Under pressure from the United States to reach a truce, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat agreed Wednesday to take tentative steps toward instating a cease-fire and resuming peace talks.
Following the Sept. 11 attacks, Bush stepped up demands for a cessation of conflict to ensure greater resources would be available to the United States in its anti-terrorist campaign.
'We're encouraged that there are discussions going on that could lead to the implementation of ... the Mitchell Plan, which everybody agreed to is the right way to get to a peaceful resolution in the Middle East,' Bush said in a White House press conference Wednesday, referring to a Middle East peace plan proposed by a committee headed by former Sen. George Mitchell, D-Maine.
Bush added that he hopes some good can come in the aftermath of the U.S. loss.
'Out of this crisis, this tragedy that hit America, I do see opportunity,' he said. 'And one of the opportunities would be that there's some sensible thinking that goes into the Middle East, and that people now realize that this violence, this terrible destruction ... that took place Sept. 11 [will] bring some reality to the Middle East. The discussions are moving on.'
Bush is expected to detail an airline security plan this morning at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. The plan would recommend reinforced cockpit doors to prevent hijackers from taking over airplane controls and strengthened background checks for airport employees.
The plan is also expected to include a proposal for federal oversight of airport baggage monitors. However, some congressional leaders said screeners should be federal employees.
'Some Democrats may go ballistic,' a Republican House Transportation Committee member told the Washington Post.
Democrats are also expected to request a form of financial relief for airline employees who lost their jobs in the industry's slowdown following the attacks.
A bipartisan coalition of senators headed by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz. and Ernest Hollings, D-S.C., has sponsored legislation of its own to put airport security under the authority of the Department of Transportation.
Supporters of federal employee screeners expect their plan to cost little more than Bush's proposal.
Defenders of the president's plan say non-federal employees can be fired, whereas federal workers are protected by labor contracts.
As the United States gains vows of support from countries around the world, warring groups and organizations at odds with one another for years find themselves on the same side in the U.S. pledge to defeat terrorism.
The Northern Alliance, an Afghani faction attempting to overthrow the Taliban, is seen by some as a potential U.S. ally should the United States help them come to power.
However, Northern Alliance Gen. Mohammad Aref told the Washington Post Wednesday he distrusts the motives of the Pakistani government.
'To trust Pakistan is difficult because Taliban means Pakistan,' Aref said.
However, Pakistan distrusts an Alliance-managed neighbor, which would leave Pakistan with hostile Afghanistan on one side, and India, Pakistan's arms-race opponent on the other.
Pakistan's foreign minister in Isalamabad advised the United States against cooperation with the Alliance this week. Abdullah, an Alliance official who goes by one name, accused Pakistan of protecting several terrorist units and revealing only a few groups to satisfy U.S. officials.
According to the Washington Post, Abdullah suggested that one role alliance members will play in the U.S. anti-terrorism campaign is to assist the United States in determining Taliban targets.
