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Prime Minister Olmert, left, sharing a laugh with U.S. Pres. Bush during a tour of the historic fortress of Masada on Thursday. (AP)
Last update - 14:44 17/05/2008
Egyptian press blasts Bush over 'Torah-inspired' Knesset speech
By News Agencies
Tags: Mahmoud Abbas, Egypt 

Egypt's state-owned press opened fire Saturday on U.S. President George W. Bush as he arrived for talks with regional leaders at the conclusion of a five-day Mideast tour.

The newspapers, whose management are all appointed by the government, criticized Bush's speech Thursday in front of the Israeli Knesset for being overly supportive of the Israelis and not mentioning the Palestinians' plight.

"The Torah-inspired speech of Bush raised question marks over the credibility of the U.S. role in the Middle East," wrote Mursi Atallah, the publisher of Al-Ahram, the flagship daily of the state-owned press. "Bush aims to do nothing but appeasing Israel."
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Bush's tour, which included stops in Israel and Saudi Arabia, represents another effort to push Mideast peace talks forward as his time in office winds down.

In his speech marking the 60th anniversary of Israel's founding, Bush reiterated the U.S.'s close ties to its regional ally, and dismissed the notion that the Jewish state should have to negotiate with its armed adversaries.

A front page editorial in Al-Gomhouria, another Egyptian state-owned daily, described Bush as a failed president who delivers nothing but a lousy speech.

Akhbar Al-Youm also on Saturday published a picture of Bush hugging Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and captioned it "lovers".

The paper also ran a front page cartoon showing an Egyptian peasant consoling President Hosni Mubarak for having to meet with this burdensome guy who will be leaving soon, in reference to Bush.

Egypt was the first Arab nation to make peace with Israel and has long been seen as a key mediator in the Mideast dispute that Bush has said he wants to solve by the time he leaves office next January.

Bush delivered a rosy forecast for the Middle East in 2068 during his speech.

He limited his mention of Palestinians to just one sentence. "The Palestinian people will have the homeland they have long dreamed of and deserved, a democratic state that is governed by law, and respects human rights, and rejects terror," he said.

Bush is seen in the Arab world as tilting too far toward Israel. On Friday, Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal commented on Bush speech by saying "it's understandable that U.S.-Israel relations are special but it is, however, important also to affirm the legitimate and political rights of the Palestinian people."

White House denies accusation Bush ignoring Palestinian plight

The White House denied that Bush was ignoring the plight of the Palestinians, insisting he would address their concerns in his meeting on Saturday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Bush flies to Egypt on Saturday for talks with Palestinian leaders who will be looking for signs they will not be neglected after he lavished praise on Israel as a guest during the country's 60th anniversary celebrations.

Heading for the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh for the final stop of his Middle East tour, Bush faces growing skepticism over his chances of securing an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal before he leaves office in January.

Bush's visit to Israel to celebrate its 60th anniversary raised fresh doubts in the Arab world over his ability to act as an even-handed broker between U.S. ally Israel and the Palestinians.

He hailed Israel as a "homeland for the chosen people" and pledged that Israelis could forever count on American support against enemies like Hamas and Iran.

Palestinians were dismayed that Bush, in his speech to Israel's parliament on Thursday, made only the one reference to their aspirations for a state of their own and did not use the occasion to press Israelis to make compromises.

"What he will make clear is that the Palestinian people deserve a state," said White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe.

Bush's trip to Egypt will follow a one-day visit to Riyadh, where he met King Abdullah and won an announcement of a modest Saudi increase in oil output in response to his repeated appeals for help in easing record world oil prices.

Bush meets Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Afghan President Hamid Karzai as well as Abbas on Saturday and will see Jordan's King Abdullah, Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and Iraqi officials on Sunday at an international economic forum.

Bush's Middle East tour, his second this year, follows a U.S.-hosted conference in Annapolis, Maryland, in November where Israeli and Palestinian leaders pledged to try to reach a peace agreement by the end of Bush's term.

Bush has voiced optimism that a deal still can be reached as he tries to carve out a foreign policy legacy beyond the unpopular war in Iraq. People on both sides of the conflict are increasingly skeptical.

Despite that, Israelis gave Bush a hero's welcome this week, many seeing him as the best friend Israel has ever had in the White House.

Critics said Bush showed insensitivity by heaping anniversary praise on Israel on the day Palestinians annually mark what they call the "Nakba", or "catastrophe," as the Palestinians refer to the events surrounding Israel's independence in 1948.

"He should have told the Israelis no one can be free at the expense of others," Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said. "He missed this opportunity and we are disappointed."

As Bush visited Riyadh on Friday, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal criticized his outspoken support of Israel, telling reporters: "What is required is equality in dealings ... and not selectiveness in dealings."

Abbas will make his case for Bush to put more pressure on Israel. But he has little leverage and is weak at home, governing only in the West Bank while Hamas controls Gaza.

Prime Ehud Olmert is also on the ropes, facing a corruption scandal that could force his resignation and possibly derail the peace process altogether.

