[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 1 (Monday, January 14, 2008)]
[Pages 48-54]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's News Conference With President Mahmoud Abbas of the 
Palestinian Authority in Ramallah, Palestinian Territories

January 10, 2008

    President Abbas. Your Excellency, President George Bush, President 
of the United States of America, I welcome you in Ramallah, as well as 
in Bethlehem, on the land of Palestine, that welcomes you today as a 
great guest, that goes with him--commitment towards the peace process. 
It's a historic visit that gives our people great hope in the fact that 
your great nation is standing and supporting their dream and their 
yearning towards freedom and independence and living in peace in this 
area alongside their neighbors.
    Our people will not forget, Your Excellency, your invitation and 
your commitment towards the establishment of an independent Palestinian 
state. You are the first American President that confirms and reiterates 
this right.

[At this point, there was a problem with the translation earpiece.]

[[Page 49]]

    President Bush. I haven't got it yet. You may have to start over. 
[Laughter] Not yet. You better stay awake. [Laughter]
    President Abbas. Our people, Your Excellency----
    President Bush. I agree completely. [Laughter]
    President Abbas. Your commitment towards the establishment of the 
independent Palestinian state--you are the first American President to 
reiterate this right. The conferences of Annapolis and Paris were 
historic step from you and from the American people and the world as a 
whole to protect this commitment and push it forward.
    Our Palestinian people, who committed to peace as a strategic 
option, want to see, through your support and your intervention, an end 
to its suffering and the suffering of its people and their families, and 
wants to move freely in their homeland and develop their life and their 
economy without any obstacles that hinder that progress; and without a 
separation wall that fragments the land; and without settlements that is 
governing its land and future. We want to see a different future, where 
prisons are not crowded with thousands of prisoners and where hospitals 
are not crowded with tens of innocent victims every day, without 
checkpoints and queues of ordinary people who suffer from humiliation 
and siege.
    I would like to point out here that we instructed our Government to 
continue the work towards enhancing security and imposing public order 
and establishing good governance that is based on the rule of law and to 
consolidate the role of our democratic institutions and strengthen the 
work of the civil society, as well as work on consolidating development 
and administrative and financial reform and transparency so that we can 
lay the foundations for a modern and democratic state.
    And the Government is taking intensive steps in that direction, and 
I would like to express our appreciation for the support of your 
administration in the economic sphere in order to develop the 
infrastructure and provide new job opportunities and improve the level 
of services and all other projects that contribute in improving the 
lives and the conditions of living for our people.
    We and our Israeli neighbors, and under your direct sponsorship--
bilateral negotiations that address all issues of final status are core 
issues--that we would like to end these negotiations during your term in 
office; and that we--it will be ending by the--ending of the occupation 
that started in 1967, and that establishment of an independent 
Palestinian state and its capital, Jerusalem, based on your vision and 
the international resolutions; and that we find a fair solution for the 
tragedy of refugees, according to the Arab initiative for peace and 
according to the U.N. resolutions.
    And on this occasion, I would like to reiterate before you our full 
commitment to all our obligations that we agreed to. And we call upon 
Israel as well to fulfill its commitments according to the roadmap plan, 
because we firmly believe that peace is made by a will and a shared 
commitment among all parties.
    Your historic visit today to the Palestinian Territories is highly 
appreciated by our people, and it's a new expression of your deep 
commitment towards establishing peace on the land of peace. We 
appreciate the complete seriousness that characterizes your visit and 
your efforts today to continue and build on, capitalize on this 
important opportunity that is available to us and to the Israelis.
    We start with you a new year, hoping that this will be the year for 
the creation of peace. You will hear today in Bethlehem the call for 
prayers from the mosques and the heralding of bells at the Church of 
Nativity. That confirms our common message: The message of human 
tolerance and real peace that is deeply rooted in our conscience and in 
our heritage. Your presence today amongst us, Your Excellency, is a 
reiteration for the call for comprehensive and just peace that you 
called for and you committed yourself to. And the echo of this call 
reaches all the people and the countries in our region, because the 
voice that is now going out of Palestine is the closest and the deepest 
in reaching the hearts of all the people in the region.
    Please, Your Excellency, trust that peace in the world starts from 
here, from the Holy Land. We welcome you again, our dear guest and our 
dear friend, here in Palestine.

