News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) The White House has confirmed reports that American President George W. Bush will visit the Middle East in January but did not specify whether he would visit Israel, as is generally assumed. A visit to the Jewish state next month would coincide with the publication of the Winograd Committee report, which is expected to include criticism of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on his management of the Second Lebanon War.

"The president will go to the Middle East region in early January. Details to come," said American National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe. The visit was arranged during last week's Annapolis, Maryland conference on the Middle East.

The last time an American president visited Israel was in 1998, when Bill Clinton made the trip. President Bush as recently as last week said in an interview with CNN, "This idea that somehow you are supposed to travel and therefore good things are going to happen is just not realistic."