arabs on Sunday he iscommitted to securing a deal on Palestinian statehood before heleaves office, despite his outspoken support for Israel.
Wrapping up his Middle East tour in the Egyptian resort ofSharm el-Sheikh, Bush was looking to ease Palestinian dismayover his visit to Israel, where he lavished the Jewish statewith praise, hailing it as a "homeland for the chosen people."
Bush planned to use a speech to Arab leaders at an economicforum in Sharm el-Sheikh on Sunday to insist that he "firmlybelieves" a Middle East peace deal can be reached this year --a deadline widely viewed as unrealistic.
"We must stand with the Palestinian people, who havesuffered for decades and earned the right to a homeland oftheir own," Bush will say, according to an advance text of hisspeech.
Adjusting his approach from the one taken during his visitto Israel last week to celebrate its 60th anniversary, Bushwill challenge the Palestinians to "fight terror" and call onIsrael to make "tough sacrifices for peace and easerestrictions on Palestinians."
Bush was alluding to the hardship that Palestinians facefrom Israeli roadblocks and barriers in the occupied West Bank,measures they call collective punishment but which Israel saysare to defend it against militant attacks.
Bush's more sympathetic language on the Palestinians'plight appeared aimed at countering Arab doubts, reinforced byhis Israel visit, about his ability to act as an even-handedpeace broker.
Bush will also use his speech to urge Arab leaders to standby Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora against Hezbollah andto isolate Iran over its nuclear programme.
"Every peaceful nation in the region has an interest inopposing Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions," Bush will say. "Toallow the world's leading sponsor of terror to gain the world'sdeadliest weapon would be an unforgivable betrayal of futuregenerations."
LECTURE TO ARAB LEADERS
With fewer than nine months left in office, Bush, highlyunpopular in the Arab world because of the Iraq war, willlecture Arab countries on everything from economics topolitical reforms.
He will call on Arab governments, to free all "prisoners ofconscience" and open up political debate.
Reflecting U.S. public concerns about high oil pricesduring a presidential election year, Bush will warn Arab oilproducers that their supplies are limited and they mustdiversify their economies.
His comments follow a visit to Saudi Arabia where he won amodest increase in oil output for world markets. High oilprices have stoked U.S. recession fears.
Bush, who met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Sharmel-Sheikh on Saturday, is also seeking broader regional supportfor the faltering Middle East peace process.
Bush stoked anger among Palestinians and their Arab alliesin a speech to Israel's parliament on Thursday in which hepledged unflinching support for the Jewish state but made onlyone reference to Palestinians' dreams of a state of their own.
Palestinian officials and Arab leaders and commentatorsresponded with stinging criticism.
Bush's five-day Middle East tour, his second this year,follows a U.S.-hosted conference in Annapolis, Maryland, inNovember.
Since then, talks have bogged down over Israeli settlementexpansion in the occupied West Bank and violence in and aroundthe Gaza Strip, where Hamas cross-border rocket fire hastriggered a tough Israeli military response.
Bush hopes to forge a foreign policy legacy beyond theunpopular war in Iraq. Critics say his effort is too little,too late and still lacks the full weight of U.S. diplomacy.
Peace moves have also been hindered by the weakness of themain players. Abbas governs only in the West Bank while Hamascontrols Gaza. Israeli Prime Ehud Olmert faces a corruptionscandal that could force his resignation and may derail thepeace process altogether.
(Additional reporting by Tabassum Zakaria in Sharmel-Sheikh and Wafa Amr in Ramallah; Editing by Charles Dick)