[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book I)]
[May 17, 2008]
[Pages 692-693]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



The President's Radio Address
May 17, 2008

    Good morning. I'm speaking to you from the Middle East, where 
Laura and I are on a trip to Israel, Saudi 
Arabia, and Egypt.
    When Air Force One touched down at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, I 
was greeted by Israel's President and Prime 
Minister. I joined them in celebrating an 
historic milestone: Israel's 60th anniversary as an independent nation. 
And I assured them that Israel could count on America as a strong and 
steady ally long into the future.
    During our visit, I had conversation with Israel's leaders about 
their efforts to forge peace with the Palestinians and our shared belief 
that a peace agreement is possible this year. I also had the opportunity 
to address members of the Knesset, Israel's elected legislature. I 
reminded these democratic leaders that America was the first nation in 
the world to recognize Israel's independence. I told them that 60 years 
later, America is proud to be Israel's best friend in the world. I 
reaffirmed the principles that make our alliance strong: a love of 
liberty, a devotion to justice, and a respect for human dignity. And I 
said that standing firm on these ideals is the surest way to defeat the 
extremists and build a future of peace for people throughout the Middle 
East.
    For Laura and me, this visit to Israel was an 
especially moving experience. We toured the Bible Lands Museum, saw the 
Dead Sea Scrolls, and visited Masada, an inspiring shrine to Jewish 
courage and sacrifice in the first century. From the window of our hotel 
room, we had a magnificent view of the Old City of Jerusalem, home to 
some of the holiest sites in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. And on 
our final morning in the city, we met some of Israel's young people, 
talented and hopeful citizens who gave me confidence in Israel's future.
    On Friday, we visited another of America's friends in the Middle 
East, Saudi Arabia. I had a series of productive meetings with King 
Abdallah at his farm. 
We celebrated the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the 
United States and Saudi Arabia. We reaffirmed our shared objectives of 
peace in the Holy Land, a secure and united Iraq, and a sovereign, 
independent Lebanon that is free of outside interference. We talked 
about oil production and gasoline prices. We discussed the King's 
efforts to diversify his nation's economy and the importance of 
political reform. And I thanked him for Saudi Arabia's strong commitment 
to fighting terror.
    Our final stop is Egypt, where we are visiting the beautiful resort 
city of Sharm el-Sheikh. I am meeting with a number of key leaders from 
the region, including President Mubarak of Egypt, President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, King Abdullah of Jordan, President Karzai of Afghanistan, Prime Minister Gilani of Pakistan, and several senior officials from 
Iraq's democracy.
    I will also address the World Economic Forum in the Middle East. I 
will stress the importance of building dynamic and diverse economies 
that unleash the creativity and enterprise of citizens throughout the 
region, especially women and young people. I will make clear that the 
only way to ensure true prosperity is to expand political and economic 
freedom. And I will urge leaders across the region to reject spoilers 
such as the regimes in Iran and Syria, move past old grievances, and 
embrace the changes necessary for a day when societies across the Middle 
East are based on justice, tolerance, and freedom.
    Reaching that day will not be easy. But with continued leadership 
from America and our friends in the region, I am confident that it can 
happen. And when that

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day arrives, the Middle East will be more hopeful, the world will be 
more peaceful, and the American people will be more secure.
    Thank you for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at 7 p.m. on May 15 at the King David 
Hotel in Jerusalem, Israel, for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. e.d.t., on May 
17. The transcript was made available by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on May 16, but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. 
Due to the 7-hour time difference, the address was broadcast between the 
President's meetings with President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan and 
President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority in Sharm el-Sheikh, 
Egypt. In his address, the President referred to President Shimon Peres 
and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel; and King Abdallah bin Abd al-
Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia. The Office of the Press Secretary also 
released a Spanish language transcript of this address.