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Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and U.S. President George W. Bush meeting at the White House on Monday (AP)
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Bush to urge peace settlement on basis of two nation states
By Aluf Benn, Shmuel Rosner and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Israel, Palestinians 

WASHINGTON - In his address at the opening of the multi-national peace conference at Annapolis Tuesday, President George Bush will call for a settlement on the basis of two nation states, according to Israeli sources who have been briefed about the text. Bush will declare Israel the national home of the Jewish people, and Palestine as the national home of the Palestinians.

The president will also address the issue of the Palestinian refugees, and the need to resolve their suffering, saying that they can return to the Palestinian state.

According to Israeli sources, Bush will not offer a detailed formula for determining the future border between Israel and Palestine, but will refer to his April 2004 letter to then prime minister Ariel Sharon, which talked of establishing an agreed border along the cease-fire lines (the Green Line), with consideration being given to the changes affected by the settlement blocks in the West Bank.
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The president will not propose a formula for a settlement of the Jerusalem issue, which is considered to be the most sensitive of the three main core issues.

Bush will also talk of the need to implement the settlement in accordance with the road map, and will declare that the United States will oversee the implementation of each side's commitments that are part of the agreement.

The American president will also call for the normalization of relations between Israel and the Arab world, in parallel with progress in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

The Israeli sources said they were satisfied with the president's expected speech, which will present his updated vision for an Israeli-Palestinian settlement.

"We have no problem with any part of the speech," they said.

Immediately after the Annapolis summit, Wednesday, the Bush administration would like to hold a ceremony inaugurating the final-status negotiations.

Israel opposed this, and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said during his meeting with Bush Monday that the negotiations will be carried out in Jerusalem. However, a source in Olmert's entourage said that it is possible that a ceremonial event is held in Washington to inaugurate the talks.

At an evening dinner at the State Department for members of some 50
delegations invited to the talks, Bush toasted the effort and told the guests: "We've come together this week because we share a common goal: two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side in peace and security. Achieving this goal requires difficult compromises, and the Israelis and Palestinians have elected leaders committed to making them."

President Bush met separately Monday with Olmert and with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. During part of the meeting with Bush, Olmert included Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defense Minister Ehud Barak. The discussion focused on the summit and the negotiations with the Palestinians.

Bush emerged from an Oval Office meeting with Olmert and told him: "I'm looking forward to continuing our serious dialogue with you and the president of the Palestinian Authority to see whether or not peace is possible. I'm optimistic. I know that you're optimistic."

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice gave a positive assessment on the developments prior to the summit. President Bush said "I am optimistic, and I know that you are optimistic," during a photo-op with Olmert in front of the media.

Olmert told Bush that every settlement must also include the PA taking responsibility for preventing terrorism from the Gaza Strip, which has been under the control of Hamas since June.

"It is axiomatic," Olmert told reporters. "We will not be able to accept the fact that they [the Palestinians] will be relieved of the obligation to prevent terrorism from the Gaza Strip. The obligations [included] in the road map apply to all the territories that are supposed to be part of the Palestinian state. If the Palestinians wish to give up the Gaza Strip as part of their state, we can discuss that. But if not, they need to fulfill their commitments."

At the completion of the meeting that included Livni and Barak, Bush and the Olmert held a private meeting during a walk in the Rose Garden near the Oval Office.

The Annapolis summit will begin Tuesday with a meeting between Bush, Abbas and Olmert, who will fly in helicopters to the grounds of the U.S. Naval Academy. Later the three leaders will address the summit and will depart. At that point the conference will begin at the Foreign Minister level, which will be conducted by Secretary Rice.

The conference will be divided into three sessions: Israeli-Palestinian negotiations; building Palestinian governance; and "comprehensive peace," which is the agreed term for an agreement between Israel, Syria and Lebanon.

Meanwhile, contact between the Israeli and the Palestinian negotiating teams continued Monday in a final effort to reach a common declaration. Israeli sources said that the declaration is ready, and includes only general statements regarding the future negotiations.

Livni, who heads the Israeli negotiating team, and her Palestinian counterpart, former PA prime minister Ahmed Qureia, met with Rice on Sunday night, but could not reach an agreement.

