Ain-Al-Yaqeen - November 12, 2004

		November 12, 2004

AFTER BEING ELECTED FOR A SECOND TERM PRESIDENT BUSH STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF CO-OPERATION WITH EUROPE IN FIGHTING TERRORISM AND REALIZING A PEACEFUL SOLUTION.
THE PRESIDENTS OF SYRIA AND LEBANON CONGRATULATE BUSH AND EXPRESS THEIR HOPES FOR A SERIOUS DIALOGUE AND COMMITMENT TO ACHIEVE PEACE.
ISRAELI SOURCES: WHOEVER WINS THE US PRESIDENCY ISRAEL WOULD LIKELY COME UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE FROM THE U.S.

President George W. Bush said last Thursday he earned "political capital" from the 59 million people who voted for him and will use it to advance a broad agenda that includes protecting America and reforming the intelligence community, the tax code and Social Security.

"I earned capital in the campaign, political capital, and now I intend to spend it," Bush told a news conference a day after Democrat John Kerry conceded the election to the president and the two men talked about the need for unity.

Bush captured a majority of the national popular vote, winning 51 percent to Kerry's 48 percent, or 3.5 million votes more than the Massachusetts senator.

Bush said spreading freedom around the world will also be a central part of his foreign policy. He said fighting terrorism was essential and he would reach out explain his decision to foreign leaders but gave no indication of any major concessions to U.S. critics of the Iraq war.

"Whatever our past disagreements, we share a common enemy," Bush said.

Bush also wants an agreement on Capitol Hill on reforming intelligence after a report on the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks cited widespread intelligence failures. An attempt was made to complete a deal before the election but negotiations bogged down along partisan lines.

He showed little inclination to seek a consensus candidate for any Supreme Court openings in a second term, a possibility magnified by the recent illness of Chief Justice William Rehnquist and the advanced ages of several justices.

He insisted he wanted judges who would make a strict interpretation of the U.S. Constitution and not legislate from the bench, "someone who knows the difference between personal opinion and the strict interpretation of the law." Many of Bush's nominees to federal judgeships are languishing in the U.S. Congress because of Democratic opposition.

Appearing confident if not a bit tired from the grueling campaign and all-night anguish over the fate of Ohio, Bush said he would seek greater bipartisanship with members of the Democratic opposition in Congress after his first term was marred by partisan battles.

But he signaled some limits as to how far he would go, saying he would reach out to "everyone who shares our goals." Besides winning re-election in Tuesday's election, Bush saw Republican majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives grow. The top goals he outlined were reforming Social Security and the tax code, two items in which his preferred outcome clashes sharply with that of Democrats.

On Social Security, he wants to give younger workers the ability to put some of their income in a personal account that could be invested in bonds and stocks.

And Democrats fear Bush would alter the tax code's reliance on a progressive tax system to perhaps a flat tax system that would hurt the poor and middle class and favor the wealthy. Bush has given few details of his tax plan, saying he will appoint a task force to study possible changes.

"I readily concede, I've laid out some very difficult issues for people to deal with," Bush said and noted that one of his disappointments with Washington "is how bitter this town can become and how divisive."

But he said he believed there would be good will and that he has become seasoned to the capital's ways in his first term.

The president said there would be changes in his Cabinet, but had none to announce. Many expect Attorney General John Ashcroft to resign fairly soon, while Secretary of State Colin Powell and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld may stay on for a time.

"I'm going to Camp David this afternoon with Laura and I'll begin the process of thinking about the Cabinet and the White House staff," he said. "We'll let you know at the appropriate time when decisions have been made."

Following are excerpts of the press conference:

This week the voters of America set the direction of our nation for the next four years. I'm honored by the support of my fellow citizens, and I'm ready for the job.

We are fighting a continuing war on terror, and every American has a stake in the outcome of this war. Republicans, Democrats and independents all love our country, and together we'll protect the American people. We will preserve -- we will persevere until the enemy is defeated. We will stay strong and resolute. We have a duty, a solemn duty to protect the American people, and we will.

Every civilized country also has a stake in the outcome of this war. Whatever our past disagreements, we share a common enemy. And we have common duties: to protect our peoples, to confront disease and hunger and poverty in troubled regions of the world. I'll continue to reach out to our friends and allies, our partners in the EU and NATO, to promote development and progress, to defeat the terrorists and to encourage freedom and democracy as alternatives to tyranny and terror.

