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Olmert claims, ‘we are not their enemies’
Bush optimistic about Israel-Palestinians deal
Jerusalem—President Bush said Wednesday that 60
years of democracy in Israel is cause for optimism for democratic
change throughout the Middle East. “What happened here is possible
everywhere,” Bush said in a trip where he’ll make a new push for
Israeli-Palestinian peace.
“I suspect if you looked back 60 years ago and tried to guess where
Israel would be at that time, it would be hard to be able to project
such a prosperous, hopeful land,” Bush said during a meeting with
Israeli President Shimon Peres. “No question, people would have
said, ‘We’d be surrounded by hostile forces.’”
But Bush said he doubted that people would have been able to
envision a modern Israel — the reason he brings optimism to the
Middle East.
“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 has expressed some optimism that an Israeli-Palestinian peace
agreement would be struck before his term ends while holding out
little hope for a major breakthrough during this trip. Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice 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 Mideast peace accord, saying
Israelis want to work with Palestinians.
“We are not their enemies,” he said. “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.”
Just hours before Bush arrived, however, an Israeli official said
the Housing and Construction minister was planning to approve the
construction of hundreds of homes in West Bank settlements. In the
talks, the Palestinians demand that Israel stop building in areas
they want for a future state.
Peres chastised Hezbollah for aiming to destroy Lebanon and accused
Hamas of working to prevent the creation of a Palestinian state. The
U.S. has labeled both as terrorist groups. Bush and Peres spoke
after briefly strolling through the gardens behind the Israeli
president’s residence. They sat with their aides under an
ivy-covered sandstone trellis amid a grove of trees and flowers.
Stepping somewhat on the message of the anniversary festivities,
Bush joked that Israel really isn’t so long in the tooth.
“As a person who’s 61 years old, it doesn’t seem that old,” he said.
Bush then talked of the trials Israel has faced and how it must have
been difficult to emerge as a prosperous, hopeful land.
He also got laughs when he told Peres: “You’re looking good. I hope
you’re feeling good.”—AP
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