JERUSALEM, May 27: Israel put on a brave face on Friday after President Mahmoud Abbas won crucial backing from Washington, but seethed beneath the surface, blaming the Palestinian leader for failing to eliminate armed groups. Meeting a Palestinian leader for the first time since his election in 2001, US President George Bush on Thursday reaffirmed support for a Palestinian state, praised Mr Abbas and pledged 50 million dollars in direct aid.

He urged Israel to halt settlement activity in the occupied West Bank, dismantle illegal outposts and withdraw troops to positions held before the outbreak of the intifada in Sept 2000. While Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s office presented the summit as business as usual, the right-wing branded it a failure for Israel and the left-wing clamoured for more settlements to be dismantled.

But Israeli officials appeared unfazed, saying the warm welcome laid out for Mr Abbas was only to be expected after Washington boycotted his predecessor Yasser Arafat for years.

“Nothing President Bush said contradicts American promises vis-a-vis Israel,” Trade and Industry Minister Ehud Olmert told public radio. “Disappointment does not come into it because President Bush has not changed position,” one Sharon aide said. “The president made no concession on the need to fight terrorism,” he added.

But neither the right wing nor the Israeli press were buying the line. “Bush’s speech was a defeat for Israel,” said chairman of the parliamentary defence and foreign affairs committee, Youval Steinitz.

“He praised Abu Mazen (Abbas), but he has done nothing against terrorism and allowed terrorist organizations to continue to rearm,” alleged the MP from Mr Sharon’s right-wing Likud party.

The Israeli government has repeatedly accused Mr Abbas of failing to disarm militant groups despite a de facto truce in place since the Palestinian leader was elected in January.

Furthermore, Mr Steinitz said the Abbas-Bush summit made ‘worthless’ a 2004 letter from Mr Bush that signalled clear support for Israel holding onto large West Bank settlement blocs under a final status agreement.

“It can be said that the Palestinians gained a few points yesterday, and Israel lost some,” said the Yediot Aharonot newspaper.

“He (Bush) adopted the democratic and peace-loving aspect of Abu Mazen’s regime, but disregarded what Israel views as a dangerous failure on the war on terrorism,” added the daily’s editorial.—AFP