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Last update - 09:37 17/03/2008
American intervention now
By Haaretz Editorial
Tags: U.S., Israel, George Bush

A senior American official quoted yesterday in Haaretz predicted that despite the upcoming presidential elections, and in advance of his visit to Israel in May, President George W. Bush will increase the pressure on both Israel and the Palestinian Authority to achieve significant diplomatic progress. The American intervention will be evident already at the end of the week, with the arrival of Vice President Dick Cheney for talks in the region. Immediately after him, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is expected to arrive here. Recently, Rice has not concealed the U.S. administration's dissatisfaction with the progress of the negotiations for a final-status agreement and the way the sides are treating the road map commitments. She has once again expressed her disappointment with the policy of expanding settlements and with Israel's evasion of its commitment to evacuate outposts and dismantle roadblocks.

The American source said that Bush expects genuine steps from Israel to advance the implementation of his two-state vision. He emphasized that the U.S. would not force anything on Israel, but that it expects the Olmert government to decide where it is heading. Between the lines one could detect an implied threat that in the absence of progress, the administration will hold Israel responsible for the failure.

On Friday General William M. Fraser provided a practical dimension to American intervention: He convened the joint forum of Israel and the PA to design a plan to implement the first stage of the road map. However, while the Palestinian side sent a high-level official to the meeting - Prime Minister Salam Fayyad - Israel sent a government official - the head of the political-military bureau in the Defense Ministry, Amos Gilad.
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The honor of the high-level American visitors is important. We should not make light of declarations by senior members of the administration, and we should welcome meetings meant to promote the road map. But Hamas and Hezbollah, which are financed by Iran, have not taken a time-out to follow the close race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, to be followed by the contest between the Democratic candidate and the Republican competitor.

The prime minister boasts of his unique personal relationship with President Bush, and has no way of knowing what the attitude of the newly elected president will be. If Olmert is truly interested in promoting the two-state solution, he must encourage his friend in the White House to use his remaining months in office to bridge the gaps between the sides. To that end, the prime minister must prove via practical moves on the ground that he is faithful to the Annapolis commitment of November 27 to make every effort to formulate a final-status agreement within a year.

