Middle East

Specific Middle East issues:

 » Lebanon
 » Middle East Partnership Initiative
 » Libya
 » President Bush's trip to the Middle East

02 January 2009 Secretary Rice on the Situation in Gaza  "I want to begin by noting that Hamas has held the people of Gaza hostage ever since their illegal coup against the forces of President Mahmoud Abbas, the legitimate President of the Palestinian people. The Hamas has used Gaza as a launching pad for rockets against Israeli cities and has contributed deeply to a very bad daily life for the Palestinian people in Gaza, and to a humanitarian situation that we have all been trying to address."

29 December 2008 U.S. Working for "Sustainable and Durable" Cease-Fire in Gaza  The end of the cease-fire between Hamas and Israel has led to days of violence in Israel and Gaza that has left more than 300 dead, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has been speaking with foreign leaders to try to end the fighting.

29 December 2008 White House Press Briefing by Gordon Johndroe   Deputy press secretary briefs reporters on the situation in Gaza, urges all parties involved to allow humanitarian aid.

27 December 2008 Statement by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on the Situation in Gaza

19 December 2008 Middle East Peace Process Has Made Progress, Bush Says   President Bush acknowledged that peace negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians have been "a hard challenge," but the talks, though not completed, "have made a good deal of progress."

05 December 2008 President Bush's Remarks on the Middle East

17 November 2008 Palestinian Youth Center Shows U.S. Commitment to Mideast Peace   While Middle East peace negotiations may dominate the headlines, the U.S.-Palestinian Partnership is helping to prepare a new generation of leaders essential to the successful establishment of a future Palestinian state, an undertaking that Under Secretary of State James K. Glassman says shows "the solid and continuing commitment of the United States government to the Palestinian people."

07 November 2008 Rice Says Israeli-Palestinian Peace Is in U.S. Interests  The Palestinians and Israelis have demonstrated a brave commitment to substantive talks in an effort to reach a comprehensive peace settlement, says Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Rice said at a news briefing that she wanted to assure the Israelis and Palestinians "the United States will continue to support and facilitate the efforts of the parties to reach a lasting peace. The United States has a national interest in sustaining that progress."

31 October 2008 Statement on U.S.-Libya Claims Settlement Agreement  On October 31, 2008, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice certified to Congress that the United States has received $1.5 billion pursuant to the U.S.-Libya Claims Settlement Agreement. These funds are sufficient to provide the required compensation to victims of terrorism under the Libyan Claims Resolution Act. Concurrently, the President issued an Executive Order to implement the Claims Settlement Agreement.

28 October 2008 Palestinian, U.S .Business Leaders Working on Joint Ventures  The U.S. and the Palestinian Authority are working to create new business partnerships to attract investment dollars and create jobs in the Palestinian Territories. Toward this goal, the U.S.-Palestinian Partnership and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce sponsored a meeting of the Palestinian Business and Investment Forum in Washington to build on the success of the Palestinian Investment Conference in the West Bank city of Bethlehem in May 2008, where $1.4 billion was pledged for various projects.

22 October 2008 Rice Discusses Changes Across the Middle East  The Middle East is a very different place today, but it’s a different place for the better, says Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. In recent wide-ranging news interviews, Rice said democracy now is widely discussed across the Middle East in a way it had not been before.

20 October 2008 Secretary Rice Interview With Lukman Ahmed of BBC Arabic Television.

26 September 2008 Mideast Peace Process Continues to Advance, State's Welch Says  Substantial progress has been made and will continue to be made in advancing the Middle East peace process, says Assistant Secretary of State David Welch. The U.S. has focused on four tracks to advance the Middle East peace process since the November 2007 Annapolis Conference: supporting the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations; building the institutions of a Palestinian state; improving the conditions on the ground; and maintaining international and regional support for the peace talks, Welch says.

26 August 2008 Remarks by Secretary Rice, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas  Discuss Jerusalem refugees, borders, settlement, water and security.

26 August 2008 Remarks by Secretary Rice, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni  Leaders discuss Israeli and Palestinian peace talks.

25 August 2008 Secretary Rice’s Remarks en Route to Tel Aviv, Israel   Sec. Rice will discuss situation on the ground and ongoing negotiations.

31 July 2008 Resignation of Israel’s Olmert Will Not Stop Mideast Peace Effort  Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's resignation announcement will not disrupt U.S. efforts to promote Middle East peace through a two-state solution by the end of the Bush administration, says Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

28 July 2008 Pakistan Pledges to Confront Extremists  Pakistan is a key ally and a vibrant democracy, says President Bush, and the U.S. will continue building a partnership with its newly elected government to confront terrorism and promote peace in the region. "The United States supports the democracy and supports the sovereignty of Pakistan," Bush said after his White House meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani. "We also appreciate the prime minister's strong words against the extremists and terrorists who not only would do us harm but have harmed people inside Pakistan. "This is our own war," Gillani said following the meeting with Bush. "This is a war which is against Pakistan. And we'll fight for our own cause."

22 July 2008 Rice Says Iran Has Not Been Serious in Nuclear Talks  The U.S. and five other world powers have shown they are serious that Iranian leaders must decide whether to halt Iran’s uranium enrichment program, which could be used in manufacturing nuclear weapons, says Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. "And I think it's also very clear that there are going to be consequences if they don’t," Rice says. According to Rice, the current strategy is to get the Iranian regime to stop uranium enrichment and to accept a package of incentives. If the regime does not stop, she says, there is enough agreement among the six countries to bring additional sanctions through the U.N. Security Council.

21 July 2008 Remarks by Secretary Rice En Route Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates  Secretary Rice discussed recent developments in the diplomatic process concerning Iran.

07 July 2008 New Research Shows Increased Arab Support for Two-State Solution  Arab public opinion supports a two-state solution to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict, according to recent research presented at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution.

24 June 2008 Palestinian Justice System Essential to Mideast Peace, Says Rice  Security and the rule of law represent the foundations of any successful state, says Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, citing $242.3 million in total new aid pledged to revamp the Palestinian justice system, which is an essential ingredient in the Middle East peace process.
 • Rice Remarks in Support of Palestinian Civil Security, Rule of Law.

24 June 2008 Middle East Quartet Statement  The Quartet reaffirmed its support for ongoing Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and stressed the urgent need for tangible progress towards the shared goal of an agreement by the end of 2008 on the establishment of an independent and viable Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza, and an end to the conflict. The Quartet expressed its commitment to support the parties in taking and implementing the difficult decisions required in order to achieve these outcomes.

19 June 2008 Gaza Truce Is Helpful, United States Says  One of the objectives of the 2007 Annapolis Conference on the Middle East was to enhance security for Israelis and Palestinians, so a truce between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip can be helpful in moving peace negotiations forward, says State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey.

16 June 2008 Rice Warns Israel on Settlement Expansion   An Israeli plan to expand settlement activity in disputed areas of East Jerusalem could slow progress toward a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned during her latest peace mission to the region.

15 June 2008 Condoleezza Rice Remarks With Remarks With Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas

03 June 2008 Remarks by Secretary Rice At the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee Policy Conference

29 May 2008 Rice Urges More Debt Relief, Development Aid for Iraq  Iraq's improving security conditions are creating an opportunity for nations to help Iraqis make further progress in rebuilding their economy and developing democratic political institutions, says Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
 • Remarks at The Iraq Compact Conference
 • Secretary Rice Interview with Michael Winiarski of Dagens Nyheter in Stockholm, Sweden

21 May 2008 U.S. Vigorously Backs Palestine Investment Conference  The U.S. government pledged loan guarantees and other assistance worth millions of dollars to the West Bank Palestinian economy as part of the Palestine Investment Conference May 21-23 in the West Bank city of Bethlehem. Most of the money is in the form of loan guarantees to stimulate housing construction, information technology and other forms of private enterprise.

21 May 2008 U.S. Welcomes Lebanon Agreement  The Arab League-led initiative to end violence in Lebanon and help advance a stable government with a new president after an 18-month stalemate is a welcome development, a senior U.S. diplomat says.
 • Briefing on Lebanon and Other Middle East Issues

12 May 2008 Statement by the President  "I strongly condemn Hizballah's recent efforts, and those of their foreign sponsors in Tehran and Damascus, to use violence and intimidation to bend the government and people of Lebanon to their will."

12 May 2008 Bush to Promote Peace, Regional Dialogue During Visit to Mideast  President Bush will mix symbolism and substance during a five-day, three-nation trip to the Middle East that will place considerable emphasis on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and an array of issues from Lebanon to Iraq and Afghanistan.

08 May 2008 U.S. Backs Peaceful Solutions, Democratic Leaders in Middle East  U.S. policy for the Middle East is predicated on support for peaceful solutions and a strengthening of democratic leaders against extremists who use violence, repress fundamental freedoms and seek to undermine U.S. and allied interests.

08 May 2008 Background Briefing on Bush's Upcoming Trip to the Middle East.

07 May 2008 Bush Prepares for a Six-Day Middle East Visit  President Bush will use his planned six-day trip to the Middle East to reaffirm the U.S. commitment to a lasting peace between the Israelis and Palestinians, and to meet separately with leaders of Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq.

05 May 2008 Secretary Rice discussed her trip to the Middle East.

05 May 2008 Improvements in Palestinians' Lives Would Aid Mideast Diplomacy  Washington -- A Middle East peace settlement remains possible, says Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, if negotiators redouble their efforts to translate diplomatic progress into tangible improvements in the lives of Palestinians.
 • Joint Press Availability with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni
 • Moving Forward on the Tracks of the Annapolis Conference
 • Rice, Palestinian President Abbas Press Availability in Ramallah

05 May 2008 Rice, Quartet Briefing on Israeli-Palestinian Peace Efforts

02 May 2008 Statement issued by UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband on behalf of the P5+1

02 May 2008 Quartet Statement in London  Representatives of the Quartet met today in London to discuss the situation in the Middle East. They were joined by Quartet Representative Tony Blair. The Quartet expressed its strong support for ongoing Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and encouraged the parties to make every effort to realize the shared goal of an agreement on the establishment of a Palestinian state by the end of 2008.

