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Bush being escorted by Abbas upon his arrival in Ramallah on Thursday. (Reuters)
Last update - 00:00 11/01/2008
Bush implores government ministers to keep Olmert in power
By Aluf Benn and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents, The Associated Press and Haaretz Service
Tags: George W. Bush, Israel, U.S. 

U.S. President George W. Bush implored government ministers Thursday to stay behind Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, urging them to keep him in power.

At a dinner held in his honor at the Prime Minister's Residence in Jerusalem, Bush referred to the prime minister as a strong leader, adding that he holds him in high regard. Bush arrived in Israel for a three-day on Wednesday.

The comments come amid concerns the coalition government could collapse should Olmert make far-reaching concessions to the Palestinians.
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Industry, Labor, and Trade Minister Eli Yishai (Shas) told Bush that he is "not willing to compromise on Jerusalem." Yishai recited several psalms that emphasize the importance of the holy city.

"We cannot make peace with half of the Palestinian nation, which is all that is ruled by Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas," Yishai added.

"We saw what happened when we left Gaza," Yishai said. "We cannot accept a similar situation tomorrow in the West Bank. Hamas entered every place we left. We cannot compromise on Israel's security. The problem with Hamas is that it wants to destroy Israel."

Yishai gave the visiting American president a letter from Shas spiritual leader Ovadia Yosef urging the release of convicted spy Jonathan Pollard, as well as a letter from Pollard's wife Esther.

Yishai raised the issue of Pollard's release, sentenced to life imprisonment for selling military secrets to Israel, despite the fact that Olmert had explicitly asked the ministers to refrain from doing so.

Bush: Palestinian state is solution to refugee issue

Earlier Thursday, Bush laid out his vision for resolving some of the most contentious issues dividing Israelis and Palestinians, including the matter of Palestinian refugees, which he said would be resolved by the creation of a Palestinian state and compensation.

"I believe we need to look to the establishment of a Palestinian state and new international mechanisms, including compensation, to resolve the refugee issue," said Bush, in a statement summing up two days of meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

"There should be an end to the occupation that began in 1967," continued Bush. "The agreement must establish Palestine as a homeland for the Palestinian people, just as Israel is a homeland for the Jewish people."

"These negotiations must ensure that Israel has secure, recognized, and defensible borders," he said. "And they must ensure that the state of Palestine is viable, contiguous, sovereign, and independent."

The U.S. president reiterated a previous commitment he gave to then prime minister Ariel Sharon, saying Israel should not be expected to withdraw fully from territory captured in the Six-Day War.

"While territory is an issue for both parties to decide, I believe that any peace agreement between them will require mutually agreed adjustments to the armistice lines of 1949 to reflect current realities and to ensure that the Palestinian state is viable and contiguous," he said.

He offered no specifics to resolve the conflicting claims to Jerusalem, but urged both sides to work toward a solution. "I know Jerusalem is a tough issue," Bush said. "Both sides have deeply felt political and religious concerns."

"I fully understand that finding a solution to this issue will be one of the most difficult challenges on the road to peace, but that is the road we have chosen to walk," he added.

The president said Israel and the Palestinians must both live up to their commitments under the long-dormant road map for peace.

"On the Israeli side that includes ending settlement expansion and removing unauthorized outposts," Bush said. On the Palestinian side that includes confronting terrorists and dismantling terrorist infrastructure ... no agreement and no Palestinian state will be born of terror."

Bush added that the sides should be able to reach an agreement by the end of 2008, as they agreed to do at the U.S.-hosted Middle East peace conference in Annapolis in November.

"A peace agreement should happen and can happen by the end of this year," said the American president. "I know both leaders share this important goal and I am committed to helping both sides achieve it."

Within minutes, Bush's national security adviser Stephen Hadley said the president would return to the Middle East at least once and maybe more over the next year. He wouldn't elaborate on possible destinations.

Bush also called on Arab states to reach out to Israel, saying this was "long overdue."

Bush names U.S. General as new road map monitor

Bush earlier named Lt. Gen. William Fraser to monitor the Israeli-Palestinian "road map" for peace, the White House said Thursday.

Fraser, who has served as assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will "help monitor road map commitments", White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.

The U.S. president met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah earlier in the day, telling a press conference that he is confident that the Israelis and the Palestinians will reach a peace deal in 2008.

"In order for there to be lasting peace, President Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert have to come together and make tough choices," Bush said at a joint press conference with Abbas.

"And I'm convinced they will. And I believe it's possible - not only possible, I believe it's going to happen - that there be a signed peace treaty by the time I leave office [in January 2009]. That's what I believe."

