Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas called on the United States on Thursday to press Israel to dismantle settlements on the West Bank and release Palestinian prisoners.

He also made an appeal to Israel to take "bold steps" to meet its obligation in implementing the Middle East peace plan, known as the "road map."

Abbas, who is on his first visit to the United States since he took office, made the remarks while addressing the Council on Foreign Relations, a think tank that contributes ideas to the US foreign policy.

Stressing the fact that Israel "continues to grab Palestinian land," he said this would put the Palestinian Authority "in a very embarrassing situation."

He urged the United States to "play its role forcefully" in pressing Israel to dismantle settlements on the West Bank and release up to 3,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Earlier on Thursday, Abbas met US lawmakers at a closed session at the Capitol Hill and told them that Israel was undermining the "road map" by continuing to build settlements on the West Bank and constructing a security fence separating Israel from Palestinian areas.

"If (US) Congress continues blindly to support Israel without considering Palestinian concerns, then President Bush's vision will not be attainable," a Palestinian official close to Abbas quoted him as saying, according to the Associated Press.

The Palestinian prime minister will meet Bush on Friday and is expected to ask Bush to press Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who will meet Bush next Thursday, to dismantle the settlements and stop building the security fence.

(Xinhua News Agency  July 25, 2003)