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U.S. President George W. Bush speaking at the White House on Tuesday. (Reuters)
Last update - 12:44 05/12/2007
Bush to make first official visit to Israel in January to push talks
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent and Haaretz Service
Tags: U.S., George W. Bush, Israel

United States President George W. Bush will make his first official presidential visit to Israel in January.

A senior Jerusalem source said that Bush would come to Israel for two days on January 10, Israel Radio reported.

During his visit, Bush is expected to focus on promoting Israeli-Palestinian negotiations in the framework of agreements reached at last week's Mideast peace conference, held in Annapolis, Maryland,
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This visit will be Bush's first visit to Israel since he took office seven years ago. Bush visited Israel in 1998 when he was governor of Texas. In contrast, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Israel three times in the six week period leading up to the Annapolis peace summit.

White House National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe confirmed Tuesday that "the president will go to the Mideast region in early January." He would not provide details about which countries Bush would visit during his trip.

Bush's visit will come almost one month after the Annapolis conference. Last week, Bush was criticized in the American press for not having visited Israel. With this visit, Bush hopes to demonstrate his commitment to the peace process relaunched in Annapolis.

Bush is also expected to discuss with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert the issue of Iran's nuclear program, and steps to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.

Last week, Haaretz reported that Bush had been invited to take part in Israel's 60th anniversary celebrations in 2008.

