In an interview with The Wall Street Journal shortly before he telephoned Abbas, an animated Bush expressed eagerness to help bring about a peaceful transformation to democracy in the Palestinian territory and Iraq. "It's exciting to be part of stimulating a debate of such significance," the newspaper quoted him in a story for Tuesday editions. "It really is the philosophical argument of the age." Bush, at the White House, said, "I think it's going to be very important for Israel to fulfill its obligation on the withdrawal from the territories that they have pledged to withdraw from." "It is essential that Israel keep a vision of two states living side-by-side in peace, and that, as the Palestinians begin to develop the institutions of a state, that the Israel government support the development of those institutions," Bush said. --SPA1040 Local Time 0740 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/231609