[[Page 50]]

    President Bush. Mr. President, thank you for your hospitality. We 
have met a lot in the past, and I'm glad to finally have a chance to sit 
down in your office to discuss important issues.

[There was another problem with the translation earpiece.]

    Is it working? [Laughter] Listen, they say I have enough problems 
speaking English as it is. [Laughter]
    I have had numerous opportunities to visit with the President. And 
the fundamental question I have is whether or not he is committed to 
peace. It's the same question I had for the Prime Minister of Israel. 
And I've come to the conclusion that both men understand the importance 
of two democratic states living side by side in peace.
    President Abbas was elected on a platform of peace. In other words, 
he just wasn't somebody who starts talking about it lately; he 
campaigned on it. He also said that if you give me a chance, I'll work 
hard to improve the lives of the average Palestinians, and that's what 
he has done. It's certainly not easy work. The conditions on the ground 
are very difficult, and nevertheless, this man and his Government not 
only works for a vision but also works to improve the lives of the 
average citizens, which is essential for the emergence of a Palestinian 
democracy.
    I talked today about how--what we can do to help, and, as he 
mentioned, the United States has been an active financial giver. We 
helped at the Paris conference. I firmly believe that the Palestinians 
are entrepreneurial people who, if just given a chance, will be able to 
grow their businesses and provide jobs.
    We talked about the need to fight off the extremists. The world in 
which we live is a dangerous world because there are people who murder 
innocent people to achieve political objectives, not just here in this 
immediate part of the world but around the world. That's what we're 
dealing with in Iraq and Afghanistan and Lebanon. And the fundamental 
question is, will nations stand up and help those who understand the 
ideological struggle we're in? And the President understands the 
ideological struggle. He knows that a handful of people want to dash the 
aspirations of the Palestinian people by creating chaos and violence.
    And I appreciate that, Mr. President. And I appreciate your 
understanding that, ultimately, the way to achieve peace is to offer an 
alternative vision, and that's a vision based upon liberty.
    Now, look, there are some in the world who don't believe in the 
universality of freedom. I understand that. They say, like, freedom is 
okay for some of us, but maybe not all of us. I understand it, but I 
reject it. I believe in the universality of freedom. I believe deep in 
the soul of every man, woman, and child on the face of this Earth is the 
desire to live in a free society. And I also believe free societies 
yield peace. And therefore, this notion of two states living side by 
side in peace is based upon the universality of freedom, and if given a 
chance, the Palestinian people will work for freedom.
    And that's a challenge ahead of us--is, is it possible for the 
Israelis and the Palestinians to work out their differences on core 
issues so that a vision can emerge? And my answer is, absolutely, it's 
possible. Not only is it possible; it's necessary. And I'm looking 
forward to helping.
    You know, there's a great anticipation that all the American 
President has got to do is step in and just say, okay, this is the way 
it's going to be. That's not how the system works. In order for there to 
be lasting peace, President Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert have to come 
together and make tough choices. And I'm convinced they will. And I 
believe it's possible--not only possible; I believe it's going to 
happen--that there will be a signed peace treaty by the time I leave 
office. That's what I believe. And the reason I believe that is because 
I hear the urgency in the voice of both the Prime Minister of Israel and 
the President of the Palestinian Authority.
    Is it going to be hard work? You bet. And we can help support these 
negotiations, and will. I was asked yesterday at a press conference, you 
know, what do you intend to do? If you're not going to write the 
agreement, what do you intend to do? I said, nudge the process forward. 
Like, pressure; be a pain if I need to be a pain, which in some people's 
mind isn't all that hard. And they said, well, like--yesterday, somebody

[[Page 51]]

said, well, are you disappointed? I arrived, and it nudged the process 
forward. In other words, we can help influence the process, and will. 
But the only lasting peace will be achieved when the duly elected 
leaders of the respective peoples do the hard work.
    And so I want to help. And I want to help in the region as well, Mr. 
President. The rest of my trip will be talking about, obviously, 
security threats, but also the opportunity to achieve peace. And the 
Arab world has got an opportunity and obligation, in my judgment, to 
help both parties in these negotiations move the process forward.
    I explained yesterday, and I just want to explain again today, there 
are three tracks to this process, as far as we're concerned. One is the 
negotiations to define a vision that will be subject to the roadmap.
    Secondly is to resolve--help resolve roadmap issues. And today I 
introduced the President to the General--three-star Air Force General 
who will be running this process. We have agreed to a trilateral process 
and want to help the Israelis and the Palestinians resolve their 
differences over roadmap issues.
    And thirdly is to help the Palestinians develop the infrastructure 
necessary for a democracy, an economy, and security forces that are 
capable of doing what the President and the Prime Minister want to have 
done. And we're very much engaged. I'm looking forward to seeing Tony 
Blair tomorrow, who is the Quartet's representative, and to find out 
what he has been doing and what progress is being made.
    I am confident that with proper help a--the state of Palestine will 
emerge. And I'm confident that when it emerges, it will be a major step 
toward peace. I am confident that the status quo is unacceptable, Mr. 
President, and we want to help you. And I appreciate your vision; and I 
appreciate your courage; and I appreciate your hospitality; and I 
appreciate you giving me a chance to talk to the press, of course. 
[Laughter]
    A couple of questions, I understand.

Palestinian Authority-Israel Security Situation/Israeli Settlements

    Q. Mr. President Abu Mazen, what are the results of your--this 
visit? Mr. President Bush, you said more than once that the Palestinian 
side must fulfill its obligations. And Mr. Fayyad has had a security 
plan to help. And--[inaudible]--went to Annapolis, and he commended that 
security plan, and then Israel destroyed all those efforts in Annapolis. 
How can the Palestinian Authority do security efforts that are 
successful while Israel destroys and undermines all their efforts in the 
occupied territories?
    The other side of the question: Are you willing to give guarantees 
for the Palestinian side to declaring a freezing on settlements 
immediately? And thank you.
    President Abbas. We are fully satisfied with the outcome that we 
reached through this visit of Mr. President George Bush. We spoke about 
all topics that might occur to your mind and that might not occur to 
your mind as well. All the issues are in agreement. We are agreed on all 
topics. All topics are clear.
    In the near future, in the coming few days, we are going to 
bilateral negotiations with the Israelis in order to discuss the final 
status negotiations, final status issues. And as Mr. President said, 
there are three themes. The other theme is implementing the roadmap 
through the committee, the trilateral committee. And the third point is 
the economic and security conditions in Palestinian Territories. We have 
great hopes that during 2008 we will reach the final status and a peace 
treaty with Israel.
    President Bush. Each side has got obligations under the roadmap. 
Settlements are clearly stated in the roadmap obligations for Israel. We 
have made our concerns about expansion of settlements known, and we 
expect both parties to honor their obligations under the roadmap.
    Secondly, we're spending--General Dayton is spending a lot of time 
trying to help the President and the Prime Minister develop security 
forces that are effective. There's no question in my mind the commitment 
to provide security for the average citizen is strong. The question is 
the capabilities. And the truth of the matter is, there needs to be a 
fair amount of work done to make sure that the security forces are 
modernized, well-trained, and prepared with a proper chain of command to 
respond. And

[[Page 52]]

I will tell you, I firmly believe the security forces are improving.
    I remember our visit in New York, and we discussed this during the 
U.N. General Assembly. And by any objective measurement, the Palestinian 
security forces in the West Bank are improving.
    And so my message to the Israelis is that they ought to help, not 
hinder, the modernization of the Palestinian security force. It's in 
their interests that a government dedicated to peace and understanding 
the need for two states to live side by side in peace have a modern 
force.
    It's got--very important for the Government to be able to assure 
people that if there is a need, there will be an effective force to 
provide security. That's just step one of having credibility with the 
people. And to the extent that Israeli actions have undermined the 
effectiveness of the Palestinian force or the authority of the state 
relative to the average citizen is something that we don't agree with 
and have made our position clear.
    Myers, she just called on you.

Palestinian Authority-Israel Security Situation/Palestinian State

    Q. [Inaudible]
    President Bush. No, that's the roadmap obligation I was talking 
about.
    Q. Mr. President, thank you. I understand you drove in today, and so 
I assume you passed through the security barrier on the way in----
    President Bush. Yes.
    Q. ----and President Abbas talked about some of the obstacles that 
confront Palestinians in their daily life. And I wonder if you could 
reflect on your own impression.
    President Bush. Yes. He's asking me about the checkpoints I drove 
through and what--my impression about what it was like to drive through 
checkpoints. I can understand why the Palestinians are frustrated 
driving through checkpoints. I can also understand that until confidence 
is gained on both sides, why the Israelis would want there to be a sense 
of security. In other words, they don't want a state on their border 
from which attacks would be launched. I can understand that. Any 
reasonable person can understand that. Why would you work to have a 
state on your border if you weren't confident they'd be a partner in 
peace?

    And so checkpoints create frustrations for people. They create a 
sense of security for Israel; they create massive frustrations for the 
Palestinians. You'll be happy to hear that my motorcade of a mere 45 
cars was able to make it through without being stopped. But--
[laughter]--I'm not so exactly sure that's what happens to the average 
person. And so the whole object is to create a state that is capable of 
defending itself internally and giving confidence to its neighbor that 
checkpoints won't be needed.

    Now, the vision of the Palestinian state is one of contiguous 
territory. In other words, as I said earlier in my administration, I 
said, Swiss cheese isn't going to work when it comes to the outline of a 
state. And I mean that. There is no way that this good man can assure 
the Palestinians of a hopeful future if there's not contiguous 
territory. And we--that position is abundantly clear to both sides. 
Therefore, the ultimate vision, of course, is there be no checkpoints 
throughout the Palestinian state-to-be.

    And, you know, this is the issue. We're working through how to gain 
enough confidence on both sides so that checkpoints won't be necessary 
and a state can emerge. My judgment is, I can understand frustrations. I 
mean, I hear it a lot. I heard it but--you know, the chief negotiator 
spent 2 hours at a checkpoint. All he was trying to do was go negotiate. 
And I can see that--I can see the frustrations. Look, I also understand 
that people in Israel--and the truth of the matter is, in the 
Palestinian Territories, the average citizen wants to know whether or 
not there's going to be protection from the violent few who murder.

    The security of a state is essential, particularly in a day and age 
when people simply disregard the value of human life and kill. And so 
these checkpoints reflect the reality, Myers. And what we're trying to 
do is alter the reality by laying out a vision that is much more hopeful 
than the status quo.

    Question.

[[Page 53]]

Middle East Peace Process/Israeli Settlements

    Q. [Inaudible]--Mr. President George W. Bush, you lead the 
superpower in this world. You launched war against Iraq after the Iraqi 
leadership refused to implement the United Nations resolutions. My 
question now is, what the problem to ask Israel just to accept and to 
respect the United Nations resolutions relating to the Palestinian 
problem, which--[inaudible]--facilitating the achievement of ending the 
Israeli occupation to the Arab territories and--[inaudible]--
facilitating also the solution between Palestinians and the Israelis?
    And for Mahmoud Abbas, did you ask President George Bush to ask 
Israel to freeze settlements fully in order to enable negotiations from 
success?
    President Bush. Yes, but tell me the part about the U.N. thing 
again? What were you--I couldn't understand you very well.
    Q. I just asked, why you ask Israel to accept the United Nations 
resolutions related to the Palestinian problem just to facilitate the 
solution and to end the occupation?
    President Bush. Actually, I'm asking Israel to negotiate in good 
faith with an elected leader of the Palestinian Territory to come up 
with a permanent solution that--look, the U.N. deal didn't work in the 
past. And so now we're going to have an opportunity to redefine the 
future by having a state negotiated between an elected leader of the 
Palestinian people as well as the Prime Minister of Israel. This is an 
opportunity to move forward. And the only way for--the only way to 
defeat the terrorists in the long run is to offer an alternative vision 
that is more hopeful. And that's what we're attempting to do, sir.
    We can stay stuck in the past, which will yield nothing good for the 
Palestinians, in my judgment. We can chart a hopeful future, and that's 
exactly what this process is intending to do: to redefine the future for 
the Palestinian citizens and the Israelis.
    I am confident that two democratic states living side by side in 
peace is in the interests not only of the Palestinians and the Israelis 
but of the world. The question is whether or not the hard issues can be 
resolved and the vision emerges so that the choice is clear amongst the 
Palestinians--the choice being, do you want this state, or do you want 
the status quo? Do you want a future based upon a democratic state, or 
do you want the same old stuff? And that's a choice that I'm confident 
if the Palestinian people are given, they will choose peace.
    And so that's what we're trying to do, sir.
    President Abbas. The settlement for us is considered an obstacle for 
negotiations. And we have spoke more than once with Mr. Prime Minister 
Olmert very frankly. And we also spoke in this meeting with President 
George Bush, and consequently, the President understood this issue. And 
we have heard the statements given by the Secretary of State, Dr. Rice, 
and she had her--her point of view regarding settlements was very 
positive.

