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

<R04>
Remarks Following a Visit to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, 
Palestinian Territories

January 10, 2008

    Madam Minister, thank you very much for your hospitality. It's been 
a moving moment for me and the delegation to be here at the Church of 
the Nativity. For those of us who practice the Christian faith, there's 
really no more holy site than the place where our Savior was born.
    And I want to thank the Government for arranging this trip. I also 
thank very much the three different churches for welcoming me here. It's 
a fascinating history in this church, and so not only was my soul 
uplifted; my knowledge of history was enriched.
    I want to thank the people of Bethlehem for enduring a Presidential 
trip. I know it's been inconvenient for you. I very much appreciate your 
tolerating my entourage. Someday, I hope that as a result of a formation 
of a Palestinian state there won't be walls and checkpoints, that people 
will be able to move freely in a democratic state. That's the vision, 
greatly inspired by my belief that there is an Almighty and a gift of 
that Almighty to each man, woman, and child on the face of the Earth is 
freedom. And I felt it strongly here today.
    Anyway, thank you very much.

Note: The President spoke at 2:46 p.m. In his remarks, he referred to 
Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khouloud Daibes of the Palestinian 
Authority.