I will bring peace to Middle East, Bush promises

[soulwinner]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml.../ixnewstop.html

I will bring peace to Middle East, Bush promises

By Inigo Gilmore in Jerusalem and Alec Russell in Washington

(Filed: 20/12/2004)

President George W Bush yesterday predicted that he would bring peace between Israel and the Palestinians during his second term in office, making a strikingly bold assessment of his foreign-policy goals for the next four years.

"I want you to know that I am going to invest a lot of time and a lot of creative thinking so that there will finally be peace between Israel and the Palestinians," Mr Bush told the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Aharonoth.

"I am convinced that, during this term, I will manage to bring peace."

Mr Bush entered the White House determined not to follow the path of his predecessor, Bill Clinton, who devoted much of his presidency to an ultimately fruitless search for an end to the conflict.

But as he prepares for the start of his second term next month, Mr Bush sees the elusive quest as a principal ambition of his presidency.

Washington regards the Palestinian elections on Jan 9 as a crucial first step to consolidate the leadership of Mahmoud Abbas, a moderate with whom Washington believes it can work, following the death last month of Yasser Arafat.

At the same time, the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, is forcing through his plan to withdraw soldiers and settlers from the Gaza Strip next summer.

"Next year is very important, as it will bring peace," said Mr Bush. "Sharon understood this. It is very important that the Palestinians also understand that peace is not something that is arrived at through words, but through deeds."

The White House had previously shunned the Palestinian leadership because it regarded Mr Arafat as a terrorist. But Mr Bush endorsed his successor, saying: "I have a basis for believing the new Palestinian leadership … is also working in the right direction."

However, according to Yedioth, he shrugged off peace overtures by President Bashar Assad of Syria, saying he would have to wait for the Palestinian track to be completed.

It quoted him as saying: "Syria is a very weak country, and therefore it cannot be trusted. For now, Assad should wait; first peace between Israel and Palestine, and then we will see what should be done with Syria."

In an interview with Time magazine, which yesterday named him its "Person of the Year", Mr Bush was more cautious about his chances in the Middle East, saying "we've got a shot" for peace.

Nevertheless, his comments appear to reflect optimism that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict may be turning a corner. If next month's elections in Iraq pass off reasonably well, the Bush administration believes it could begin to democratise the Middle East.

"One of the great ironies of life will be that a Palestinian state and Iraq became the catalyst for change in a part of the world that needs change. At least that's our foreign policy, it needs to change," Mr Bush said.

His remarks were published ahead of tomorrow's visit to Israel and the West Bank by Tony Blair, who has urged Mr Bush take a more "hands on" role in pushing the two sides towards ending violence and renewing the peace process.

The Prime Minister is planning to hold a conference in London in February to strengthen the new Palestinian leadership, encourage reforms and prepare the Palestinians to take over the Gaza Strip after Israel's withdrawal. Israel said it supported the initiative, but would not participate.

Mr Sharon's centre-Right coalition has collapsed, largely because of a revolt over the withdrawal plan, but the prime minister appeared close yesterday to finalising a deal for a unity government with the opposition Labour party.

Shimon Peres, the Labour leader and Israel's best known dove, will be appointed as a second deputy prime minister and Labour will receive eight ministerial posts in all.

Mr Sharon yesterday made a gesture of goodwill to the new Palestinian leadership by authorising the release within days of 170 prisoners - 120 Fatah activists and 50 Palestinians arrested in Israel without legal entry permits. The Palestinians, called it a publicity stunt, saying many of those being released had nearly completed their sentences.

Time said it had given Mr Bush its award for the second time for "reshaping the rules of politics to fit his 10-gallon-hat leadership style", a reference to his forthright approach and image as a Texan cowboy.

Mr Bush told the magazine that he "didn't expect short-term historians to write nice things about him" but made clear he had no intention of moderating his style.

"I think sometimes I take kind of a delight in who the

[other one]

It's kind of ironic, but if he actually did find some way to attain peace for Israel the whole world would accuse him of being the anti christ.

I would think it would be the ultimate act of injustice to a person, but you know it would happen.

[larryt]

It's kind of ironic, but if he actually did find some way to attain peace for Israel the whole world would accuse him of being the anti christ.

I would think it would be the ultimate act of injustice to a person, but you know it would happen.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But it is just the antichrist who will broker a peace between the arabs and jews. No one else will do it. The Lord Jesus Christ will not "broker" a peace but command it.

LT

[nebula]

Personally, I'd be suprised if "peace" comes out of this new election. I'm expecting the Palestinians to play along with what everyone wants until Israel is in a vulnerable position and then SMACK!

[Leonard]

Uh...I'd just like to point out that in spite of all the Hal Lindsay books, 'antichrist' is NEVER MENTIONED IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION. It never says ANYWHERE the 'antichrist' will bring peace to the Middle East!

This is a man-made (and Roman Catholic) interpretation of the Scripture.

[other one]

Uh...I'd just like to point out that in spite of all the Hal Lindsay books, 'antichrist' is NEVER MENTIONED IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION.  It never says ANYWHERE the 'antichrist' will bring peace to the Middle East!

This is a man-made (and Roman Catholic) interpretation of the Scripture.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Very true, but most of the world is looking for him anyway, and most everyone I know think that he will be the entity that makes the peace occurr.

[Catsmeow]

Try reading the Book of Daniel, okay?

Secondly, Bush is NOT the antichrist. He's doing what WE should be doing.

Maybe ya'll forgot what Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the sons of God..."

To strive for peace isn't anti-Christian.

The anti-Christ uses a false, temporal peace as his platform for world dominance.

Hello? Man, poor Mr. Bush can't do anything right to some folks. What on earth do you want from the guy?

[amor]

It's kind of ironic, but if he actually did find some way to attain peace for Israel the whole world would accuse him of being the anti christ.

I would think it would be the ultimate act of injustice to a person, but you know it would happen.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not the "whole world", just a few extremists.

[other one]

It's kind of ironic, but if he actually did find some way to attain peace for Israel the whole world would accuse him of being the anti christ.

I would think it would be the ultimate act of injustice to a person, but you know it would happen.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not the "whole world", just a few extremists.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I would have to disagree about jsut extremists. It was what I was taught in church for most of my life...

[other one]

Try reading the Book of Daniel, okay?

Secondly, Bush is NOT the antichrist. He's doing what WE should be doing.

Maybe ya'll forgot what Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the sons of God..."

To strive for peace isn't anti-Christian.

The anti-Christ uses a false, temporal peace as his platform for world dominance.

Hello? Man, poor Mr. Bush can't do anything right to some folks. What on earth do you want from the guy?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Cats.... ease up. I didn't say that he is/was, and also said it would be not right to accuse him of such.