Rolling out the red carpet - Haaretz

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Fri., January 11, 2008 Shvat 4, 5768

Israel Time: 02:32 (EST+7)

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Rolling out the red carpet

By Barak Ravid

Half an hour before Air Force 1 landed at Ben-Gurion Airport, Major Oded Nahari gathered the soldiers of the honor guard - a few dozen cadets in pilot and officer training, as well as military police - for a last-minute briefing on the huge plaza hosting the ceremony for President George W. Bush. The soldiers had been drilling since Monday morning, and the climax was quickly approaching. "The pressure is growing," said Nahari to his soldiers. "Everybody check your appearance so that their are no embarrassments," he ordered.

Not far away, the final preparations were hurriedly being completed. The red carpet had been taped down and pressed, the remaining dust and sand had been swept aside, and the flower arrangements put in place. The two presidential Blackhawk helicopters were parked alongside the parade ground, ready and waiting to ferry Bush to his hotel in Jerusalem. And the officials in made sure to make a last check.

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The IDF orchestra also spent endless weeks preparing for the ceremony. Lieutenant Colonel Michael Yaaran was holding the baton and leading his musicians. "We prepared as for any regular ceremony, but just a little harder," he said. "For such an event you have to be exacting over the little things, after all he is the president of the United States."

For Yaaran, this was not the first time he led the orchestra for an U.S. president - he had done so for both Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton during their visits. Much to Yaaran's disappointment, the repertoire for such occasions are expected and traditional. "It is impossible to play what I want," he apologized.

Along with both anthems, the musicians also practiced a number of well-known, popular songs.

Ben-Gurion's Terminal 1 has not been so busy for a long time. Israel's most senior officials made their way to the ceremony by passing the unused border control stations. Cabinet ministers, the chief rabbis, the Knesset speaker, leader of the opposition, religious leaders, the governor of the Bank of Israel, and many more arrived.

One of the few ministers who was absent was Rafi Eitan, who had been in charge of Jonathan Pollard's spy operation. Also missing were State Comptroller Lindenstrauss and Supreme Court President Beinisch.

Just a few minutes before noon, Air Force 1 stopped at the end of the red carpet. Bush may be unpopular among some and a lame duck during his last year in office, but when the door opened and he stepped out, it seemed that even Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi and Police Commissioner David Cohen were a bit excited. Shimon Peres and Ehud Olmert met him, and after Bush remarked on the nice weather, Peres responded with a smile: "We have prayed for you."

The trio continued down the red carpet and reached the long line of dignitaries waiting to greet them. Olmert presented them one by one. One of the first was Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who received two kisses from Bush. She responded with a long whisper in his ear. "We finished the core issues," she joked later. But it seems there may be a bit of truth in the joke.

Bush exchanged remarks with other ministers too. But Eli Yishai stole the show. "Meet the chairman of Shas," said Olmert to the American president, who shook Yishai's hand warmly. Bush had done his homework. Bush said he understood he needed to talk to Yishai the next day to convince him to stay in the government, and Olmert translated. Yishai smiled.

"We will definitely talk about it," Yishai said.

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