[Financial Times-UK] Tobias Buck and Daniel Dombey - When George W. Bush arrives in Israel on Wednesday, the U.S. president will be greeted with adulation and gratitude. From the prime minister downwards, Israelis continue to hold Mr. Bush in high esteem, thanks to his unwavering support for the country in its struggle with Arab neighbors and militant Palestinian forces. Analysts say his popularity is founded on a common understanding of the broader conflict in the Middle East that defines the Arab-Israeli struggle as part of Mr. Bush's "war on terror." On the question of Israeli claims to land occupied after the 1967 war, Mr. Bush has been more supportive than any of his predecessors, arguing in a crucial letter three years ago that it was "unrealistic" to expect Israel to return fully to the pre-1967 border.
2008-01-08 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive