U.S. President George W. Bush on Saturday said he was "absolutely committed" to getting an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal by the end of the year. The American leader said one main reason for the dedication he promised Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Saturday is that "it breaks my heart" to see the suffering of the Palestinian people.
Bush spoke after he and Abbas met in the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheik. The two leaders met for nearly an hour before speaking briefly to reporters, and then strolled back inside for a private dinner.
"In my speech tomorrow (Sunday), I'll make it clear that I believe we can get a state defined by the end of my presidency, and we'll work hard to achieve that objective," Bush told reporters in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. The US leader, who is to deliver a speech on the opening day of the Middle East World Economic Forum, said he had spoken again with Israeli leaders about his goal and would do so with the Palestinians on Saturday and Sunday, AFP reported.
"Everyone of these meetings helps us inch toward the goal of getting a state defined with borders and the refugee issue as well as security concerns defined by the end of my presidency," Bush stated. "And I believe we can do that, and I know it's going to be important for the peace in the Middle East," he said in response to questions about accusations in the Arab press of his bias towards Israel.
