Last week, President George W. Bush began an eight-day visit to the Middle East. His first stop was Israel, where the President sought to revive peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians. The U.S.-sponsored negotiations have stalled since their kickoff in Annapolis, Maryland, last November. At that time, the two sides agreed to work toward a peace treaty by January 2009.
The visit to Israel was President Bush's first since he took office. He met with Israeli President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. "I come with high hopes," said Bush. "We see a new opportunity for peace." On Thursday, President Bush predicted that a treaty would be completed by the time he leaves office. "I'm on a timetable," he said.
Still, many in the region have low expectations for the peace talks. The conflict has a long and violent history. Reaching a lasting peace in only one year is expected to be difficult. "Time is so precious," said Peres.
Bush also traveled to the West Bank to meet with Palestinian leaders. And he planned to visit Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, where he will discuss topics important to the region, including developments in Iraq and Iran.