Middle East Features
Israel pulls out all the stops as Bush comes to town
Jan 9, 2008, 20:10 GMT
US President George W. Bush smiles during a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, not seen, following their meeting at Olmert\'s residence in Jerusalem, Israel, 09 January 2008. Bush opened his first presidential trip to Israel Wednesday, seeking to build momentum for stalled Mideast peace talks and clear up confusion about whether the United States is serious about confronting Iran about its suspected nuclear ambitions. EPA/LEFTERIS PITARAKIS / POOL
Jerusalem - Israel pulled out all the stops for visiting President George W Bush Wednesday, greeting him with a well- orchestrated welcome as he touched down at Ben Gurion International Airport and praising him as a 'good friend' at every opportunity.
There were demonstrations against the visit, by right-wing Israelis opposed to potential concessions to the Palestinians, and by left-wing groups and Israeli-Arabs angered by what they see as Bush's 'blind support' for the Jewish state. But they were scattered and sporadic and did not succeed in disrupting the visit in any significant manner.
Possibly by design, Israeli President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert even wore suits the same colour - dark blue - as the president's as they greeted him at Ben Gurion airport, and like him, wore blue ties.
Most Israelis consider Bush one of the most supportive American leaders ever toward Israel and the president smiled widely as he stood and waved at the entrance to Air Force 1 several minutes after the aircraft touched down shortly before noon local time (1000 GMT).
'It's good to be with you,' he said as he shook hands with Peres and Olmert after descending the aircraft onto the red carpet laid across the tarmac.
Peres, a veteran politician who has witnessed 11 American administrations, either as a top civil servant, a lawmaker, a minster or a prime minister, apologised for the weather, although the forecast local showers did not materialise during the airport ceremony.
Bush's three-day visit, his first to Israel and the Palestinian territories while in office, is ostensibly aimed at pushing forward the peace process.
In a none-too-subtle reminder that the conflict is about emotions as well as facts on the ground, Bush, as he walked to the receiving line to greet the assembled dignitaries, was serenaded by a military orchestra playing 'Jerusalem of Gold,' a song written shortly before the 1967 war, and which for a short time afterwards became the country's unofficial second national anthem after the Israeli army captured East Jerusalem, including its historic Old City.
Bush gave no indication that he was aware of the significance, but he did show emotion - was visibly moved - some hours later, when he was greeted on arrival at Peres' official residence in Jerusalem by several dozen children who waved Israeli and American flags as they danced and sang an up-tempo medley of Israeli folk songs, including 'Shalom Aleichem' (Peace Unto You).
As the children sang, the two presidents waded into the crowd and slowly swayed to the music. Peres beamed, and a smiling Bush put his arm around one of the boys, and high-fived others.
Inside the residence, red-haired Adi-Bar-Lev sang 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' in Hebrew and English, and another girl sang the song in Arabic.
'It was amazing. It was a great experience. I think I'll remember it forever,' Bar-Lev said afterwards.
Outside the residence, police were arresting Itamar Ben-Gvir and Baruch Marzel, two ultra-nationalist demonstrators with a reputation as 'serial protestors,' who had somehow managed to evade the police cordon and were waving posters depicting Bush wearing an Arab Kaffiyeh headdress.
Peres presented Bush with a replica of two antique menorahs (a ceremonial eight-branched candelabra) commissioned by the Israel Museum. He also gave the president a replica of an ancient silver pendant engraved with biblical verses, as a gift for First Lady Laura Bush, who did not accompany her husband on his trip.
Olmert, who held talks with Bush at his own official residence nearby, on Jerusalem's Balfour street off the somewhat incongruously named Gaza Road, also presented Bush with gifts, but these were more personal.
The president, a bicycle enthusiast, received the uniform of the Israeli national cycle team, a CamelBak-type hydration pack for bikers, and a GPS for bicycle handlebars, with trails of Bush's Texas ranch and riding paths in Israel already uploaded.
Turned on, it showed US and Israeli flags and the sentence: 'To my friend George Bush from one athlete to another, happy trails.'
© 2008 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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Older Talkback
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...and get back to us!
Other 'safe' countries: Turkey, Indonesia, Libya, Morocco....
What is sp on about? He's the main bleater that things are all right in iraq. Why is he changing his tune now? 4 is a fish out of water. flip-flop. flip-flop.
SP4 is most needed in Pakistan, which he failed to mention as one of the most passified, friendly places in the world. While visiting there he can help out by locating osama bin laden, who Musharaff is so deceitfully hiding from
his best buddy GWB. Finding obl should have been easy for the US, after all it pulled the most evil super-villian ever, [remember the old, toothless, weaponless, dirty bum] from a tiny mud hole a few years ago. While in country, SP4 can finally bring democracy to the place, another task that should be so easy, based upon all our post WWII experiences doing it.
Then he can dismantle the narco-terrorist network that is producing the world record amounts of opium and heroin, and buying weapons to kill us with the profits from drug sales. Again, this should be an easy task for SP4 since he has special training, the US has already passified Afghanistan, and created democracy there, and is even sending in another 3000 troops soon.
The opium plants should be real easy to find with their bright colors and all of our troops and modern surveillance capabilities aready in place. As part of the mission accomplished, SP4 can very quickly locate and take out all of the nuclear weapons that the military dictator of Pakistan has built, and arrest the Pakistani people involved with selling weapons technology to our enemy North Korea. SP4 doesn't need to be bothered about helping bring to justice the murderers of Bhutto, since he might now have his hands full fighting for the US.
for president. After doing everything else and making the world safe for Halliburton, what's left? The presiduncy. No experience needed. No brains required, Cheney and company will take care of that for him. SP's arse is already big enough(from sitting on the web all day) so that Cheney's hand up his butt, turning him into a sock puppet, is no problem whatsoever. Say no to Huckleberry, McPain, Rum-ney, and whats-his-name, that goofball fron New york. SPfool for Prez.
Noharness for President in charge of Vice, with Charles for de-fence misappropriations and Realist for obfuscation, I mean Press Secretary. What a team. The A-Team for the Republicants. Winners all.
Why is it that in photos GWB consistently looks like an idiot, a clown, or the moron of Mad magazine? Is it because of the vast left-wing MSM conspiracy
where all the photographers for the ultra-liberal biased media deliberately want the prez to appear to be a total fool? Or is there subtle shrewdness behind the seemingly half-witted smirk on his face? Conventional wisdom would suggest one should not trust such a twisted smile, but then again, the US has elevated this man to be its head of state, and commander in chief.
Setting mere appearances aside, there is more to meet the eyes, but it does not make the pres look any better. If the man is so concerned about the middle east, why has it taken over seven years to make his first diplomatic journey to the region? His gesture now seems to be a lot too little, a lot too late. With his entire credibility destroyed during his tenure in office, there is no way now for him to restore the lost prestige of this president. His legacy is one of complete failure diplomatically, especially in the middle east. While Israeli politians roll out the red carpet and pretend to kiss his butt, they must laugh at him behind his back as they see how easily they manipulate him to take actions desired by Israel, but actions not at all in the genuine national interest of the United States. Then the pres will be off to Saudi Arabia, among other places, to pay homage to his financial controllers, and the creators of al qaeda, the reported perps of 9/11. All this makes for a very marvelous circus clown show, of course presented as grand diplomacy.
As part of SP4's presidential campaign, I suggest a dynamic video ad depicting SP4 on his back, naked, licking cow dung from GWB's boots, while the evil Hellary walks all over him wearing black stilleto heels and a tight mini skirt. This would demonstrate SP4's special diplomatic abilities to please his task masters, and show his keen enthusiam for performing his duties well.
I love it when you folks show how unhinged and, incidentally, unfunny you are. Carry on venting your illness.
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tonny from belgiumJan 9th, 2008 - 20:23:24
Can anybody upload some riding paths in Iraq on his GPS ?It is supposed to be safe now.
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