ARAB LEAGUE OFFICIAL-VISIT TO ISRAEL IS MORE PROOF THAT THE MIDDLE EAST IS PROGRESSING BECAUSE OF BUSH

NYTIMES/AP:

The foreign ministers of Egypt and Jordan began a historic visit to Israel on Wednesday to formally present an Arab peace plan, saying they were extending ''a hand of peace'' on behalf of the region.

The ministers arrived as representatives of the Arab League, the first time the 22-member group has sent a delegation to the Jewish state. The Arab League peace plan envisions full recognition of Israel in return for evacuation of lands captured in the 1967 Middle East war.

''We are extending a hand of peace on behalf of the whole region to you, and we hope that we will be able to create the momentum needed to resume fruitful and productive negotiations'' between Israel and the Palestinians and the rest of the Arab world, Jordan's foreign minister, Abdul-Ilah Khatib, said at a news conference with Israeli President Shimon Peres.

THIS VISIT IS TRULY NEARLY AS MOMENTOUS AS sADAT'S.

IF A DEM WAS PRESIDENT THE MSM WOULD BE PARADING THIS NEWS IN HUGE HEADLINES.

BUT THEN... THEY'D ALSO BE TELLING US ABOUT THE PROGRESS IN IRAQ TOO.

This visit is more proof that Bush's bold foreign policy has begun to change the Middle East - for the better. The status quoists and "realists" would have never gotten Syria out of Lebanon or liberated Iraq or cajoled Libya out of her isolation.

BOTTOM-LINE: True peace will not come until we neutralize Iran.