Bush leaves for Middle East

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Source: CCTV.com | 01-09-2008 13:33

US President, George W. Bush, has left for his eight-day trip to the Middle East in a bid to revive the peace process. Bush is expected to arrive in Israel at midday on Wednesday.

President George W. Bush departs Andrews Air Force  Base outside Washington for Israel January 8, 2008.  REUTERS/Larry Downing

He is also scheduled to visit the West Bank and five other countries. As Zeng Siwei tells us, there's mixed reactions to the visit by the US leader.

It's the first time for Bush to visit Israel and the West Bank since becoming US president seven years ago.

During the next three days, Bush will meet with Israeli and Palestinian leaders aimed at energizing still-sluggish peace talks.

A senior official of the Palestinian National Authority views Bush's trip to the region as important in the process of securing peace and achieving Palestinian statehood.

But Hamas is rejecting the US leader's visit.

Fawzi Barhoum. Hamas Spokesman, said, "The Bush visit to the region is unwelcome and is part of an American policy based on aggression and promoting divisions and rifts between people in the region."

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)

Critics of Bush's peace-making mission have been staging demonstrations.

In Gaza City, the Islamic Jihad has rallied hundreds of men and boys to protest the Bush's visit.

Meanwhile, in Har Homa, a Jewish neighborhood in a part of Jerusalem claimed by the Palestinians, Israeli right-wing activists have been demonstrating against the visit and calling for new settlements.

Israeli police have prepared a major increase of forces in the area.

And, security in Jerusalem is at its highest level ahead of Bush's arrival.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei