John Kerry Visits Jerusalem and West Bank City of Jericho

[kerrygoddess]

John Kerry Visits Jerusalem and West Bank City of Jericho
January 17, 2006

We’ve been following the news reports on John Kerry’s trip to the Middle East for the past week. Today Kerry visited West Bank City of Jericho and Jerusalem, where he held a press conference.



At the press conference in Jerusalem today, John Kerry said that next week’s election for a new Palestinian parliament could mark a turning point, but he warned that participation by the militant Hamas could cause complications.

“The Palestinian Authority has an opportunity, hopefully, to set a new course for itself,” he said. “All of us are going to look forward to the results of these elections and pursue with interest the opportunities they may or may not provide.”

The first 10 years of Palestinian rule have been marked by inefficiency, corruption and disorder, worsened by the last five years of violence with Israel. As a result, many Palestinian voters are turning away from the Fatah party of leader Mahmoud Abbas and switching to Hamas, the Islamic movement responsible for dozens of suicide bombings that have killed hundreds of Israelis.

MORE & LOTS OF PHOTOS - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=1675

[blm]

1. BBC and international press are giving Kerry full, positive coverage.

And when there have been misinterpretations, they were corrected the next day.

Really makes you wonder WHAT it will take for American media to get back to reporting important news ACCURATELY. It has been SOOOO Long.

[Jacobin]

2. One day, it won't be necessary for politicians

to go pay homage to this sliver of land that has caused humanity such untold grief and misery over the centuries.

[karynnj]

3. The point of the trip is not to pay homage

Kerry is visiting (India, Pakistan - 2 bordering nuclear powers who hate each other), Afghanistan, which is in more trouble now than when we invaded, Iraq, and (Jordan, Israel - seeing the Palestinians as well as Israelis. Kerry is on the SFRC and he clearly he wants to know as much first hand about these likely problem areas as possible. It's nice that the world press is interested in his thoughtful, intelligent opinions on issues. (rather than be upset if he got a syllable wrong on the name of a football field.)

[LittleClarkie]

5. He paid "homage" to India and Pakistan as well

Next, he will be paying "homage" to Iraq.

[Jacobin]

6. I think you know what I mean

;-)

[LittleClarkie]

7. Oh but of course

but I see no reason to think of a stop in Israel during a Middle East tour as paying homage to them. They're in the Middle East after all. So unless you consider every other stop along the way as paying homage to that country, then I'm not sure why the Israel visit should be seen any differently.

[wisteria]

4. Thanks for posting. I know this won't be covered in our news media.

Our Dems are doing important things for our country ,but they're not important enough for our media to cover. Instead, we have to suffer through another Condi 2008, will she or won't she report.