Bush to visit Mideast

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Source: CCTV.com | 01-08-2008 09:00

US leader George W. Bush is about to head off on a 3-day visit to the Middle East. The goal of this trip is to move forward the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. 

A poster showing U.S. President George W. Bush,  center, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, left, and  Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, right, is seen on  the side of a bus. (CCTV.com)

Now takes a look at what's ahead for Bush in his first visit to the troubled region as head of state.

U.S. flags on Jerusalem's highways, banners of President George W. Bush on local buses and a rare presence of security ------ All of these signaled Israel's readiness for the arrival of its closest ally.

After shunning Middle East peacemaking for most of his tenure, Bush will make his first presidential visit to the Holy Land.

George W. Bush, US President, said, "There will be an agreement on what a (Palestinian) state would look like, in my judgment. I think it will happen,I also believe that the leaders know me, and I know them...".

Bush is expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahamoud Abbas, although his West Bank plans are under wraps.

George W. Bush, US President, said, "As I already said, there is going to be a timetable, one timetable is the departure of George W. Bush from the White House. Not that I'm a great, you know, heroic figure, but they know me and they're comfortable with me and I'm a known quantity, and therefore the question is will they decide to make the effort necessary to get the deal done while I'm president."

When U.S. President Bush gazes out of his Jerusalem hotel room this week, the conflict that has confounded generations of politicians will be literally staring him in the face.

Sceptics say Bush's previous hands-off approach and the fact Ehud Olmert and Mahmoud Abbas both lack political clout won't help his cause.

Over 10 thousand police - more than a third of Israel's total police force - have been drafted in to secure the streets of

Jerusalem, including snipers and bomb-sniffing dogs.

But not everyone has welcomed Bush's visit.

Right-wing activists are planning protests against ceding occupied West Bank land they believe God gave to the Jews.

And Islamist group Hamas dismissed the visit as a "photo opportunity" for a has-been president.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei