Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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January 6, 2008

Bush Hopes to Advance Peace Efforts in This Week's Mideast Trip
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1AD1728:A6F02AD83191E160AE83E9AE46A7F8A6B3350E090FE6A6E8& After stops in
Israel and the West Bank, Mr. Bush will visit five key US allies in
the region - Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia
and Egypt President Bush says a key goal of his Middle East trip this
week is to gain increased support for Israeli-Palestinian peace
efforts from U.S. allies in the region.







President Bush (file picture)Mr. Bush says he will first meet with
both Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas about moving peace negotiations to achieve what he says
is their shared hope for the future: "Two democratic states, Israel
and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security."

The president will leave Washington late Tuesday.  After stops in
Israel and the West Bank, he will visit five key U.S. allies in the
region - Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and
Egypt. Speaking to the American people Saturday in his weekly radio
address, Mr. Bush said he will encourage Arab leaders to counter what
he calls Iran's "aggressive ambitions," and assure them that the U.S.
commitment to their regional security is strong and enduring.

In remarks broadcast on Israeli army radio Sunday, Mr. Bush said he
did not believe an Iranian attack on Israel is imminent, but if it
happens, he says the United States will defend Israel. 

Iranian President Mahmoud Amadinejad has said Israel should be wiped
off the map, and Mr. Bush said if he were an Israeli, he would take
the Iranian president's words seriously. 



Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.




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