Bush in Israel for Celebration, as Palestinians Somberly Observe 60th Anniversary of the Catastrophe of Establishing Israel

U.S. president vows to continue support for Israel

www.chinaview.cn 2008-05-14 22:37:10

JERUSALEM, May 14 (Xinhua) --

U.S. President George W. Bush on Wednesday vowed to continue support for Israel, which is "the strongest ally and friend" of the United States in the Middle East.

Bush, who arrived in Israel earlier Wednesday on the occasion of the (Zionist) state's 60th anniversary, made the remarks during a meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres at the latter's official residence in Jerusalem.

"The objective of the United States must be to support our strongest ally and friend in the Middle East... and, at the same time, talk about a hopeful future," Bush was quoted by local daily Ha'aretz as saying, signaling his aim to make a new push for Israeli-Palestinian peace on the three-day trip.

Bush also said 60 years of democracy in Israel is the reason for optimism for democratic change throughout the Middle East (How can it be a democracy and about nine million Palestinians are deprived of any political rights !!! ).

The U.S. president has expressed optimism that an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement would be reached before his term ends while having little hope for a major breakthrough during this trip.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, part of Bush's entourage, said Tuesday that reaching such a deal within the next eight months might be improbable but it's not impossible.

Peres backed Bush's optimism for a Middle East peace accord, saying Israelis want to work with the Palestinians.

"We would like to see the Palestinians living together," he said. "They have suffered a great deal of their life. The separation is a tragedy for them and for the rest of us."

Upon his arrival, Bush was greeted at Ben-Gurion International Airport by the Israeli leadership, including Peres, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and opposition leader Member of Knesset (parliament) Benjamin Netanyahu.

Bush then flew by helicopter to Jerusalem for Wednesday and Thursday's events marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of Israel (which is also somberly observed by Palestinians as a Catastrophe).

It is Bush's second visit to Israel in four months. The U.S. president visited Israel in January for the first time in his seven years' tenure in a bid to advance peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians in the wake of the Annapolis Summit held in November 2007.

During his visit, Bush will also hold talks with Olmert, who is now facing investigations on alleged bribery charges, and other senior officials including Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defense Minister Ehud Barak.

Bush will attend an international conference hosted by Peres to mark Israel's 60th anniversary. He is also expected to deliver a speech at a special session of the Knesset.

After the Israeli tour, Bush will visit Saudi Arabia and Egypt during his five-day visit in the region.

Editor: Mu Xuequan

President Bush in Israel as Palestinians commemorate their Nakbah

Wednesday May 14, 2008 17:17 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC & Agencies

President of the United States, Gorge W.B Bush arrived on Wednesday in Israel to attend the Hebrew state's celebrations of the establishment of Israel on historical Palestine in 1948.

Leaders of the Zionist state were in reception of Bush, when the latter's plane landed in the Ben Gurion airport in Tel-Aviv. Ben Gurion himself, after whom the airport was named, immigrated from Europe to Palestine, in the first half of the twentieth centaury.

Speaking to reporters upon arrival, Bush said " Bush is unwelcomed by many countries in the world, and perhaps Israel or another one or two countries in Africa, welcome Bush".

Israeli president , Shimon Peres, told reporters " Israel is happy for this visit, for Israel believes in democracy and equality (read eviction of Palestinians, dispossessing them, and keeping them under the Israeli military occupation).

Bush's visit to the region comes as Bush's term in office is drawing to and end, later this year, in which the American President stressed on the Jewish identity of the Israeli state, which was established on the ruins of historical Palestine six decades ago.

In Gaza, the ruling Hamas party, did not welcome the visit, branding it a ' herald of bad omen' for the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territories and in the Diaspora.

Hamas's spokesman in Gaza , Fawzi Barhoum, told IMEMC that Bush's trip to Israel would mean a confirmation by the U.S president on the Jewish identity of the Hebrew state.

" we expect further backing by the American administration to the Israeli settlement activities and attacks across the Palestinian territories, following this unwelcome visit" , Barhoum believed.

Asked whether Bush might pressure Israel for paving the way for realizing the two-state solution, Bush envisioned 5 years ago, Bathoum said ' nothing will be achieved'.

Hamas has been sidelined by Washington , since the party was elected in 2006. Hamas claims the Palestinian people's rights to a Palestinian state in all parts of Palestine 'Israel now'.

The Bush administration backed in 2003, a peace plan, which demands Israel to halt settlement activities on Palestinian lands. Israeli settlement activities go unabated up to writing this article.

While Bush is set to share Israelis their state declaration six decades ago, tomorrow, May15, the Palestinian people in Gaza , the West Bank, East Jerusalem and in the Diaspora, will commemorate the Palestinian Nakbah (Catastrophe), when Jewish gangs expelled by foces hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their ancestor's lands in almost 450 villages and towns of historical Palestine.

During last November's Washington-sponsored Annapolis summit, Bush stated he would work on ensuring a two-state solution for a Palestinian and Israeli state by the end of 2008.

US Ambassador: Bush will not interfere in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations

Date: 14 / 05 / 2008 Time: 10:54
Bethlehem - Ma'an -

The US Ambassador to Israel, Richard Jones, confirmed that US President George W. Bush, will lay the grounds for the political process during his forthcoming visit to the region but will not interfere in the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations since he believes that the achievement of this agreement between both sides is subject to their will only.

In an interview with Panorama newspaper he said that the "Jerusalem Issue" is considered as the most sensitive for both sides and it will be delayed to the last stage of negotiations.

He expressed interest in a future state of Palestine enjoying its territorial contiguity.

Jones talked about the corruption investigation against Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, saying that no sudden dramatic change is expected to take place.

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