Bush spent much of Thursday in the West Bank, including a pilgrimage to Jesus' traditional birth grotto in biblical Bethlehem.

The president arrived at Abbas' headquarters on Thursday for his first-ever visit to the Palestinian territories. Abbas greeted Bush as he emerged from his car in the walled compound. The two men walked side by side along a red carpet, flanked by Palestinian security in olive-and-gold uniforms.

He also accused terrorists of trying to ruin Palestinian hopes for statehood.

Abbas "knows that a handful of people want to dash the expectations of the Palestinian people," he said. "I appreciate your [Abbas'] understanding that the way to achieve peace is to offer an alternative vision of liberty."

The president said that the Americans are "very much engaged" in peace negotiations. "I am confident that with proper help, the state of Palestine will emerge... I am confident that the status quo is unacceptable, Mr. President," he said to Abbas.

Responding to a question about West Bank settlements, Bush said that "each side has got obligations under the road map... we have made our concerns about the expansion of settlements known."

Under the U.S.-backed road map for peace, Israel must halt the expansion of settlements in the first phase, and Palestinian security services must counter terrorism.

"I believe Palestinian security forces are improving... my message to the Israelis is that they ought to help, not hinder, the modernization of the Palestinian security forces," Bush said.

Abbas: Palestinians seek a state with Jerusalem as its capital

Abbas said that he and Bush agreed on the points they raised during the meeting. During the press conference, he spelled out Palestinian demands, saying that his people seek a state with "Jerusalem as its capital and an end to the refugee problem, in accordance with UN decisions."

"The Palestinian people, who are committed to peace, want to move freely in their country, with no roadblocks, [separation] fence or settlements... We want to see a different future, without thousands of prisoners in jail and innocent deaths. We want to stop the closure," Abbas continued.

In response to a question on Israel Defense Forces checkpoints in the West Bank, designed to prevent terror attacks on Israelis targets but which hinder Palestinian freedom of movement, Bush said he identified with both sides' positions.

He said that the Israelis "don't want a state on their border on which attacks can be launched. I can understand that... The checkpoints create security for Israel and they create frustrations for Palestinians."

On the Gaza Strip, which is under the control of the extremist Hamas movement since a bloody June takeover, Bush said that "there is a competing vision taking place in Gaza."

"Hamas... has delivered nothing but misery. I'm convinced his [Abbas'] government will yield a hopeful future."

Abbas echoed the sentiments, saying, "Hamas has to retreat from its coup, then we can talk."

Ahead of the visit, Palestinian police sealed off streets and erected checkpoints in large parts of the city, and residents in nearby buildings were told to stay away from windows and balconies. Palestinian security officials said U.S. snipers were being deployed in the area.

