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United States Republican presidential candidate John McCain. (Reuters) Last update - 09:54 11/03/2008 U.S. presidential hopeful John McCain to visit Israel next week By Reuters Tags: Republican, John McCain  United States presidential candidate John McCain set plans on Monday to visit Israel, Britain and France next week in a trip likely to play up the national security credentials he hopes will carry him into the White House. McCain, the likely nominee to represent the Republican party against the Democratic candidate in the November election, will start his trip on March 18 with a visit to Jerusalem to discuss the Middle East, which he said he would focus on if elected. "Absolutely, particularly given the level of tensions, the exchange of fire across Israel's border aimed at innocent people. There's Hamas, a terrorist organization now governing Gaza, ... considerable unrest in southern Lebanon. There's very big issues that need to be addressed," he told reporters in Phoenix. Advertisement Also Monday, the White House announced that U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney will visit Israel and the West Bank this month, as part of a regional tour. McCain will visit London on March 19 and 20 and go to Paris on March 21, said his Senate office in Washington. The Arizona senator will be joined by two stalwart Senate supporters, Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Democrat-turned-Independent who was the Democrats' vice presidential nominee in 2000, and South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham. McCain has clinched the Republican presidential nomination and is free to travel abroad while his Democratic rivals, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, fight over the Democratic nomination. The presidential election is on Nov. 4. The 71-year-old McCain, who said he got a clean bill of health from his doctor after a physical checkup on Monday, is staking his claim on the presidency on his national security experience, and his foreign trip will play into that theme. McCain told reporters on his flight from Phoenix to St. Louis that he would like to see more NATO participation in Afghanistan. "But I don't intend to berate our European friends. I don't think that's appropriate. I hope that we can have a process of consultation. As I said, I have talked with European leaders about these issues for many years. And I intend to continue that dialogue with them," he said. Talking to reporters on his plane, McCain did not criticize President George W. Bush's handling of foreign policy. Many Democrats have criticized Bush for not having pursued diplomacy more, a charge the White House rejects. McCain said on the Middle East peace process, for example, "maybe you could make an argument that maybe he should have been more heavily engaged early on, I don't know about that." Bush began a major effort to relaunch peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians at the Annapolis summit late last year, an initiative critics said should have started much sooner. McCain said he felt there has been a "pretty strong effort" by Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to try to move the Middle East peace process forward despite an "incredibly difficult environment" there. Related articles: Those who left Hillary for dead, get ready for a long fight Shas claims credit for West Bank construction Palestinians protest Goldie Hawn appearance at JNF event Bookmark to del.icio.us   Bring down the house Knesset speaker calls for wrecking of yeshiva killer's family home. Frum and fabulous Beauty salons offer Haredi women a unique brand of modest glamour.   1.   Iam voting Obama 07:35  |  pal 11/03/08   2.   Here comes the pandering 07:54  |  Punk Rocker 11/03/08   3.   McCain to visit Israel 09:37  |  McDonald McMak 11/03/08   4.   American duffers 09:46  |  Clickfool 11/03/08   5.   THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE SEEMS TO PASS THROUGH TEL AVIV 09:58  |  TripleJump 11/03/08   6.   Here we go again. The pilgrimage 10:09  |  Steve the Pals. 11/03/08   7.   Hi McMak - I agree with you! 10:10  |  Sam Spade 11/03/08   8.   clicky 11:10  |  confused 11/03/08   9.   McCain, good for president, however 11:39  |  Joey 11/03/08   10.   TRIPLE JUMP.JELOUS WHINING LOSERS LAMENT OF IRRELEVANCY 11:51  |  PETER SM 11/03/08   11.   CFOOL tying your knickers in a knot over Beckham,Hawne,Mccain 11:56  |  PETER SM 11/03/08   12.   Make Sure He Meets Shas 12:04  |  Mark of Lewiston 11/03/08   13.   Clickfool`s Gotta be Kidding 12:23  |  Mark of Lewiston 11/03/08

Today Online Editorial: Sign peace deal quickly with PA Responses: 116 Rocket on Ashkelon ends four-day lull in violence Responses: 120 N.Y. Governor in sex scandal; pimp said to hold Israel passport Responses: 136 PA official: West Bank construction threatens peace process Responses: 138 Britain bans Likud's Moshe Feiglin from entering country Responses: 303 Rosner's Domain Israeli leadership: A mixture of paranoia and luck Poll: Cease-fire with Hamas, a good idea? How Qassams changed the conflict (WTR) Study: Boston's intermarried 'as observant' as Reform Jews Whose Jerusalem Is It, anyway? More Headlines 21:40 Egypt FM: Cairo can forge truce between Israel and Gaza militants 22:50 Report: Yeshiva graduates plan revenge attack against Arab figure 22:19 Israeli leftist Fahima consoles family of J'lem yeshiva terrorist 22:08 Shas urges PM to continue aliyah of Ethiopian Falashmura 22:00 Shas chair demands that PM unfreeze E. J'lem construction plan 22:53 Livni to Obama: There is a direct link between Iran and terror 20:28 U.S. immigrant builds bridges with the 'Facebook of peace' 17:47 Justice Min. says he'll freeze bill to restrict Supreme Court power 20:08 Belgian gov't, banks to pay 110M euros to victims of Holocaust 20:23 Police: Organized crime groups traffic Palestinians into Israel 14:26 Histadrut, 'Coffee Bean' sign breakthrough labor agreement Previous Editions Select Day 10 mar 09 mar 07 mar 06 mar 05 mar 04 mar 03 mar 02 mar 29 feb 28 feb 27 feb 26 feb

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