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U.S. President George W. Bush delivering a special address on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Washington on Monday. (AP)
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Israel hails, Hamas slams proposed regional conference
By Aluf Benn, Barak Ravid and Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondents

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert praised the new peace initiative. Olmert spokeswoman Miri Eisin said the announcement Monday "adds to the momentum" of bilateral talks already under way between Olmert and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, and that the summit could be "an excellent umbrella to support the moderate Palestinians and to give a real push" to the bilateral talks.

Eisin said Saudi Arabia and other Arab states that do not have diplomatic ties with Israel should take part in the conference.

Hamas, however, accused Bush of planning a "crusade" with the Palestinians as its target.
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Speaking in Gaza, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri accused Bush of outlining "a plot to launch a crusade against the Palestinian people."

In the special address Monday night outlining changes to his administration's Middle East policy, Bush also said the U.S. would provide the new PA emergency government with over $190 million in aid.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is to lead the summit, which is planned for the fall, Bush said.

"In consultation with our partners in the Quartet - the European Union, Russia and the United Nations - the United States is taking a series of steps to strengthen the forces of moderation and peace among the Palestinian people," Bush said. The Quartet will convene in Lisbon on Thursday, and is expected to endorse the summit.

Bush administration officials are fairly sure they have some takers among the majority of Arab nations that still do not recognize Israel. The idea was first floated in a now-dormant peace proposal advanced several years ago by then-crown prince and now King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.

"We wouldn't be launching ourselves on this enterprise if we didn't feel some confidence that there is a willingness in the region to embrace the path to peace," said Assistant Secretary of State David Welch, the State Department's top diplomat for the Middle East. "We believe that this is a moment for everybody to push the 'go' button and try and make this work."

Welch noted that just such a conference is specified in the Saudi-sponsored Arab peace plan, which gained some renewed attention this year. "That's at the heart of the Arab initiative, and we take them at their word," he said.

Bush continued in his speech: "This year we will provide the Palestinians with more than $190 million in American assistance, including funds for humanitarian relief in Gaza."

"Today I announce our intention to make a direct contribution of $80 million to help Palestinians reform their security services," the president added.

The $190 million is for the 2007 fiscal year, which ends September 30. The administration had already asked Congress for $86 million in aid for the Palestinians, and has promised to give the UN an additional $40 million mainly for residents of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

The president's speech was made several hours after Olmert hosted Abbas at his official residence in Jerusalem. Bush praised the meeting, and called on Olmert to continue to release Palestinian tax revenues to the PA government.

"Prime Minister Olmert has also made clear that Israel's future lies in developing areas like the Negev and Galilee - not in continuing occupation of the West Bank," Bush said. "This is a reality that Prime Minister Sharon recognized, as well." Bush urged Israel to remove unauthorized outposts, stop expanding settlements, and to "find other practical ways to reduce their footprint without reducing their security."

Fatah spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said the PA welcomed Bush's speech. He told Haaretz that Bush's call to renew the peace talks reinforces the Palestinian position, which sees this as essential. He said the summit must lead to the implementation of the road map and the Arab peace plan - in other words, to the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Senior Palestine Liberation Organization official Yasser Abed Rabbo also praised Bush's speech, which he said would give greater weight to the talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis, and could push the talks away from the emphasis on gestures on the ground toward final-status talks. "It's not clear why Israel isn't ready to renew talks now," Abed Rabbo added.

Abbas adviser Nabil Amr said Abbas saw Bush's speech in Washington as "opening a new door that would lead to reviving peacemaking," a reference to final status issues such as the fate of Jerusalem, borders and Palestinian refugees.