The two met Rice Monday for one final effort. According to sources in the Israeli delegation to the summit, a joint declaration will be made at the end of the summit.

Sources in the Israeli delegation continue to reiterate that "for us the declaration is not important, and the problem is with the Palestinians."

An Israeli political source said that "from our point of view, we can do without a declaration, but the Americans are very interested in one."

For his part, Olmert told reporters in Washington that "difficulties in drafting the declaration are a tactical and circumstantial matter that does not reflect on how the negotiations will be conducted in the future."

Olmert also expressed his hope that the two sides would achieve a common declaration.

"It is a good thing to have a paper, but we do not intend for solutions to be [included] there, only the meanings that we want this summit to have - that we want to start the future negotiations between us and the Palestinians."

Related articles:
  • Analysis: To have any success in talks, PA delegates lower hopes
  • Bush's baby - and ours
  • Rice tells FM Livni: Summit must focus on two-state solution
  • Thousands rally in Jerusalem against Annapolis


  • Official Annapolis conference Web site
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    The full text of Bush, PM, and Abbas speeches, and the joint statement.
      1.   Bush is skirting the core issues 03:12  |  Conroy 27/11/07
      2.   peace 03:17  |  Shmuelshachor 27/11/07
      3.   One, even smaller than Monaco, but larger than the Vatican 03:46  |  Mark Lincoln 27/11/07
      4.   ONCE A LIAR, A LIAR FOREVER 03:49  |  indrajaya 27/11/07
      5.   Bush gives away internationally recognized Palestinian rights?!! 05:07  |  Steve 27/11/07
      6.   Once a Liar always a Liar 05:08  |  Michael 27/11/07
      7.   WHAT???? 05:23  |  Ramzi, a Palestinian 27/11/07
      8.   Bush toes the Israeli line 05:28  |  Natallie Durson 27/11/07
      9.   THERE WILL BE NO PALESTINIAN STATE! ANNAPOLIS IS A HANNUKA SHOW)) 06:14  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 27/11/07
      10.   BUSH SUCCEDED TO MAKE BIG SHOW TO EXPRESS OPTIMISM IN 2 STATE SOL 06:21  |  THE VOICE)))))))) 27/11/07
      11.   Back to the Future 06:33  |  US Observer 27/11/07
      12.   Mark Lincoln - They can always go to Palestine Jordan 06:38  |  Free Gilad Shalit 27/11/07
      13.   The Arabs must make very painful concessions for real peace! 06:54  |  Uzi 27/11/07
      14.   You are all TOO cynical 06:54  |  Mike 27/11/07
      15.   #5 Steve 07:24  |  Levi 27/11/07
      16.   # 6, MICHAEL 07:27  |  indrajaya 27/11/07
      17.   Mideast Peace Conference 07:30  |  Leon 27/11/07
      18.   TO STEVE #5 08:03  |  Steve Beikirch 27/11/07
      19.   We know where Israel is! Where is Palestine? 08:08  |  redmike 27/11/07
      20.   Two or One state solution 08:46  |  Joe, Ohio 27/11/07
      21.   Shouting in the desert... 08:46  |  Fargone 27/11/07
      22.   Two nation 2 State.Israel Jewish State Jordan Palstinian State 08:49  |  e.m 27/11/07
      23.   to Muslims` responses 09:03  |  nurit 27/11/07
      24.   Meanwhile, back in the real world 09:14  |  Clickfool 27/11/07
      25.   Eight important points to keep in mind: 09:36  |  Dubi 27/11/07
      26.   UNLESS ALL MUSLIM STATES SIGN THE DEAL IT IS A WASTE OF TIME 09:43  |  **B.HEDDEM** 27/11/07
      27.   Political focus. 10:16  |  Vital 27/11/07
      28.   Re:# 4.The lair has stood against the terroistms 10:29  |  e.m 27/11/07