Q Mr. President -- thank you. As you look at your second term, how much is the war in Iraq going to cost? Do you intend to send more troops, or bring troops home? And in the Middle East, more broadly, do you agree with Tony Blair that revitalizing the Middle East peace process is the single most pressing political issue facing the world?

THE PRESIDENT: Now that I've got the will of the people at my back, I'm going to start enforcing the one-question rule. That was three questions.

I'll start with Tony Blair's comments. I agree with him that the Middle East peace is a very important part of a peaceful world. I have been working on Middle Eastern peace ever since I've been the President. I've laid down some -- a very hopeful strategy on -- in June of 2002, and my hope is that we will make good progress. I think it's very important for our friends, the Israelis, to have a peaceful Palestinian state living on their border. And it's very important for the Palestinian people to have a peaceful, hopeful future. That's why I articulated a two-state vision in that Rose Garden speech. I meant it when I said it and I mean it now.

THE PRESIDENT: We will work with the Allawi government to achieve our objective, which is elections, on the path to stability, and we'll continue to train the troops. Our commanders will have that which they need to complete their missions.

And in terms of the cost, I -- we'll work with OMB and the Defense Department to bring forth to Congress a realistic assessment of what the cost will be.

Q Thank you, Mr. President. How will you go about bringing people together? Will you seek a consensus candidate for the Supreme Court if there's an opening? Will you bring some Democrats into your Cabinet?

THE PRESIDENT: Again, he violated the one-question rule right off the bat. Obviously, you didn't listen to the will of the people. But, first of all, there's no vacancy for the Supreme Court, and I will deal with a vacancy when there is one. And I told the people on the campaign trail that I'll pick somebody who knows the difference between personal opinion and the strict interpretation of the law. You might have heard that several times. I meant what I said. And if people are interested in knowing the kind of judges I'll pick, look at the record. I've sent up a lot of judges, well-qualified people who know the law, who represent a judicial temperament that I agree with and who are qualified to hold the bench.

THE PRESIDENT: I haven't made any decisions on the Cabinet, yet.

Q How else will you bring people together?

THE PRESIDENT: We'll put out an agenda that everybody understands and work with people to achieve the agenda. Democrats want a free and peaceful world, and we'll -- and right away, right after September the 11th we worked very closely together to secure our country. There is a common ground to be had when it comes to a foreign policy that says the most important objective is to protect the American people and spread freedom and democracy. It's common ground when it comes to making sure the intelligence services are able to provide good, actionable intelligence to protect our people. It's not a Republican issue, it's a Republican and Democrat issue. So I'm -- plenty of places for us to work together.

Q Thank you, Mr. President. On foreign policy, more broadly, do you believe that America has an image problem in the world right now, because of your efforts and response to the 9/11 attacks? And, as you talked down the stretch about building alliances, talk about what you'll do to build on those alliances and to deal with these image problems, particularly in the Islamic world.

THE PRESIDENT: I appreciate that. Listen, I've made some very hard decisions: decisions to protect ourselves, decisions to spread peace and freedom. And I understand in certain capitals and certain countries, those decisions were not popular.

You know, you said -- you asked me to put that in the context of the response on September the 11th. The first response, of course, was chasing down the terror networks, which we will continue to do. And we've got great response around the world in order to do that. There's over 90 nations involved with sharing information, finding terrorists and bringing them to justice. That is a broad coalition, and we'll continue to strengthen it.

I laid out a doctrine, that said if you harbor terrorists, you're equally as guilty as the terrorists, and that doctrine was ignored by the Taliban, and we removed the Taliban. And I fully understand some people didn't agree with that decision. But I believe that when the American President speaks, he'd better mean what he says in order to keep the world peaceful. And I believe we have a solemn duty, whether or not people agree with it or not, to protect the American people. And the Taliban and their harboring of al Qaeda represented a direct threat to the American people.

And, of course, then the Iraq issue is one that people disagreed with. And there's no need to rehash my case, but I did so, I made the decision I made, in order to protect our country, first and foremost. I will continue to do that as the President. But as I do so, I will reach out to others and explain why I make the decisions I make.

There is a certain attitude in the world, by some, that says that it's a waste of time to try to promote free societies in parts of the world. I've heard that criticism. Remember, I went to London to talk about our vision of spreading freedom throughout the greater Middle East. And I fully understand that that might rankle some, and be viewed by some as folly. I just strongly disagree with those who do not see the wisdom of trying to promote free societies around the world.

