The Incredible Shrinking Agenda

Anne Gearan writes for the Associated Press: "In the six weeks since Bush declared at an international gathering in Annapolis, Maryland, that 'the time is right' to make peace, two perennial obstacles to Mideast peacemaking have already reared up: Israeli settlements and violence.

"Even before formal talks began on Dec. 12, Israel announced plans to build homes in areas claimed by the Palestinians. Two Israeli hikers were killed later by Palestinian gunmen in the West Bank, and Israeli attacks have killed dozens of militants in the Gaza Strip in response to ongoing rocket fire. Israeli troops also kept the West Bank militant hotbed of Nablus under siege for several days."

National security adviser Steve Hadley, talking to reporters on the plane ride over, had this to say about the recent events: "[T]here have been a lot of, obviously, distractions -- and by distractions I don't -- this is on the record, right? By distractions I mean some serious issues that have appeared. The Palestinians are very concerned, obviously, about settlements; the Israelis are very concerned, obviously, about the rocket attacks coming out of Gaza. These issues need to be addressed."

Said Hadley: "I think the President will encourage the parties to get after it, to stay focused. . . .

"I don't think you're going to see him jumping into the middle of these negotiations."

Here's Bush as he arrived in Tel Aviv: "We seek lasting peace. We see a new opportunity for peace here in the Holy Land, and for freedom across the region."

Blogging the Trip

From Dana Perino's press gaggle yesterday: "One note. As we leave for the Middle East trip today, we will begin posting periodic updates from the senior staff that's traveling with the President on a website -- on our website, whitehouse.gov. It will be called " Trip Notes from the Middle East." This is new to us. We encourage you to log on and to check back often to read some of the updates that the staff will be posting throughout the trip. So it will be just a little bit of a blog."

Q: "Blog?"

Perino: "A little bit like a blog, yes -- dare I say."

Reporting Back From Iraq

Bush met in person and by video with leaders of provincial reconstruction teams in Iraq yesterday. One reporter, Jennifer Loven of the Associated Press, was allowed to sit in.

Loven writes: "The situations the leaders reported ranged from the dire to the celebratory.

"John Jones, the provisional reconstruction team leader in Diyala province northeast of Baghdad, gaped in awe at the report from another team leader, Angus Simmons. Simmons had talked about all the ways his team was helping boost tourism in the southern province of Najaf, home to holy sites, including assisting the Iraqis' dream of a new airport. It was a situation unimaginable to Jones in his area, which has become a messy new stronghold for extremists who have been pushed out of Anbar province by the increased U.S. troop presence there.