Israel & Middle East Peace Conference

[nChrist]

Olmert Says Annapolis Meeting To Last One Day

(IsraelNN.com) Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Monday that the planned Annapolis conference on the Middle East will be over in one day. The United States has not yet announced the date of the meeting, which media have reported will take place during the least week of November. He added that the meeting will provide the basis for further negotiations with international backing.

However, official invitations to Annapolis have not yet been sent out by American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who is trying to marshal more support among Arab nations as well as working on framework on which both the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Israel can agree.

Olmert Says Annapolis Meeting To Last One Day
~~~~~~~~~~~

If Olmert is convinced it will only take one day. This must be a almost done deal......... If so WE are out of here soon.

Brother,

I wondered if this might be it, and I know that we're both talking about the 7 year peace deal. It would be interesting to find out who's going to be invited. I'm ready to be out of here! Right NOW would be GREAT!

[Shammu]

Brother,

I wondered if this might be it, and I know that we're both talking about the 7 year peace deal. It would be interesting to find out who's going to be invited. I'm ready to be out of here! Right NOW would be GREAT!

AMEN I'm ready to fly................

[Littleboy]

AMEN I'm ready to fly................

Amen Brother...

[HisDaughter]

AMEN I'm ready to fly................

Hey!  Count ME in!






A whole new meaning for "Park & Ride" ! 

[Shammu]

The "road map" for peace is a plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict proposed by a "quartet" of international entities: the United States, the European Union, Russia, and the United Nations. The principles of the plan were first outlined by U.S. President George W. Bush in a speech on June 24, 2002, in which he called for an independent Palestinian state living side by side with Israel in peace: "The Roadmap represents a starting point toward achieving the vision of two states, a secure State of Israel and a viable, peaceful, democratic Palestine. It is the framework for progress towards lasting peace and security in the Middle East.

In exchange for statehood, the road map requires the Palestinian Authority to make democratic reforms and abandon the use of terrorism. Israel, for its part, must support and accept the emergence of a reformed Palestinian government and end settlement activity of the Gaza Strip and West Bank as the Palestinian terrorist threat is removed.

The road map comprises three goal-driven phases with the ultimate goal of ending the conflict as early as 2005. However, as a performance-based plan, progress will require and depend upon the good faith efforts of the parties, and their compliance with each of the obligations quartet put the plan together, with amendments following consultations with Israelis and Palestinians:

Phase I (as early as May 2003): End to Palestinian violence; Palestinian political reform; Israeli withdrawal and freeze on settlement expansion; Palestinian elections.

Phase II (as early as June-Dec 2003): International Conference to support Palestinian economic recovery and launch a process, leading to establishment of an independent Palestinian state with provisional borders; revival of multilateral engagement on issues including regional water resources, environment, economic development, refugees, and arms control issues; Arab states restore pre-intifada links to Israel (trade offices, etc.).

Phase III (as early as 2004-2005): second international conference; permanent status agreement and end of conflict; agreement on final borders, clarification of the highly controversial question of the fate of Jerusalem, refugees and settlements; Arab state to agree to peace deals with Israel.

The first step on the road map was the appointment of the first-ever Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas (also known as Abu Mazen) by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. The United States and Israel demanded that Arafat be neutralized or sidelined in the road map process, claiming that he had not done enough to stop Palestinian attacks against Israelis while in charge. The United States refused to release the road map until a Palestinian Prime Minister was in place. Abbas was appointed on March 19, 2003, clearing the way for the release of the road map's details on April 30, 2003.