29 April 2008 Remarks by Secretary Rice at Opening Dinner of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Jewish Committee

29 April 2008 Secretary Rice's Remarks With U.S. Business Leaders and the U.S.-Palestinian Partnership After Their Meeting.

29 April 2008 Palestine Investment Conference Set for May 21-23  In May, the Palestinian Authority is convening the Palestine Investment Conference, in an effort to improve economic and social conditions in the territories, which is a critical component of the broader Middle East peace process.

28 April 2008 Rice Plans Full Agenda During Middle East Trip  In a five-day trip to Britain and the Middle East, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice aims to shore up Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and discuss financial aid for the Palestinian Authority with allies. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack says Rice also will hold separate meetings with British Foreign Minister David Miliband and Middle East Quartet Envoy Tony Blair.

28 April 2008 President Bush Travels to the Middle East, May 13-18  In Israel, the President will meet with President Peres and Prime Minister Olmert and address the Knesset. The President will then travel to Saudi Arabia and meet with King Abdallah. In Egypt, the President will meet President Mubarak. The President will also hold meetings in Egypt with King Abdullah II of Jordan and Palestinian Authority President Abbas, and deliver remarks at the World Economic Forum on the Middle East.

25 April 2008 Rice to Travel to Europe, the Middle East May 1-5  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will travel to the United Kingdom, Israel, and the West Bank from May 1 to May 5.

24 April 2008 Palestinian State Remains Leading U.S. Priority, Says Bush  Tough negotiations remain ahead for Palestinians and Israelis working for peace, but President Bush said he remains confident that the talks still can set the stage for a two-state solution by the end of his term in January 2009.
 • President Bush Meets with President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority

24 April 2008 Statement on Syria by the White House Press Secretary  "Today, administration officials have briefed select Congressional committees on an issue of great international concern. Until Sept. 6, 2007, the Syrian regime was building a covert nuclear reactor in its eastern desert capable of producing plutonium. We are convinced, based on a variety of information, that North Korea assisted Syria's covert nuclear activities."

23 April 2008 Rice Remarks After Meeting Turkish and Iraqi Foreign Ministers

21 April 2008 Secretary Rice Remarks With Bahraini Foreign Minister Khalid Al Khalifa
Related: Secretary Rice: Travel to Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain, April 20-22, 2008.

31 March 2008 New Agreement May Improve Palestinian Livelihoods, Says Rice  A new Israeli-Palestinian agreement easing border restrictions for Palestinians in the West Bank will improve the livelihoods of area residents and may help negotiators make further progress toward Mideast peace, according to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

30 March 2008 Sec. Rice's Joint Press Availability With Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni

30 March 2008 Secretary Condoleezza Rice Roundtable With Traveling Press

29 March 2008 On-the-Record Briefing With Secretary Rice En Route Tel Aviv, Israel

25 March 2008 Ambassador Khalilzad’s Statement on U.S. Efforts in Middle East  Ambassador Khalilzad addresses the U.N. Security Council on developments in the region.

24 March 2008 Remarks by Cheney, Palestinian Authority's Abbas in Ramallah  U.S looks forward to Palestinian-Israeli agreement by end of 2008, says Cheney.

24 March 2008 Vice President Cheney, Israel's Peres Remarks in Jerusalem  U.S. dedicated to moving the Israel-Palestinian peace process forward.

18 March 2008 U.S. Will Take Relations with Muslim World to "Next Level"  Almost 30 years to the day after Sada Cumber came to the U.S. from Karachi, Pakistan, he was selected to be the first-ever U.S. special envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the 57-member Islamic organization.

10 March 2008 Reception in Honor of the Member States of the Organization of the Islamic Conference  Secretary Rice Introduced Sada Cumber, U.S. Special Envoy to the OIC.

07 March 2008 Bush Condemns Terrorist Attack in Jerusalem  The United States joins the international community in strongly condemning a terrorist attack on Jerusalem rabbinical students in an apparent bid to derail Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

06 March 2008 Briefing by Secretary Rice en Route Brussels, Belgium  Rice comments on NATO, Afghanistan, Middle East peace process

05 March 2008 Rice Says Israeli-Palestinian Peace Talks To Resume  There are always enemies of peace who try to hold the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks hostage, but that simply can not be permitted when peace, security and prosperity for the Palestinian people are at stake, says Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
 • Rice, Palestinian Authority President Abbas Press Availability
 • Remarks by Secretary Rice, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni

04 March 2008 U.S. Pledges $148 Million to U.N. Fund for Palestine Refugees  The U.S. government pledge to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East has reached $148 million for 2008. This amount includes a total of $91 million ($40 million of which was announced in January) to UNRWA’s General Fund supporting Palestinian refugees in the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria; and $57 million to UNRWA’s 2008 West Bank and Gaza emergency appeal.

04 March 2008 Joint Press Availability with U.S. Secretary of State Rice and Egyptian Foreign Minister Gheit in Cairo, Egypt

04 March 2008 Rice Urges Resumption of Israeli-Palestinian Peace Talks  Suspending negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians plays into the hands of those who want the peace process derailed and prolongs the day when there can be a two-state solution, says Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

03 March 2008 Briefing by Secretary Rice en Route to Brussels  In Egypt will work on Middle East issues such as the Annapolis process, Lebanan and the overall Middle East peace process.

29 February 2008 U.S. Statement on Rice’s Upcoming Trip to Middle East, NATO  Secretary Rice will travel to Egypt, Israel, the Palestinian territories and Brussels from the 3rd to the 7th of March 2008.

27 February 2008 President Bush Meets with Special Envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference  "We just had a discussion about his mission, and the core of his mission is to explain to the Islamic world that America is a friend -- is a friend of freedom, is a friend of peace, that we value religion -- that, matter of fact, we value it to the point where we believe that anybody should be able to worship the way they see fit, and we respect that."

12 February 2008 Palestinian Leader Fayyad Praises United States for Major Funding  Creation of a Palestinian state requires parallel progress on multiple tracks –- governance, security and economics. Success depends on a serious and sustained commitment by the Palestinians and Israelis, the U.S., the Quartet, the Arab countries and the broader international community, says Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.

11 February 2008 U.S.-Palestinian Partnership  Remarks on Current Activities on the U,S.-Palestinian Partnership.

25 January 2008 Interview by Under Secretary Burns on Palestinian Situation

22 January 2008 Ambassador Khalilzad's Statement on the Middle East Situation  "I want to make clear that the United States will not abandon the people of Gaza. We will continue to provide humanitarian aid to help meet the basic needs of the Gazans. But we believe the current situation is the result of Hamas' policies and actions, especially the ongoing rain of rockets into southern Israel despite a complete Israeli withdrawal in 2005. Therefore, Hamas is ultimately responsible for the current situation."

13 January 2008 President Bush Discusses Importance of Freedom in the Middle East  President Bush said, "A great new era is unfolding before us. This new era is founded on the equality of all people before God. This new era is being built with the understanding that power is a trust that must be exercised with the consent of the governed -- and deliver equal justice under the law. And this new era offers hope for the millions across the Middle East who yearn for a future of peace and progress and opportunity."

08 January 2008 Bush Has Focused Consistently on Defining a Palestinian State  The Washington Post Inaccurately Claims The President Is "Scaling Back" Ambitions For Middle East Peace Process

03 January 2008 Bush To Push for Mideast Peace in Regional Visit  Setting out for the Middle East, President Bush hopes to build on the success of the November 2007 Annapolis Conference to keep up momentum toward a two-state solution for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by the end of 2008.
 • Transcripts of National Security Advisor Hadley's briefing

18 December 2007 U.S. Commitment to the Palestinian People  Department of State Fact Sheet on U.S. assistance to the Palestinians.

17 December 2007 Rice Urges Donors To Join in Supporting Palestinian Authority  Nations must match their commitments to Middle East peace made at the November 27 Annapolis Conference with financial contributions for creating a future Palestinian state, says Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

13 December 2007 Donors' Conference Can Reinforce Palestinian-Israeli Efforts  The December 17 international, high-level donors' conference in Paris is an opportunity for the global community to reinforce its support for a resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and an opportunity for the Palestinians to show their genuine desire for statehood, according to senior U.S. officials.

13 December 2007 Donors' Conference Can Reinforce Palestinian-Israeli Efforts  The December 17 international, high-level donors' conference in Paris is an opportunity for the global community to reinforce its support for a resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and an opportunity for the Palestinians to show their genuine desire for statehood, according to senior U.S. officials.

07 December 2007 Support for Mideast Peace Goes Beyond Annapolis Conference  Expect continued intensive diplomacy from Washington as Palestinian and Israeli leaders build on the success of the U.S.-sponsored Annapolis Conference, says a top U.S. diplomat. "There are a lot of historical reasons to be skeptical, but we see this as an unprecedented moment of hope and opportunity for Israelis and Palestinians," Thomas Goldberger, director of the State Department’s Office of Israel and Palestinian Affairs.

03 December 2007 President Bush Sets Economic Development Effort for Palestinians  A new, joint effort by the U.S. government and private businesses will focus on creating new jobs for Palestinians, said President Bush. The president’s announcement followed successful November talks held in Annapolis, Maryland, at which Israeli and Palestinian officials agreed to pursue direct negotiations, supported by the United States, with the aim of establishing a Palestinian state.

15 November 2007 Security Returns to the West Bank Town of Nablus  In the Kasbah of Old Nablus, a new brigade of professional security forces is on patrol. "This is a first, important step toward the Palestinian Authority taking security in the Palestinian Territories," Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad told reporters during his first official visit to the West Bank town of Nablus.

14 November 2007 Upcoming Middle East Talks To Launch a Process, Rice Says  A proposed Middle East peace conference will launch ongoing discussions aimed at creating a Palestinian state and resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict, says Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Among essential issues to be discussed are the right of return of refugees, the future of Jerusalem and the borders of a future Palestinian state.

