The world this week

摘要

George Bush toured the Middle East, visiting seven countries in his effort to advance peace between Israelis and Palestinians and to rally Gulf Arabs against Iran. The president promised the Saudis and other Gulf countries more arms, while praising their modest progress towards giving their people more of a democratic say. In one of the bloodiest weeks for many months in the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces killed at least 23 Palestinians, two-thirds of them armed fighters, in an effort to stop them firing rockets at nearby Israeli towns.