On May 27, 2003, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon stated that the "occupation" of Palestinian territories was "a terrible thing for Israel and for the Palestinians" and "can't continue endlessly." Sharon's phraseology prompted shock from many in Israel, leading to a clarification that by "occupation," Sharon meant control of millions of Palestinian lives rather than actual physical occupation of land. Nevertheless, outsiders believed that Sharon knew what he was saying when he used the word "occupation" and was carefully offering the road map for peace a chance, despite his traditionally hawkish views towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

President Bush visited the Middle East from June 2-4 2003 for two summits in an attempt to push the road map as part of a seven-day overseas trip through Europe and Russia. On June 2, Israel freed about 100 Palestinian political prisoners before the first summit in Egypt as a sign of goodwill. In Egypt on June 3, President Bush met with the leaders of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Bahrain, and with Prime Minister Abbas. The Arab leaders announced their support for the road map and promised to work on cutting off funding to "terrorist groups." On June 4, Bush headed to Jordan to meet directly with Sharon and Abbas.

After Bush left the region, a series of retaliatory attacks by Israelis and Palestinians continued, threatening to derail the road map. On June 5, 2003, the bodies of two Israelis were found near Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital in Jerusalem, beaten and stabbed to death. On June 8, 2003, Hamas leader Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi directed an attack that killed four Israeli soldiers at the Erez Checkpoint in the Gaza Strip. On June 10, 2003, Israeli helicopters fired missiles at a car in Gaza in a failed attempt to assassinate Rantissi; two Palestinians were killed. The next day, a Palestinian suicide bomber killed 17 passengers and bystanders on an Israeli bus. In the following few days, Israel continued its targeting of Hamas leaders with new helicopter attacks.

On June 29, 2003, a tentative cease-fire was reached between the Palestinian Authority and four major Palestinian groups. Islamic Jihad and Hamas announced a joint three-month cease-fire, while Yasser Arafat's Fatah faction declared a six-month truce. The cease-fire was later joined by the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine. One condition of maintaining the truce was a demand for the release of prisoners from Israeli jails, which was not part of the road map process. Despite this, Israel withdrew troops from the northern Gaza Strip and was discussing the transfer of territory to Palestinian control. The apparent breakthrough coincided with a visit to the region by United States National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice.

On July 1, 2003, in Jerusalem, Sharon and Abbas held a first-ever ceremonial opening to peace talks, televised live in both Arabic and Hebrew. Both leaders said the violence had gone on too long and that they were committed to the U.S.-led road map for peace. On July 2, Israeli troops pulled out of Bethlehem and transferred control to Palestinian security forces. The plan required that Palestinian police take over from withdrawing Israeli forces and stop any anti-Israeli militant attacks. At the same time, the U.S. announced a $30 million aid package to the Palestinian Authority to help rebuild infrastructure destroyed by Israeli incursions.

By the end of 2003, the Palestinian Authority had not prevented Palestinian terrorism, and Israel had neither withdrawn from Palestinian areas occupied since September 28, 2000, nor frozen settlement expansion. Thus the parties have not complied with the requirements of Phase I of the road map and no further progress on the road map has been made. It is thus currently effectively in limbo.

cont'd next post

[Shammu]

On February 13, 2004 the United States government decided that it would endorse Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan for a unilateral withdrawal of most Israeli settlements from the Gaza Strip, adding that "...negotiations were impossible because of Palestinian recalcitrance."

April 14, 2004, President George W. Bush wrote a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon seeming to herald two significant changes or increased specifications to longstanding but ambiguous U.S. policy which had most recently been embodied in the road map. For the first time during the road map process, Bush indicated his expectations as to the outcome of the final status negotiations. The letter was widely seen as a triumph for Sharon, since Bush's expectations seemed to favor Israel on two highly contentious issues. Regarding final borders, the letter stated: "In light of new realities on the ground, including already existing major Israeli population centers, it is unrealistic that the outcome of final status negotiations will be a full and complete return to the armistice lines of 1949, and all previous efforts to negotiate a two-state solution have reached the same conclusion. It is realistic to expect that any final status agreement will only be achieved on the basis of mutually agreed changes that reflect these realities...". Second, regarding the Palestinian refugees' right of return, Bush also stated: "It seems clear that an agreed, just, fair and realistic framework for a solution to the Palestinian refugee issue as part of any final status agreement will need to be found through the establishment of a Palestinian state and the settling of Palestinian refugees there rather than Israel."

