Israel was prepared to talk seriously "about the political horizon for what will eventually become the basis for a permanent agreement between us and the Palestinians," Olmert said Sunday evening in a speech to the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.
Following the establishment of a
PA national unity government in February, Israel stopped discussing "political horizon" issues with the Palestinians, roughly defined as what a two-state solution would be like.
Olmert's willingness to discuss these issues with Abbas and the new PA government comes just a week before Bush is scheduled to deliver an address on the Middle East marking five years since he laid out his vision for a two-state solution.
Following the Bush meeting and a joint press appearance, Olmert is scheduled to meet separately with Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Robert Gates, before flying back to Israel in Tuesday evening.