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| Version 7 | Version 8 |
|---|---|
| Bush launches key Mid-East tour | Bush launches key Mid-East tour |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| US President George W Bush has arrived in Israel on a landmark visit to the region to try to advance peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians. | US President George W Bush has arrived in Israel on a landmark visit to the region to try to advance peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians. |
| Mr Bush received a red carpet welcome at Tel Aviv airport, where he was greeted by the entire Israeli cabinet. | Mr Bush received a red carpet welcome at Tel Aviv airport, where he was greeted by the entire Israeli cabinet. |
| He said he saw a "new opportunity for peace here in the holy land" as he began his first visit as president. | He said he saw a "new opportunity for peace here in the holy land" as he began his first visit as president. |
| Ahead of his arrival Palestinian and Israeli leaders agreed to begin tackling core issues dividing them. | Ahead of his arrival Palestinian and Israeli leaders agreed to begin tackling core issues dividing them. |
| Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert vowed at a US summit last year to try to achieve a two-state solution by the end of 2008. | Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert vowed at a US summit last year to try to achieve a two-state solution by the end of 2008. |
| 'Unshakeable bond' | 'Unshakeable bond' |
| Mr Bush was met by Mr Olmert and Israeli President Shimon Peres. | Mr Bush was met by Mr Olmert and Israeli President Shimon Peres. |
| We are expecting that President Bush will get Israel to freeze settlement activity Nabil Abu Rudeina,Abbas spokesman href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7178714.stm">Massive disruption for visit class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7176143.stm">Lasting legacy? | |
| Mr Olmert spoke of the "unshakeable" bond between Israel and the United States, and of his deep personal friendship with Mr Bush. He said he hoped finally to repay some of the hospitality he had been shown by Mr Bush. | Mr Olmert spoke of the "unshakeable" bond between Israel and the United States, and of his deep personal friendship with Mr Bush. He said he hoped finally to repay some of the hospitality he had been shown by Mr Bush. |
| Meanwhile, Mr Peres called on Mr Bush to "stop the madness" of Iran and the militant groups Hezbollah and Hamas, and warned Iran not to "underestimate our resolve for self-defence". | Meanwhile, Mr Peres called on Mr Bush to "stop the madness" of Iran and the militant groups Hezbollah and Hamas, and warned Iran not to "underestimate our resolve for self-defence". |
| For his part, Mr Bush said Israel and the US had "built two great democracies under difficult circumstances". | For his part, Mr Bush said Israel and the US had "built two great democracies under difficult circumstances". |
| He said the alliance between the US and Israel "helps guarantee Israel's security as a Jewish state". | He said the alliance between the US and Israel "helps guarantee Israel's security as a Jewish state". |
| But his visit was not welcomed by Hamas, the militant group cut off by Israel and the West after winning Palestinian elections. | But his visit was not welcomed by Hamas, the militant group cut off by Israel and the West after winning Palestinian elections. |
| "Bush has come to the region only to give political, moral and material support to the Israeli occupation and also to widen the internal Palestinian rift," Sami Abu-Zhuri, a senior Hamas official, told the BBC. | "Bush has come to the region only to give political, moral and material support to the Israeli occupation and also to widen the internal Palestinian rift," Sami Abu-Zhuri, a senior Hamas official, told the BBC. |
| "Bush is not welcome because he is one of the most prominent reasons for the suffering of the Palestinian people." | "Bush is not welcome because he is one of the most prominent reasons for the suffering of the Palestinian people." |
| Two-state vision | Two-state vision |
| Speaking in Washington ahead of the trip, Mr Bush said there would be three main themes to his visit. | Speaking in Washington ahead of the trip, Mr Bush said there would be three main themes to his visit. |
| He said Palestinians need to have a clearly defined vision of a state that can exist alongside Israel, and both Palestinians and Israelis need to fulfil their obligations to bring about this vision. | He said Palestinians need to have a clearly defined vision of a state that can exist alongside Israel, and both Palestinians and Israelis need to fulfil their obligations to bring about this vision. |
| Israeli and Palestinian views on US leader's visitIn pictures | Israeli and Palestinian views on US leader's visitIn pictures |
| He also repeated that the US was committed to security in the region. But correspondents say many Israelis and Palestinians are sceptical about the chances for progress. | He also repeated that the US was committed to security in the region. But correspondents say many Israelis and Palestinians are sceptical about the chances for progress. |
| After holding talks with Mr Olmert and Mr Peres in Jerusalem on Wednesday, Mr Bush will go to the West Bank to meet Mr Abbas. | After holding talks with Mr Olmert and Mr Peres in Jerusalem on Wednesday, Mr Bush will go to the West Bank to meet Mr Abbas. |
| This three-day leg of Mr Bush's tour will be followed by visits to Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. | This three-day leg of Mr Bush's tour will be followed by visits to Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. |
| Thorny issues | Thorny issues |
| In a meeting on Tuesday, Mr Abbas and Mr Olmert authorised their negotiators to begin discussing "final-status" issues of the borders of a future Palestinian state and the status of Jerusalem. | In a meeting on Tuesday, Mr Abbas and Mr Olmert authorised their negotiators to begin discussing "final-status" issues of the borders of a future Palestinian state and the status of Jerusalem. |
| Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said it had been agreed that Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and former Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, also known as Abu Ala, would "start intensive meetings to immediately discuss all core issues of a final status agreement." | Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said it had been agreed that Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and former Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, also known as Abu Ala, would "start intensive meetings to immediately discuss all core issues of a final status agreement." |
| But the BBC's Bethany Bell in Jerusalem says the rows over Israeli settlement construction in occupied East Jerusalem and of militant rocket fire into Israeli territory have not gone away. | But the BBC's Bethany Bell in Jerusalem says the rows over Israeli settlement construction in occupied East Jerusalem and of militant rocket fire into Israeli territory have not gone away. |
| The Palestinians have also accused Israel of stepping up raids in the occupied territories ahead of Mr Bush's visit. | The Palestinians have also accused Israel of stepping up raids in the occupied territories ahead of Mr Bush's visit. |
| A further issue is the removal of unauthorised Israeli outposts in the West Bank. | A further issue is the removal of unauthorised Israeli outposts in the West Bank. |
| Beyond that even tougher questions remain - the Palestinians made refugees since Israel's creation in 1948 and the sovereignty of Jerusalem. | Beyond that even tougher questions remain - the Palestinians made refugees since Israel's creation in 1948 and the sovereignty of Jerusalem. |