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U.S. President George W. Bush speaking in Jerusalem on Wednesday. (Ch. 1) Last update - 00:41 15/05/2008 Bush: We must be firm in face of those who murder the innocent By Sara Miller, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Ehud Olmert, George W. Bush  Israel and the United States needed to be "steadfast in the face of those who would murder the innocent" in pursuit of their goals, U.S. President George W Bush said in an address before the "Facing Tomorrow" presidential conference Wednesday night. Addressing an international conference in Jerusalem, he said Israel and the United States shared a "powerful" belief "to advance the cause of hope, freedom and liberty, as the great alternative to tyranny and terror." The U.S., he said, was "Israel's oldest and best friend in the world" and the bonds between the two countries grew stronger "with every passing year." Advertisement Closing his brief remarks at the Jerusalem Convention Center, Bush said he looked forward to the day when "every child in the Middle East will live in peace." "We know that day will come, and when it does, the U.S. will be at your [Israel's] side," he said. Bush did not mention in his speech the current Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, which resumed under his auspices at the turn of the year. But he has scheduled meetings with Israeli leaders during his visit, and is set hold talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm al-Sheikh on Saturday and Sunday. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who spoke immediately before the U.S. president, thanked President Shimon Peres, who is hosting the international event, and said "your ardent dedication to Israel... is unmatched. Thank you Mr. president for everything." The prime minister also lavished praise on U.S. President George W. Bush, who spoke directly after him, saying "he is a great leader, a great friend, a source of inspiration and we are very proud that we can celebrate the 60th anniversary of the state of Israel with you and your wife here in our eternal capital, Jerusalem." "Our core beliefs, our founding values and our aspirations are all drawn from the same inspirations. With full confidence I say that the U.S. under your leadership represents the pinnacle of this friendship," he added. Peres, who spoke before Olmert, opened his address with praise Bush, whom he credits for "mov[ing] us with your friendship and resolve to stop terror in the region and offer[ing] peace to its inhabitants." "Without the support of your people and without your support and that of the American presidents before you, attaining [independence] would have been an extremely difficult task," Peres said. Peres praised Bush's predecessors in office, including his father for agreeing to Israel's request to aid the airlift of Jews from Sudan in what became known as "Operation Moses." "You encouraged us when we were alone to establish a real democracy, to develop a modern economy," Peres said. "We built an army that sought victory and a people that sought peace." The president said history would like kindly upon Bush's policies in the region. "It will be heard when history depicts your courage and decisiveness while addressing challenges that faced the U.S.A. and in fact the entire world," Peres said. "You taught the world that it is possible to be powerful without being power hungry," Peres said. "For us, this is a thanksgiving party to a tremendous nation, for the leadership of President George Walker Bush - never short of faith, never postponing a choice, always in the service of the great American tradition. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Animated massacre Animated Israeli film at Cannes explores Sabra and Shatila massacre. Kowtowing to funders When papers are sponsored, can their reporting be truly independent?   1.   Maimed Israeli children don`t spoil selfcongrats of Olmert&Peres 21:36  |  Absolute Sweden 14/05/08   2.   Olmert, please, just stop talking. 21:37  |  Raphael 14/05/08   3.   The man who has learned nothing 21:40  |  Mark Lincoln 14/05/08   4.   Honor To Whom Honor Is Due 21:55  |  Yanatan 14/05/08   5.   YES, HE IS BEING "COMMITTED" 21:57  |  Robert 14/05/08   6.   Big deal. Only 14 hurt, 2 seriously. Believe me. Could be worse. 22:14  |  Ehud Olmert 14/05/08   7.   THEN STOP `EM! 22:14  |  Brant 14/05/08   8.   #3, Mark Lincoln...and I thought you meant Bush! 22:15  |  Silvienne 14/05/08   9.   