Bush to visit Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia

Tuesday 29th April, 05:24 AM JST

WASHINGTON —

U.S. President George W Bush will visit Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt May 13-18 but has no plans for a joint peace summit with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, the White House said Monday.

Bush, who seeks a Middle East peace deal by year’s end, will meet in Israel with President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and address the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, said spokeswoman Dana Perino.

The U.S. president, who has been pushing Israel and the Palestinians to agree on the outlines of a future Palestinian state, will then travel to Saudi Arabia for talks with King Abdullah.

In Egypt, Bush will meet with President Hosni Mubarak, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas, and deliver remarks at the World Economic Forum on the Middle East, said Perino.

With peace talks stalled and violence flaring up, “we’re under no illusions that things are going to happen immediately,” the spokeswoman told reporters.

“Things are very dynamic and fluid and we hope that they continue to push in the right direction. But we’re going to have to push them faster than they’ve been going,” she said.

“There’s a lot of deep-seated history that has to be addressed if they’re going to define a state by the end of the year. And we know how much hard work there is to be done, and that’s one of the reasons that the president is going back to the region,” she said.

The visit is anchored on the 60th anniversary of the founding of the modern state of Israel, where Bush will celebrate “close ties” between the United States and its staunch ally.

In Saudi Arabia, Bush will commemorate the 75th anniversary of the formal establishment of U.S.-Saudi relations, said Perino.

The visit also will focus on cooperation with U.S. Mideast allies and “will reaffirm efforts toward peace and prosperity and our close work with regional allies to combat terrorism and promote freedom.”

Bush’s schedule as released did not include a joint summit with Olmert and Abbas at a time when Israel-Palestinian peace talks, launched with much fanfare at a conference in Annapolis, Maryland, in November, have stalled.

“I wouldn’t read too much into it,” said Perino. “I think the Palestinian people are assured that the president is committed to helping them establish their own state.”

“The president just met with President Abbas here, and then he was just there (the Middle East) back in January; as we said earlier, that the president would be going to Israel to celebrate the 60th anniversary,” she said.

But Perino played down the lack of clear progress last week when Bush met separately with Jordan’s king and with Abbas.

“I don’t think anyone anticipated that there would be some sort of breakthrough,” she said. “The breakthroughs are going to come between the Israelis and the Palestinians.”

“That is where the negotiations are more mature for a peace settlement than they are in other parts of the region, because you have two leaders who are committed to it,” said Perino.

Bush, whose term ends in January 2009, last visited the region in January.

The peace effort is due to tackle some of the toughest issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including the fate of Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees, and what to do about Jewish settlements on the West Bank.

Abbas suspended the fortnightly talks at the beginning of March after an Israeli military operation in Gaza killed more than 130 people. They were only renewed earlier this month.

The situation has also been complicated by the violence in Gaza, which is run by Hamas militants, who seized control of the region last year after the Islamist movement rose to power in 2006 elections.

AFP

13 Comments

adaydream at 03:09 PM JST - 29th April

These countries are cutting checks right now for george bush and dick cheney. Someone has to pick them up.
DXXJP at 04:31 PM JST - 29th April

Adaydream

To quote sarge

Exactly exactly
SuperLib at 05:21 PM JST - 29th April

I was kind of hoping we could finally solve the "Israel owns America" vs. "Saudi Arabia owns America" debate. Unfortunately, they mention both countries in the article so I'm guessing people are going to bury those statements for the time being. :(
grsmaz at 05:33 PM JST - 29th April

The 3 work together believe or not.
redacted at 06:25 PM JST - 29th April

"The 3 work together believe or not."

bush. he controls them. like a master puppet player.

i just knew it.
grsmaz at 06:28 PM JST - 29th April

Not according to Israel and the bin Laden family.
redacted at 07:00 PM JST - 29th April

"The visit is anchored on the 60th anniversary of the founding of the modern state of Israel, where Bush will celebrate “close ties” between the United States and its staunch ally."

Already 60?

Seems like it was just yesterday that the 400,000 strong Israeli army completely humiliated the 1 million Arab forces.

What losers.