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      1.   Check your knowledge about Israel and the Israelo-Arab conflict. 08:49  |  Jean Van Daem 17/05/08
      2.   George Bush - wrong again, of course 11:04  |  Clickfool 17/05/08
      3.   Jean Van Daem #1 Great referral, thanks! 11:07  |  Nechama 17/05/08
      4.   Saeb Erekat 11:21  |  Serge 17/05/08
      5.   Palestinians need to come to acceptance. Their people need to 13:18  |  help them do so 17/05/08
      6.   ROTTING CLICKFOOL`S SOCKS 14:41  |  Brant 17/05/08
      7.   Clicky...This trip was not about the Pals 14:56  |  Lynn 17/05/08
      8.   If Abbas wears a bad tie is it Israels responsibility to fix it 15:06  |  r 17/05/08
      9.   HE ENJOYS TO HEAR HIS OWN WORDS 15:09  |  indrajaya 17/05/08
      10.   Bush: Don`t make promises that you can`t keep 15:10  |  Natallie Durson 17/05/08
      11.   That very droll photograph 15:18  |  Clickfool 17/05/08
      12.   #1 You should add one more question... 15:20  |  Factman 17/05/08
      13.   Check your knowledge 15:22  |  sefardi 17/05/08
      14.   VOTE 15:45  |  KHW 17/05/08
      15.   To Indrajaya 16:11  |  Sam C 17/05/08
      16.   "Plight" and "Treatment" in Sussex 16:17  |  Fish 17/05/08
      17.   With England`s problems why is CFool concerned with Israel? 16:19  |  Sam C 17/05/08
      18.   Time will tell 16:25  |  Baz Mann 17/05/08
      19.   #14 not only vote for Obama 16:36  |  Chris 17/05/08
      20.   Geneva "Factman", Lets bet 1000 SF that you are wrong 16:46  |  Rob 17/05/08
      21.   Egyptian Intelligence 16:53  |  Rodney Dezarn 17/05/08
      22.   Egypt has a much better press than the US 17:09  |  Steve 17/05/08
      23.   Lynn No. 7 17:12  |  Steve 17/05/08
      24.   VOTE 17:15  |  Georges Branch 17/05/08
      25.   Torah-inspired 17:15  |  Ricardo Levy 17/05/08
      26.   Israel, thank you for keeping the Shabbat all these thousands of 17:24  |  years 17/05/08
      27.   Someone has to speak the truth eventually even if it infuriates 17:25  |  POP 17/05/08
      28.   Self interest 17:47  |  Gordon 17/05/08
      29.   Palestinians failed by trusting America 17:52  |  Ben 17/05/08
      30.   #9 indrajaya quit always insulting the israelis 17:53  |  boxley 17/05/08
      31.   Hate Appeals to the Masses 17:56  |  guy 17/05/08
      32.   As a Hindu, the oldest religion and text in the world... 18:17  |  Yogi 17/05/08
      33.   Clickfool # 11. 19:16  |  David Nigel Braham 17/05/08
      34.   Palestinians Want What???? 19:56  |  B`Galil 17/05/08
      35.   # 4 serge 19:58  |  Realistic Arab 17/05/08
      36.   The da Vinci Code 20:02  |  Shimon Cleopas 17/05/08
      37.   # 24, BOXLEY 20:03  |  indrajaya 17/05/08
      38.   Uogi 20:09  |  Brad 17/05/08
      39.   TO 10 20:21  |  momo 17/05/08
      40.   IF... 20:28  |  Mikesailor 17/05/08
      41.   Rob, face the facts--if facts matter to you 20:41  |  W 17/05/08
      42.   Perspective 20:47  |  Adam K 17/05/08
      43.   #37 indrajaya - Its called diplomacy. you should learn it 21:27  |  a 17/05/08
      44.   Palestinian Plight 21:27  |  George Kaplan 17/05/08
      45.   The question is: Who wrote that speech? 21:27  |  David James Vickery 17/05/08
      46.   You wanna know what FAILURE looks like? 22:04  |  ManInTheMiddle 17/05/08
      47.   Is there a doctor in the house? 22:51  |  Ibrahim Shvonce 17/05/08
      48.   POP:SOMEONE HAS TO SPEAK THE TRUTH 23:12  |  Brant 17/05/08
      49.   Ibrahim, there must be a doctor in the house... 00:05  |  Pro-human rights 18/05/08
      50.   Ridiculous 00:34  |  Lev 18/05/08
      51.   nobody argues with the Torah 00:45  |  Image of G-d 18/05/08
      52.   eGYPTIANS WOULD DO WELL TO BE INSPIRED BY TORAH 01:57  |  EVERLASTING 18/05/08
      53.   VICKERY AND SPEECH WRITERS 01:59  |  Brant 18/05/08
      54.   #49 Pro-human rights 02:16  |  Ibrahim Shvonce 18/05/08
      55.   When in Israel address the nation of Israel... 02:18  |  Todd 18/05/08
      56.   DEpends Who Hears Speech 02:31  |  TOBIA 18/05/08
      57.   The Bible we share 02:33  |  Joseph 18/05/08
      58.   INDRAYA 04:32  |  TOBIA 18/05/08
      59.   Brad - The Yogi Speaks 04:43  |  Yogi 18/05/08
      60.   to Indrayaya 13:12  |  Harry 18/05/08
      61.   to pro human austrian 13:21  |  Harry 18/05/08
      62.   two state solution 06:38  |  Yadon 20/05/08
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