      29.   Jerusalem was the capital of the Jewish people and kingdom 10:29  |  Fortuna Benmayor 27/11/07
      30.   For B.Heddem # 26 11:01  |  Clickfool 27/11/07
      31.   FIND A SOLUTION 11:47  |  serge 27/11/07
      32.   PEACE SETTLEMENT NEEDS ILLIMINATING ALL SETTLEMENTS 11:56  |  TrippleJump 27/11/07
      33.   WE ARE NOT IN HURRY... WE HAVE ALL THE TIME OF THE WORLD 12:02  |  Arab Citizen 27/11/07
      34.   Why should Bush be interested? 12:14  |  Jonathan S 27/11/07
      35.   left and right are right 12:16  |  chuck bury 27/11/07
      36.   33Arab Citizen,not the Green Line(the armistice Line of 1949) 12:39  |  lakshmi 27/11/07
      37.   Mark Lincoln, a small country for a belittled people, no? 12:41  |  Johnny 27/11/07
      38.   Thats not quite right 12:49  |  Chris Linthwaite 27/11/07
      39.   # 34 Jonathan S like a quarrelling child 12:50  |  Axel 27/11/07
      40.   # 18 Steve Beikirch - There is no such a Law - please wake up 12:54  |  17 27/11/07
      41.   # 25 dubi 12:54  |  Axel 27/11/07
      42.   #12 Who is he? 12:56  |  Chris Linthwaite 27/11/07
      43.   # 19 redmike 12:58  |  Axel 27/11/07
      44.   Dubi, 25, I like your eight points, yet it is not clear 13:13  |  Ra`anan Levin 27/11/07
      45.   3# 13:26  |  Teacher 27/11/07
      46.   Arab Logic 13:45  |  RF 27/11/07
      47.   Hanakkuh, No better time. Understand God`s acceptance of events. 13:58  |  Virginia 27/11/07
      48.   # 46 rf 14:02  |  Axel 27/11/07
      49.   For Jonathan S, being ridiculous for Israel # 34 14:02  |  Clickfool 27/11/07
      50.   Jerusalem, The City of David; Praying it will always remain so. 14:17  |  For God`s Glory 27/11/07
      51.   ClickFOOL ridicoulos for Palestinian terrorists 14:31  |  Jonathan S 27/11/07
      52.   #47 Virginia Peace comes from heart 14:35  |  ben 27/11/07
      53.   lakhshmi#36... YOU ARE VERY RIGHT 14:48  |  Arab Citizen 27/11/07
      54.   Bush to urge peace settlement on basis of two nation states 15:47  |  Ossie 27/11/07
      55.   What bush is doing 16:21  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/11/07
      56.   the "two-state" euphemism ... 17:06  |  felix 27/11/07
      57.   More than land, what about stability? 17:07  |  Teresa-Maria (Tess) 27/11/07
      58.   "The refugees can return to the pal state" 17:15  |  KUTW 27/11/07
      59.   Israel is already the Jews` country 17:16  |  KUTW 27/11/07
      60.   The border 17:18  |  KUTW 27/11/07
      61.   The road map 17:20  |  KUTW 27/11/07
      62.   3 Vs 3 17:41  |  Garba 27/11/07
      63.   Clickfoo, yet they just keep on spinning it #49 17:55  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/11/07
      64.   # 58 kutw 18:09  |  Axel 27/11/07
      65.   The " Steering Committee" will achieve 18:43  |  Labhras 27/11/07
      66.   Why Bush acts like he does 18:48  |  Jonathan S 27/11/07
      67.   To Jonathan S in Frankfurt 19:01  |  Garba 27/11/07
      68.   Not the same English 19:43  |  Michael N 27/11/07
      69.   A comprehension gap 19:58  |  Michael N 27/11/07
      70.   A comprehension gap #2 20:11  |  Michael N 27/11/07
      71.   #66 Say Jonathan in Germany 20:26  |  ballistic 27/11/07
      72.   # 25 nice but mine are better.. 20:33  |  Kris 27/11/07
      73.   Mr Bush is still planing 20:45  |  Kris 27/11/07
      74.   Bush planning two nations in Palestine? 21:25  |  tbora 27/11/07
      75.   64.Axel 21:38  |  KUTW 27/11/07
      76.   How to solve the problem? 23:12  |  David 27/11/07
      77.