    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book I)]
    [May 14, 2008]
    [Pages 679-680]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks During a Meeting With President Shimon Peres of Israel in Jerusalem, Israel
    May 14, 2008

        President Peres. Mr. President, Secretary of State, distinguished
    delegation: I got permission from the Americans to be a--and Miss Tzipi
    Livni, our Foreign Minister--I got permission to be, all my life, an
    optimist. And you bring with you optimism, so I feel a sort of
    competition. [Laughter] But let me say that I know you have elections
    sometimes, by the end of this year, and maybe there will be a change of
    administration, a change of guards. I think before you will leave
    office, you will see a change of guards here in the Middle East.
        President Bush. Yes.
        President Peres. What looks today so gloomy may be the last effort
    by some very extremist group to remain alive. Because it's concentrated,
    it becomes sharp and clear, particularly in two places. In Lebanon,
    Hizballah is simply destroying Lebanon. It's a matter that concerns not
    only the United States or Israel; it concerns the Arab world. For them,
    the destruction of Lebanon is the destruction of statehood in many other
    places. And it's a protest without a message. And the second goes to
    Gaza, where Hamas is responding to the establishment of a Palestinian
    state. I think you, and may I say the Secretary of State, invested so
    much effort to enable the Palestinians to correct the historic mistakes
    in--from 1947, because would they then accept an Arab state, we wouldn't
    have all these troubles. But never the mind, we cannot change the past.
        But today, the real obstacle, when I consider everything else for--
    before creation of--the--[inaudible]--recreation of a Palestinian state,
    is Hamas. And talking with the Palestinians, I know that's their view.
    We are not their enemies, as we are not enemies of Lebanon. On the
    contrary, I think we would like to see a united, integrated Lebanon
    living in peace, who don't have any ambitions neither to their water,
    nor to their land, nor to their politics. We would like to see the
    Palestinians living together. They suffered a great deal of their life.
    The separation is a tragedy for them and for the rest of us.
        Now the Arab world will have to take a stand, not about the conflict
    between us and them, but about their own destiny, where are they moving.
    And that will affect us.
        Your 8 years were very moving years for all of us.
        President Bush. Thank you.
        President Peres. [Inaudible]--that you can really watch a friendship
    without any bad mood. And I know that we are not the--[inaudible]--half
    the time. But you never interrupted your understanding, your support----
        President Bush. Thank you.
        President Peres. ----and really trying to do whatever you, your
    administration, and the lady who is on the State Department really did
    then to help us negotiate a difficult time.
        So for us, it's a celebration not only because we're a little bit
    older--60 years, it's not too much--but also because we feel that our
    efforts are not in vain. And it is in this optimistic view that I
    welcome you here.
        President Bush. Thank you, sir.
        President Peres. Thank you.
        President Bush. Mr. President, it's great to be with you. You're
    known as a wise soul, and your comments reflect your wisdom. I am
    delighted to be here for the 60th birthday party. As a person who is 61
    years old, it doesn't seem that old. [Laughter]
        But I suspect if you looked back 60 years ago and tried to guess
    where Israel would

    [[Page 680]]

    be at that time, it would be hard to be able to project such a
    prosperous, hopeful land. No question, people would have said, ``Well,
    we'd be surrounded by hostile forces.'' But I doubt people would have
    been able to see the modern Israel, which is one reason I bring so much
    optimism to the Middle East, because what happened here is possible
    everywhere.
        And the objective of the United States must be to, one, support our
    strongest ally and friend in the Middle East that won't--only true
    democracy against the forces of terror that you just described--and at
    the same time, talk about a hopeful future.
        So I'm really looking forward to my time here. I want to thank you
    for giving me a chance to speak to the Knesset. I hear it's quite an
    experience. It'll be a huge honor to represent my country for your 60th
    birthday.
        In the meantime, we will continue to work toward a vision of--where
    the--where people who are just reasonable and want a chance to live at
    peace with Israel have that opportunity, and at the same time, speak
    clearly about those forces of terror who murder innocent people to
    achieve their political objectives and how the world must stand against
    them.
        And so I want to thank you for giving me a chance to come by and see
    you again. And you're looking good. [Laughter] I hope you're feeling
    well.
        Thank you, sir.
        President Peres. Thank you very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 2:29 p.m. at the President's residence.