05 November 2007 Sec. Rice Joint Press Availability With Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas  Secretary Rice's reiterates U.S. commitment to Arab Peace Initiative.

31 October 2007 Aid Programs Show U.S. Commitment to Palestinians  When more than 700,000 Palestinians were displaced following the 1948-1949 Arab-Israeli War, the United States was among the first countries to help feed and shelter them, beginning a journey together over the past half-century culminating in the road map for Middle East peace.

21 October 2007 Vice President's Remarks to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy

18 October 2007 Secretary Rice's Briefing En Route London, England  Secretary Rice says “This trip was important to get a sense of where the parties are, to have a chance to see what needs to be done to help them achieve what they're trying to achieve. Obviously, this is the beginning of a process and it’s the most serious process that they've had in some time.”

18 October 2007 U.S. Aid to the Middle East Becoming More Focused on Women  “If you bring potable, clean water to a village, it frees up girls’ time -- it is they who fetch and carry water. They can go to school,” says Isobel Coleman, of the Council on Foreign Relations.

17 October 2007 Secretary Rice's Remarks With Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni  Secretary Rice says that she is going to do everything that she can to help the parties as they try to come to understandings on a wide variety of outstanding issues that must be resolved if there is to be a Palestinian state.

16 October 2007 Secretary Rice Interview With Nihal Saad of Nile Television

16 October 2007 Forty Years in Search of Arab-Israeli Peace  Few international issues have commanded more attention from American presidents and secretaries of state during the past 40 years than the Arab-Israeli conflict. The crucial turning point for the region, and for the United States, came in June 1967 when war broke out between Israel and most of her Arab neighbors. Within a matter of days, Israel had won on the battlefield and was in occupation of Arab territories in Sinai, Gaza, the West Bank and the Golan Heights.

15 October 2007 Secretary Rice Remarks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas

14 October 2007 Secretary Rice Briefing En Route Tel Aviv, Israel   “..the purpose of this trip is to continue to support advancement of the two parties on the bilateral track”

September 24, 2007 Remarks by President Bush and President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority

23 September 2007 Sec. Rice's Remarks following Quartet Meeting  “The roadmap is still a reliable guide that is supported by the entire international community on how a Palestinian state gets established. ”

20 September 2007 Secretary Rice's Briefing En Route Andrews Air Force Base  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice briefed reporters on her Middle East trip to prepare for the upcoming peace conference.

19 September 2007 Secretary Rice in Middle East To Prepare for Peace Conference  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in Israel and the Palestinian territories. The Secretary is visiting Jerusalem and Ramallah for meetings with officials from Israel and the Palestinian Authority to continue discussions on advancing the development of a political horizon and the two state solution.

19 September 2007 Sinai Peacekeepers Are the Quiet Success of Camp David Accords  The light blue helmets of United Nations peacekeepers may be known the world over, but under the dark orange berets of the Multinational Force and Observers serve soldiers from 11 nations whose quarter century of quiet success in keeping the peace along the Egyptian-Israeli border holds many lessons for future international peacekeeping missions.

13 August 2007 U.S., Middle Eastern Experts Join in Fighting Breast Cancer  When Kendra Woods asked 25 colleagues at America’s leading cancer treatment center to serve as advisers for a program to fight breast cancer in the Middle East, she expected about 10 people to agree. Instead, she got all 25 -- plus another person who heard about it.

03 August 2007 Security Council Concerned About Syria-Lebanon Arms Shipments  The U.N. Security Council adopted a presidential statement expressing its concern over reports of arms shipments from Syria to nonstate armed groups in Lebanon in violation of Security Council Resolution 1701.

03 August 2007 New Loan Opportunities Within Reach of Palestinian Entrepreneurs  Until now, Palestinians who sought loans to launch or expand businesses have faced the prohibitive requirement to offer as much as 200 percent in collateral. With many living below the poverty line, few Palestinians could qualify for loans, and prospects for new jobs have remained elusive.

02 August 2007 Rice Calls for Substantive Mideast Peace Meeting  An upcoming international meeting on Israeli-Palestinian efforts to achieve a two-state solution will be a forum for substantive discussions, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told Palestinian journalists in Ramallah.

31 July 2007 Arab Leaders Renew Support for Iraq, Mideast Peace  Arab leaders meeting with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Defense Robert Gates in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, agreed to continue aiding Iraqis and expressed support for intensified U.S. efforts toward a comprehensive Palestinian-Israeli peace.

31 July 2007 Joint Statement Following July 31 Meeting  The text of the joint statement released at the conclusion of the Foreign Minister’s meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Egypt, Jordan, and the United States.

30 July 2007 Gulf Region Arms Sales Support Stability  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced a military assistance program for Israel, Egypt and the member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, including Saudi Arabia, that is designed to enhance security and stability in the region.

21 July 2007 Rice Sees New Momentum in Quartet's Middle East Peace Efforts   The United States has no higher foreign policy priority than the establishment of an independent and democratic Palestinian state living side by side in peace with Israel, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice declared during her first visit to Portugal and a meeting of the Mideast Quartet comprising the United Nations, European Union, United States, and Russia.

17 July 2007 Proposed Mideast Conference Targets Israeli-Palestinian Conflict  A proposed high-level Middle East conference this fall to push for peace between the Israelis and Palestinians is intended to foster regional stability and speed the formation of a Palestinian state, says a senior U.S. diplomat.

16 July 2007 President Bush Discusses the Middle East  President Bush has called for a Middle East peace conference this fall to be led by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and include Palestinians, Israelis and regional neighbors who support creation of a Palestinian state. "The international community must rise to the moment and provide decisive support to responsible Palestinian leaders working for peace," Bush said.

16 July 2007 Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs C. David Welch Briefs Reporters on President Bush's Speech

27 June 2007 Former British Prime Minister Named Mideast Envoy  Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair will represent the Quartet in peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, the U.S. State Department announced June 27.

19 June 2007 Bush, Israel’s Olmert Express Support for Two-State Solution  The U.S. and Israel support the creation of a Palestinian state that would live side by side in peace with Israel, President Bush says.

18 June 2007 Rice Announces Return of Direct Aid to Palestinian Government  The United States is lifting financial and diplomatic restrictions on the Palestinian Authority and will donate $40 million to U.N. programs serving the Palestinian Territories, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says.

“We intend to lift our financial restrictions on the Palestinian government, which has accepted previous agreements with Israel and rejects the path of violence,” Rice said June 18.

16 June 2007 Statement of the Quartet on their telephone call  In a telephone call on June 15, Quartet Principals shared their deep concern over the welfare and security of all Palestinians -- especially those in Gaza, whose lives have been most seriously affected by the ongoing crisis.

14 June 2007 Rice Expresses Support for Palestinian President Abbas  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressed support for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ decision to declare a state of emergency and dissolve the unity government.

13 June 2007 White House Urges Restraint in Gaza  Factional fighting in Gaza between Hamas and security forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah Party shows the challenges in creating a Palestinian state, says White House spokesman Tony Snow.

11 June 2007 Rice Urges Continued Israeli-Palestinian Dialogue  While leaving the door open for Israel to engage in peace discussions with Syria if it chooses to do so, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said any such contacts would not be a substitute for Israel’s ongoing talks with the Palestinians, adding that a two-state solution to the conflict would offer Palestinians a better future than that presented by extremists.

05 June 2007 U.S. Gives $3.5 Million To Help Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon  The U.S. will contribute $3.5 million in humanitarian assistance to a U.N. fund for Palestinian refugees in northern Lebanon.

31 May 2007 Israelis, Palestinians Urged To Focus on Long-Term Goals  The Quartet for Middle East peace called on Israel and the Palestinians to "work positively and constructively" to encourage mutual confidence and to help create an environment more conducive for progress toward the creation of a Palestinian state.

30 May 2007 U.N. Security Council Establishes Lebanon Court  The U.N. Security Council voted May 30 to establish a special tribunal to hear cases arising from the international investigation into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri in 2005. 

24 May 2007 Detention of Palestinian Leaders Draws U.S. Concern  The Bush administration expressed concern over Israel’s detention of 33 members of Hamas, including legislators, mayors, and a Cabinet minister, following Israel’s overnight raids on the Palestinian West Bank city of Nablus.

22 May 2007 White House Supports Lebanon's Siniora Government  The White House expressed its support for Lebanese President Fuad Siniora as his government confronts militants linked to al-Qaida and continues to seek an international tribunal to investigate the 2005 murder of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.

21 May 2007 State Department Backs Lebanese Action Against Extremists  Lebanon’s Security Forces "rightfully" are taking action against a violent extremist group that has been operating out of a Palestinian refugee camp in Tripoli, Lebanon, the State Department said, adding that the group, Fatah al-Islam, is "dedicated to the use of violence."

18 May 2007 Rice Discusses Gaza Violence with Palestinian, Israeli Leaders  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert May 17 to express U.S. concern over factional violence in the Gaza Strip that has left scores of people dead in less than a week.

16 May 2007 United States Calls for an End to Gaza Violence  

“We're concerned about the violence in Gaza,” State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey said at a May 16 briefing. “We want to see that stop.”

01 May 2007 Middle East is "Defining Challenge of Our Time," U.S. Envoy Says  The Middle East is "the defining challenge of our time," says Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, the new U.S. permanent representative to the U.N. and the president of the U.N. Security Council for the month of May.

25 April 2007 Water Becomes Source of Cooperation in the Middle East  During the 1990s, there was a common belief that the arid conditions in the Middle East would place water at the center of future wars in that region, but U.S. officials helping to coordinate water resource management in the region report that water is more often a source of cooperation than conflict.

20 April 2007 United States Calls Syrian Elections a Missed Opportunity  The United States has dismissed the Syrian parliamentary elections scheduled for April 22 as a missed opportunity for meaningful democratic reform, saying the highly restricted nature of the electoral process renders the vote meaningless.

29 March 2007 U.S. Calls Re-launch of Arab Peace Initiative "Very Positive"  Reaffirmation of the 2002 Arab initiative offering Israel recognition and permanent peace in exchange for a withdrawal from territory captured in 1967 and a resolution to the issue of Palestinian refugees is "very positive," according to State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.

29 March 2007 Mideast Women Hone Business, Legal Skills in U.S.  Thirty-six women from the Middle East and North Africa are in the U.S. to participate in six-month fellowships intended to develop their educational and leadership skills.

27 March 2007 Israeli, Palestinian Leaders Commit to Biweekly Meetings  Following discussions with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas have agreed to meet on a regular biweekly basis to discuss immediate concerns and a long-term political horizon that would lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state.

23 March 2007 International Support to Palestinians Increased Despite Embargo  Despite the international embargo on aid to the Palestinian Authority since Hamas came to power a year ago, significantly more aid was delivered to the Palestinians in 2006 than in 2005, according to official figures from the U.N., U.S., EU and International Monetary Fund.

25 March 2007 Rice Calls Upon All States To Advance Mideast Peace Process  The leadership and commitment of every nation in the region is vital to advancing the Mideast peace process and making the vision of a two-state solution a reality, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said during her third trip to the Middle East in 2007.

22 March 2007 Bush Calls Mideast Leaders Seeking Support for Peace Process  President Bush has telephoned leaders in the Middle East to seek their support for Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's mission as she embarks on another trip to the region to advance the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, a task he called a priority for his administration.

21 March 2007 Rice Traveling to Middle East To Support Two-State Solution  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, prior to traveling to the Middle East to advance a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, joined international diplomats in expressing hope that the newly formed Palestinian government will help ensure peace.

19 March 2007 Rice Says U.S. Will Aid Palestinian People, Deal with Abbas  The U.S. will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people and deal with President Mahmoud Abbas, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says, despite the fact that the newly formed Palestinian national unity government led by Hamas has not renounced violence and remains unwilling to recognize Israel’s right to exist, as called for by members of the international community.

14 March 2007 Secretary of State Rice's Remarks With Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni

07 March 2007 Jordan’s King Abdullah Urges U.S. To Work for Mideast Peace  Jordan’s King Abdullah II called on the U.S. to assume a central role in resolving the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict, telling a joint session of the U.S. Congress that "the security of all nations and the stability of our global economy are directly affected by the Middle East conflict."

21 February 2007 Rice Reports on Mideast Visits to International Peace Partners  The Quartet for Middle East peace welcomed a report on Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and urged the two parties to continue their constructive dialogue.

19 February 2007 Rice Calls Meeting with Israeli, Palestinian Leaders Productive  A three-way meeting in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was "useful and productive" in paving the way for further efforts toward an Israeli-Palestinian peace, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says.

06 February 2007 Talks Among Israel, Palestinians, U.S. Set for February 19  Talks involving Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert are scheduled to take place February 19 and will be “an initial opportunity” for Olmert and Abbas “to start a discussion about those issues that would concern the framework of a possible Palestinian state,” State Department spokesman Sean McCormack says.

02 February 2007 Rice Says Mideast Peace Process Can Defuse Palestinian Violence  Movement toward resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict could help defuse some of the daily turmoil besetting the Palestinian Territories, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says.

01 February 2007 Mideast Quartet Meeting Comes at "Important Moment," U.S. Says  The United States and its partners in the Quartet – the United Nations, Russia and the European Union – are meeting at what the State Department says is an “important moment” for the international community to mobilize its support for Middle East peace efforts.

30 January 2007 New U.S. Middle East Commander To Focus on Regional Diplomacy  Admiral William Fallon, nominated to be the new U.S. commander in the Middle East, says he will focus on regional diplomacy and carrying out President Bush’s new Iraq plan, which calls for an American troop surge to help Iraqi forces reduce violence-wracked Baghdad neighborhoods.

21 January 2007 Turkey Key Partner on Mideast Issues, State's Burns Says  Calling his meetings with top officials in Turkey a “very good visit,” U.S. Under Secretary of State R. Nicholas Burns emphasized Turkey’s role as a ’valued strategic partner” in the effort to resolve many issues in the Middle East, including those involving Iraq, Iran and Lebanon.

18 January 2007 Rice Says Weeks of Intensive Diplomacy Ahead for the Middle East  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says she expects her trilateral meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will take place during the first half of February, and that some of the discussions will focus on building Palestinian political and economic institutions. “The next couple of weeks will be pretty intensive on the diplomatic front,” Rice says in remarks to the press in Berlin.

17 January 2007 Rice Says Quartet To Meet Ahead of Israeli-Palestinian Talks  Russia, the European Union, the United Nations and the United States, collectively known as the Quartet for Middle East peace, will convene in Washington at the beginning of February to help coordinate peace efforts, ahead of a planned meeting of Palestinian, Israeli and U.S. leaders, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said.

16 January 2007 Rice Announces Israeli, Palestinian Talks on Mideast Road Map  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will hold "an informal set of discussions" on broad issues concerning the plan aimed at establishing a Palestinian state that lives at peace with Israel.

16 January 2007 Rice Says New Mideast Talks Transcend Sequence of Road Map  Informal talks involving Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will offer a chance to "break through" logistical and security obligations under the first phase of the road map plan for a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to include broader discussions on a future political settlement.

13 January 2007 Rice Launches Mideast Consultations on Iraq, Iran, Mideast Peace  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Jerusalem January 13 on her third trip to the Middle East since October 2006 saying she planned to discuss with U.S. allies in the region topics including Iraq, Iran and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

14 January 2007 Rice Pledges Ongoing U.S. Commitment to Mideast Peace Process  The U.S. is "deeply committed to finding ways to accelerate progress" toward a two-state solution in the Middle East and to resolve the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told reporters in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

09 January 2007 Rice Trip Planned As “Extended Conversation” on Mideast, Iraq  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will be visiting the Middle East and Europe beginning January 12 for consultations with regional leaders on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Iraq and other issues.

05 January 2007 Bush Seeking "Tens of Millions" in Palestinian Aid  President Bush is seeking to provide Palestinian security forces under the control of President Mahmoud Abbas with "non-lethal material assistance" designed to help them provide security and regulate checkpoints.

20 December 2006 Rice Supports Palestinian Efforts To Resolve Political Crisis  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has thrown her support behind Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in his efforts to restore stability to the Palestinian Territories and resolve the political crisis between his Fatah Party and the ruling Hamas Party.

15 December 2006 Rice Says U.S. Support for Middle East Democracy Is Nonnegotiable  Responding to calls for the U.S. to engage Iran and Syria to help secure Iraq, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said that even though diplomatic negotiation may be built on artful compromise, Iran and Syria must understand that U.S. support for democracy in the region is nonnegotiable.

16 December 2006 Hope for Peace Remains Despite Palestinian Conflict, Rice Says  Despite recent tensions between Palestinian factions, there still is a chance to move forward with the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, but there must be “some resolution of the Palestinian internal conflict,” Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says.

13 December 2006 Bush Statement Highlights Plight of Syrian Political Prisoners  The Bush administration calls upon Syria to release all political prisoners immediately and expresses support for the desire of the Syrian people to enjoy democracy, human rights and the freedom of expression.

09 December 2006 U.S. To Continue Push for Democratic Middle East  U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East will continue to focus on democratic reform, empowerment of women and “giving people a voice in their own futures,” Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told reporters.

07 December 2006 Bush and Britain’s Blair Consider Course Ahead in Middle East   President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair renewed their commitment to moderates and reformers who work for democracy across the broader Middle East. See also: Transcript

30 November 2006 Rice Urges Extension of Gaza Cease-Fire  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told Palestinian and Israeli leaders that the U.S. wants to see the current cease-fire in Gaza consolidated and extended to the West Bank as part of a comprehensive truce.

27 November 2006 U.S. Welcomes Israeli Leader’s Peace Overture  The Bush administration says Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s offer to revive peace efforts with the Palestinians, in combination with the recent cease-fire announcement in Gaza, holds promise.

24 November 2006 Middle East Partnership Initiative Announces Four New Awards   Four new grants totaling $1,160,000 for partnerships between colleges and universities in the U.S. and the Middle East have been award by the Department of State’s Middle East Partnership Initiative.

15 November 2006 Iran, Syria Continue To Show Destabilizing Behavior, Rice Says  The Bush administration is willing to talk to Syria and Iran under the right circumstances, but both countries continue to demonstrate behavior that is destabilizing to the Middle East, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says.

27 October 2006 United States Rededicating Itself to Middle East Peace Process   The U.S. is renewing its efforts to restart a peace process between Israel and the Palestinians, seeking to do “practical work on the ground,” according to the top State Department diplomat on the Middle East.

12 October 2006 Rice Affirms U.S. Commitment to Creation of a Palestinian State   Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice affirmed U.S. commitment to the goal of creating a Palestinian state and urged Palestinian Americans to mobilize their full energy to realizing this objective.

03 October 2006 Rice Urges Egypt To Lead Middle East Democratization  If the Middle East is to make progress toward achieving democracy, Egypt will have to be a leader along that path, according to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

03 October 2006 Rice Urges Hamas To Join International Consensus for Peace  The immediate solution to the growing economic and political crisis in the Palestinian Territories is for the ruling Hamas party to join the consensus of the international community in support of a two-state resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

02 October 2006 Rice Seeks To Rally Moderate Forces in Middle East  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice hopes to "rally moderate forces and moderate voices in the Middle East" during a weeklong trip to the region to visit Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel and the Palestinian territories.

28 September 2006 Rice Plans Mideast Trip To Discuss Israeli-Palestinian Issue  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will travel to the Middle East beginning October 1 to consult with regional leaders and explore ideas for dealing with problems surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She will visit Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

26 September 2006 Rice Sees Struggle of Extremism, Moderation in Middle EastS  Hezbollah’s July 12 incursion into Israel and the subsequent military confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah forces helped clarify the nature of the struggle at the heart of contemporary Middle East politics, according to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

25 September 2006 President Bush Meets with Delegation for Lebanon Reconstruction  A delegation of prominent U.S. business leaders met with the President Bush at the White House to discuss how best the U.S. can assist Lebanon in recovering from its recent crisis.

21 September 2006 Mideast Quartet Endorses Palestinian Leader's Efforts  The Quartet for Middle East peace endorsed the efforts of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to form a government of national unity and recognized the need to continue humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people.

20 September 2006 Bush Meets with Palestinian President, Other Leaders in New York  On the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, President Bush told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, "[T]he best way to bring peace to the Holy Land is for two democratic states living side by side in peace." He also said that "the Palestinian state must have territorial integrity" and expressed the wish for the Palestinians to have "a society in which they can raise their children in peace and hope."

19 September 2006 Bush Sends Message of Hope to Middle East  Speaking directly to the people of the Middle East from the podium of the U.N. General Assembly, President Bush urged them and their governments to support democracy and moderation and assured them that the U.S. is not at war with Islam.

19 September 2006 Text of the President’s address to the General Assembly

11 September 2006 Rice Asserts Importance of Supporting Moderate Mideast Forces  Strengthening nascent democracies in the Middle East is vital to defeat extremist, destabilizing forces there, said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The moderate forces are not very strong, but for the first time there are moderate forces in Iraq, Lebanon and Afghanistan "that have a chance to govern and govern well," she said.

05 September 2006 Bush Praises Kuwaiti Reforms as "Notable Example" for Middle East  President Bush welcomed the amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, to the White House and congratulated the amir for the "steady reforms" he has been undertaking in his country that "have served as a notable example for others in the region."

24 August 2006 United States Condemns Kidnapping of Journalists in Gaza  The U.S. State Department condemned the kidnapping of two Fox News journalists in Gaza but dismissed the idea that the U.S. would make concessions to the kidnappers, who issued a videotape of the two journalists and demanded the U.S. release all Muslims from its prisons within 72 hours.

03 August 2006 U.S. General Says Middle East Militias "Curse" of Region   The U.S. commander who oversees military operations in the Middle East says extremism "remains a serious danger to global peace and stability" and that the influence of private militias in the Middle East must be curbed.

27 June 2006 U.S.-Arab Economic Forum Confronts Cultural Misunderstandings   Misunderstanding between the Arab world and the U.S. is a two-way street, according to Under Secretary of State Karen Hughes, and if the two sides are to build a more hopeful future, they must address this problem together by fostering open economies, open minds and open dialogue.

24 May 2006 Education Cited as Basis for Development, Economic Growth   Education is the basis for social development and economic growth, according to U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, and every country has a duty to provide its children with the tools they need to succeed in the global-knowledge economy.

23 May 2006 Bush Describes Israel's West Bank Proposals as "Bold Ideas"  The U.S. prefers a negotiated settlement between Israel and the Palestinians to determine a final status arrangement, President Bush said, but the president also expressed support for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s proposals for Israel’s withdrawal from the West Bank as "bold ideas" that could lead to a two-state solution.

21 May 2006 State's Zoellick Sees Important Changes Under Way in Mideast  The Middle East is undergoing an important era of change, and the United States will continue supporting those in the region who champion political and economic reforms, according to Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick.

21 May 2006 Arab World Needs Culture of Democracy, Leaders Say   Although the Arab world has made tremendous progress towards embracing democratic practices in recent years, the region still lacks a culture of democracy, according to Arab government officials and intellectuals discussing political developments in the region at the World Economic Forum on the Middle East.

17 May 2006 Security Council Urges Syria To Set Up Better Ties with Lebanon  The Security Council May 17 pressed Syria to work with Lebanon to delineate a clear boundary and establish diplomatic relations.

10 May 2006 Mideast Quartet Responds to Palestinian Needs   The Quartet for Middle East peace continues to insist that the Hamas-led Palestinian government accept international principles, but also says it will try to deliver more aid directly to the Palestinian people.

10 May 2006 Mideast Democracy Efforts Making a Difference, U.S. Official Says  The U.S. State Department’s three-year-old Middle East Partnership Initiative is beginning to make a real difference in the region through its support of democratic reformers, a top MEPI program official says.

09 May 2006 U.S. To Send $10 Million in Humanitarian Aid to Palestinians  The international community is concerned deeply about the reported shortages of medicine and health care equipment in the Palestinian Territories and will work to address the problem, according to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, but she places the blame for the Palestinians’ deteriorating situation squarely on the shoulders of the Hamas-led government.

02 May 2006 Rice Says Elections First Step to Democracy in Muslim Countries   Democracies in Muslim countries will not evolve like democracy in the U.S., Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said, but the essence of democracy remains the same even though the expression of basic values reflects different traditions and cultures.

26 April 2006 Syria Continues Interference in Lebanon, State Department Says  Syria continues to interfere in Lebanon's affairs one year after the withdrawal of its military troops and assets, the State Department said in a statement. In a statement noting the first anniversary of Syria's military withdrawal from Lebanon, State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said Syria has caused economic pressure, political interference, intimidation and security incidents toward Lebanon.

18 April 2006 Bush Says Lebanon Can Be Example of Diverse, Peaceful State  President Bush said Lebanon, as a religiously diverse country emerging from conflict, "can serve as a great example for what is possible" to other countries in the Middle East.

10 April 2006 U.S. Tops List of Supporters for Palestinian Relief Agency  The U.S. is the largest single country donor to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), providing food, shelter, health care and education to Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza, and refugee facilities in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, according to a fact sheet released by the State Department.

07 April 2006 U.S. Cuts Funds to Palestinian Authority, Raises Humanitarian Aid  The U.S. announced that it would cut off all financial assistance to the Hamas-led Palestinian government in the absence of any indication that Hamas is prepared to renounce violence, respect Israel’s right to exist and pursue good faith negotiations toward implementation of the road map peace process.

15 March 2006 Advisers to Palestinians Request Flexibility in Dealing with Hamas   The international community's top civilian and military advisers working with the Palestinians have urged the U.S. Congress to allow them flexibility in dealing with the Hamas-led Palestinian government.

10 March 2006 Bush Calls for Full Cooperation on U.N. Hariri Investigation  President Bush reaffirmed the United States' commitment to ensuring that the U.N. investigation into the February 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri moves forward.

24 February 2006 Rice Confident that Iraq Will Achieve Unified Government   Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says she is confident that Iraqi leaders will overcome attempts by violent groups to undermine efforts to form a government of national unity. "Iraqis have demonstrated time and again that they have a political ... maturity that allows them to overcome, time after time after time, efforts of outsiders and violent people to separate them and to pit them against one another," Rice said, briefing reporters after her visit to four countries in the Middle East.

23 February 2006 Rice Urges Lebanese Leadership To Disband Domestic Militias  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reaffirmed the United States' support for Lebanon's efforts to re-establish full sovereignty and democracy and said she believes the Lebanese leadership will embrace full implementation of a U.N. Security Council resolution dealing with the country's political transition.

23 February 2006 U.S. Will Continue Humanitarian Aid to Palestinians, Rice Says  The United States will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people but will not provide any funding to a Hamas-led government until Hamas demonstrates its commitment to peace with Israel as the international community has demanded, according to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

22 February 2006 Hamas Can Succeed Only on Platform of Peace, Rice Says  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the United States would like to see the Palestinian Hamas group succeed in leading the next Palestinian government, but added that success can be achieved only on a platform of peace.

21 February 2006 Rice Acknowledges Egypt's Democratic Advances, Despite Setbacks  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told reporters in Egypt February 21 that the United States has no right to be "arrogant" in discussions about democracy, but democracy is a basic right that the United States will continue to address in its discussions with other nations.

21 February 2006 State's Hughes Announces New Initiatives for Mideast Businesswomen  Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Hughes unveiled two initiatives on supporting Middle Eastern business women during a visit to the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) February 19.

18 February 2006 Social Change Brings Freedom, Justice, State's Hughes Says  Change is a necessary force for making societies more open and just, and the leaders who embrace change are those who will unleash the power of human freedom within their countries, according to U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Hughes.

18 February 2006 Rice Says No Direct U.S. Funding Now to Hamas   Washington -- The United States cannot and will not give direct financial assistance to a Hamas-led government so long as it is committed to terror and the destruction of Israel, but at the same time will not abandon Palestinians in desperate need of help, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says.

14 February 2006 U.S. Commemorates Anniversary of Hariri Assassination in Lebanon  The United States and the international community remain united with the people of Lebanon in the effort to investigate the circumstances surrounding the assassination one year ago of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, according to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

08 February 2006 World Community Supports Caretaker Palestinian Government  The international community and Israel are committed to providing continued financial support to the Palestinian Authority’s caretaker government under the leadership of President Mahmud Abbas, but all parties will review their support once a new government is seated, according to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.

30 January 2006 Rice Lauds Peaceful Palestinian Elections, Decries Terrorism  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice lauded the peaceful parliamentary elections held in the Palestinian territories January 25, but declared in no uncertain terms that the election winner -- Hamas -- espouses terrorism.

26 January 2006 Bush, Rice Say Palestinian Elections Show "Power of Democracy"  President Bush said the results of the January 25 Palestinian parliamentary elections present a "wake-up call" to the incumbent Fatah party leadership, reflecting voter dissatisfaction and a desire for change. However, he said HAMAS, which appears set to assume a clear majority in the 132-seat legislature, cannot be a "partner in peace" if its platform calls for the destruction of Israel.

25 January 2006 U.S. Says Palestinian Elections "Historic and Significant"  White House press secretary Scott McClellan said the first Palestinian parliamentary elections in 10 years are a "historic and significant moment" for the Palestinian people, and the U.S. will continue helping them build democratic institutions as Middle East peace efforts move forward. Speaking to reporters at the White House, McClellan said the Palestinians "are in a transition to what we all hope is a democratic state," and the Bush administration is "doing all we can to help … as they move forward on solidifying democratic institutions."

17 January 2006 State's Welch Calls for Unity, Security, Democracy in Lebanon  U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch voiced his support for Lebanese efforts to establish a secure, democratic state and condemned what he called "the regrettable, intentional provocations to harm Lebanon's unity that have come from outside."

