WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama on Monday met Arab
American leaders who urged him to deliver a message of hope to the Palestinian
people on his Middle East trip this month, even though he has made clear he will
not use the visit to launch a new Israeli-Palestinian peace
initiative.
Obama hosted about 10 leaders at the White House just four
days after holding talks with representatives of major Jewish organizations in
preparation for his travels to Israel, the occupied West Bank and neighboring
Jordan.
The White House has yet to officially announce the dates for the
trip, but Israeli news media have reported that Obama will start in Israel on
March 20.
Obama met the group on Monday to seek input for his meetings in
the region. He is expected to hold separate talks with Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Jordan's King
Abdullah.
"He underscored that the trip is an opportunity for him to
demonstrate the United States' commitment to the Palestinian people - in the
West Bank and Gaza - and to partnering with the Palestinian Authority as it
continues building institutions that will be necessary to bring about a truly
independent Palestinian state," a White House official said.
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