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“Great Israel is not the future” …White House

By Joe Macaron, KUNA

Washington : The White House said on Thursday that Greater Israel is not the future of peace process, just one week ahead of President George W. Bush trip to the Middle East.

“Greater Israel is not the future; if you want to safeguard as a homeland for the Jewish people, there needs to be a Palestine that is a homeland for the Palestinian people”, said White House National Security Adviser Stephan Hadley in a press briefing attended by KUNA.

President Bush starts his trip on January 8 in Israel and the West Bank, where first he will separately meet with Israeli President Shimon Perez and Israeli Prime Minister before going to Ramallah in the West Bank to separately meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Fayyad.

Hadley said that there is no scheduled trilateral meeting yet of President Bush with both Olmert and Abbas.

“The trip follows the Annapolis meeting and offers an opportunity for the president to discuss with Israelis and Palestinians their efforts toward a negotiated peace and achievement of the president’s vision of two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security”, added Hadley.

On Friday January 11, President Bush will meet with Quartet Representative Toni Blair “to get an update on efforts to help build the institutions of a Palestinian state and enhance the Palestinian capacity to self-govern”, said Hadley.

President Bush will also encourage broader Israel-Arab reconciliation and regional support for Palestinian institution-building efforts as they build the institutions for a Palestinian state”, added Hadley.

After visiting Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia, President Bush will conclude his presidential trip in Sharm el-Sheikh where he will meet with Egyptian President Husni Mubarak on January 16 before returning to the United States.

Hadley said that the presidential trip will highlight US effort “to combat terrorism and extremism, promote freedom and seek peace and prosperity”.

“The president will stress the importance of supporting the young democracies and the people of Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and the Palestinians”, he added noting that President Bush will also address the “challenges presented by Iran”, ways to strengthen regional security, and advance US economic ties with the region.