Annapolis Peace Conference

Annapolis Conference Website

28 November 2007 Announcement of General James Jones as Special Envoy for Middle East Security

28 November 2007 Secretary Rice's Television Interviews: ABC | CBS | NBC

28 November 2007 President Bush Makes Remarks on Annapolis Conference ... A series of successful meetings today with these leaders. Yesterday was an important day, and it was a hopeful beginning. No matter how important yesterday was, it's not nearly as important as tomorrow and the days beyond.

27 November 2007 Time for Mideast Peace Is Now, Bush Tells Annapolis Conference  The time has come for a Palestinian state and peace in the Middle East, but Israelis and Palestinians will need international help, President Bush told representatives from nearly 50 countries and international organizations at a one-day conference at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
 • Remarks by Secretary of State Rice at the Annapolis Conference
 • Closing Remarks at the Annapolis Conference by Secretary of State Rice

27 November 2007 President Bush Attends Annapolis Conference ... “We meet to lay the foundation for the establishment of a new nation -- a democratic Palestinian state that will live side by side with Israel in peace and security. We meet to help bring an end to the violence that has been the true enemy of the aspirations of both the Israelis and Palestinians.”

27 November 2007 Joint Understanding Read by President Bush at Annapolis Conference

26 November 2007 International Engagement in Mideast Conference Cause for Optimism  As President Bush met with Palestinian and Israeli leaders at the White House before the start of a U.S.-sponsored Middle East conference, officials highlighted broad international support as essential to move the peace process forward.
 • President Bush Meets with Israeli Prime Minister Olmert
 • President Bush Meets with President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority

25 November 2007 Press Briefing by Teleconference with National Security Advisor Steve Hadley on Annapolis Conference

25 November 2007 Statement by the President on the Annapolis Peace Conference

23 November 2007 Annapolis Talks Foster International Support for Peace, Rice Says  The November 26-28 Annapolis Conference is important to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in two ways -- it solidifies the launch of peace negotiations and it brings together international support, especially from Arab nations, says Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

21 November 2007 Secretary Rice Interview Roundtable with Radio, Television and Wires

20 November 2007 Middle East Peace Conference Sets Stage for Formal Talks  Creation of a Palestinian state and resolution of long-standing Arab-Israeli issues are the focal points of a U.S.-sponsored international conference November 26-28. The meeting, however, will not lead to Palestinian statehood immediately nor even in the next few months, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says in discussing expectations for the meeting

20 November 2007 Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch on the Annapolis Conference  "The conference ... is a signal of opportunity ... to launch the bilateral negotiations between the parties. ... And that will be for the purpose of leading to the establishment of a state and the realization of Israeli-Palestinian peace in accordance with the roadmap. For that, we believe international support is essential."

20 November 2007 Announcement of Annapolis Conference

President Bush's Trip to the Middle East

Latest news:
 • White House - Middle East Trip, 13-18 May 2008
 • White House - Middle East Trip, 8-16 January 2008
 • Trip Notes from the Middle East

18 May 2008 Interview of the President by Richard Engel, NBC News

19 May 2008 Bush Reiterates Support for Palestinian State  The Palestinian people have suffered for decades and have earned the right to their own homeland, President Bush says, and the United States strongly supports the creation of a Palestinian state based on the rule of law and social justice.

18 May 2008 President Bush Addresses the World Economic Forum Meeting in Egypt  President Bush said, “This region is home to energetic people, a powerful spirit of enterprise, and tremendous resources. It is capable of a very bright future -- a future in which the Middle East is a place of innovation and discovery, driven by free men and women.”

18 May 2008 Press Briefing by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice

15 May 2008 Democracy Could Transform Middle East, Says Bush   Democracy could bring a new future to the Middle East by undermining extremism and giving voice to millions of families across the region yearning for justice and tolerance, freedom and hope, says President Bush.

 • Remarks by President Bush to members of the the Knesset

14 May 2008 Bush Brings Optimism to Middle East  Sixty years to the day of Israel's founding, President Bush called on Israelis, who have built the region's most dynamic democracy, to renew their commitment to Middle East peace in that same spirit.
 • Remarks by President Bush in Jerusalem
 • Press Gaggle by Dana Perino, Steve Hadley and Elliott Abrams

16 January 2008 Bush, Mubarak Pledge To Strengthen Efforts for Middle East Peace  President Bush said that, with steady engagement, a Palestinian-Israeli peace accord could be reached by the end of his term in office, and that the prospects for reaching an accord are strengthened greatly by support from Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
 • Statements by President Bush and President Mubarak of Egypt
 • Press Gaggle by Dana Perino En Route Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt

15 January 2008 Bush Promotes Mideast Peace Plan, Security in Gulf  In meetings with Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah, President Bush underlined the U.S. commitment to helping Palestinian and Israeli leaders realize their goal of a peace settlement and a Palestinian state by the end of 2008 and urged regional leaders to continue their support.
 • Roundtable Interview of the President by Print, Wire and Television Reporters
 • Bush Remarks in Roundtable With Saudi Entrepreneurs

14 January 2008 Press Briefing by Counselor Gillespie, Press Secretary Perino  Officials briefed reporters on Israel, Palestinian Territories, oil, Iran

14 January 2008 Press Gaggle by National Security Advisor Steve Hadley

13 January 2008 President Bush Discusses Importance of Freedom in the Middle East  President Bush said, "A great new era is unfolding before us. This new era is founded on the equality of all people before God. This new era is being built with the understanding that power is a trust that must be exercised with the consent of the governed -- and deliver equal justice under the law. And this new era offers hope for the millions across the Middle East who yearn for a future of peace and progress and opportunity."
 • White House Fact Sheet: Fostering Freedom And Justice In The Middle East

13 January 2008 Press Background Briefing on the President's trip to Saudi Arabia by a Senior Administration Official

12 January 2008 President Meets with Commander of Multinational Force-Iraq and Ambassador to Iraq

10 January 2008 Bush Pledges Support to Israelis, Palestinians Working for Peace  After separate meetings with Palestinian and Israeli leaders January 9 and January 10, President Bush said he is increasingly confident that what might have been unlikely even a year ago is not only possible, but necessary: the creation of a Palestinian state by the end of 2008.
 • Bush Statement on the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process
 • Press Briefing by National Security Advisor Hadley in Jerusalem

10 January 2008 President Bush and Palestinian Authority President Abbas Participate in Joint Press Availability

09 January 2008 Joint Remarks by President Bush and Prime Minister Olmert

09 January 2008 President Bush Meets with Israeli President Peres

09 January 2008 President Bush Arrives in Jerusalem

07 January 2008 Bush Begins Journey To Bolster Peace, Security in Middle East  President Bush will arrive in Jerusalem January 9 to promote a Middle Eastern peace initiative begun at the November 2007 Annapolis Conference that seeks to bring the long-standing Arab-Israeli conflict to a peaceful resolution and create a democratic Palestinian state. But the trip also will serve to reassure allies and friends of the U.S. of its full commitment to regional security.

05 January 2008 President's Radio Address  President Bush announced his trip to the Middle East on Tuesday, 08 January. The first stop will be in the Holy Land for meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Olmert and Palestinian President Abbas on the subject of the peace negotiations which began last November in Annapolis. During the second part of the trip the President will visit five of America's key allies in the Arab world: Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.

06 January 2008:
 • Interview of the President by Hisham Bourar, AL Hurra TV
 • Interview of the President by Yonit Levi, Channel 2 News
 • Interview of the President by Nadia Bilbassy-Charters, AL Arabiya TV

Lebanon

17 June 2008 Rice Remarks After Meeting Lebanese Prime Minister-designate.

06 August 2007 Presidential Order Targets Those Opposed to Lebanese Democracy  President Bush’s executive order seizing the U.S. assets of those undermining Lebanon’s democratically elected government is designed to support the country’s constitutional democratic process, as well as those who feel Lebanon’s democracy is being threatened, a senior State Department official said.

15 May 2007 U.N. Security Council To Consider Establishing Lebanese Tribunal  The United States expects the U.N. Security Council to consider a draft resolution that would establish a special tribunal to hear cases arising from the international probe into the bombing that killed former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and several others.

19 April 2007 U.S. Prepared To Boost Reconstruction Aid for Lebanon  President Bush has requested a dramatic increase in levels of funding to support ongoing relief and reconstruction efforts in Lebanon as part of the supplemental budget now under consideration in Congress, and administration officials addressing a congressional subcommittee asserted that the funds are necessary to support progressive forces in that country.

29 January 2007 President Bush Disappointed by Recent Violence in Lebanon

25 January 2007 Rice Says Aid to Lebanon Will Support Government’s Reforms  The Bush administration’s assistance pledge to Lebanon, now totaling more than $1 billion, will be targeted toward security and economic assistance, and will support the Lebanese government’s economic reform program, said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

24 January 2007 Rice Announces $770 Million U.S. Pledge for Lebanon  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the U.S. will pledge nearly $770 million in direct U.S. assistance to Lebanon ahead of the January 25 donors’ conference in Paris.

12 December 2006 U.S. Will Not Allow Syria To Reassert Authority over Lebanon  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressed support for the Lebanese government and pro-democracy activists in Lebanon who have resisted Syrian control of their country, and said the United States will not compromise the future of Lebanon for its other interests in the Middle East.

02 December 2006 U.S. Reiterates Support for Lebanese Government  The U.S. fully supports Lebanon's government for its commitment to peace, security, and efforts to represent all Lebanese communities, says R. Nicholas Burns, U.S. under secretary of state for political affairs.

21 November 2006 Bush Condemns Assassination of Lebanese Cabinet Minister  President Bush strongly condemned the assassination of Lebanese Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel, calling for a complete investigation as well as for the international community’s continued support for the democratically elected government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.

16 November 2006 U.S. Aid to Lebanon Targeted To Build Government Capacity  In helping Lebanon recover from the recent conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, the United States is placing priority on building the long-term capabilities of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's government and its capacity to direct overall reconstruction efforts, says Ambassador Randal Tobias, U.S. director of foreign assistance.

