Abbas to meet US president on Oct. 20

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said on Wednesday that he will meet with US President George W. Bush in Washington on Oct. 20.

Earlier in the day, Abbas paid a brief visit to Egypt for talks with President Hosni Mubarak. During the trip, Abbas said that he will visit the United States, without specifying the exact date.

Abbas said in Cairo that he will ask the United States to prod Israel to stop its attacks on Palestinian targets in the Gaza Strip.

New violence erupted over the weekend as Palestinian militants intensified rocket attacks on Israel.

The Israeli side responded by renewing raids and targeted killings as well as rounding up a large number of militants in the West Bank.

The fresh tension has dealt a blow to an almost eight-month-old truce between the Palestinians and Israel.

Source: Xinhua