By Stan Goodenough
Until now, United States President George W. Bush was ostensibly coming to Israel in May to celebrate with the Jewish people the 60th anniversary of the rebirth of their national homeland.
Late night news reports Tuesday suggested, however, that the American leader hopes to 'seize the moment' and, while here, host a follow-up to last November's Annapolis Summit which he convened to facilitate the creation of an Arab state called Palestine on the historical and biblical Jewish Land called Israel.
The media quoted Oslo-architect and Israeli extreme-leftist Yossi Beilin as saying Bush plans for the next round to be held in Egypt's Sharm e-Sheikh resort, hosted by Egyptian dictator and US-ally Hosni Mubarak.
Senior PLO representatives reportedly confirmed Beilin's assertion, going so far as to say dates were already being looked at, with May 17 or 18 the most likely.
On the Gregorian calendar the 60th anniversary falls on May 15, which would mean that Bush would go from rejoicing with the Jews on the unprecedented resurrection of their national home, to pushing them into risking its continued existence a day or two later.
Not unusually, a Tel-Aviv US Embassy official [Washington refuses to base its embassy in Jerusalem, Israel's capital – Ed] was quoted as saying he saw "no indications whatsoever" of plans being laid for such an event.
But Beilin was "sure" this is in the works, although he disparaged holding another "hollow" summit, describing it as "an idiotic idea" and calling for Israel to negotiate with Hamas.
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