RAMALLAH, West Bank - Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said Saturday he would demand strong political and financial support in his upcoming talks with     President Bush in Washington and did not believe the recent flare-up of violence between militants and Israelis would hurt his case.
Abbas said the renewed violence that threatened an already shaky truce with Israel was calming down after three straight days of clashes. The Palestinian Interior Ministry said the Islamic militant group Hamas had agreed to stop firing rockets at Jewish settlements in the     Gaza Strip.

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