On May 8, 2004 in an interview with Egypt's Al-Ahram newspaper, President George W. Bush clarified the current situation regarding the road map stating:

Well, 2005 may be hard, since 2005 is right around the corner. I readily concede the date has slipped some, primarily because violence sprung up. When I laid out the date of 2005, I believe it was around the time I went to Aqaba, Jordan. It was a very meaningful moment, where former Prime Minister Abu Mazen, myself, Prime Minister Sharon and His Majesty, the King of Jordan, stood up and pledged to work together.

But we hit a bump in the road -- violence, as well as Abu Mazen being replaced, which changed the dynamic. I don't want to make any excuses, but nevertheless, I think the timetable of 2005 isn't as realistic as it was two years ago. Nevertheless, I do think we ought to push hard as fast as possible to get a state in place.

And I repeat to you, sir, that part of my frustrations were alleviated with the Quartet making the statement it made the other day -- the Quartet being the EU, Russia, United Nations and the United States, working together. I think we can get the World Bank involved. But there is a certain sense of responsibility that falls upon the Palestinians, reform-minded Palestinians to step up and say, yes, we accept these institutions necessary for a peaceful state to emerge.

July 18, 2004, United States President George W. Bush stated that the establishment of a Palestinian state by the end of 2005 was unlikely due to instability and violence in the Palestinian Authority. (Le Figaro)

In November of 2004 Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat died aged 75 in a French hospital. Arafat's powers were divided among his officials, with Mahmoud Abbas elected head of the Palestine Liberation Organization and Rawhi Fattuh sworn in as acting president of the Palestinian Authority.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said the death could be a turning point for peace if the Palestinians "ceased terrorism" and waged a "war on terror".

The White House simply described the death as a "significant moment in Palestinian history", and offered condolences.

On 8 February 2005, the leaders of Israel, Egypt, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority came together at Sharm el-Sheikh for a summit meeting at which they declared their continuing support for the road map.

In his May 26, 2005 joint press conference with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in the Rose Garden, President Bush said:

Any final status agreement must be reached between the two parties, and changes to the 1949 Armistice lines must be mutually agreed to. A viable two-state solution must ensure contiguity of the West Bank, and a state of scattered territories will not work. There must also be meaningful linkages between the West Bank and Gaza. This is the position of the United States today, it will be the position of the United States at the time of final status negotiations.

This statement was widely seen as a triumph for Abbas, as many commentators view it as contradictory to his April 14, 2004 letter. The Bush administration has made no attempts to clarify any perceived discrepancies between the two statements.

In August 2005, the Israelis started their planned disengagement from the Gaza Strip, removing all of its settlements from this area and from a portion of the West Bank. This was widely endorsed around the world and the process, although unilateral on Israel's part, was co-ordinated with the Palestinian Authority.

In early January 2006, Sharon suffered a major stroke and slipped into an induced coma.

With Sharon in a serious condition in hospital, his powers were transferred to his deputy, Finance Minister Ehud Olmert. On March 28, 2006 Knesset elections were held, and Olmert's party, Kadima, won the most seats. On April 14, 2006 Sharon was declared permanently incapacitated, and Olmert was named interim Prime Minister.

On 4 June, 2006 Ehud Olmert announced he will meet Mahmoud Abbas to resume talks on the Road map for peace. Olmert and Abbas joined breakfast with King Abdullah II of Jordan on 22 June 2006 in Petra. They pledged to meet again in coming weeks.

On 22 June, Hamas accepts parts of the prisoners' document, which calls for an Israeli withdrawal to the pre-1967 borders and the creation of a Palestinian state. On 27 June, 2006 Hamas and Fatah both accept the document fully.

That sets up for my next post.