oh? when? 22:16  |  frenz 14/05/08   10.   israel 22:25  |  eva 14/05/08   11.   Olmert - Turning Israel into a Punching Bag 22:31  |  Tod Zuckerman 14/05/08   12.   Big deal. Only 14 hurt, 2 seriously. Believe me. Could be worse. 22:31  |  Ehud Olmert 14/05/08   13.   No Thank You We Don`t Want Him 22:38  |  Jane 14/05/08   14.   Hamas is laughing at Olmert 22:39  |  Elizabeth Weir 14/05/08   15.   You Are Commited to Serving the US Government 23:04  |  isratinian 14/05/08   16.   NO PALESTINIAN STATE/EVER. 23:06  |  Mark 14/05/08   17.   Olmert should be committed 23:07  |  * BEN JABO 14/05/08   18.   olmert promised disengagement,well you have it now 23:09  |  chaim 14/05/08   19.   Shut Up Olmert! Better you take care of your own problems 23:19  |  Dolly 14/05/08   20.   Someone to protect us 23:20  |  The whisper 14/05/08   21.   no you are not. get off the stage. go home. 23:22  |  ralph 14/05/08   22.   And I`m committed to making millions of dollars, so what? 23:45  |  Gili 14/05/08   23.   How about shortening sentence to: We`re committed 23:59  |  B. Happy 14/05/08   24.   no. 5 00:01  |  twenty plus 15/05/08   25.   Is there anybody left to take this man seriously? 00:03  |  AliciaYasmeen 15/05/08   26.   To Israel citizens 00:17  |  Alex 15/05/08   27.   Olmert is a stinking piece of pus 00:18  |  Critic 15/05/08   28.   Israeli leaders are subservient dogs 00:20  |  Carl 15/05/08   29.   What does Olmert mean by intolerable and unacceptable? 00:22  |  Carl 15/05/08   30.   Syria and Israel 00:37  |  Garry 15/05/08   31.   #16 Mark 01:54  |  Space 15/05/08   32.   Alex....the US had Carter and now Bush 02:32  |  Lynn 15/05/08   33.   As the Hermit speaks, so the terrorists plan their.. 03:11  |  Stephen. 15/05/08   34.   Alex 26 Dont forget that Olmert wasnt elected... 03:34  |  Free Gilad Shalit 15/05/08   35.   Bush: We must be firm in face of those who murder the innocent 06:28  |  Natallie Durson 15/05/08   36.   America`s and Israel`s core values are not the same... 06:45  |  Dutch 15/05/08   37.   Bush does not represent the great American tradition 06:53  |  Dutch 15/05/08   38.   Criminals meet in the holy land 06:53  |  Atoo 15/05/08   39.   Golden days to come... 07:10  |  Innocent bystander 15/05/08   40.   What a SHAME! 07:58  |  Nizar 15/05/08   41.   The big lies. 08:32  |  Jean Van Daem 15/05/08   42.   Mr. Bush, who murder the 650 000 innocent Iraqis? 09:27  |  Dav 15/05/08   43.   A MURDERER TOLD US ABOUT HOW TO DEAL WITH MURDERERS? 10:05  |  indrajaya 15/05/08   44.   do you mean the "IDF" Mr. President? 10:21  |  samos 15/05/08   45.   AN HOLLY MAN IN AN HOLLY CITY! 10:28  |  miras 15/05/08   46.   If that is the case President Bush 10:58  |  Rachel Stevens 15/05/08   47.   OH lordy, Bush lecturing about murder 11:11  |  Marilyn 15/05/08   48.   murder the innocent, who is who? 11:25  |  imad 15/05/08   49.   Jews from Sudan ? 11:49  |  Fortuna Benmayor 15/05/08   50.   an no holly man in holly Islamic city! 11:49  |  imad 15/05/08   51.   Ok, Mr. Bush bring both Jews and Arabs to trial 12:06  |  El-Birawi 15/05/08   52.   THANK YOU PRESIDENT BUSH 12:20  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 15/05/08   53.   #37 doris cadigan and traditions of the usa 12:53  |  v hardman 15/05/08   54.   Fortuna Benmayor - read all about it 12:57  |  ChanahS 15/05/08   55.   From a nation that murdered 250,000 innocents:Hiroshima, Nagasaki 12:57  |  Jeff Hayashi 15/05/08   56.   Imad and holy cities 13:01  |  ChanahS 15/05/08   57.   #43 Indrajaya is right - EVIL-MINDED U.S. TALKING RUBBISH 13:01  |  Indrawan 15/05/08   58.   Atoo`s declarations 38 13:03  |  ChanahS 15/05/08   59.   BUSH must be charged for CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY 13:04  |  Joe Wong 15/05/08   60.   Big words 13:36  |  Mark Lincoln 15/05/08   61.   I Wonder What This Means 13:47  |  Jeff Northridge 15/05/08   62.   #61 No, not really Jeff.... 15:06  |  Johnboy 15/05/08   63.   #3 The conforting words of Ehud Olmert. 15:10  |  Johnboy 15/05/08   64.   Bush has no credibility,he is an embarassment 15:19  |  Ronnie Wolman 15/05/08   65.   Yes Mr President 15:44  |  Palestinian 15/05/08   66.   Do the math 15:54  |  Harold 15/05/08   67.   Bush 15:57  |  Sarah 15/05/08   68.   Oy Gewalt, Bush promising Israel a good future 16:08  |  Tosefta 15/05/08   69.   Dear George...you mean Blackwater? 16:10  |  David James Vickery 15/05/08   70.   El Birawi skulking there in the US 16:12  |  x-ray 15/05/08   71.