Bush acknowledges need for Mideast peace push

Washington, Dec 8: President George W Bush acknowledged theneed for ''concerted efforts'' to solve the Israeli-Palestinianconflict, after a panel on the Iraq war urged revived US diplomacy todefuse broader regional tensions.

But Bush, while backing British Prime Minister Tony Blair's MiddleEast mission this month, stopped short of endorsing the Iraq StudyGroup's proposal for a ''renewed and sustained'' US push for acomprehensive Arab-Israeli peace.

Bush spoke at a White House news conference yesterday with Blair aday after the bipartisan commission headed by former Secretary of StateJames Baker issued recommendations for major strategy shifts in theunpopular war in Iraq.

Blair made clear to Bush his long-held view, echoed in the report,that any resolution of the Iraq conflict is tied to settling thefestering Israeli-Palestinian dispute and reducing tensions across thebroader Middle East.

Although Bush did not go as far as accepting a direct linkagebetween the two conflicts, he cast the US strategy on theIsraeli-Palestinian issue as part of a battle against extremists in theregion.

''It will take concerted efforts to advance the cause of peace in the Middle East,'' Bush told reporters.

But Bush, who has mostly avoided a hands-on role in Middle Eastdiplomacy, appeared content to leave the next major step to Blair, whohas been under fire at home for his staunch support of the USpresident's approach in Iraq.

''Prime Minister Blair informed me that he will be heading to theMiddle East soon to talk to both the Israelis and the Palestinians,''Bush said. ''And I support that mission.'' Blair said, ''I believe thatby moving this forward we send a very strong signal not just to theregion, but to the whole of the world, that we are even-handed and justin the application of our values.''

Conflicts Intertwined?

Arab leadershave long insisted that the long-running Arab-Israeli conflict and theIraq war are intertwined, with fighting between Israel and thePalestinians a catalyst for regional strife. Arab leaders voicefrustration over what they see as Washington's bias in favor of theJewish state.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert yesterday said it was wrong tolink the Arab-Israeli conflict with wider regional problems, and saidhe did not expect US pressure.

Blair said his trip would focus on trying to remove obstacles to restarting Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

He said it would be important to secure the release of an Israelisoldier captured by Palestinian militants and help the Palestiniansforge a unity government that accepts Israel's right to exist. ThePalestinian cabinet is now dominated by Hamas, an Islamist group swornto Israel's destruction.

Reuters