Region | Palestinian Territories
Bush: Israel's security as Jewish state ensured
George W. Bush received a red carpet welcome at Tel Aviv airport, where he was greeted by the entire Israeli cabinet. He said he saw a "new opportunity for peace here in the Holy Land".
- Gulf News Report
- Published: 00:55 January 10, 2008
- Image Credit: Reuters
- Bush with Olmert and Israeli President Shimon Peres listen to the national anthems during a welcome ceremony at the airport.
Dubai: The alliance between the United States and Israel helps guarantee Israel's security as a Jewish state, President George W. Bush said in Tel Aviv on Wednesday as he began a visit to the Middle East aimed at pushing peace negotiations.
Bush received a red carpet welcome at Tel Aviv airport, where he was greeted by the entire Israeli cabinet. He said he saw a "new opportunity for peace here in the Holy Land" as he began his first visit as president. But within hours of his arrival, the Palestinians reported that Israeli forces had killed three people in Gaza.
In Tel Aviv, Israeli President Shimon Peres urged Bush to "stop the madness" of Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas, and warned Iran not to "underestimate our resolve for self-defence".
Bush on his part said he would discuss with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert "our deep desire for security, for freedom, and for peace throughout the Middle East" .
"The alliance between our two nations helps guarantee Israel's security as a Jewish state .... Each of our nations must guard against terror. We must firmly resist those who murder the innocent to achieve their political objectives," he said.
With Israel on top security alert, Bush flew in for his first presidential visit to the region, seeking to score a foreign policy triumph in his last year in office by forging a long-elusive Middle East peace deal. The White House, however, lowered any expectations the trip would produce an early breakthrough. National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley told reporters on Bush's plane that the US "is not looking for big deliverables out of a trip of this sort".
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Saudi Arabia: Ties with Iran to stay
Saudi Arabia said yesterday it was determined to maintain good relations with Iran despite Bush's efforts to rally Gulf Arab allies to contain the Islamic Republic.
"We'll listen to everything the [US] president says. He can raise any issue he likes. We're a neighbour to Iran in the Gulf, which is a small area, so we're keen for harmony and peace among countries in the area," Foreign Minister Saud Al Faisal told a news conference.
- Reuters
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