If we are interested in protecting our country for the long-term, the best way to do so is to promote freedom and democracy. And I -- I simply do not agree with those who either say overtly or believe that certain societies cannot be free. It's just not a part of my thinking. And that's why during the course of the campaign, I was -- I believe I was able to connect, at least with those who were there, in explaining my policy, when I talked about the free election in Afghanistan.

There were -- there was doubt about whether or not those elections would go forward. I'm not suggesting any of you here expressed skepticism. But there was. There was deep skepticism, and -- because there is a attitude among some that certain people may never be free -- they just don't long to be free or incapable of running an election. And I disagree with that. And the Afghan people, by going to the polls in the millions, proved -- proved that this administration's faith in freedom to change peoples' habits is worthy. And that will be a central part of my foreign policy. And I've got work to do to explain to people about why that is a central part of our foreign policy. I've been doing that for four years.

But if you do not believe people can be free and can self-govern, then all of a sudden the two-state solution in the Middle East becomes a moot point, invalid. If you're willing to condemn a group of people to a system of government that hasn't worked, then you'll never be able to achieve the peace. You cannot lead this world and our country to a better tomorrow unless you see a better -- if you have a vision of a better tomorrow. And I've got one, based upon a great faith that people do want to be free and live in democracy

Q I'd like to ask you about troop levels in Iraq in the next couple of months leading up to elections. The Pentagon already has a plan to extend tours of duty for some 6,500 U.S. troops. How many more will be needed to provide security in Iraq for elections, seeing as how the Iraqi troops that you're trying to train up are pretty slow coming on line?

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, first of all, the -- we are making good progress in training the Iraqi troops. There will be 125,000 of them trained by election time. Secondly, I have yet to -- I have not sat down with our Secretary of Defense talking about troop levels. I read some reports during the course of the campaign where some were speculating in the press corps about the number of troops needed to protect elections. That has not been brought to my attention yet.

And so I would caution you that what you have either read about or reported was pure speculation thus far. These elections are important, and we will respond, John, to requests of our commanders on the ground. And I have yet to hear from our commanders on the ground that they need more troops.

Q Thank you, Mr. President. I know you haven't had a chance to learn this, but it appears that Yasser Arafat has passed away.

THE PRESIDENT: Really?

Q And I was just wondering if I could get your initial reaction? And also your thoughts on, perhaps, working with a new generation of Palestinian leadership?

THE PRESIDENT: I appreciate that. My first reaction is, God bless his soul. And my second reaction is, is that we will continue to work for a free Palestinian state that's at peace with Israel.

Q Mr. President, American forces are gearing up for what appears to be a major offensive in Fallujah over the next several days. I'm wondering if you could tell us what the objective is, what the stakes are there for the United States, for the Iraqi people, and the Iraqi elections coming up in January?

THE PRESIDENT: In order for Iraq to be a free country those who are trying to stop the elections and stop a free society from emerging must be defeated.

And so Prime Minister Allawi and his government, which fully understands that, are working with our generals on the ground to do just that. We will work closely with the government. It's their government, it's their country. We're there at their invitation. And -- but I think there's a recognition that some of these people have to -- must be defeated, and so that's what they're thinking about. That's what you're -- that's why you're hearing discussions about potential action in Fallujah.

Meanwhile Secretary of State Colin Powell welcomed Muslim students, professionals, clerics and diplomats from across the Muslim world to an Iftar celebration at the State Department November 4. He said that America strives to embrace Ramadan's spirit of hospitality and concern for others.

"As the Iftar welcomes all in a spirit of brotherhood, so America has been open to all, welcoming to all -- as we can see in the diverse and thriving Muslim community in America today," Powell told his guests.

The secretary noted that new security measures have inconvenienced many people wishing to travel to the United States but said, "I want to assure all of you here this evening and all who may watch this or hear these words that we're doing everything we can to make sure that we strike the right balance between our security and our openness."

Powell spoke of the United States' many efforts to play a positive and helpful role in the Muslim world. He mentioned the U.S. military's engagement to protect and assist Muslim populations in Africa, the Balkans and the Middle East and to remove tyrannical regimes in Afghanistan and Iraq.

He also recalled President Bush's support for an independent state of Palestine and reaffirmed the president's commitment to work towards peace in the Middle East.

The secretary spoke of U.S. efforts to support and encourage people within the Muslim world who are working to realize greater freedom and democracy. "We believe that reform will ultimately be successful because freedom and democracy are powerful universal values, not just Western or American values," he said.

He mentioned several programs related to the Group of Eight's (G8's) newly established Forum for the Future and the State Department's Middle East Partnership Initiative, which open academic and professional training opportunities to people from numerous Muslim countries. The G8 includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Russia.

"Many unkind, and untrue, things are said about the United States in the Muslim world by some people. But I think the facts speak for themselves," Powell said. "The truth is that America wishes all people well."

He added, "America will be with those in need around the world, regardless of race or religion."

On the other hand Syria congratulated US President George W. Bush for his reelection hoping that serious dialogue and sticking to the international legitimacy would boost ties between the two countries Syria and the USA.

President Bashar al-Assad sent the US President Bush a congratulations telegram in which he expressed happiness for his winning of a new term and conveyed the sincerest and best wishes.

" I hope the serious dialogue and adherence to principals the United States of America is based on and the international legitimacy as well as the UN charter will be the way to strengthen ties between our two countries and work together as to establish the just and comprehensive peace in our region, " President Assad said.

President Assad wished the US President good health and happiness and the US people more prosperity under his leadership.

President Bashar al-Assad sent a congratulations cable to Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed al-Nahyan on his election as a new President of the United Arab Emirates to succeed His Highness the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan al-Nahyan.

The President expressed his heartfelt congratulations for the confidence Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed was assigned by members of the Higher Council in light of his choice as President of the UAEs.

" I am quite sure that you will be like father like son and will carry on his process in leading the sisterly Emirates state," President Assad said underlining that brotherly relations that has been established by the great deceased men President Hafez al-Assad and His Highness Sheikh Zayed would increase boosting of our joint efforts.

The president wished the new leader of the UAEs good health and happiness as well as success in his high responsibilities and the people of the Emirates more progress and prosperity.

President Emile Lahoud sent the US President Bush a congratulations telegram in which he expressed happiness for his winning of a new term and conveyed the sincerest and best wishes. In his message President Lahoud expressed his wishes to President Bush that his new term would see intense efforts to re-launch the peace process in the Middle East to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the region.

Lebanon's Information Minister Eli Ferizli said that Lebanon was looking for positive relations with the U.S. because of its role in the region and the world, expressing the hope for establishing joint coordination on mutual issues "in order to achieve just and comprehensive peace in the region."

In a statement to Sawa Radio, Ferizli called on the US to practice an efficient role on realizing the international justice and implementing the UN resolutions, as well as protecting the sates, international laws and the UN Charter. He appealed to the US to participate in Lebanon's stability and unity not to transform it into a conflict field.

Meanwhile President Gen Pervez Musharraf called on US President George W. Bush to push for a peaceful settlement of the Palestinian issue and other festering political conflicts during his second term.

"If the root causes of strife and terror were resolved in a meaningful and just manner, it would usher in an era of peace and harmony," President Musharraf said in a congratulatory telephone talk with the US leader on his re-election.

He urged Mr Bush "to use this unique opportunity to work for the resolution of Palestine and other festering disputes", said a foreign ministry statement.

General Musharraf said: "There is a need, more than ever, for initiation of processes for closing fronts," in apparent reference to Kashmir and the Middle East conflicts.

"He offered to join hands to bring civilizations together and embark on a new era of constructive partnerships." He also offered the US leader "full support in achieving the shared objectives of peace and prosperity for the peoples of the two countries".

During the 20-minute telephone conversation, the two leaders reaffirmed the common desire to further strengthen bilateral relations to the benefit of both countries. President Bush said the people of the United States greatly valued their country's relationship with Pakistan.

President Ali Abdullah Saleh sent a cable of good wishes to US President George W Bush for winning a second term in the White House.

"On my behalf and the Government and the people of Yemen, It is my pleasure to congratulate you on the friendly American people's trust of you in a new term," read the cable.

President Saleh stressed in the cable the commitment of Yemen to the cooperation with the United States in the fight against terrorism and democratic reforms.

He expressed his hope the US Administration pushes peace in the Mideast region, enforce the Roadmap plan and other international resolutions resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict and restoring stability in Iraq.