Gaza/Hamas

    Q. Good morning. President Bush, Prime Minister Olmert said that 
peace is unlikely as long as Gaza militants continue their attacks on 
Israel. How do you see President Abbas getting control of Gaza?
    And you, Mr.--President Abbas, how do you intend, actually, to get 
control of Gaza, and do you think this is feasible by the end of the 
year and by--at the end of Mr. Bush Presidency?
    President Bush. First of all, Gaza is a tough situation. I don't 
know whether you can solve it in a year or not. But I know this: It 
can't be solved unless the Prime Minister--the President has a vision 
that he can lay out to the people of Gaza that says, here's your choice: 
Do you want those who have created chaos to run your country, or do you 
want those of us who negotiated a settlement with the Israelis that will 
lead for lasting peace?
    There is a competing vision taking place in Gaza. And in my 
judgment, Hamas, which I felt ran on a campaign of, we're going to 
improve your lives through better education and better health, have 
delivered nothing but misery. And I'm convinced his Government will 
yield a hopeful future. And the best way to make that abundantly clear 
is for there to be a vision that's understandable.
    See, the past has just been empty words, you know. We--actually, it 
hasn't been that

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much--I'm the only President that's really articulated a two-state 
solution so far. But saying two states really doesn't have much bearing 
until borders are defined, right of return issues resolved, there's--
Jerusalem is understood, security measures--the common security measures 
will be in place. That's what I'm talking about. I'm talking about a 
clear, defined state around which people can rally.
    And there's going to be--there will be no better difference, a 
clearer difference, than the vision of Hamas in Gaza and the vision of 
the President and the Prime Minister and his team based here in 
Ramallah. And to me, that's how you solve the issue in the long term. 
And the definition of long term--I don't know what it means. I'm not a 
timetable person. Actually, I am on a timetable; I've got 12 months. 
[Laughter] But it's--I'm impressed by the President's understanding 
about how a vision and a hopeful future is--will help clearly define the 
stakes amongst the Palestinian people.
    President Abbas. Gaza is considered a coup by us; we consider it a 
coup d'etat what happened in Gaza.

[A call to prayer could be heard in the background.]

    President Abbas. Now, with a call to prayer--we consider it a coup 
d'etat. [Laughter] And we deal with Gaza at two levels. The first is 
that we deal with the people as part of us, and we take full 
responsibility that is necessary towards our people. We spend in Gaza 58 
percent of our budget. This is not to--it is our duty towards our people 
that we provide them with all they need.
    As for the issue of Hamas, we said that this is a coup; and they 
have to retreat from this coup; and they have to recognize international 
legitimacy, all international legitimacy, and to recognize the Arab 
peace initiative as well. In this case, we can--we will have another 
talk.
    President Bush. Thank you all.

Note: The President's news conference began at 11:12 a.m. at the Muqata. 
In his remarks, the President referred to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of 
Israel; Lt. Gen. William M. Fraser III, USAF, U.S. monitor of the 
Israeli-Palestinian roadmap peace plan; Lt. Gen. Keith W. Dayton, USA, 
U.S. security coordinator to Israel and the Palestinian Authority; and 
Quartet Representative in the Middle East Tony Blair. A reporter 
referred to Prime Minister Salam Fayyad of the Palestinian Authority. 
President Abbas and some reporters spoke in Arabic, and their remarks 
were translated by an interpreter.