    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book II)]
    [November 26, 2007]
    [Page 1492]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Prior to a Meeting With Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel
    November 26, 2007

        President Bush. Mr. Prime Minister, welcome. It's an honor to have
    you back in the Oval Office. Thanks for coming to the Annapolis
    Conference. I'm looking forward to continuing our serious dialog with
    you and the President of the Palestinian Authority to see whether or not peace is possible. I'm
    optimistic. I know you're optimistic, and I want to thank you for your
    courage and your friendship. I'm proud your--I'm proud of you.
        Prime Minister Olmert. Thank you very much, Mr. President. I'm
    delighted to come with my colleagues to--another time to the Oval
    Office. This time it's different because we are going to have lots of
    participants in what I hope will launch a serious process of
    negotiations between us and the Palestinians. This will be a bilateral
    process, but the international support is very important for us.
        And I thank you for the efforts that you, President, made in order
    to make it possible, and the Secretary of State, together with us, in
    order to come to this point where from we and the Palestinians will sit
    together in Jerusalem and work out something that will be very good to
    create a great hope for our peoples.
        President Bush. Thank you, sir. Thank you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:53 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to President Mahmoud Abbas of the
    Palestinian Authority.