Abbas will meet Obama in the Oval Office with already volatile Middle East politics roiled by the aftermath of the May 31 Israeli commando raid on a flotilla of boats seeking to beat the Gaza blockade.

The Palestinian leader arrived in Washington on Tuesday, directly from Turkey, which fiercely condemned the raid that killed nine Turkish activists.

He has called on Obama to make “bold” decisions to jump start peace moves in the Middle East.

The United States has joined other foreign governments and the United Nations in calling for an inquiry into the raid with an international component, saying it was key to any investigation’s credibility.

But Israel has declined any international probe into the affair, a topic likely to feature in Obama’s talks with Abbas.

A US official said Obama and Abbas would “discuss steps to improve life for the people of Gaza, including US support for specific projects to promote economic development and greater quality of life.”

Obama also wants to discuss a “long-term strategy for progress that we will advance through consultations” with the Palestinians, Israelis, Egyptians and other partners, the official added on condition of anonymity.

The pair will also cover how to forge progress in proximity talks between Israel and the Palestinians mediated by US envoy George Mitchell, despite the fallout from the Gaza raid.

“We look forward to engaging with President Abbas to move the process forward so that we can get to direct talks to address all the final status issues,” the official said.

Obama will also renew his call on Israelis and Palestinians to “ensure that neither side take provocative steps that could stand in the way of progress,” according to the official.

Abbas will meet with Obama in the Oval Office a week after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled his own White House trip to deal with the fallout from the Gaza crisis.

Abbas set a clear rhetorical framework last week for his long-awaited summit with the US president.

“My message to Obama during our meeting in Washington next week will be that we need bold decisions to change the face of the region,” he said at an investment conference in the West Bank.

The Palestinian leader is also scheduled to meet with US lawmakers and National Security Adviser James Jones.