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During his landmark visit to Israel this month, President Bush reaffirmed his steadfast commitment to a strong U.S.-Israel relationship and the security of the Jewish state.
Embarking on a week-long trip that included a swing through several Arab capitals, the president warned of the grave dangers posed by Iran and its pursuit of nuclear weapons, and sought to build on the progress made between Israel and the Palestinians at the Annapolis conference in November.
President Bush arrived in Israel on January 9, the first leg of a historic visit to the Middle East, and his first trip to the Jewish state since taking office. Flanked by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and President Shimon Peres as he stepped off Air Force One at Ben-Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, the president lauded the historically close ties between Israel and the United States. “The United States and Israel are strong allies,” President Bush said, “and the alliance between our two nations helps guarantee Israel's security as a Jewish state.”
Iran a Threat to Peace
The president spent his first day in Jerusalem, where he discussed a variety of regional issues with Olmert and Peres, most notably Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability.
“I said then that Iran was a threat, Iran is a threat, and Iran will be a threat if the international community does not come together and prevent that nation from the development of the know-how to build a nuclear weapon,” Bush told reporters following nearly three hours of talks with the prime minister. “A country which has made statements that it’s made about the security of our friend, Israel, is a country that needs to be taken seriously. And the international community must understand with clarity the threat that Iran provides to world peace.”
Palestinians Must Fight Terrorism
Turning to the ongoing negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA), the president reiterated his vision of two states living side-by-side in peace and security. The nearly two-dozen rockets and mortars fired at Israel on the day he arrived, however, served as a chilling reminder of the risks of pursuing that vision. “You can’t expect the Israelis—and I certainly don’t—to accept a state on their border which would become a launching pad for terrorist activities,” he said, adding that he would share that message with PA President Mahmoud Abbas during their meeting the following day.
Following a series of meetings in Ramallah with Abbas and Prime Minister Fayyad, the president returned to Jerusalem for a final round of talks with Olmert. In a speech outlining a set of general guidelines for an agreement between the parties, Bush acknowledged that “any agreement is subject to implementation of the road map,” and demanded from the Palestinian side that it fulfill its obligations by “confronting terrorists and dismantling terrorist infrastructure.”
“No agreement and no Palestinian state will be born of terror,” President Bush declared. “I reaffirm America’s steadfast commitment to Israel’s security.”
Arab States Must Show Commitment to Peace
President Bush departed Israel for a tour of several Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, where he sought to reassure regional allies of the United States’ staunch commitment to preventing the Iranian regime from acquiring nuclear weapons. The president also pressed his Arab counterparts to play a constructive role in the Israeli-Palestinian diplomatic process by providing both diplomatic and economic support to the Palestinian Authority led by Abbas and Fayyad, while continuing to isolate the terrorist group Hamas and beginning to normalize relations with Jerusalem.
“Arab leaders have an obligation to recognize Israel’s important contribution to peace and stability in the Middle East,” the president said earlier in Jerusalem, “and to encourage and support the Palestinians as they make tough choices.”
Bush will return to the Middle East in May to celebrate Israel’s 60th anniversary, and to further demonstrate the U.S. commitment to the Jewish state as it seeks peace with its neighbors.
