Arab peace plan: Abbas calls Obama

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on US President-elect Barack Obama on Saturday to become involved in Mideast peacemaking efforts as soon as he enters office.

The Palestinian president asked Obama to throw his weight behind a pan-Arab peace initiative that offers full peace with Israel in return for its withdrawal from the West Bank, Gaza and parts of occupied Jerusalem.

The proposal also requires Israel to settle the issue of millions of Palestinians who are descendants of refugees who fled, or were forced to flee their homes during the 1948 Mideast war that accompanied the founding of the Jewish state.

The plan is referred to as the "Arab Initiative" because it was agreed upon in 2002 by dozens of Arab countries that currently do not have ties with Israel.