Posted on 05/21/2003 7:55:43 AM PDT by mikenola
NEW YORK, May 20 (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush is considering making his first trip to the Middle East as president in the next few weeks to salvage a peace plan threatened by suicide bombings against Israelis, the New York Times reported on its Web site late on Tuesday.
A trip to Israel is possible but unlikely, the Times reported, citing unnamed administration officials.
Officials told the Times that Bush could meet with Israeli and Palestinian leaders in Kuwait or Qatar on a side trip from a meeting he is set to attend later this month in the French Alps.
However, a disagreement among administration officials was reported by the Times over whether Bush should get more involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Times also reported that U.S. officials were pressing Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to remove some recently established Jewish settlements and take other steps that would not have a direct effect on Israel's security.
White House officials had no immediate comment on the report.
Earlier on Tuesday, Bush spoke for the first time with Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas in what a White House spokesman called a "friendly and hopeful conversation."
Bush had expected to meet Sharon in Washington on Tuesday, but the trip was canceled after five suicide bombings in three days against Israelis.
Is this yielding to the "root causes" crowd, or a simple bow to Karl Rove's "Peacemaker" electoral fantasies? (as if his racial fantasies weren't doing enough damage by leaving the border wide open) Either way it is beneath our President's dignity.
The terminally stupid believe the lying NY Slimes and the lying Reuters whenever they lie about GW!
Read the article first before you condemn the president:
From the article, is this Jayson Blair line: A trip to Israel is possible but unlikely, the Times reported, citing unnamed administration officials.
Anyone who believes this article probably voted for Pat Buckywheat twice while believing what Patty said.
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