[Shammu]

Olmert, Abbas have reached agreement that skips first phase of road map.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni are preventing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert from moving forward on a joint declaration with the Palestinian Authority, a senior PA official said Tuesday.

The official, who is currently accompanying PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on a visit to Ankara, Turkey, said disagreements on the Israeli side are to blame for the lack of progress on drafting a declaration ahead of the U.S-sponsored Middle East peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland.

"Olmert is willing but the problem is with Livni and Barak," said the official, who asked to remain anonymous. "As of yet he haven't been able to reach an agreement on anything, and there has been absolutely no progress."
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"There needs to be a clear decision by the political echelon in Israel, and only then will we be able to move forward," he said, adding that he believes Olmert and Abbas will ultimately have to personally close the deal on the declaration in a face-to-face meeting.

PM: Final status talks to be held before first stage of road map

Israel and the Palestinians have agreed to begin talks on a final status agreement before the implementation of the first stage of the road map - eliminating terror and dismantling the settlements - according to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, in his appearance before the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

Since the unveiling of the road map in 2002, Israel has been opposed to negotiations on a final-status agreement before the first stage of the road map was implemented. However last week the Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams agreed that following the Annapolis summit scheduled for the end of the month, negotiations on a final-status arrangement would begin. The agreement states that if a final-status accord is reached, it would be subject to the implementation of the road map by the parties.

Israel and the Palestinians entered an intensive stage of the negotiations on Monday in a bid to formulate a declaration to be presented at the Annapolis conference. The negotiating teams, headed by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Ahmad Qureia for the Palestinian Authority, met in Jerusalem and were to meet again Tuesday.

U.S. Secretary of State Condolleezza Rice will decide based on the progress of the parties whether to come to the region again next week.

"I concluded that we can permit ourselves to somewhat change our traditional position," Olmert told the Knesset committee. He added that time was working against the diplomatic process, and so "we will try to reach an understanding on all elements of the solution. But we will not have to implement anything before the fulfillment of the first stage of the road map," he added.

Olmert said there would be a period of time, which he called a "buffer zone," between the agreement and its implementation. "If stage one of the road map is implemented - if the Palestinians dismantle terror infrastructure - then and only then will Israel have to implement the agreement."

Olmert and Prime Minister Tzipi Livni appeared at different Knesset forums on Monday, and explained that the Annapolis summit would last for one day.

Livni revealed to the Kadima faction that Israel had pressed the Palestinians into committing the agreement to writing.

Government sources in Jerusalem said the summit would begin on November 26, with meetings of the foreign ministers in Annapolis. That evening President George W. Bush will host Olmert and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas for a dinner at the White House. The next day, Olmert and Abbas will speak at the formal opening of the conference, which would last a few hours.

According to Olmert, "the starting point of the negotiations will be the recognition that Israel is the state of the Jewish people.

"I have no doubt that Abu Mazen and and [PA Prime Minister] Salam Fayad are obligated to agreements and want to make peace with Israel as a Jewish state, and I have good reason to say this," Olmert also said.

The end point of the talks, Olmert said, would be the declaration of the end of the conflict and demands.

Olmert plans to bring the agreement reached at the end of the negotiations to the United Nations Security Council, the U.S. and the Quartet, to ensure the widest possible international support.

Olmert also told the Knesset committee that the U.S. has not prohibited Israel from conducting talks with Syria, but rather is asking in another way that Israel avoid such talks.

"A formula can be found for Syria to participate in the conference," Olmert told the committee. "I believe that the Annapolis summit could, under certain conditions, bring about a renewal of talks with Syria when the time comes, and that is of value for
Israel."

Last week Defense Minister Ehud Barak told a meeting of the Saban Forum of economic, political and academic leaders from the U.S. and Israel that he supported renewing talks with Syria. He said another round of conflict might break out between Israel and Syria, in which case "we would have to look our soldiers in the eyes and tell them we had done everything we could to obtain an agreement.

