Posted on 01/10/2008 1:44:39 PM PST by Wiz
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush, hardening his tone towards Israel on Thursday, urged an end to "the occupation" of the West Bank and pushed for a peace treaty to be signed within a year to create a Palestinian state.
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The United States rarely uses the politically charged word "occupation" to describe Israel's hold on lands captured in a 1967 war. It is a term Palestinians seeking a state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip employ frequently to describe their plight.
"The establishment of the state of Palestine is long overdue. The Palestinian people deserve it," Bush said in a statement he read to reporters in a Jerusalem hotel.
Bush's language, after he traveled to the West Bank city of Ramallah past Israeli checkpoints and settlements, could cause political pain to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, whose right-wing coalition partners usually bridle at such remarks.
"There should be an end to the occupation that began in 1967," Bush said. He had earlier met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and visited Bethlehem, also in the West Bank.
Bush pressed the Palestinians to rein in militants. He said any negotiations must also ensure Israel has "secure, recognized and defensible borders" alongside a "viable, contiguous, sovereign and independent" Palestine.
Challenging skeptics of his new push for peace on the first U.S. presidential visit to Ramallah, he told a news conference with Abbas: "I believe it's going to happen, that there will be a signed peace treaty by the time I leave office."
An Israeli official said Bush's remarks were the basis for moving forward with negotiations.
"We accept them. We see them as consistent with understandings with the Americans and as a positive foundation for moving forward," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
I feel that Rice is having a very strong influence on President Bush these days.
Israel to Bush: Could you grab the knife you just put in my back? I can’t reach it.
The word occupation is so woefully ignorant and charged here that it boggles the mind.
Tell us Mr. President. Are the Palestinians who live in Israel, occupying Israel?
They sure do. I wish somebody would give it to them good, once and for all.
Everytime an American President tries to force concessions from Israel in order to create his own legacy, Israelis die. Clinton ushered in the second intifada, now Bush will issue in the 3rd.
Kiss that Islamoazz.
This thing is not ending in out life time. Too much money in it for both sides and we are paying for it. If they were serious, all they have to do is say “War or Peace” and down to it. We have supported Israel since 1947........how much longer? When do they stand up on their own or get the hell out?
Many mexicans call for an end to the US occupation of most of the southwest, too, but I pray that never happens...
“Tell us Mr. President. Are the Palestinians who live in Israel, occupying Israel?”
He might as well ask Americans to stop the occupation of America!
(... on second thought, maybe that’s what the amnesty thing was all about...)
Stick around.....I am sure there's more disappointment coming.
What happened to Bush?
Mr. President,
I guess since you have failed at protecting our borders you want to make Isreal bend over and touch there knee’s. Not much longer. Can’t wait.
All I can say America is duck. Whenever something like this happens, we get an earthquake or the like.
Translates to “Raus Juden”.
No doubt...
Good call.
Money is in the way. Our tax money and control what we do or don’t do. Our government has rolled over on us.
I can see decades from now, when Bush is in his dottage, him pulling a Jimmy Carter and calling for the US to end its “occupation” of the Southwest. Doesn’t Bush realize that, when the rest of the world uses the word “occupation”, they mean ALL of Israel? Or maybe he does realize it. He is such a disappointment, words fail me.
Is there some psychological method to the madness here? IE, give the Palis a homeland, which they say is all they are asking for to stop the violence.
Once they have it, and the violence and death wish for Israel contine, then, maybe, the world would have a clear cut excuse to unleash on them?
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