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      1.   Visit Israel? Where in Israel ? 21:56  |  Nora 04/12/07
      2.   Maybe he`s moving there, the US doesn`t want him. 22:16  |  Michael 04/12/07
      3.   #2 22:23  |  Jane 04/12/07
      4.   COMING TO SHARE GRIEF OVER UNMASKED LIES ON IRAN 22:54  |  JACKAL 04/12/07
      5.   Visiting an Apartheid State 23:25  |  POP 04/12/07
      6.   Can any U.S. or Israel leader not succumb to pressure 23:33  |  Pedro Shekel Dollar 04/12/07
      7.   #3 - What president would say these words... 23:38  |  Steve 04/12/07
      8.   Yes, the apartheid state with arab MKs. 23:42  |  Steve 04/12/07
      9.   Major concessions to be wrung out of Israel as reward for Son of 23:46  |  Absolute Sweden 04/12/07
      10.   Re: Visiting an Apartheid State 23:57  |  Steve 04/12/07
      11.   #7Steve 00:29  |  Jane 05/12/07
      12.   While you`re in Israel, George... 00:37  |  Steve 05/12/07
      13.   After Seinfield, here comes Dubya 00:41  |  Tweety 05/12/07
      14.   #11 Jane 00:45  |  Steve 05/12/07
      15.   POP / Dana -- Visiting US friend and ally, Israel 00:47  |  Gina 05/12/07
      16.   TO MEET HIS LORD JESUS 00:47  |  indrajaya 05/12/07
      17.   4 visits already to Iraq, first for Israel 00:48  |  Pablo B 05/12/07
      18.   Bush as a unbiased mediator 00:53  |  Pablo B 05/12/07
      19.   Carter 01:02  |  Jay 05/12/07
      20.   Why Israel? 01:12  |  Maureen Ann 05/12/07
      21.   Please keep him. Its our present 02:37  |  Iranian-American 05/12/07
      22.   #20 MAUREEN ANNE 02:55  |  DANNY 05/12/07
      23.   Carter Worst Ever in the 20th Century 03:10  |  Jane 05/12/07
      24.   Annapolis step 1 middle east visit step 2 RIGHT ??? 03:10  |  M. S. 05/12/07
      25.   What took you so long George? 03:44  |  Conroy 05/12/07
      26.   Carter not the worst 04:16  |  Charles Hall 05/12/07
      27.   Indrajaya 04:17  |  Yosemite 05/12/07
      28.   Indrajaya you don`t like Christians either 06:17  |  Conroy 05/12/07
      29.   9 Absolut Sweden - American System 06:31  |  Mark of Lewiston 05/12/07
      30.   Indrajaya 06:35  |  Craig 05/12/07
      31.   Carter and the Mullocracy 06:42  |  Mark of Lewiston 05/12/07
      32.   MS in the Twin Cities 06:46  |  Mark of Lewiston 05/12/07
      33.   # 27, 28, YOSEMITE, CONROY 06:47  |  indrajaya 05/12/07
      34.   Carter in `08! 06:54  |  Morris Valentine 05/12/07
      35.   Steve and Jane 06:57  |  Philippe 05/12/07
      36.   # 30, CRAIG 07:02  |  indrajaya 05/12/07
      37.   #Danny. George Bush is a `Christian.` 07:11  |  Maureen Ann 05/12/07
      38.   # 30, CRAIG 07:19  |  indrajaya 05/12/07
      39.   Indrajaya You Never Liked Bush 07:41  |  Yosemite 05/12/07
      40.   For Jane in Palm Beach, a disappointed Bushie # 23 09:21  |  Clickfool 05/12/07
      41.   POP # 6 09:24  |  Christian Van Nieker 05/12/07
      42.   Bush stay home, we don`t want you here! 09:27  |  Avraham 05/12/07
      43.   # 12 Steve 09:33  |  Mark Brajtman 05/12/07
      44.   POP 09:42  |  Christian Van Nieker 05/12/07
      45.   i hope it includes an extensive tour of the `hood` 09:43  |  eric 05/12/07
      46.   # 39, YOSEMITE 09:49  |  indrajaya 05/12/07
      47.   A brief itinerary 09:52  |  Oliver 05/12/07
      48.   #20 MORON-ann Would you visit Gaza? 10:23  |  Ari ben Yisrael 05/12/07
      49.   another thing MORON-ann #20 when flying over Gaza 10:27  |  Ari ben Yisrael 05/12/07
      50.   #37 Maureen Anne have you not heard 10:27  |  Zelkha 05/12/07
      51.   #37 moron-ann You never answered Danny`s question 10:50  |  Joe Moer 05/12/07
      52.   Georgie wants to fix peace before his term ends 10:51  |  Aaron 05/12/07
      53.   EVERYBODY who is anybody has been to Israel. 10:56  |  PETER S.M. 05/12/07
      54.   History 10:58  |  X 05/12/07
      55.   Bush visit to Israel 11:07  |  Tjioti 05/12/07
      56.   At Least He`s Trying 11:40  |  J 05/12/07
      57.   A Non Sequitor to a Non Event 11:51  |  Yaakov Sullivan 05/12/07
      58.   A non sequitor to a non event, Part II 11:53  |  Yaakov Sullivan 05/12/07
      59.   A Non sequitor after a non evernt, Part II 11:58  |  Yaakov Sullivan 05/12/07
      60.   indrajaya 11:59  |  Craig 05/12/07
      61.   Parashah Toldot , Gen.27:22 12:10  |  Joseph E . post 1 05/12/07
      62.   is he going to spend the time in sderot? 12:12  |  victor hardman 05/12/07
      63.   Parashah Toldot , Gen.27:22 12:14  |  Joseph E . post 2 05/12/07
      64.   Sadly J #43, bush is NOT trying! 12:31  |  Yaakov Sullivan 05/12/07
      65.   Aparthied State 12:32  |  The Teacher/Instruct 05/12/07
      66.   but he is also going to Saudi & Egypt & Ramallah & Morocco, so... 12:33  |  Peon Bush 05/12/07
      67.   Bush exploiting catastrophic weakness of Olmert 13:17  |  Jonathan S 05/12/07
      68.   Clickfool - It`s Amazing How Fast Things Change 13:40  |  Jane 05/12/07
      69.   He`s visiting a third world country 13:41  |  Tim 05/12/07
      70.   Bush purpose is to gain Jewish and Christian US votes in November 13:59  |  Toronto`s Finest 05/12/07
      71.   #69 It must be something in the water 14:11  |  Ari ben Yisrael 05/12/07
      72.   Jane#2 That mantra won`t wash. 14:26  |  Hubal 05/12/07
      73.