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The Islamic militant Hamas group, which rules the Gaza Strip, said Obama was not welcome and criticized Abbas, a bitter rival, for receiving him. "Obama wants to go to the White House through Tel Aviv, at the expense of the Palestinians," said Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman.

Abbas aides insist the Palestinian leader's meeting with Obama offers an important opportunity.

Abbas will list Palestinian grievances, including Israel's continued settlement construction and refusal to ease restrictions on the movement of Palestinians in the West Bank, Foreign Minister Riad Malki said.

Abbas will also tell Obama that, if elected president, he must not waste time and must immediately turn his attention to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, said Saeb Erekat, an Abbas adviser.

Israeli and Palestinian negotiators are trying to reach a peace deal by the end of President Bush's term. However, progress has been slow and both sides have said it's likely the target date will not be met.

In this case, immediate involvement by the next president would be crucial to preserve what has already been achieved, the Palestinians plan to tell Obama. The two sides have started drafting, though so far it has mostly meant writing down their differences.

Abdullah Abdullah, a former Palestinian deputy foreign minister, said he thinks Obama's visit to Ramallah is a positive sign. "It means that if elected president, the Mideast file will be on his (Obama's) desk from day one," Abdullah said hopefully.

President Bush, like President Bill Clinton before him, had largely stayed clear of the messy Mideast conflict during their first years in office.

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Associated Press writer Mohammed Daraghmeh in Ramallah contributed to this report.

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