Palestinian: U.S. Must Press Israel on Timing

The United States should press Israel for a firm schedule of peace moves, a Palestinian official said Tuesday ahead of White House talks between Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and President Bush in a new U.S. effort for progress in the peace plan.

Bush is to meet Abbas on Friday, while Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will hold talks with the president next Tuesday. Bush is expected to press both to take the steps outlined in the peace “road map,” which envisions a Palestinian state by 2005.

Friday’s meeting will highlight the first visit by a Palestinian leader to the Bush White House; Bush has been boycotting Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat and pushed hard for Abbas’ appointment to the newly created post of prime minister in April.

In the Israeli Arab town of Taibeh, residents rioted after police, warned to be on the lookout for a Palestinian attacker, shot dead a driver who ignored an order to pull over. A passenger fled on foot, said police spokesman Gil Kleiman, who identified the dead man only as a local resident who had no driver’s license.

No weapons were found.