Related articles:
  • The Bush visit in numbers
  • Ari Shavit / On a Divine Mission
  • Aluf Benn / What a glorious decline
  • Israel Harel / Bush comes to the shtetl
  • Bush in Israel: Iran poses threat to world peace
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      1.   Olmert:`Bush didn`t ask me to stop settlement expansions` 03:32  |  Scott Hunter 10/01/08
      2.   There is a Palestinian state already,that happened in 1988 with 03:37  |  lakshmi 10/01/08
      3.   Bush to tell Abbas 03:43  |  akiva (zionist) 10/01/08
      4.   THE PALESTINIAN STATE 03:59  |  Commonsense 10/01/08
      5.   Speak up Chicken George!!! 04:10  |  Cool B 10/01/08
      6.   Didn`t Ask? 04:17  |  ZADOK 10/01/08
      7.   Abbas should tell Bush: "Give me a State and chaos caused... 04:26  |  Dutch Dirk 10/01/08
      8.   The charade goes on 04:28  |  Michael N 10/01/08
      9.   Lakshmi - please stop already 04:34  |  Ariel 10/01/08
      10.   The palestinian apologists are so nervous now, itchy agitated 04:37  |  Johnny 10/01/08
      11.   Lakshmi - please stop already 04:40  |  Ariel 10/01/08
      12.   # 2 lakshmi 04:57  |  Jim 10/01/08
      13.   Lakshmi Opposes Palestinian State 05:05  |  Ruth 10/01/08
      14.   #3 Akiva 05:05  |  Jim 10/01/08
      15.   Hamas is the Democratically Elected Gov.t ! Not Abbas 05:10  |  Straight Talk 10/01/08
      16.   # 4 Commonsense 05:30  |  Jim 10/01/08
      17.   lakshmi PROVES that her head is as EMPTY as the words of the DOI 05:50  |  CK Tan 10/01/08
      18.   Lakshmi: Ariel #11 is right.YOU ARE AN OBSTACLE TO PEACE 05:56  |  Vittorio 10/01/08
      19.   # 16 jim, Please.. 06:01  |  dan 10/01/08
      20.   # 15 straight talk 06:13  |  dan 10/01/08
      21.   #2 lakshmi...it would seem he wants both sides 06:14  |  Lynn 10/01/08
      22.   #12 Jim ....yeah, after eight years. 06:16  |  Lynn 10/01/08
      23.   Pals have had 60 years of chaos. US and Jews owe them peace 06:23  |  Jeremy Martin 10/01/08
      24.   12/16/18 Lakshmi speaks the truth, zionist ears refuse to listen 06:25  |  Jeremy Martin 10/01/08
      25.   Thank you Ruth 06:34  |  MaryRose 10/01/08
      26.   zionist must leave the stolen land 07:13  |  muslim 10/01/08
      27.   the end of Abbas ! 07:28  |  redmike 10/01/08
      28.   Bush`s words on deaf ears ! 08:03  |  Akram Zekaria 10/01/08
      29.   Unfortunately PA is chaotic. The longer it goes the less of a 08:13  |  Scott 10/01/08
      30.   Bush is not here for peace 08:32  |  MiddleStanian 10/01/08
      31.   Bush: Iran is a threat to world peace. 08:46  |  Natallie Durson 10/01/08
      32.   #23 jeremy in the land of no history 08:50  |  victor hardman 10/01/08
      33.   Impatient Bush 09:15  |  Jason_M 10/01/08
      34.   How many times do they get to choose CHAOS!!! 09:22  |  Ben Uziel 10/01/08
      35.   Bush ISnotReal 09:24  |  Mike 10/01/08
      36.   OSLO II will end like oslo I: more Israeli casualties!! 09:28  |  Jacob 10/01/08
      37.   THE SAME QUESTION HE TOLD MALIKI 09:28  |  indrajaya 10/01/08
      38.   " choose statehood or chaos" 09:42  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 10/01/08
      39.   Arabs Kids are educated to war , they`re obstacle to peace 09:43  |  Joseph E . 10/01/08
      40.   There`s never been Peace in the History of the Holy Land so what 09:45  |  Tupac 10/01/08
      41.   We all like vanilla, George 09:48  |  Clickfool 10/01/08
      42.   #20 Dan: IDF couldn`t defeat Hezbollah 09:59  |  Tupac 10/01/08
      43.   #26 moslem (muzzie) 10:02  |  danny 10/01/08
      44.   #30 Vitor: Why don`t you force Pals off their land... & see how 10:03  |  Tupac 10/01/08
      45.   Question for Cipora # 38 10:04  |  Clickfool 10/01/08
      46.   Statehood or Chaos 10:09  |  Joseph E . 10/01/08
      47.   Dear Mr.President 10:12  |  Dav 10/01/08
      48.   State or Chaos, so hard to tell the difference 10:17  |  Uri 10/01/08
      49.   Bush and Israel fool themselves 10:18  |  Truth 10/01/08
      50.   #41 no boris the clucking fool its already there 10:22  |  v hardman 10/01/08
      51.   To Tupac - because it were so nice if there were peace 10:22  |  Uri 10/01/08
      52.   Have you ever flied OVER CLOUDS ? 10:24  |  Atilla Karagözoğlu 10/01/08
      53.   Statehood or Chaos , they all work 10:25  |  Joseph E . 10/01/08
      54.   To muslim 10:28  |  Uri 10/01/08
      55.   JEREMY MARTIN.The Arabs started this mess by trying to steal all 10:29  |  PETER SM 10/01/08
      56.   WHY PEACE WANTED ! for Israel`s future or Palestin`s future ? 10:32  |  Atilla Karagözoğlu 10/01/08
      57.   To Commonsense # 4 - The World is waiting.... 10:34  |  Dolly 10/01/08
      58.   WHY SECULAR ISRAEL WANTS PEACE ? 10:36  |  Atilla Karagözoğlu 10/01/08
      59.   The virtues of convenient memory and selective reasoning 10:38  |  Natallie Durson 10/01/08
      60.   NATIONS ALSO HAVE CHARACTER ! 10:41  |  ... 10/01/08
      61.   Abbas is in no position to choose 10:44  |  Tulip 10/01/08
      62.   Natallie D. #59 10:54  |  ATLAS 10/01/08
      63.   #32 victor, 11:02  |  roberto 10/01/08
      64.   jeremy martin EMBRACES lakshmii`s DEBUNKED lies 11:07  |  CK Tan 10/01/08
      65.   THE GOD IS SECULAR ! I said this and I am banned from... 11:08  |  ... 10/01/08
      66.