Palestinians skeptical as Bush bypasses Gaza

By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Mohammed Assadi

GAZA/RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinians are pinning scant hope on George W. Bush's Middle East visit this week to push for peace -- especially those in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip which the U.S. president will bypass.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is hoping Bush, on his first presidential visit to the Holy Land, will pressure Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to halt settlement activity and help spur talks aimed at establishing a Palestinian state.

But many ordinary Palestinians are skeptical that a man seen by many as the best friend Israel has had in the White House will do much to advance their dream of an independent state.

"We have been talking about peace since 1967 but we got nothing because Israel is interested in settlements and not peace," said Saad Muqbel, a taxi driver from Abbas's West Bank stronghold of Ramallah. "Bush will go home empty-handed."

Even if Abbas does win results from Israel and the United States, any attempt at forging a deal will be complicated by the fact that rival Hamas Islamists -- who oppose the peace drive and refuse to give up fighting Israel -- control the Gaza Strip.

The United States views Hamas as a terrorist group and did not invite it to a U.S.-hosted November peace conference.

Bush, unsurprisingly, will not be visiting Gaza, and Hamas says he is not welcome anyway, dismissing the trip as a "photo opportunity" and a "black day" for Palestinians.

Abbas has ruled out reconciliation talks with Hamas unless it relinquishes control of Gaza, a condition the Islamist group rejects. He has not explained what he plans to do about Gaza. Israel cautions that dialogue could torpedo peace efforts.

Hamas plans rallies in Gaza while Bush shuttles between Olmert and Abbas. Dozens in Gaza protested on Tuesday with banners reading "Olmert, Bush are terrorists".

DEEPENING DIVISIONS

Exiled Hamas officials in Syria said Bush's visit was aimed at deepening internal Palestinian divisions because he would push Abbas to rein in militants from the Islamist group.

"This visit aims to encourage the Palestinian presidency to continue to dismantle the infrastructure and pursue the fighters which means the deepening of internal Palestinian break-up," high-level Hamas member Izzat al-Rishq told Reuters in Damascus.

In Gaza, Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said the visit could unleash a fresh round of violence in the coastal enclave. He predicted Bush would give Israel the green light to assassinate senior Hamas officials, including Gaza leader Ismail Haniyeh.

"We stress the rules of the game will completely change if any of those leaders are harmed," Abu Zuhri said.

Wary of failed talks in the past and struggling with the impact of an Israeli border blockade and frequent military raids against militants, most ordinary Gazans were pessimistic.