Bush to Reaffirm Commitment to Mideast

Bush is "going to talk about what we can do to support President Abbas, Prime Minister Fayyad in their efforts to build now a democratic and effective Palestinian state," Hadley said. "He will have some ideas to suggest about what we are going to do to support them financially, diplomatically."

The timing of Bush's remarks reflects Fayyad's move from a temporary position into a more permanent role, said Gordon Johndroe, a spokesman for the National Security Council at the White House. "This is the time to demonstrate increased support for this effort and to get the international community more engaged in this process as well," Johndroe said.

Five years ago, Bush called for a separate, independent Palestine alongside Israel. He was the first U.S. president to back that notion so fully and publicly. But his administration has taken heavy criticism for letting the peace process drift while conditions worsened for the impoverished Palestinians.

Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., said Sunday that the administration has not done enough.

"They've had a hands-off attitude for many, many years now. And at a critical juncture, when Abbas was just taking over, when there was an opportunity to really support him, the administration was not doing that," Reed said.

After losing Gaza in a swift, five-day Hamas assault on his forces, Abbas moved quickly to cement his rule in the West Bank. He replaced the prime minister, Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, with Fayyad, a U.S.-educated, internationally respected economist.

Some in the United States and in Europe have advocated a policy dubbed the "West Bank first" in which Abbas and the West Bank would stand as an example of what a future Palestinian state could be. Critics on the other side say that leaves Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip without international aid. Europeans oppose this idea, and others worry it would leave the Gaza Strip open to funding and influence from Iran and Syria.

International negotiators trying to bring peace to the Mideast plan to meet Thursday in Portugal. The group, which is expected to include Rice, will confer with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair for the first time in his new role promoting peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who also will attend the meeting, is increasingly concerned about the economic impact for Gaza. Ban, who is meeting with Bush at the White House on Tuesday, called for the opening of all crossings to allow humanitarian supplies and workers and commercial goods to enter the territory.

Hadley appeared on "This Week" on ABC. Reed spoke on CNN's "Late Edition."