BUSH HOLDING THE LINE

Analysis / The new reality

By Aluf Benn, Ha'Aretz
[...]President George Bush is in no rush to change directions in the Middle East. He is rejecting Europe's urgings that he rush forward with negotiations and evict Israel from the territories in exchange for improved trans-Atlantic relations.

White House officials Elliott Abrams and Daniel Fried told European emissaries this weekend that "there are no shortcuts." America is unwilling to skip the first stage of the road map, which requires the Palestinians to halt terror, dismantle the terrorist organizations and enact governmental and security reforms. The Europeans and new Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas want to go straight to final-status negotiations on borders, refugees and Jerusalem. But Washington insists that the new leadership prove itself first.