Saudis put pressure on Bush

Saudi leaders are holding an informal summit with US President George W Bush at which they are expected to ask the US to do more to restrain Israel.
Mr Bush will be told that Israel's actions against Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza must not be viewed as part of America's war against terror, according to Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Sa'ud al-Faysal.

He said there could be no discussion of the Middle East peace plan devised by Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah until Israel had withdrawn fully from Palestinian areas

Prince Sa'ud said there was "no good terrorism" but Arabs could understand the acts of suicide bombers.

"There is a difference between a terrorist act such as 11 September and a suicide operation carried out by a young woman or man for whom all avenues to a dignified life have been blocked," he said.

He also dismissed Israel's attempts to compare its "fight against terrorism" to that waged by the US in the wake of the attacks on New York and Washington.

"I can't believe that the United States accepts such a contention, and Crown Prince Abdullah will emphasise this," he said.