"Al Naqba," indeed.
grsmaz at 07:38 PM JST - 29th April

When Sharon used to say over and over how Israel owned US the main stream American media chose to ignore his comments because they were afraid it could damage the Usraeli relationship. A relationship in which Israel gives 0 Billion Dollars to US and US gives 3 to 5 Billion Dollars each year and US is afraid to damage the relationship? It is more than clear by now that US cannot and will not criticize Israel. This is a freedom USA does not have while at the same time it gives more aid to Israel than any other country in the world. Do not question Israel just give money to them. They are our friends. ( Israel is our master )

If you read bin Ladens speech after 9/11 he said the reason for the attacks was among other things the treatment of Palestinians by Israelis and then Israel says 9/11 was good.
redacted at 07:53 PM JST - 29th April

"Bush to visit Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia"

I reckon it is to thank Saudi Arabia and Egypt for the tacit approval and support they gave to Israel in the IDF's most recent battle against Iran's proxy forces, Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Nasrallah has admitted that Hezbollah have Iranian support.

http://www.lebanonwire.com/0702MLN/07020422HZ.asp

Saudis are Sunni, H'bollah are Shia, and Egypt seems to be back in its more nationalist phase.

Let em fight and cancel each other out.

Don't care if it takes billion$, it will be worth it.
grsmaz at 08:21 PM JST - 29th April

Don't care if it takes billion$, it will be worth it.

I guess 9/11 was worth it too then. I admire your determinination to believe Israel is always right no matter what they say and do.

Hezbollah gets money from Iran to liberate Lebanon from Israeli occupation. According to UN including US. Israel has no right to be occupying any Syrian or Lebanese land. Hezbollah only wants the land which was taken by Israel back to them. This also US has agreed to. Yet when Hezbollah demands back Lebanese territory also agreed by US US calls Hezbollah a terrorist organization.

US then gives billions of Dollars to Egypt and Jordan only so that thet can maintain a diplomatic relationship with israel and the aid to these countries are also concidered aid to Israel by US and AIPAC.

Egypt, Saudi, Jordan have also been able to produce more high ranking al Qaida members than any other countries most of the terrorists on 9/11 was from Saudi and Israel thinks 9/11 was good.

But all this is worth it according to some people who support USA and Israel. Good to see people showing their true patriotic colours and showing faith in their governments.
Sarge at 09:06 PM JST - 29th April

"the violence in Gaza..."

Hmm, I wonder why there's violence in Gaza...

"... which is run by Hamas militants"

Never mind.
grsmaz at 11:05 PM JST - 29th April

AIPAC and other pro-Israel lobby in the US has managed to convince Americans to support Israel, even though this support runs counter to America's own national interests. According to Jerusalem Post. The overall thrust of US policy in the region is due almost entirely to US domestic politics, and especially to the activities of the 'Israel Lobby,'. No lobby has managed to divert US foreign policy as far from what the American national interest would otherwise suggest, while simultaneously convincing Americans that US and Israeli interests are essentially identic. The United States has a terrorism problem in good part because it is so closely allied with Israel, not the other way around. Israeli leaders such as Nethanyahu, Olmert address AIPAC at these big annual meetings on what they need and want and AIPAC then makes sure Israeli gets what it wants. Thats how this US-Israeli relationship works. Its all one way and not mutual.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1139395630337&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
mosc1 at 01:58 PM JST - 9th May

grsmaz your anger directed against Israel shows as much as your ignorance of State policy. Washington runs on special interests like business men drink coffee. The Executive Branch has its State Department of full time bureaucrats and think tanks plus the Secretary of State. Both, often at odds, have their own agenda - independent of special interest groups in general and AIPAC in particular. The US believe it or not has its OWN interests. The US government does not wait for their AIPAC intructions. Israel is a tiny, poorly governed state whose population is less than New York City! The US invests billions of aid to Israel because it invests billions to the surrounding Arab states. The game is called: "maintaining the balance of power". The British, when they had their empire, played the same game. And the Americans borrowed it from the British playbook. Maintaining the status quo of American domination of the states of this region, while also - please stop being so simple - maintaining the conflict among competiting States. (The Arms business qualifies besides the dollar as a great American export!). Your tacky boo hoo, its really pathetic - GO WASH YOUR FACE.