The senior official saw fit to explain that when it comes to the peace process, Bush does not intend to behave like a lame duck. We can hope that he will follow in the footsteps of the three presidents who preceded him: Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, who did not end their involvement with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict even after the American people had elected their successors. Pressure to put an end to the bloodshed and guarantee the Israel's future as a Jewish and democratic country is welcome pressure.
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  1.   U.S. "pressure" on Israel reminds me on my childhood....... 09:50  |  Swiss (Dino) 17/03/08
  2.   Ehud Barak much too busy killing to waste time talking 10:11  |  Chanalau, Tova 17/03/08
  3.   ABBAS HAD DONE NOTHING HARM TO BUSH`S "PEACE" 10:18  |  indrajaya 17/03/08
  4.   No peace possible 10:18  |  spyguy 17/03/08
  5.   BUSH PUSHING ANTI-ISRAEL AGENDA OF STATE DEPT ARABISTS 10:27  |  G. Marcus 17/03/08
  6.   Haaretz: Your editorial is Treason !!! 10:32  |  Jack Goldberg 17/03/08
  7.   Pressure comes because its good for Bush and the Republicans? 10:37  |  David Hoffman 17/03/08
  8.   Peacetalks are a farce, a distraction, a complete waste of time 11:12  |  Natallie Durson 17/03/08
  9.   No force means no peace. 11:26  |  Michael 17/03/08
  10.   The More Pressure The Better 11:33  |  MB 17/03/08
  11.   Pressure from the US? 11:42  |  Chook 17/03/08
  12.   #9 michael and the dream wish world 12:17  |  v hardman 17/03/08
  13.   "The PM Must Prove Via Practical moves On The Ground"?? 13:24  |  Yaakov Sullivan 17/03/08
  14.   What Exactly Will bush do? 13:43  |  Yaakov Sullivan 17/03/08
  15.   Does anyone believe this twaddle 14:12  |  geoff 17/03/08
  16.   #9 more form michael whose address is dreamland 14:31  |  v hardman 17/03/08
  17.   #8 14:56  |  Cool B 17/03/08
  18.   A little rape, perhaps? 15:15  |  Mordavig 17/03/08
  19.   NO to pressure 15:26  |  Brod 17/03/08
  20.   #14 Brod 15:41  |  North American 17/03/08
  21.   16 Victor hard of hearing 16:00  |  Michael 17/03/08
  22.   #3 You`re right, Abbas has done nothing. That`s the problem! 16:11  |  McQueen 17/03/08
  23.   To Brod 16:25  |  Dik 17/03/08
  24.   Encouraging steps to reaching agreement 16:27  |  Smadar 17/03/08
  25.   # 22, MCQUEEN 16:33  |  indrajaya 17/03/08
  26.   Dino, isn`t it "na na na na na" ? 16:40  |  Mark B. 17/03/08
  27.   North American #20 16:42  |  Brod 17/03/08
  28.   You`re joking right, Brod 27 LOL 17:06  |  Michael 17/03/08
  29.   "Haaretz"editors are like convicts released after liftime in jail 17:12  |  Absolute Sweden 17/03/08
  30.   Brod, you are a fine opportunist, my man 17:20  |  Mark B. 17/03/08
  31.   Michael #28 17:25  |  Brod 17/03/08
  32.   Got no actual arguments then Brod 31? 17:33  |  Michael 17/03/08
  33.   Mark B #30 17:51  |  Brod 17/03/08
  34.   # 26 Mark B. (2nd try, slightly modified version...:) 18:06  |  Swiss (Dino) 17/03/08
  35.   I see Brod, short term opportunism serving long term plan of God 18:11  |  Mark B. 17/03/08
  36.   Brod 33 you`re twisting ancient literature. 18:13  |  Michael 17/03/08
  37.   #34 Swiss Dino Today it`s consequences... 18:36  |  Smadar 17/03/08
  38.   Dino, haha, the `carpet beater` 18:53  |  Mark B. 17/03/08
  39.   Haaretz, one question: who is pressuring Hamas? 18:56  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 17/03/08
  40.   Durson - who is the "we" you`re talking about? 19:14  |  Jeroen de Jager 17/03/08
  41.   # 37 Smadar 19:20  |  Swiss (Dino) 17/03/08
  42.   Dino - you probably grew up a single child 19:22  |  Jeroen de Jager 17/03/08
  43.   Intervention? 19:25  |  P. J. Casey 17/03/08
  44.   # 38 Mark B. 19:27  |  Swiss (Dino) 17/03/08
  45.   Michael #36 19:27  |  Brod 17/03/08
  46.   Brod 45, it`s always the end of time according to someone 19:35  |  Michael 17/03/08
  47.   Jack Goldberg 19:36  |  A.M. 17/03/08
  48.   Chanalau ,lo tov 19:39  |  Connie 17/03/08
  49.   # 42 Jeroen de Jager 19:40  |  Swiss (Dino) 17/03/08
  50.   Brod, have you been clicking to Ronald Weinland`s page? 19:44  |  Mark B. 17/03/08
  51.   Jack Goldberg 19:48  |  A.M. 17/03/08
  52.   What Do You Expect from Haaretz ? 20:15  |  Tod Zuckerman 17/03/08
  53.   Israel doesn`t need pressure!! PA needs pressure!! 20:31  |  bolony 17/03/08
  54.   #19 Brod ,USA.Suvival of Israel depends on PEACE 20:32  |  Avi 17/03/08
  55.   #9. Michael.I do agree with you,IMPOSED SOLUTION on BOTH. 20:55  |  Becky 17/03/08
  56.   Haaretz-When do Pals accept Israel as Jewish state? 20:57  |  Sam 17/03/08
  57.   The Only Way 21:08  |  danite 17/03/08
  58.   if u.s. pressures Israel 21:15  |  Friend of Israel 17/03/08
  59.   Occupation? End U.S. aid to Israel. 21:17  |  Jerry 17/03/08
  60.   survive 21:17  |  Friend of Israel 17/03/08
  61.   Avi #24 21:41  |  Brod 17/03/08
  62.   But what about what Livni just said? 22:35  |  Dorothy 17/03/08
  63.   14. what will Bush do ? 23:15  |  whizbang 17/03/08
  64.   Americans should be pressing Bush to press Israel 23:17  |  Ivar 17/03/08
  65.   #57 more from ivar the baltic red herring 00:05  |  v hardman 18/03/08
  66.   Dino - spoiled youth obscures your judgement 00:08  |  Jeroen de Jager 18/03/08
  67.   #39 Interplanetary Traveller asks 00:26  |  Labhras 18/03/08
  68.   U.S Intervention 00:30  |  Dementia Praecox 18/03/08
  69.   Pressure? Sure, but in the right direction. 00:37  |  US Citizen 18/03/08
  70.   We already "gave peace a chance" 01:18  |  David K 18/03/08
  71.   Indecent roadmap by any standard 01:18  |  Dennie 18/03/08
  72.   # 59 Jeroen de Jager 01:30  |  Swiss (Dino)