JERICHO, West Bank, Nov. 30 (UPI) -- The U.S. administration gave a significant boost to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, enhancing his stance against rival Hamas.
President George W. Bush and his Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressed full support to Abbas Thursday, reaffirming Washington's commitment to the two states solution, Israel and Palestine, as a way for settling the Middle East conflict.
The U.S. boost coincided with Abbas announcement of the failure of his "extensive efforts" to form a national unity government with Hamas, the Palestinian News Agency, Wafa, reported.
"Unfortunately, I say that we have not succeeded and did not reach the result we wanted... a national unity government capable of dealing with the international community and acknowledging international and Arab resolutions and initiatives," Abbas said at a joint press conference with Rice in Jericho in the West Bank.
"Our people want a national unity government capable of lifting the embargo, regardless of whose in it whether from Hamas or Fatah, and such government should accept the international legitimacy," Abbas added, implicitly blaming Hamas for the failure.
Abbas underscored Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's positive remarks about the need to create an independent and viable Palestinian state and the importance of the Arab peace initiative which offered normal Arab relations with Israel in return for its withdrawal from territories captured in 1967.
"I believe that what he (Olmert) said in that sense is very encouraging and helps push forward the peace process," Abbas added.
Bush called on the international community to back Abbas during his two-day visit to Jordan.
"We are aware that settling the Palestinian cause will help restore peace in the Middle East," Bush was quoted as saying. "We insist on the two states solution... Israel and Palestine living in peace side by side."
