Bush says Palestine part of Mideast vision - 9/11

Fri, 2 Jul 2021 21:52:17 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush says a Palestinian state has always been part of Washington's vision for the Middle East but it was vital to first reduce the violence in the region. The idea of a Palestinian state has always been a part of a vision, so long as the right of Israel to exist is respected, Bush told reporters. He was responding to a New York Times report that the Bush administration had planned a Middle East policy initiative, including endorsement of a Palestinian state, shortly before the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington.