The U.S. remains “strongly committed” to theestablishment of a Palestinian state, Cheney said. Achieving that, he said, “will require tremendous effortat the negotiating table and painful concessions on bothsides. It will also require a determination to defeat those who are committed to violence and who refuse to accept the basic right of the other side to exist.”
Cheney was referring to Hamas, which took over the Gaza Strip last year and continues to target Israeli towns near Gaza with rocket barrages. “Terror and rockets do not merely kill innocent civilians. They also kill the legitimate hopes and aspirations of the Palestinian people,” he said.
Quoting President George W. Bush, Cheney said aPalestinian state was “long overdue,” and promised U.S.assistance toward that end. “This can be done, and if allconcerned stay at the work, success will be achieved,” he said.
In their meeting, Abbas asked Cheney to help stop Israelisettlement expansion and military operations targeting militants, said Saeb Erekat, an Abbas aide. Speaking at the press conference, Abbas thanked Cheney forU.S. support. But he also blasted Israel’s settlements and checkpoints, an implied criticism of the U.S., Israel’s strongest backer.
To reach peace, Abbas said, “what is required is will, courage and strong support from the international community, especially the U.S.”
