US: White House officials were yesterday tentatively, and off the record, backing proposals for the convening of a regional Mid-East conference to explore paths to peace in Palestine.
The suggestion, originally emanating from Israel, is complicated by the latter's insistence that its Prime Minister, Mr Ariel Sharon, would not co-operate if the Palestinian leader, Mr Yasser Arafat, were to attend and so US sources say they are exploring the possibility of conducting such a meeting at a lower, ministerial level.
Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill many tens of thousands rallied in an impressive display of support for Israel that was addressed by New York's former mayor Mr Rudi Giuliani, the deeply hawkish former Israeli prime minister Mr Benjamin Netanyahu and the Nobel literature prize winner Eli Wiesel, among other leaders from politics and the Jewish community. Mr Wiesel said his purpose was to show Israel that she has friends.
Arriving on the long expanse of the Washington Mall on a brilliantly sunny day in some 1,200 buses and off innumerable flights from as far afield as Texas and California, the demonstration far overshadowed the many smaller demonstrations of support for the Palestinians that have been taking place on college campuses and a number of cities.
Yesterday's rally, which opened with a minute's silence in honour of Israel's military dead, reflected the country's extraordinary clout on the Hill by drawing at least 20 members of Congress including leadership figures from both Houses.
The Democratic leader in the House, Mr Dick Gephardt, told the noisy crowd to applause that the Palestinian leader, Mr Yasser Arafat, had not done enough to unequivocally break from terrorism. He was joined as a speaker by the Republican leader of the House, Mr Dick Armey, and the Senate's, Mr Harry Reif, the deputy leader of the Democrats.
The White House was playing its cards close to the chest, but maintaining close contact with the Secretary of State, Mr Colin Powell's, mission. He reported to President Bush on Sunday night from the residence of US Ambassador Mr Daniel Kurtzer and spoke also to Dr Condoleezza Rice, the President's National Security Adviser.
Although Dr Rice said that Mr Powell's now week-old mission in the region was open-ended, she said on Sunday the administration would "like to get him back here after his mission is complete" before the administration commits itself to demands and suggestions coming from all sides in the region.
Israel's clout was also reflected over the weekend in political pressure on Mr Bush from the left as well as from the right against talking to Mr Arafat. Over the weekend, two potential presidential contenders, Senators Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and John Kerry of Massachusetts, both speaking at a Democratic rally in Florida, strongly opposed pressure on Israel.
"The Bush administration has publicly and persistently pressured Israel not to do exactly what we have rightly done to fight the terrorists who struck us on September 11th," Mr Lieberman, Mr Al Gore's running mate, said.
But an influential Republican, Senator Chuck Hagel (Nebraska), echoed the message the Irish government has repeatedly delivered to the US administration from its experience of our own peace process, in supporting talks with Mr Arafat.