Mazal Mualem adds: Barak told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee last week that based on recent intelligence, Syria might be seeking to remove itself from "the axis of evil," and this might constitute an opportunity to renew talks between Syria and Israel. Barak's associates said promoting the Syrian channel did not contradict the channel of talks with the Palestinians.

Olmert, Abbas have reached agreement that skips first phase of road map.

[Shammu]

I am so ready to go to my real home. Right now would be a great time!!

[Littleboy]

President Bush has to know whats going to happen...
1000's of Us from Christians United For Isreal have told him for over 2 yrs. not to mess
with the dividing of Isreal and ALL the consiquences that would go along with it....
So he does know the truth about that matter, Many of your Sens. & members of Cong. have been told about it too...
YLBD

[Shammu]

Erekat asks Quartet to implement road map timetable
author Tuesday November 13, 2007 15:07author by IMEMC staff - IMEMC Newsauthor email ghassanb at imemc dot org Report this post to the editors

Chief negotiator for the Palestine Liberation Organization Sa'eb Erekat on Tuesday requested that the Quartet group to implement a timetable for the U.S.-sponsored Road Map peace plan.

The demand was made during a meeting between Dr. Erekat and Javier Solana, EU Commissioner for Foreign Affairs, in the West Bank city of Jericho on Tuesday.

The Palestinian official also stated that the Quartet should mediate and adjudicate between the Palestinians and the Israelis, arguing that it must be unbiased in its treatment of either side.

Erekat also reiterated the Palestinian Authority's commitment to the Road Map plan, adding that Israel's obligations, such as the halting of all settlement activity, the removal of illegal outposts built since 2001, and the reopening of Aplestinian organizations forcibly closed by the Israeli army, have remained unfulfilled.

Erekat asks Quartet to implement road map timetable
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Remember this is the man who said, Palestinian will never recognize Israel.

[Shammu]

Israeli-Palestinian deal "doable" in 9 months: EU
Tue Nov 13, 2007 1:56pm EST

By Adam Entous

JERICHO, West Bank (Reuters) - The EU's top diplomat said on Tuesday an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal was "doable" within nine months and that the issue of the Golan Heights should be addressed by a planned peace conference this month.

Syria has made its attendance conditional on the conference agenda including the Golan Heights, captured from it by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war. The talks on Palestinian statehood are slated for the last week of November in Annapolis, Maryland.

U.S. President George W. Bush called for the conference to bolster Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and the long-stalled peace process after Hamas Islamists seized the Gaza Strip in June, and Israel has resisted adding Golan to the agenda.

The conference may also be a chance for the Bush administration to turn its legacy around from the unpopular war in Iraq.

"What we have in mind now is to finish the (Israeli-Palestinian) agreement after Annapolis in, let's say, eight, nine months -- during the period of time in which the administration, the present American administration, will stay in power," the European Union's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, told Reuters in the West Bank town of Jericho.

"It's doable. It requires political will. It requires effort. It's not easy. But it's doable," Solana said.

It is unclear how a deal would be implemented with the Palestinian territories divided between Hamas ruling Gaza and Abbas's Fatah faction dominating the occupied West Bank. Seven people died on Monday in gunfire at a Fatah rally in Gaza.

Solana acknowledged growing tensions between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators struggling to narrow differences over a joint document to be presented at the conference.

The document is meant to address in general terms issues like borders and the fate of Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees, and serve as a starting point for formal statehood negotiations slated for after the Annapolis conference.

Palestinian negotiators have told Western diplomats in recent days they were increasingly pessimistic differences over the document could be bridged, casting doubt on the willingness of key Arab states like Saudi Arabia to attend.

"We're at a very important moment," Solana said. "As we approach the beginning of the process, there will be some tensions. But I'm sure that this is going to be overcome."

PRISONER RELEASE

The main session of the Annapolis conference is expected to be held on November 27 and last one day, Israeli officials said.

A U.S. official, who spoke on condition that he not be named, said there could be related events before or afterwards.

Diplomats had initially expected a two-day gathering.

In addition to the joint document, the conference will focus on bolstering Palestinian governing institutions and expanding international involvement in the moribund Palestinian economy, issues spearheaded by Middle East envoy Tony Blair, Israeli officials briefed on the agenda said.

Asked if it was time to revive Israeli-Syrian peacemaking, Solana said: "We have to concentrate now on the track which is moving, which is the Palestinian track, without forgetting that peace will not be achieved until all the tracks are moving, that includes, of course, the Syrian and the Lebanese tracks."

Solana said he hoped the Annapolis conference would issue a statement in "that direction".

Israel plans to release several hundred Palestinian prisoners before the conference as a gesture to Abbas, Israeli officials said, far short of the 2,000 figure proposed by Abbas.

Though leaders on both sides have said they hoped to be able to reach agreements before Bush leaves office in January 2009, Israel says implementation will not begin until the Palestinians dismantle militant groups as called for under the long-stalled "road map" peace plan.

After touring a training facility for the Palestinian police, Solana said: "I have no doubt that they will accomplish that. As a matter of fact, many of the issues which are contemplated in the first phase of the 'road map' the Palestinians are already complying with."

Israeli-Palestinian deal "doable" in 9 months: EU

[Shammu]

Abbas: If occupation ends, Israel will live in a sea of peace
, THE JERUSALEM POST    Nov. 13, 2007

Israel will live in peace if it ends its occupation of Arab lands, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Tuesday, adding that his administration hoped this month's US-led talks with Israel would be a success.

"If peace comes and the occupation comes to an end, Israel will live in a sea of peace," Abbas said at a news conference in Ankara, along with Israeli President Shimon Peres. Abbas also said his administration was preparing for the Middle East conference in Annapolis, Maryland. "We are working with our full force to ensure that the meeting in Annapolis is a success," he said.

Abbas: If occupation ends, Israel will live in a sea of peace
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If occupation ends, Israel will live in a sea of peace

Translation - If peace comes and the occupation comes to an end, Israel will live in the sea in peace.

We know from prophecy that this simply will not happen. I hate to say this but whenever a muslim leader speaks, I always assume they are lying. In one statement, they claim peace with Israel. In another statement, they claim they want to destroy Israel go figure.

[nChrist]

Translation - If peace comes and the occupation comes to an end, Israel will live in the sea in peace.

We know from prophecy that this simply will not happen. I hate to say this but whenever a muslim leader speaks, I always assume they are lying. In one statement, they claim peace with Israel. In another statement, they claim they want to destroy Israel go figure.

YEP! - The only one who tries to keep agreements is Israel. It is my firm opinion that Israel shouldn't give an inch. The land belongs to GOD, and GOD said that Israel will possess it. Israel makes another bad mistake when they bargain with what GOD has already said belongs to HIM. However, this might be meant to be right now. Many things belonging to GOD will be trampled under foot in the times ahead. As Christians, we should simply know that the price for ignoring GOD will be horrible.

Love In Christ,
Tom

KEEP LOOKING UP!!

[Shammu]

Israel dialogue 'focussed on Arab initiative'
17th November 2007

MANAMA: Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa yesterday said a meeting with his Israeli counterpart Tzipi Livni in New York focused solely on the Arab peace initiative and resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Shaikh Khalid told Bahrain TV that he didn't break away from the Arab stance as he only explained the peace initiative, in which Bahrain is a member along with 13 other Arab states.

"I was not the only foreign minister to meet her. She also had talks with nine other Arab ministers," said Shaikh Khalid.

He said that he met the Israeli Foreign minister at her request and only after co-ordinating the Arab stance with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other Gulf and Arab counterparts.

Israel dialogue 'focussed on Arab initiative'

[Shammu]

 By The Associated Press
Tags: Condoleezza Rice, U.S.

