Bush To Make His First Official Visit To Israel
United States President George W. Bush will make an official visit to Israel in January, Haaretz learned on Tuesday.
During his visit, Bush is expected to focus on promoting Israeli-Palestinian negotiations in the framework of agreements reached at last week’s Mideast peace conference, held in Annapolis, Maryland,
This visit will be Bush’s first visit to Israel since he took office seven years ago. Bush visited Israel in 1998 when he was governor of Texas. In contrast, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Israel three times in the six week period leading up to the Annapolis peace summit.
White House National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe confirmed Tuesday that “the president will go to the Mideast region in early January.” He would not provide details about which countries Bush would visit during his trip.
Bush’s visit will come approximately one month after the Annapolis conference. Last week, Bush was criticized by American columnists for not having visited Israel. With this visit, Bush hopes to demonstrate his commitment to the peace process relaunched in Annapolis.
Bush is also expected to discuss with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert the issue of Iran’s nuclear program, and steps to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.
Last week, Haaretz reported that Bush had been invited to take part in Israel’s 60th anniversary celebrations in 2008.
Officials at the Prime Minister’s Office reported that Bush’s visit has not yet been confirmed, but it will likely take place in January, and will likely include a tour of Gulf States as well.
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Why do they have to announce this so far in advance? I’m sure the Israelis have all angles covered, but, you never know.
December 4th, 2007 at 6:04 pmAfter 7 years he quacks into Israel as a lame duck, pretty ballsy!
December 4th, 2007 at 6:14 pmI’m afraid Bush and Israel’s uber-crooked PM are cooking up an horrendous catastrophe for the Jewish people. I blame Bush 30%, Olmert 70%.
This visit promises to be a travesty.
December 4th, 2007 at 7:38 pmIts a shame hes not going to meet PM BN instead of Olmert. Oh in a perfect world Netanyahu would lead that country. No land for terrorists.
JewishOdysseus, I hope you’re wrong. we need to say screw the Palestinians and not give away any Jewish land.
December 4th, 2007 at 9:02 pmThe Pals. have just about kicked out or killed all the christians, now alls left is the jews. Palestine was nevr a country of its own until the jewish country of israel was set up alongside a palestinian one, and to dat the palestinians , rather than build their state, have made war with israel and taken welfare from the UN. Now they have Gaza and what ahave they done, wreaked havoc on remaining christians, destroyed temples, and brought in arms to continue to fight the country that conceded that land to them. will it ever happen that we will wise up and declare wasr against these people? If you think the arabs will unite against us, guess again, they are run by spoiled rich monarchies that dont want to see their livelihoods taken away. start the war, win it, and expand your land base.
December 4th, 2007 at 10:30 pmBush- “I pledge allegiance to the State of Israel er I mean the United States and to its survival er I mean to the Republican’s one nation blah blah”
December 5th, 2007 at 6:20 am