U.S. President George W. Bush shares a laugh with Dalia Itzik (R), speaker of the Israeli parliament, during his visit to the parliament in Jerusalem May 15, 2008.
Bush blamed Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran for their stances on Israel, saying the fight against terror is the defining challenge of the time, a great ideological struggle.
Bush also condemned anti-Semitism in all forms and defended Israel's right to exist, saying al-Qaida, Hezbollah and Hamas, all regarded as terrorist groups in the two countries, will be defeated.
While stressing the United States is Israel's "best friend in the world," Bush made just one mention of the Palestinians in his Knesset speech, saying that 60 years later, Israel will be celebrating its 120th anniversary, and "the Palestinian people will have the homeland they have long dreamed of," which will be "a democratic state that is governed by law, respects human rights, and rejects terror."
Among the attendants were Israeli President Shimon Peres, Speaker of the Knesset Dalia Itzik, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the opposition leader and Likud head Benjamin Netanyahu, the latter three of whom spoke before Bush and lavished their praise on Bush and the United States for the unwavering support for Israel.
In their addresses, Olmert said a two-state solution to the conflicts with the Palestinians "will be approved in the Knesset by a large majority and will be supported by the vast majority of the Israeli public," while Itzik said Israel does not want to control the Palestinians.
The U.S. president is paying a three-day visit to Israel to celebrate the Jewish state's 60th anniversary of independence and discuss the Israeli-Palestinian peace process with Israeli leaders.
After his visit to Israel, Bush will head to Egypt later this week to meet with other Mideast leaders and give another push for the sluggish peace process in the region.
(Xinhua News Agency May 16, 2008)
