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Last update - 09:50 08/01/2008 No great miracle will happen here By Yoel Marcus Tags: Condoleezza Rice, George Bush  Contrary to the impression created by the fantasy spinners at the Prime Minister's Office, President George W. Bush is not coming here to save Ehud Olmert. Neither is he coming here to defuse the explosive conclusions of the Winograd Committee. Four U.S. presidents visited Israel in their last year in office, but there was only one true friendship - between Clinton and Yitzhak Rabin. Clinton not only appreciated Rabin's analytical skills, but believed that his heart and his mouth were one. When he eulogized Rabin with those Hebrew words shalom haver - good-bye, friend - the teardrop in the corner of his eye was real. Nixon and Carter also visited Israel toward the end of their terms. Nixon, judging by the White House tapes, was not a great Jew-lover. Nevertheless, during the Yom Kippur War he approved an emergency airlift of weapons to Israel. Carter, a fierce opponent of the occupation, was the great orchestrator at Camp David. Their visits here passed like the blink of an eye. Advertisement Of course, the most important presidential visit was that of Anwar Sadat, who made history and paid for it with his life. Unfortunately, a visit from Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, for which Israel would give its eyeteeth, has never materialized. If Mubarak only had the courage and vision of Sadat, our relations with the Palestinians would look different today. Bush's visit to Israel in his final year in the White House is not a dramatic move to impose a peace agreement on Israel and the Palestinians. In the interviews he gave to Yedioth Ahronoth and Channel Two, we saw a naive diplomat who declared that a comprehensive agreement will be signed by the end of the year - a strange thing to say, considering that Bush has avoided any serious involvement in bringing peace over the last seven years, apart from one vision and one road map that both sides have used to go nowhere. No wonder: He had barely warmed his seat before the Twin Towers collapsed. Then came the war in Afghanistan, the hunt for the leaders of Al-Qaida, and as part of his battle against the "Axis of Evil," the bloody Iraq war, which isn't over yet. And finally, nuclear Iran, which poses a threat to the whole region, including the sane bits of the Islamic world. Olmert is the kind of politician who knows how to get the people he needs to like him. He has a sense of humor. He's a master of backslapping and a connoisseur of the good life. I am sure Bush enjoys his company, although he probably had a higher opinion of Ariel Sharon - and not because Sharon had the guts to dismantle settlements, but because he spent most of his life clobbering the Arabs. One way or another, imposing a settlement on Israel has not been on Bush's agenda throughout most of his presidency. His visit to Israel was tacked on to a swing through the Arab countries that are important to America: Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The goal is to calm these countries' fear of the Iranian nuclear threat and to ease the embarrassing confusion created by the U.S. intelligence agencies' declaration that Iran is not manufacturing the bomb after all. Such an itinerary could not leave out a visit to Israel, in order to deal with the hot spot of Islamic fundamentalism that is sprouting in Gaza. The current focus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is Condoleezza Rice's baby. She is the one who initiated the Annapolis summit and is seeking an active role in our neck of the woods. She is the one demanding that Israel dismantle outposts, even if it brings down the government and opens the door to Benjamin Netanyahu, who, unlike in the past, is an exceedingly unpopular figure in Washington politics these days. Outgoing presidents usually name libraries after themselves upon leaving office. Rice, according to all the signs, is itching for a political career when her term is up. She would rather be remembered as a bringer of peace in these parts than one of the great supporters of that fiasco par excellence known as the war in Iraq. When Bush arrives tomorrow, one of the obvious topics will be the relentless shelling of communities in southern Israel and the need to put a stop to it. Dismantling outposts and the status of Jerusalem will also be on the agenda. Everybody will say what they have to say, and Bush will continue to instruct Rice to do what needs to be done. But let's not get our expectations too high. We are talking about weak leaders on both sides, leaders who can barely stand on their own two feet. Bush is not coming to save Olmert but to do his little bit to grease the process. In the spirit of the festival of Hanukkah, now behind us, it seems fair to say that no great miracle will happen here. Bookmark to del.icio.us   'Bush go home' Israeli Arab parties join leftist protests against the Bush visit. Peace overture Syria says it isn't seeking a military solution with Israel.   1.   Marcus is Right 10:03  |  MB 08/01/08   2.   why there`ll be no great miracle 10:28  |  saul a. readner 08/01/08   3.   the only thing real about clinton was dna on monicas dress 10:30  |  monica 08/01/08   4.   Tsk, Tsk, Yoel Marcus forgot to mention Bush`s main concern 10:34  |  Natallie Durson 08/01/08   5.   Bush should renounce the "road map to peace" 10:43  |  Bo 08/01/08   6.   no great miracle will happen here 13:00  |  saul a. readner 08/01/08   7.   Why should Bush "save" Olmert? 17:45  |  betz55 08/01/08   8.   Why is Bush touring the Middle East now? 21:43  |  Fortuna Benmayor 08/01/08   9.   Bush "Enjoys Olmert`s Company" - Yeah, Right 22:22  |  Tod Zuckerman 08/01/08   10.   Natallie, #4 02:11  |  Arnold 09/01/08   11.   Occupation is illegal! This is a step in the right direction. 19:25  |  Santiago Contreras 10/01/08

Today Online Bush: Palestinian state is solution to refugee issue Responses: 227 Libya thwarts Security Council censure of Shlomi missile strike Responses: 81 Shavit: If they want a state, Palestinians must undergo ideology change Responses: 143 W. Bank Palestinians brace for visit by 'that criminal' Bush Responses: 54 More Headlines 19:14 Bush: Palestinian statehood and compensation are solution to refugee issue 16:18 Israeli envoy to U.S.: All options are on the table regarding Iran 19:36 Manchester United invited to play during Israel's 60th anniversary celebrations 13:56 ANALYSIS: Palestinians believe Bush won't pressure Israel 18:23 Book on Greek-Jewish roots of Sarkozy goes on sale in Greece 19:47 Jewish cemetery in New Jersey desecrated by vandals 14:26 British magazine names Israeli model Bar Refaeli 'Body of 2008' 15:24 Montenegro air base that played role in Israel's birth under threat 14:13 Ministers to present PM list of Palestinians to free for Shalit 15:55 From Amsterdam to Tel Aviv: Israel's 2nd city promotes bicycling Previous Editions Select Day 09 jan 08 jan 07 jan 06 jan 04 jan 03 jan 02 jan 01 jan 31 dec 30 dec 28 dec 27 dec

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