Israel and the United States will begin discussing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s “convergence plan” this week. The working assumption among senior Israeli officials is that the administration supports the plan and views it as “the only game in town.”

Two major issues are on the agenda: the timeline for the plan and the nature of the support to be extended by the U.S. government.

Olmert leaves next week for his first White House visit as Israel’s elected prime minister, during which he will present the convergence idea to President George W. Bush. Aides to Olmert, who flew out Saturday night to prepare for the visit, will meet with White House officials to decide on the manner in which the plan is to be presented at the meeting between the leaders, as well as the statements that will follow the meeting. These preliminary sessions were defined as a “coordination of expectations.”
haaretz.com

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