Abdullah to address Congress

Jordan’s King Abdullah II will speak to the U.S. Congress and appeal for an increased U.S. role in brokering Middle East peace. He will address both houses on March 7. He is also to meet with President Bush and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Her efforts at reviving the Israeli-Palestinian peace process have encountered skepticism in Congress partly because Hamas, one of the ruling factions, continues to embrace terrorism and reject Israel’s existence.Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert addressed both houses last year.