Meanwhile Yemen's Foreign Minister Abou Baker al-Qurabi called on the American administration of George Bush's second presidential term to reconsider its policies towards the Arab region and to adopt a new vision to deal with the critical situation in Palestine and Iraq. þ

In statement to the press al-Qurabi said Bush has to realise that the Arab homeland has several causes with which Bush should deal with free from a policy of bias, particularly a bias regarding the Palestinian causes. þ

He stressed that Bush must let the region's countries choose their own future. þ

Al-Qurabi expressed his worry over the situation in Iraq, and the impacts of Iraqi event on neighbouring countries and the region as a whole. þ

He said that stability can never be attained in Iraq unless the Iraqi people restore their sovereignty, and unless the occupation forces withdraw from Iraq. þ

Al-Qurabi also said that Yemen has presented a request to the Arab League's Secretary General to establish an Arab fund to reconstruct Somalia and help the Somalese people to overcome the wide destruction caused by years of civil wars and armed conflicts in the country.

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul has urged US President George W. Bush to reconsider his country's foreign policy in Iraq and the rest of the Middle East as he prepares for another term in office.

"President Bush came out stronger in the elections and I think he can now reevaluate his foreign policy, beginning with Iraq and the Middle East," Gul was quoted as saying by the Anatolia news agency. He spoke during a visit to Lisbon to open negotiations on Turkey's bid to join the European Union.

Gul said he did not expect any changes in Turkish American relations in light of Bush's reelection to the White House on Tuesday.

In Brussels the British Prime Minister Tony Blair urged European leaders to wake up from their "state of denial" over President Bush's re-election. "America has spoken. The rest of the world should listen," the prime minister said.

Mr Blair was at a summit in Brussels, where Iraq and European justice and immigration plans are on the agenda.

French President Jacques Chirac reacted to his warning by saying Europe instead needed to reinforce its own unity.

Mr Blair said some people were in "a sort of state of denial" about the US election result but predicted a more "receptive mood" would emerge soon.

America needed to listen to the world too, he said.

"The fact is that President Bush is there for four years. He is there because the American people have chosen him," he argued.

He also made clear he intended to take seriously what he perceives as his role in bringing the two continents together.

Britain was "uniquely placed" to make out the common ground because of its strong alliance with the US, he suggested.

The French president told reporters: "Europe today has more than ever the need, the necessity, to reinforce itself and its dynamism and unity.

"That is the goal of the constitution in a world that is more multi-polar than ever."

Mr Chirac missed an address to the summit from Iraqi interim leader Iyad Allawi, who criticised nations, which took a "spectator" role to Iraq's reconstruction.

Mr Chirac had gone to a memorial service for the United Arab Emirates' late leader and said he would be happy to meet Mr Allawi.

He also signed a communiqué stressing the EU's commitment to securing a stable and unified Iraq. The EU also confirmed a new $21m aid package.

The communiqué congratulated President Bush on his victory and stressed the importance of good transatlantic relations.

The summit is also expected to agree changes to streamline European asylum and immigration decisions. þ

A day after Bush was elected to a second term, leaders of the 25-nation EU called for a new peace initiative to prevent the failing health of Palestinian chief Yasser Arafat from provoking a leadership vacuum and more Middle East violence.

``It is now possible to look together with the Americans at ways to finally resolve this conflict,'' Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Bot told a press conference after the start of a two-day EU summit in Brussels.

Bush's decision during his first term not to negotiate with Arafat rankled many European governments, especially France. With the Palestinian leader on life-support machines in a Paris hospital, Bot urged Bush to recommit to peace talks.

``We think a new window of opportunity is now available to us,'' Bot said. ``We hope to be able in the future to work with legitimate new leadership in the Palestinian Authority, which will set us on the road to peace in the Middle East.''

Relaxing at Camp David, US President George W. Bush received congratulatory phone calls from German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and other foreign leaders on Friday even as Germany's defense minister renewed his government's vow not to send troops to Iraq.

At the Maryland presidential retreat for a few days of rest, Bush thanked voters who supported him and looked ahead to a second term in remarks recorded for his weekly radio address to be broadcast. Chief of Staff Andrew Card and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice accompanied him for the weekend.

Bush also claimed the last state of the presidential election, winning Iowa after a prolonged count of absentee ballots. By Friday, Bush had 745,980 votes and his Democratic opponent, John Kerry, had 732,764, and the number of outstanding ballots was too few to change the outcome. With Iowa decided, Bush had 286 electoral votes to Kerry's 252.

