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 ...
It’s their land if they can defend it. If not, they will loose it. If we can’t defend our land, we will loose it. Same thing throughout history. Israel cannot expect the rest of the world to protect them throughout eternity.
“.... then, maybe, the world would have a clear cut excuse to unleash on them?
The world has an ‘excuse’ now.
People who need a clear cut excuse in the face of the unmitigated hate by Palis for the Jews are actully suffering a lack of will.
No balls, no peace.
“George and Condi need to consider what happened to Sharon
after he ordered end of the occupation of Gush Kativ and Gaza.”
Ug. I am afraid you are correct.
I am pissed at Bush for this, think he’s wrong on several things, but he’s basically a nice guy.
Bad (worldly) fate in store for him if this continues.
RON PAUL’S A KOOK! Ooops, wrong thread...
The term “excuse” was, I’m sure, intended with some irony. But seriously that would make sense. Create a Pallie state so that the world can FINALLY grok the concept of declaring war on it.
Just having his coming out so to speak.
People forget he was the first setting President to call for an independent Palestinian State, and that was early in his term. We just chose to be ignorant of his intentions.
Reading your Ron Paul pamphlets again, I see.
Don’t worry the evil Jews aren’t out to get you.
Israel will not lose their land. Many people have and will suffer due to the weakness of some of Israel and America's leaders.
Do you really think Israel is totally dependent on America to protect them? Israel and America have a mutual need for each other when it comes to the Arabs.
IMO, Israel can protect herself. It is our Policies that stand in her way. Lets get the heck out of there and let Israel take care of her own affairs.
His implanted Zionist chip has failed, obviously...
Not you too. C’mon......
Nope...don’t even like Ron Paul. We’ve defended Israel for 60 years now, sent billions of tax payers money to them. When does it stop? When we say so or when they say so?
LOL
How about they do it the old fashioned way, fight for it? Oh wait, there was a war already and Israel won. Get off their backs Condi and Bush, terrorist are not our “friends till the end”.
ROTFLMAO
Israel before land for peace:
Jordan is the Palestinian State.
Bush's use of the term "compassionate conservative" was another dead give away to his liberalism.
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