[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 49 (Monday, December 10, 2007)]
[Page 1554]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following a Meeting With the U.S.-Palestinian Public-Private 
Partnership

December 3, 2007

    It's been my honor and the honor of key members of my administration 
to welcome Minister Abu Daqqa here. She's the Minister of Youth for the 
Palestinians. I also want to welcome friends, business leaders, 
community activists who are committed to a public-private partnership to 
help the Palestinian Government provide hope, particularly for the 
young--she's the Minister of Youth.
    And so Walter Isaacson and the other leaders here have outlined a 
strategy to us as to how we can make sure our USAID money and our OPIC 
money can be leveraged with private participation to help the 
Palestinians develop a civil society that is a key part of making sure 
that the vision of two states living side by side in peace becomes a 
reality.
    And so Madam Minister, you're seeing the best of America. You're 
seeing private citizens who care deeply about peace come together with a 
Government that is dedicated to a two-state solution to develop a 
strategy to help you succeed.
    And one of the things that interests me a lot is the fact that we 
are going to help the Palestinians develop youth centers, places where 
young Palestinians can come and learn new technical skills or language 
skills or have mentoring programs, all aimed at saying, there is a 
hopeful future; a future where you don't have to adhere to violence; a 
future where radicalism is not in your sights; a future where peace is 
possible.
    And so we're proud you're here in America. We want to thank you for 
your commitment to living side by side with Israel in peace. You have a 
friend here in the United States to help you achieve this objective.
    And I want to thank my fellow citizens for being so spirited that 
you're willing to take time out of your busy lives to help this young 
democracy get up on its feet and eventually lead the peace that we all 
are so hopeful for.
    Thank you very much.

Note: The President spoke at 2:25 p.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the 
White House. In his remarks, he referred to Walter Isaacson, president 
and chief executive officer, Aspen Institute.