Bush to head for Egypt talks with Palestinians

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Heading for the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh for the final stop of his Middle East tour, Bush faces growing scepticism over his chances of securing an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal before he leaves office in January.

Bush's visit to Israel to celebrate its 60th anniversary raised fresh doubts in the Arab world over his ability to act as an even-handed broker between U.S. ally Israel and the Palestinians.

He hailed Israel as a "homeland for the chosen people" and pledged that Israelis could forever count on American support against enemies like Hamas and Iran.

Palestinians were dismayed that Bush, in his speech to Israel's parliament on Thursday, made only one reference to their aspirations for a state of their own and did not use the occasion to press Israelis to make compromises.

The White House denied Bush was ignoring the plight of the Palestinians, insisting he would address their concerns in his meeting on Saturday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

"What he will make clear is that the Palestinian people deserve a state," said White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe.

Bush's trip to Egypt will follow a one-day visit to Riyadh, where he met King Abdullah and won an announcement of a modest Saudi increase in oil output in response to his repeated appeals for help in easing record world oil prices.

Bush meets Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Afghan President Hamid Karzai as well as Abbas on Saturday and will see Jordan's King Abdullah, Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and Iraqi officials on Sunday at an international economic forum.

PEACE PROCESS STALLED

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