The United States plans to issue as early as Tuesday official invitations to a much-anticipated Middle East conference, to be held next week at Annapolis, Maryland, hoping for strong backing from a select a href="http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/923089.html">group of Arab nations for the U.S. effort to relaunch Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

As the U.S. finalizes preparations, the State Department will start sending out invitations overnight for the event, U.S. officials said Monday. The conference will be held in Annapolis on November 27 in between meetings in Washington.

The main guests are the Israelis and the Palestinians, and President George W. Bush's administration is also planning to invite Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria and key international players in the peace process, the officials said.
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The invitations are to be sent by diplomatic cable to U.S. embassies in the countries concerned, with instructions to Washington's ambassadors to present them to their host governments' foreign ministries, the officials said. They will ask that each nation send its highest-ranking appropriate official to Annapolis.

The White House has said Bush will attend at least part of the event chaired by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who also will host a pre-conference dinner at the State Department on November 26, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the announcement.

The State Department held off on invitations in an attempt to get as much done to prepare for the meeting before formally committing to the dates. Details about the meeting, including the guest list and agenda, are expected to be made public in the coming days.

U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said preparations for the meeting were nearly complete and Rice had spent a good deal of time over the weekend calling officials in the Middle East for last-minute consultations.

Among others, Rice telephoned Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul-Gheit. She also called Lebanese President Fuad Siniora, with whom she discussed both peace efforts and Lebanon's upcoming presidential elections, McCormack said.

Bush, who announced plans for the conference in July, and Rice hope Annapolis will launch the first serious round of Israel-Palestinian peace talks in more than seven years with the participants' endorsement of a joint document now being prepared by Israeli and Palestinian officials.

"We do have a sense that they are continuing to make progress, not only on the document but also on what comes after Annapolis," McCormack said.

While awaiting the formal announcement of the conference, the State Department also welcomed pre-Annapolis steps announced Monday by Olmert's cabinet, including the release of Palestinian prisoners and a fresh commitment to not construct new settlements in the West Bank.

"Our view is that the steps that the Israeli government has announced are positive confidence-building measures in the run-up to Annapolis," McCormack said, adding that such steps are points that both sides can build on, where they can build up that mutual confidence and try to improve daily lives on both sides, for both the Palestinians as well as the Israelis.

Meanwhile, a large group of U.S. lawmakers urged Rice in a letter to make the most of the conference.

"Clearly, robust, hands-on U.S. leadership and diplomacy is necessary to frame not only on what transpires at the meeting, but on what takes place before and after it," said the letter, co-authored by Reps. Gary Ackerman, a Democrat, and Republican Charles Boustany Jr., and signed by 133 other members of Congress.

Separately, former national security adviser Brent Scowcroft, a Rice mentor, and other well-known Washington advisers warned Bush and Rice in a letter last month that the session must tackle the substance of a permanent peace and that its failure risks devastating consequences.

The letter is to be re-released Tuesday with more signatures, including Brookings Institution scholar Diana Villiers Negroponte, wife of Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte.

The Annapolis invitation list has been a poorly kept secret since mid-September, when U.S. officials first began floating ideas about who should attend.

The administration is hoping for significant representation from Arab countries, whose foreign ministers are to meet Thursday and Friday in Cairo to form a joint position on the conference.

The U.S. has already said the 13 nations that make up the Arab League's follow-up committee on a broad Arab-Israeli peace settlement are to be invited.

Aside from the Palestinians and Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, the committee members are Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen.

Others expected to be invited include the members that, with the United States, make up the Quartet of Mideast peacemakers - the United Nations, European Union and Russia. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair will also be asked to attend in his capacity as the Quartet's envoy to the Middle East.

Invitations may also go to select European states with a past role or interest in Mideast peacemaking such as France, Germany and Britain, along with G8 economic powers that were not covered by other invitations, such as Canada, Japan and Italy.

11/20- US issuing "official invitations" to the conference