In a bit of last-minute diplomacy, President Bush called the leaders of Israel, Egypt and the Palestinian Authority on Wednesday to discuss details of the U.S. peace conference set to begin in Annapolis, Md., next week, as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the goal is to wrap up a peace deal to produce a Palestinian state by the time Bush leaves office. ...more

November 22, 2007

The State Department formally announced Tuesday night that the United States has invited representatives of nearly 50 countries and institutions - including Saudi Arabia and Syria - to sit down with Israelis and Palestinians in Annapolis, Md., next week in a conference designed to kick-start substantive peace talks in the region. ...more

November 21, 2007

Midshipmen Joy Dewey and Joshua Foxton hope to hear familiar epithets when they ask a group of new students at the U.S. Naval Academy to describe promiscuous men and women. ...more

November 18, 2007

The American-sponsored Middle East peace conference expected by the end of the month looks to be thin on content, mostly serving as a stage to begin formal negotiations on a peace treaty between Israel and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. ...more

November 12, 2007

Egypt and Saudi Arabia backed an upcoming U.S.-sponsored Mideast peace conference Saturday as a way to set the stage for a final agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, an Egyptian official said. ...more

November 11, 2007

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Sunday that vigorous peace negotiations could go far toward establishing an independent Palestinian state before President Bush leaves office. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice promised a "serious and substantive" launch to new talks. ...more

November 5, 2007

U.S.-led Middle East peace efforts will not be seen as credible by Palestinians unless a deadline is set for a deal, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said Saturday. ...more

November 4, 2007

Israeli officials on Sunday said they foiled a recent attempt by Palestinian militants to assassinate Prime Minister Ehud Olmert during a trip to the West Bank and warned the plot could hurt prospects for an upcoming U.S.-hosted Mideast peace conference. ...more

October 22, 2007

President Bush expressed optimism Wednesday that the Israelis and Palestinians could negotiate a peace agreement as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice ended four days of talks here with a spasm of discord between the sides. ...more

October 18, 2007

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice received measured support from Egypt on Tuesday for an Israeli-Palestinian peace conference despite widespread doubts in the Middle East that it will result in a lasting deal or improve security in the region. ...more

October 17, 2007