Last update - 00:00 16/01/2008
Bush: Olmert's coalition strong, can withstand peace process
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent
U.S. President George Bush left Israel last Friday convinced that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's coalition was stable enough to advance the peace process, a senior Western diplomat said Tuesday.
And that, according to the diplomat, was one of the purposes of Bush's trip: to evaluate the Israeli political situation for himself, in order to decide whether it was worth investing time and energy in the peace process.
Bush made this clear at a dinner with Olmert and his senior ministers, including Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beiteinu) and Eli Yishai (Shas). "Do I need to be worried?" Bush asked, according to the diplomat. "I'm willing to invest great effort here over the next year, but tell me whether it's worthwhile or not, so I don't waste my time."
Bush also tried to reassure his hosts. "Don't worry. I won't impose an agreement on you," he said. "I'll encourage you to reach an agreement, but I won't dictate what's in it." Later, he added: "I know how important security is to you, and I can provide you with security guarantees. You have no better friend than the U.S. and no stronger supporter than I. We have common enemies."
According to the diplomat, who compared Bush to a businessman examining a deal before investing his money, the president left the meeting convinced that Olmert's government was not in danger: "Bush hinted to the ministers that if there weren't a stable coalition, he would not invest himself in the process. The fact that he announced he would return in May shows clearly that he believes there is a chance."
Meanwhile, however, Bush must decide what to do about Gaza. There is growing support in Washington for reopening the Gaza border crossings, despite Israel's objections. Yet the administration also wants to continue isolating Gaza's Hamas government.
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