01 November 2006 U.S. Concerned About Continued Arms Flow to Hezbollah   The U.S. continues to be concerned that Syria and Iran are trying to destabilize Lebanon's government, U.S. Ambassador John Bolton says

31 October 2006 International Community Committed To Helping Lebanon, Rice Says   Despite Middle East violence, positive changes are occurring throughout the region, particularly in the international community’s resolve to assist Lebanon, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in an interview with a Lebanese broadcaster.

30 October 2006 U.S. Assistance Spurring Economic Growth in Lebanon  The United States has moved aggressively to provide substantial support for Lebanon's recovery from recent conflict and economic growth in the country, a State Department official says. The $90 million spent so far shows that the U.S. is taking "immediate action" on its $230 million aid commitment made in August, said Randal Tobias, U.S. director of foreign assistance.

19 October 2006 U.S. Helping Lebanon with Security, State's Welch Says   The United States’ goal in Lebanon is to help the Lebanese government assert its authority throughout the country, secure its borders and disarm all militias, according to Assistant Secretary of State David Welch.

13 September 2006 State's Welch Offers Cautious Optimism on Lebanon Cease-fire  In what he characterized as "a summer of stress and hardship," Assistant Secretary of State C. David Welch told U.S. senators he sees U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 as a vital tool for permanently stabilizing Lebanon.

07 September 2006 U.S. Calls Lifting of Lebanese Air Blockade "Important Step  The State Department said Israel’s lifting of its air blockade of Lebanon is “an important step” in implementing U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, and applauded Germany’s work with the governments of Israel and Lebanon to end the blockade.

31 August 2006 U.S. Foreign Assistance Director Outlines Aid to Lebanon  Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance Randall Tobias elaborated on the U.S. commitment of $230 million in emergency reconstruction assistance to Lebanon. He identified six specific areas on which the U.S. initially would focus its resources in support of the Lebanese government’s recovery plan.

25 August 2006 Bush Welcomes France's Troop Commitment to U.N. Lebanon Force  President Bush welcomed the announcement by French President Jacques Chirac that France will be sending 2,000 troops to participate in the U.N. peacekeeping operation in southern Lebanon.

24 August 2006 U.S. Helping To Clean Up Munitions, Oil in Lebanon  The U.S. has promised emergency assistance to defuse unexploded mines and cluster bombs in Lebanon and to help clean up a Mediterranean oil spill – both legacies of the monthlong hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.

22 August 2006 Syria, Iran Must Stop Arming Hezbollah, U.S. Says   U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton said that in order to have peace in Lebanon, Hezbollah must stop operating as a state within a state, which is now made possible by support from Syria and Iran. The Security Council must address the situation, he said, or face renewed fighting in the region.

21 August 2006 Bush Pledges $230 Million in U.S. Aid to Lebanon  President Bush pledges the U.S. will increase its humanitarian and reconstruction aid to Lebanon to $230 million to help the country recover after weeks of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

21 August 2006 U.S. Considers Additional U.N. Resolution To Disarm Hezbollah  The U.S. is considering an additional U.N. Security Council resolution clarifying the mandate of the U.N. peacekeepers in Lebanon to include the disarming of Hezbollah, said President George Bush.

19 August 2006 Bush Says U.S. Working To Implement Resolution on Lebanon  President Bush told the American public the U.N. Security Council resolution ending the violence in Lebanon creates "a foundation for a sustainable peace," and the U.S. is working with the international community to help implement it.

16 August 2006 Rice Expects Hezbollah To Disarm or Face International Pressure  If Hezbollah refuses to cooperate with the Lebanese government and disarm, both the militant organization and its foreign sponsors will face isolation from the international community, according to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

16 August 2006 U.N. Resolution Charts Path to Peace in Lebanon, Rice Says  Op-ed by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, published in the August 16 edition of The Washington Post.

16 August 2006 U.S. Pledges Additional $20 Million Humanitarian Aid to Lebanon  Aid is reaching areas in southern Lebanon that need it most, as the cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah remains stable. Deliveries of humanitarian supplies stalled by the conflict, including nearly $30 million of the initial U.S. aid commitment, are reaching thousands of displaced Lebanese.

15 August 2006 U.S. Committed to Lebanese Security, State's Welch Says  The U.S. is determined to transform the tragedy of the recent conflict between Israel and Hezbollah into a positive change that will enhance the security of Lebanon and the entire region, according to Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs C. David Welch.

14 August 2006 White House Hails Diplomatic Success in Mideast Conflict  The cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah is a victory for diplomacy, according to White House press secretary Tony Snow. Speaking to reporters in Washington just hours after the cease-fire took effect, Snow said both parties appear to be respecting the agreed-upon cessation of hostilities.

14 August 2006 Cease-Fire in Lebanon "Important Step Forward," Bush Says  President Bush, speaking at the State Department, welcomed the adoption of the U.N. Security Council resolution on Lebanon and the implementation of a cease-fire in the region as "an important step forward" and said the next task is helping "people in both Lebanon and Israel return to their homes and begin rebuilding their lives without fear of renewed violence and terror."

12 August 2006 Security Council Unanimous on Ending Mideast Hostilities  The U.N. Security Council has unanimously adopted a resolution calling for an immediate end to the fighting between Hezbollah and Israel and authorized an expanded U.N. peacekeeping force to help the Lebanese army take control of southern Lebanon as Israel withdraws.

09 August 2006 Security Council Discusses Security Transfer in South Lebanon  Diplomats in New York are working around the clock to revise the draft U.N. Security Council resolution on the Israel-Hezbollah conflict that would provide for an effective security presence in southern Lebanon to ensure that Hezbollah fighters do not return to the area as Israeli forces withdraw.

08 August 2006 Negotiations Continue on Mideast Resolution, U.S. Says  The U.S. and France, co-sponsors of the Security Council draft resolution intended to end the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict, continue to work on the text and to respond to Lebanese concerns and proposals after meeting with a Lebanese/Arab League delegation.

07 August 2006 Private U.S. Groups Send Humanitarian Aid to Lebanon, Gaza  As the conflicts in Lebanon and Gaza grind on, creating more casualties and displacing more people, private U.S. organizations are raising humanitarian relief funds and sending emergency medical supplies to the victims.

07 August 2006 U.S. Supports Quick Passage of U.N. Resolutions on Mideast  President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the two draft resolutions to be presented to the U.N. Security Council provide a "strong basis" for the end of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

07 August 2006 U.N. Security Council Continues Work on Mideast Proposals  Before completing negotiations on the French-U.S. draft resolution dealing with the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict, the U.N. Security Council will meet with a delegation from the Arab League because the council wants "to listen to everyone's views," U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said August 7.

06 August 2006 U.S. Officials Discuss Situation in Middle East, Iraq, Cuba  A draft U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an immediate "cessation of hostilities" is the first step toward ending the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict, U.S. officials said.

03 August 2006 U.S. Humanitarian Aid Flowing to Lebanese Villages   Relief agencies are taking every opportunity to get aid to the worst hit areas in Lebanon, but safe passage amid heavy exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah remains inconsistent.

02 August 2006 Rice Sees Israel-Hezbollah Cease-Fire in "Days, Not Weeks"  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says a cease-fire and lasting settlement in the three-week-old conflict between Israel and Hezbollah likely will come within "days not weeks."

31 July 2006 Rice Says Settlement of Israel-Hizballah Conflict Taking Form  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says there is a growing consensus on a possible settlement to the conflict between Israel and Hizballah and expects to see the U.N. Security Council act on a proposal within the week.

31 July 2006 Security Council Deplores Lebanese Deaths  The Security Council expressed "extreme shock and distress" over the killing of dozens of civilians in Qana, Lebanon, and called for an end to the violence in the region.

30 July 2006 Rice Postpones Planned Visit to Beirut After Airstrike in Qana  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has postponed her planned visit to Beirut, aimed at hammering out a cease-fire between Israel and Hizballah fighters, in the wake of Israel's latest airstrike in Lebanon. Rice told reporters in Jerusalem that she was "deeply saddened by the terrible loss of innocent life in the bombing in Lebanon this morning" -- a bombing that reportedly killed at least 50 people, many of them children, in the southern Lebanese village of Qana.

29 July 2006 Bush Outlines Effort To Resolve Middle East Crisis   President Bush says urgent efforts to resolve the crisis in the Middle East are continuing, both through Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s weekend return trip to the region and an impending U.N. Security Council meeting that could authorize a multinational peacekeeping force.

28 July 2006 U.S., U.K. Leaders Say Peacekeeper Needed in Lebanon "Quickly"  President Bush said an effective multinational force needs to be dispatched quickly to southern Lebanon in order to help Lebanese government forces establish control there, as well as to help speed the distribution of humanitarian aid and facilitate the return of displaced persons.

27 July 2006 Bush Welcomes Progress Achieved at Rome Conference on Lebanon  President Bush expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the Rome conference of the Lebanon Core Group, saying it laid the groundwork for further diplomatic action. "Yesterday's meetings were successful in this way: It showed a diplomatic way forward," Bush told reporters at a press availability in Washington.

27 July 2006 U.S. Assistance Reaches South Lebanon   Marine Corps Brigadier General Carl Jensen says the U.S. military in the Middle East is ready to deliver humanitarian assistance to Lebanon. Speaking from Cyprus by videoconference to reporters at the Pentagon, Jensen said the first basic medical supplies, in the form of health kits, were provided to Lebanon July 25. The U.S. military is on the leading edge of the delivery operation, but the U.S. Agency for International Development is running the overall mission.

26 July 2006 Rome Conference Ends Without Lebanon Cease-Fire Plan   World leaders intent on resolving the conflict in Lebanon ended their meeting in Rome with an agreement on the urgency of formulating a "sustainable" plan to stop the warfare, but without a call for an immediate cease-fire. They also pledged to provide humanitarian relief to the victims of the hostilities between Israel and Hizballah.

25 July 2006 Rice Turns Diplomatic Focus to Gaza Crisis  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice shifted the focus of her diplomatic efforts from the crisis in Lebanon to the ongoing Israeli operations in Gaza as she met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.

