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Bush meets Abbas for peace talks Bush meets Abbas for peace talks
(about 1 hour later)
US President George W Bush has arrived in Ramallah in the West Bank for talks with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, as he continues his Middle East tour. US President George W Bush has arrived in Ramallah in the West Bank for talks with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.
A massive security cordon has been thrown round the city for the visit. A massive security cordon has been thrown round the city for the visit, with residents told to stay away from roofs and windows.
The talks are expected to focus on the issue of Israeli settlements and the activities of Palestinian militants.The talks are expected to focus on the issue of Israeli settlements and the activities of Palestinian militants.
After meeting Israeli PM Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem on Wednesday, Mr Bush said he was hopeful a peace deal could be struck during his last year in office. After he met Israeli PM Ehud Olmert on Wednesday, Mr Bush said he was hopeful a peace deal could be struck.
Mr Bush is trying to use the regional visit to boost Israeli-Palestinian peace talks begun last year. Mr Bush is making his first trip to Israel and the West Bank since taking office in 2001.
He is trying to use the visit to push forward Israeli-Palestinian peace talks relaunched last November.
Security measuresSecurity measures
Mr Bush had been due to arrive in Ramallah by helicopter, but extremely wet and foggy weather conditions forced the president to travel in a motorcade instead. Mr Bush had been due to arrive in Ramallah by helicopter, but heavy fog forced the president to travel in a motorcade instead.
As to the rockets, my first question is going to be to President Abbas, what do you intend to do about them? President Bush Middle East tour diaryIn pictures: Bush visit He was greeted on a red carpet by Mr Abbas. As to the rockets, my first question is going to be to President Abbas, what do you intend to do about them? President Bush Middle East tour diaryIn pictures: Bush visit He was greeted by Mr Abbas at his walled headquarters, the Muqata, and the two men briefly clutched hands as they walked up the red carpet.
Mr Bush is only the second serving US president to visit the Palestinian territories. Former President Bill Clinton went there in 1998.
In Ramallah, all vehicles have been banned from the roads in districts around the headquarters of Mr Abbas, the Palestinian Authority president.In Ramallah, all vehicles have been banned from the roads in districts around the headquarters of Mr Abbas, the Palestinian Authority president.
Snipers and thousands of other Palestinian and US security agents have flooded the area in the huge operation to safeguard the US president's security. His talks with Mr Abbas will focus at least in part on the Palestinians' ability to handle security, says the BBC's Tim Franks in Ramallah. Snipers and thousands of other Palestinian and US security agents have flooded the area in the huge operation to safeguard the US president's security.
Israel wants rocket attacks from Palestinian territories to stop. The BBC's Katya Adler in Ramallah says amid the concerns over security, the atmosphere is very nervous, with the BBC team waiting over four hours to get into the venue for a news conference with the two leaders.
Hamas excludedHamas excluded
At a joint news conference with Mr Olmert after their meeting, Mr Bush said he would be raising the issue: "As to the rockets, my first question is going to be to President Abbas, what do you intend to do about them?" Mr Bush's talks with Mr Abbas are set to focus in part on the Palestinians' ability to handle security.
class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7178714.stm">Massive disruption for visit class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7176143.stm">Lasting legacy? The answer may be very little, correspondents say. Mr Abbas has no control over the Gaza Strip, which has been ruled by the Islamist militant group Hamas since June last year. Israel wants rocket attacks from Palestinian territories to stop.
Massive disruption for visitLasting legacy?
Mr Bush mentioned the issue at a joint news conference with Mr Olmert, saying: "As to the rockets, my first question is going to be to President Abbas, what do you intend to do about them?"
The answer may be very little, correspondents say. Mr Abbas has no control over the Gaza Strip, which has been ruled by the Islamist militant group Hamas since June last year.
More rockets were fired into Israel from the Gaza Strip on Thursday morning, the Israeli military said.
The US considers Hamas a terrorist organisation and Mr Bush has no plans to visit Gaza.The US considers Hamas a terrorist organisation and Mr Bush has no plans to visit Gaza.
For his part, Mr Abbas will want to know how far the US is willing to push its close ally Israel to fulfil its obligations not to expand settlements on occupied territory, our correspondent says.For his part, Mr Abbas will want to know how far the US is willing to push its close ally Israel to fulfil its obligations not to expand settlements on occupied territory, our correspondent says.
Annapolis hopes
Israeli and Palestinian views on US leader's visitIn pictures At a conference in Annapolis, Maryland, in late November, Mr Olmert and Mr Abbas agreed to pursue a peace agreement leading to a two-state solution in 2008.
He would also like to see an easing of Israeli military roadblocks in the West Bank.He would also like to see an easing of Israeli military roadblocks in the West Bank.
Two-state solution
After his meeting with Mr Olmert, Mr Bush said he was "very hopeful" about the prospects for peace but acknowledged that it would be "hard work".After his meeting with Mr Olmert, Mr Bush said he was "very hopeful" about the prospects for peace but acknowledged that it would be "hard work".
Israeli and Palestinian views on US leader's visitIn pictures At a conference in Annapolis, Maryland, in late November, Mr Olmert and Mr Abbas agreed to pursue a peace agreement leading to a two-state solution in 2008.
Mr Bush is using his visit to push that process forward and reach agreement on a Palestinian state during his last year in office.Mr Bush is using his visit to push that process forward and reach agreement on a Palestinian state during his last year in office.
Ahead of Mr Bush's visit, the Israeli and Palestinian leaders agreed that negotiations would begin on the core issues separating them - the borders of a future Palestinian state, the status of Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees and Israeli settlements..