Not everyone sees Bush's plan as practical. Anti-Defamation League Director Abe Foxman told Haaretz that the parties to the Arab-Israeli conflict must first arrive at a peace agreement, and only then hold an international conference to discuss ways and means to strengthen the peace. He said Bush's speech expressed a final attempt by the current administration to promote Middle East peace, and said that the president placed the responsibility on the PA and the moderate Arab states
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  1.   Salt anyone 04:38  |  Baz Mann 16/07/07
  2.   This all sounds suspiciously like a re run of Oslo,promises,none 05:58  |  lakshmi 16/07/07
  3.   How About A 1,000,000 State Solution 06:35  |  Ben 16/07/07
  4.   Two states without Hamas??? 07:05  |  Infidel Too 16/07/07
  5.   At last we may soon have a Palestine with many names 07:06  |  Akram Zekaria 16/07/07
  6.   New on the menu. 07:27  |  Akram Zekaria 16/07/07
  7.   to hell with western "activism" 07:48  |  David G 16/07/07
  8.   Don`t Endorse...Just Do It 07:50  |  Martin 16/07/07
  9.   THE US CITIZENS ARE FULLY REPSONSIBLE TOO 08:38  |  indrajaya 16/07/07
  10.   Oy...King Midas in Reverse to intervene... 09:09  |  Clickfool 16/07/07
  11.   For Infidel Too, on Bush`s Two State Solution # 4 09:14  |  Clickfool 16/07/07
  12.   SELL EVERY LAST SHARE & BUY A BIKE 09:25  |  Clickfool 16/07/07
  13.   Bush is going to make himself more fool than he is if he continue 10:01  |  Drorah Lavi 16/07/07
  14.   Iran: one thing you can be sure of 10:06  |  Clickfool 16/07/07
  15.   For Drorah Lavi # 13 10:15  |  Clickfool 16/07/07
  16.   # 14, CLICKFOOL 10:19  |  indrajaya 16/07/07
  17.   It`s ok to "endorse" a 2 state solution. Just don`t implement it 10:20  |  Natallie Durson 16/07/07
  18.   Too Little, Too Late 10:28  |  Boyd 16/07/07
  19.   To Clickfool 10:49  |  Mark 16/07/07
  20.   #10 clickfoll scores a winner bush to triumph over reality 10:51  |  victor hardman 16/07/07
  21.   Click Fool, the Arabs of this Land were offered independence, 10:53  |  Drorah Lavi 16/07/07
  22.   To clickfool 10:58  |  Mark 16/07/07
  23.   Where Bush is gonna stuff it up 11:20  |  Johnboy 16/07/07
  24.   #4 11:28  |  Fabio 16/07/07
  25.   IRONICALLY HAMAS IS SAVING ISRAEL 11:46  |  TheLandForPeaceMyth 16/07/07
  26.   MORE LIKE A 3 STATE SOLUTION 11:49  |  PALESTINIAN MYTH 16/07/07
  27.   The issue is not the money, it is the occupation, stupid! 12:03  |  El-Birawi 16/07/07
  28.   ONLY SOLUTION: GAZA TO EGYPT; W.BANK PARTITIONED WITH JORDAN 12:07  |  MG 16/07/07
  29.   "Vision speech." 12:24  |  Maureen Ann 16/07/07
  30.   Oh dear how sad 13:03  |  Angelique 16/07/07
  31.   Of course Clickfool 13:06  |  Angelique 16/07/07
  32.   why are not you brave enough to say that you will never 13:07  |  mehmet 16/07/07
  33.   El Birawi 13:11  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 16/07/07
  34.   WHAT WILL HAPPEN 13:13  |  Paul 16/07/07
  35.   BUSH in Iraq 13:18  |  Paul 16/07/07
  36.   waste of time.. 13:30  |  ravi 16/07/07
  37.   For Mark in London # 22 13:50  |  Clickfool 16/07/07
  38.   For Angelique # 31 13:52  |  Clickfool 16/07/07
  39.   For Paul # 34 13:55  |  Clickfool 16/07/07
  40.   Surprise, surprise 14:06  |  Fritz 16/07/07
  41.   #39clickfool gets the tactics wrong again 14:11  |  victor hardman 16/07/07
  42.   oh boy, that damn history book again. 14:22  |  George 16/07/07
  43.   A lot of hot air 14:42  |  European 16/07/07
  44.   #43 EUROPEAN ALL ARABS TO JORDAN 14:59  |  paul harris 16/07/07
  45.   Bush`s blind "vision" 15:02  |  Tosefta 16/07/07
  46.   A peace plan for Bush to pursue 15:05  |  Tosefta 16/07/07
  47.   Bush rewarding Hamas 15:12  |  Michael 16/07/07
  48.   For the world, Israel and Palestine conflict is too much headache 15:21  |  Tamir Palestine 16/07/07
  49.   re: LandForPeace 15:56  |  Paulo 16/07/07
  50.   This man is hilarious 16:03  |  Paulo 16/07/07
  51.   Kiss of Death 16:16  |  Redivider 16/07/07
  52.   The President of Lost Causes 16:21  |  Jane 16/07/07
  53.   Drorah Lavi #31 16:29  |  wibism 16/07/07
  54.   Curb Your Enthusiasm 16:35  |  Hannah 16/07/07
  55.   When it comes to peace 16:41  |  Mark Lincoln 16/07/07
  56.   Washington and Reality 16:50  |  Mark Lincoln 16/07/07
  57.   Why withdrawal policies when arabs have lands from Lybia to Iran 16:56  |  Joseph E . 16/07/07
  58.   US citizens better brace themselves for natural desasters 16:59  |  Joseph E . 16/07/07
  59.   Clickfool your anti semitism is offensive 17:19  |  rob 16/07/07
  60.   #44 17:37  |  Bruno 16/07/07
  61.   Have you, Paulo, accepted the right of Israel to exist yet? If 17:40  |  Anat 16/07/07
  62.   59: Rob 17:49  |  Redivider 16/07/07
  63.   TALKBACK DETERIORATION 17:53  |  Brant 16/07/07
  64.   Unconstutitional actions against religion,Fed Crt.Alaba.Judge 17:59  |  sam 16/07/07
  65.   More dried up Berries from a dried up Bush. 18:03  |  Labhras 16/07/07
  66.   JETTISON BUSH, HE`LL TAKE YOU DOWN 18:15  |  BUSHBASHER 16/07/07
  67.   re: palestinian myth 18:18  |  al 16/07/07
  68.   Get real 18:22  |  FinanceDoc 16/07/07
  69.   "41" Victor Hardman 18:23  |  Labhras 16/07/07
  70.   mark Lincoln 18:26  |  Danite 16/07/07
  71.   # 54 The idea is right.... 18:29  |  Misha 16/07/07
  72.   No. 14 Clickfool 18:29  |  steve 16/07/07
  73.   So many here miss the point 18:31  |  Danite 16/07/07
  74.   "22" Mark in London 18:32  |  Labhras 16/07/07
  75.   #69 dear tinker my knowledge and experience goes beyond the 18:34  |  victor hardman 16/07/07
  76.   The Right Stuff 18:38  |  peter 16/07/07
  77.   For Rob # 59 18:44  |  Clickfool 16/07/07
  78.   Hot Potatoe Cold Potatoe 18:45  |  Naive 16/07/07
  79.   rob in London "59" re Clickfool. 18:46  |  Labhras