25 July 2006 U.S. Humanitarian Aid Headed for Lebanon   U.S. humanitarian supplies are on their way to Lebanon after U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice authorized $30 million in "immediate humanitarian assistance to victims of the conflict in Lebanon."

24 July 2006 Rice Visits Beirut, Works To Open Flow of Humanitarian Aid  >Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made a surprise visit to Beirut, Lebanon, July 24 to express U.S. support for the government of Prime Minister Fuad Siniora and to discuss the humanitarian needs of the Lebanese people as hostilities continue between the Israeli Defense Forces and Hizballah militants in the south of Lebanon.

23 July 2006 U.S. Calls for "Sustained Solution" to Israeli-Hizballah Conflict  A "sustained solution" to the conflict between Israel and Hizballah will require full implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559, which recognizes the sovereignty of Lebanon and calls for the withdrawal of all foreign troops and the disbanding and disarming of militias, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton says.

22 July 2006 Bush Renews U.S. Commitment to Peace in Middle East  President George W. Bush pledged to continue working toward resolution of the crisis between Israel and Lebanon, saying the United States will also "continue to seek a return to the road map for peace in the Middle East" that includes "establishing a viable democratic Palestinian state."

21 July 2006 Rice To Visit Israel, Rome for Talks on Mideast Crisis  U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced plans to travel to Rome the week of July 23, where she will meet with members of the “Lebanon Core Group” to discuss the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hizballah. She also will stop in Israel and the Palestinian Territories to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. She plans to depart July 23.

20 July 2006 Syria Blocks U.N. Efforts To End Lebanon Crisis, U.S. Envoy Says   Syria is becoming a serious stumbling block in international diplomatic efforts to end the fighting in Lebanon, U.S. officials say. In the U.N. Security Council, Secretary-General Kofi Annan outlined his plan for a wide-ranging settlement and reported on the efforts of the three-person mission, led by Vijay Nambiar, that he sent to the region July 13 as the fighting intensified.   However, Syria's refusal to receive one of the secretary-general's envoys -- experienced diplomat Terje Roed-Larsen   -- cast a shadow over the meeting.

20 July 2006 U.S. To Study U.N. Report as Rice Plans Mideast Trip   U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton said that the U.S. will consider fully the suggestions of U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the report of the U.N. special mission to the Middle East as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice prepares for a trip to the region that could occur as early as the week of July 24.

19 July 2006 Diplomacy Intensifies on Lebanon Crisis  Diplomatic efforts to end the fighting in southern Lebanon and help the Lebanese government gain control of its territory are increasing in anticipation of meetings scheduled at U.N. headquarters.

18 July 2006 Rice Calls for Lebanon-Israel Cease-Fire when Conditions Permit   With ongoing attacks between the Israeli military and Lebanon-based militant group Hizballah intensifying, Bush administration officials said action by three parties – Iran, Syria and Hizballah – is key to resolving the crisis.

17 July 2006 U.N., U.S. Action in Lebanon Awaits Return of Peace Mission   While waiting for the results of a special U.N. peace mission to the Middle East, the Security Council began discussing ways it could contribute to a sustainable and lasting solution in the region.

15 July 2006 Bush Calls Upon Hizballah To Lay Down Arms  President Bush said the Lebanese Hizballah organization is responsible for the increased violence in the Middle East. He called on the organization to stop fighting, and on neighboring Syria to exert its influence over the group.

16 July 2006 Bush Discusses Mideast Violence with British, French Leaders   In advance of the first day of working meetings at the Group of Eight summit, President Bush met with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and French President Jacques Chirac to discuss the ongoing violence in the Middle East.

13 July 2006 U.S. Blocks Security Council Condemnation of Israel  The U.S. has blocked a Security Council resolution calling on Israel to halt its military operations in Gaza. The U.S. used its veto to stop a Qatar-sponsored resolution that condemned the Israeli military operation, calling it a disproportionate use of force.  The resolution received 10 votes in favor; Denmark, Peru, Slovakia, and the UK abstained.

12 July 2006 U.S. Condemns Hizballah Kidnappings, Calls for Restraint  The White House condemned the Lebanese militant group Hizballah’s kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers as "an unprovoked act of terrorism, which was timed to exacerbate already high tensions in the region." Calling for "an immediate and unconditional release of the soldiers," the White House named Syria and Iran as responsible for their "long-standing support of Hizballah."

30 June 2006 U.S. Urges Caution in Security Council Response to Gaza Crisis   U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton, in an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council, cautioned that body against taking any steps that might exacerbate tensions over the recent Israeli incursion into the Gaza strip.

29 June 2006 Rice, G8 Ministers Urge Restraint in Israel, Await Iran's Answer  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her foreign-minister counterparts within the Group of Eight have urged restraint in the Israeli-Palestinian confrontation and seek a formal response from Iran by on proposed nuclear talks.

28 June 2006 U.S. Pledges Full Support for Middle East Democratization   The U.S. is committed to supporting democratic reforms in the Arab world, even if they produce election results that the U.S. government does not favor, according to Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch.

28 June 2006 Israel Has Right to Self-Defense, White House Says   The Bush administration says Israel “has the right to defend itself and the lives of its citizens,” and called upon the Palestinian Authority and Hamas to return Israel’s kidnapped soldier, while at the same time urging Israel not to harm innocent civilians or to cause unnecessary destruction to civilian property.

Middle East Partnership Initiative

MIDDLE EAST PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE
An IIP@State web site

11 July 2007 Middle East Entrepreneurs Push for Change  The Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) was established in 2002 by the U.S. government to promote greater freedom, foster private-sector development and strengthen civil society in 16 Middle Eastern and North African countries. The initiative’s entrepreneurship programs seek to create jobs in the region, which faces a projected increase in population of up to 150 million people in the next decade. Those programs include businesswomen summits, a network for businesswomen and civil-society entrepreneurship programs.

Libya

19 November 2008 Bush Calls Qadhafi to Praise Settlement Agreement  A telephone call between President Bush and a world leader is a common enough event to not merit much attention, but when the president called Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi November 17, it represented a remarkable turnaround in U.S.-Libyan relations.

05 September 2008 Rice Makes Historic Visit to Libya  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice becomes the highest-ranking American official to visit Libya in more than a half-century, opening the way for renewed political and economic relations between Libya and the United States.
 • Remarks with Abdulrahman Muhammad Shalgam, Secretary of the General People’s Committee For Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation
 • Remarks En Route Tripoli, Libya with Traveling Press

02 September 2008 Rice's Trip Signals New Beginning in U.S.-Libya Relations  "Normalized relations between the two countries enables the expansion of bilateral cooperation in a number of areas, including education and culture, commerce, science and technology, security and human rights," said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.
 • Current State of U.S.-Libyan Bilateral Relations
 • Special Briefing On U.S.-Libya Relations

15 August 2008 Briefing by State's Welch on U.S.-Libya Settlement Agreement  Next phase is to create international humanitarian settlement fund, he says.

15 August 2008 U.S.-Libya Compensation Pact Opens Path for Expanded Relations  The United States and Libya have reached an agreement to resolve lawsuits by American and Libyan victims of terrorist attacks and bombings in 1986 and 1988, says Ambassador David Welch. "Under this agreement, each country's citizens can receive fair compensation for past incidents," Welch said August 14 in Libya's capital Tripoli. "When fulfilled, the agreement we signed today will permit Libya and the United States to move ahead in developing their relations."

14 August 2008 Libya Claims Settlement  On August 14, 2008, the United States and Libya signed a comprehensive claims settlement agreement in Tripoli. The agreement is designed to provide rapid recovery of fair compensation for American nationals with terrorism-related claims against Libya. It will also address Libyan claims arising from previous U.S. military actions. The agreement is being pursued on a purely humanitarian basis and does not constitute an admission of fault by either party.

30 May 2008 Joint Statement by the United States and Libya  Representatives of the U.S. and Libya met in London May 28-29 to begin negotiations on a claims settlement agreement. Both parties affirmed their desire to work together to resolve all outstanding claims in good faith and expeditiously through the establishment of a fair compensation mechanism.

03 January 2008 U.S.-Libya Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement  The Government of the United States of America and the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya today signed a bilateral Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement during a ceremony at the U.S. Department of State. The U.S.-Libya Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement is the first official bilateral agreement signed between the two countries since re-establishment of relations in 2004.

29 November 2007 Libya Lays Out Welcome Mat for U.S. Trade and Investment  The Libyan government is courting U.S. businesses to open trade and investment links as the country works to rejoin the international community. "Many companies from around the world are arriving in Libya now. The Libyan government does not want U.S. businesses to lose a good opportunity," Libya Economy, Trade and Investment Minister Ali Al-Esawi told a group of U.S. businessmen in Washington. He cited oil, tourism, communications and information technology as sectors of the Libyan economy that are eager for U.S. investment.

04 October 2007 U.S. Agencies Ramp Up Science, Technical Collaboration in Libya  A year after renewal of U.S.-Libyan diplomatic relations, scientists from technical agencies in both nations are moving forward on a range of collaborations.

26 July 2007 Libya-U.S. Relations Proceeding on Positive Trajectory  Bilateral relations between Libya and the U.S. have improved to the point that the United States has appointed its first ambassador to Tripoli since 1972 and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice could become the first secretary of state to visit Libya since the Eisenhower administration.

24 July 2007 Libya’s Release of Bulgarian Medics Applauded  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice applauded the Libyan government’s transfer of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor to Bulgaria, describing it as "an important step in Libya’s continuing positive reengagement with the international community."

06 June 2007 U.S. Hopes To Engage Libya on Political Reform  The United States’ improved relations with Libya should not be construed as approval of Colonel Muammar Qaddafi’s regime, but it is in the United States’ interest to engage the Libyan government, according to the United States’ chief Middle East diplomat.

15 May 2006 U.S. Announces Plans To Restore Diplomatic Ties with Libya   The United States soon will re-establish full diplomatic relations with Libya, based on Tripoli’s 2003 deci