stylistic:tone, structural:expansion
Israeli–Palestinian conflict

On January 29, 1991, during a speech to the National Association of Religious Broadcasters, Bush pledged to lead efforts to bring peace to the Middle East following the conclusion of the Gulf War, administration officials saying the president's remarks "were intended to quiet Arab concerns about the mounting destruction in Iraq and to signal that once the fighting ends the United States will try to address the Israeli-Palestinian dispute." On October 19, the US and Soviet Union jointly issued invitations to Israel, neighboring Arabs, and the Palestinians for a Middle East peace conference to be held on October 30 in Madrid. During a news conference on March 13, when asked if he believed Israeli or Palestinian leaders were willing to make concessions on their long-held positions, Bush stated that he believed the US was in a better position "than it has ever been to be a catalyst for peace" and that he was in favor of moving forward.