In congratulating Bush, Schroeder said he had great expectations for further cooperation between Germany and the US on a range of issues.

Schroeder has said that both countries have a mutual interest in ensuring the success of Iraq's reconstruction.

Still, "there is no participation of German troops in Iraq, and there won't be one in the future," German Defense Minister Peter Struck was quoted as saying in comments published last Friday by the Passauer Neue Presse daily.

Last week, Struck appeared to suggest that Berlin could change its mind on an Iraqi troop deployment if the circumstances were right.

Schroeder swiftly dismissed talk of a shift, but German journalists and opposition politicians speculated that Struck was preparing for a change in German policy should Kerry defeat Bush.

Schroeder vehemently opposed the US-led war in Iraq. The two governments have moved to repair relations, with Germany offering to help rebuild the country and to train new Iraqi police and military.

The re-election of President Bush is a victory for a "relentless fight against terrorism," a senior adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said.

Sharon and Bush forged close ties during the US president's first term. Bush lent his support to Sharon's plan of unilateral disengagement - a withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and four West Bank settlements by 2005.

Sharon has said he also won the president's support for holding on to chunks of the West Bank in a future peace deal.

"It's an even bigger victory for the people of the Middle East, where there will be another four years of a president determined to bring the people of this forsaken region a ray of hope, freedom and ... democracy," he said.

The White House promised a new push in President George W. Bush's second term to revive a stalled Middle East peace plan.

"We have a new opportunity before us to move forward on the 'road map' and get to the two-state vision that the president outlined," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan. "We will remain actively engaged working with the parties to accomplish that goal."

McClellan offered few specifics, singling out as a historic opportunity Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to evacuate troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip and parts of the northern West Bank.

Sharon called Bush to congratulate him on his re-election and on the advances made by the Republican Party in the House of Representatives and Senate. Sharon said that Bush's victory is a victory of ideology and belief. Bush thanked Sharon and told him that he values Sharon's leadership, and that the results of the U.S. elections prove that people value strong leadership.

Meanwhile Israel is looking for the completion of the "circle of peace" in the region during the second term of President Bush, Israel's Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said.

In a congratulatory message to Bush issued from his bureau, Shalom praised the U.S., with the president at its head for providing "strong leadership in the international fight against the forces of extremism" and for making "a lasting contribution to peace and stability."

Shalom said that Americans "have now spoken in support of this leadership and the need to follow through with the critical mission of advancing the values of democracy and freedom, liberty and opportunity."

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has a special relationship with President Bush. Bush has been called the best friend Israel has ever had in the White House.

"Israel and the United States have been strategic allies for decades," Shalom said. "This partnership is based on deep-rooted, common values and a commitment to peace that is shared across the entire political spectrum in both countries."

Describing the contributions of past U.S. presidents to the peace process, Shalom said that the U.S. had been "the driving international force" in Israel's efforts to achieve peace with her neighbors.

"We hope that during President Bush's second term, we can complete the circle of peace and deliver a better future to all peoples of the region," Shalom said.

The Israeli daily Ma'ariv quoted a Foreign Ministry report saying that whoever wins the presidency Israel would likely come under increasing pressure from the U.S.

Speaking before the election results were made final U.S. Ambassador to Israel Daniel Kurtzer said that whoever would win the elections would continue to support efforts to return to the road map peace plan.

"When we talk about our relationship with Israel we don't use the word pressure," Kurtzer said. "The United States is very supportive of the Israeli government's policies."

On the other hand United States authorities will beef up security to prevent a terror attack during President George Bush's swearing-in ceremony for his second term in office which will take place outside the US Congress, the department of homeland security said.

The high profile January 20 event at the domed US Capitol was designated as a National Special Security Event (NSSE), the department said in a statement.

"The goal of such an operation is to prevent terrorist attacks and criminal acts," the statement said.

Security will also be stepped up for the Inaugural Parade and balls organised for the commemoration of the start of Bush's second and final four-year term.

The department said there were five special security events this year: Bush's January State of the Union address in Congress, the Group of Eight summit in the US state of Georgia, former president Ronald Reagan's memorial services and the Democratic and Republican National Conventions.

Senior US officials warned in September that the al-Qaeda network planned to attack the United States ahead of or after the November 2 presidential election, and even as late as the presidential inauguration.