WASHINGTON, May 17 (UPI) -- Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and U.S. President Bush will discuss the Israeli pullback from Gaza and other issues next week in Washington.
It will be Abbas' the first visit to the Oval Office as leader of the Palestinian Authority and comes amid new hope of a revived Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
"The United States remains committed to the vision of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side in peace and security," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said.
McClellan said the two would discuss bilateral and regional issues, including Israel's planned pullback from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank.
U.S. aid to the Palestinians is likely to be high on the agenda. Abbas, who has worked to clamp down on anti-Israeli violence, needs funding from the United States and others to create jobs and infrastructure to show Palestinians a peace dividend.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon met with Bush earlier this year, as have other Middle East leaders involved in the peace process.
