May 12 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2008 to undermine the hard-fought gains in sov- nese people in their hour of need. I plan ereignty and independence the Lebanese to consult with regional leaders on my up- people have made in recent years. The coming trip to the Middle East to coordi- international community will not allow the nate efforts to support the Lebanese Gov- Iranian and Syrian regimes, via their prox- ernment and implement U.N. Security ies, to return Lebanon to foreign domina- Council Resolutions 1559 and 1701, among tion and control. To ensure the safety and others, which seek to bolster Lebanon’s security of the people of Lebanon, the sovereignty against external efforts at desta- United States will continue its assistance bilization and interference. The Lebanese to the Lebanese Armed Forces to ensure people have sacrificed much for the sake they are able to defend the Lebanese Gov- of their freedom, and the United States ernment and safeguard its institutions. will continue to stand with them against It is critical that the international com- this latest assault on their independence munity come together to assist the Leba- and security. Interview With Jacob Eilon and Gil Tamari of Channel 10 TV of Israel May 12, 2008 Q. Mr. President, thank you for speaking resign if he was indicted with some new with Channel 10. corruption charges. Does that change in The President. Yes, sir. any way your strategy on the peace process Jenna Bush Hager’s Wedding in the Middle East? The President. No. The vision of the Q. First of all, congratulations on your peace process still is the same. I have come daughter’s wedding this weekend. [Laugh- to the conclusion that it is essential for ter] Israel to have a Palestinian partner that is The President. Thank you. It was—as my a democracy committed to peace. I fully Jewish friends tell me, there was mazel tov. understand not all Palestinians agree with And it was a beautiful experience. It was that vision. But I also believe, over time, very emotional, and it was—to see your that when confronted with life in Gaza, little girl marry a good guy. And Laura what that’s like, or life in a place where and I were thrilled. you can raise your child in peace, most Q. Made you proud? of the Palestinians will choose peace, and The President. Yes, I was very proud of that the best way to marginalize these radi- her. It was a wonderful time. And we did cals who murder the innocent to achieve it on our ranch, which was—we didn’t do their political objectives is through Pales- it here in the White House because Jenna tinian democracy. wanted a more low-key, kind of homey en- vironment. And she loves the ranch, and Q. And you can do that with Olmert so do we, so it was perfect. It was wonder- and Abbas? ful. Thanks for asking. The President. Well, the Prime Min- Q. Great. Now to business. ister’s—as I understand it, the legal issue The President. Yes. [Laughter] goes on, and I fully understand that and respect Israeli rule of law. I will just tell Middle East Peace Process you, in my—I have great relations with the Q. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Prime Minister. I find him to be a frank HEARING just said a couple days ago that he would man, an honest man, an open man, a guy with 666 DSK5TPTVN1PROD on VerDate Mar 15 2010 13:23 Apr 17, 2012 Jkt 217557 PO 00000 Frm 00666 Fmt 1240 Sfmt 1240 E:\HR\OC\217557A.019 217557A wreier-aviles Administration of George W. Bush, 2008 / May 13 easy to talk to, and somebody who has— of our close ally, has made it abundantly understands the vision necessary for Israeli clear to everybody that we have got to work security. together to stop you from having a nuclear And so we will continue working hard. weapon. And I do believe we can get a state defined I mean, to me, it’s the single biggest by the end of my Presidency. A state won’t threat to peace in the Middle East, is the exist until certain obligations are met by Iranian regime, not only because of their everybody, but to have it defined is very desire to have the technologies to build important. a weapon—the technologies necessary to build a weapon, but it’s also to—their fund- Middle East Peace Process/Hamas ing of Hizballah. Look what’s happening Q. So that’s the goal? By the end of in Lebanon now, a young democracy trying the year, a defined—what borders of a Pal- to survive. By the way, it’s in Israel’s inter- estinian state? ests that the Lebanese democracy survive. The President. Well, that and refugee Q. So what’s going to stop them? issue as well as the other key security issues The President. Well, pressure, sanctions, that are necessary for a state to come into diplomacy, all options on the table. They’re being. But the roadmap has obligations for trying to destabilize the young Iraqi democ- all parties. And so my goal is to get the racy. And what stops them there is when state defined. we catch them moving their weapons in, Look, I firmly believe that—first of all, they’re brought to justice. That’s what stops I supported the Sharon move on Gaza and them. still think it was the right move; and that I supported the elections, because there needs to be clarity. Everybody’s got to see Israel/Iran the truth. And the truth is that Hamas can’t Q. Many Israelis think that the only thing deliver promised—promises for the Pales- that would stop them would be a military tinian people. And the truth is, is that attack. Have you considered that? there’s an opportunity now to offer a dif- The President. I’ve always told people ferent vision from theirs. Their vision is, that all options are on the table. I’ve also destroy Israel. How about a vision that says, learned that in my 71⁄2 years as President, we want to coexist with Israel so we can it’s probably best not to be talking about raise our children in peace? the specifics of any option. Now, they—I’m sure people say, oh, Q. If Israel does that, would you under- Bush, man, he sounds hopelessly idealistic. stand? But the truth of the matter is, in order The President. You’re becoming very hy- for peace to secure, it’s that kind of ideal- pothetical in your questions. I fully under- ism that has got to prevail. stand Israel’s concerns about Iran. That’s going to be my message when I come to Iran Israel, and that is that you need to be con- Q. Mr. President, you have said that the cerned about Iran, and you are concerned bombing of the Syrian/North Korean facil- about Iran, and so are we. And part of ity by Israel sent a message to Iran. What our job is to—you know, look, we want was the message? You are next? to solve anything—I mean, stopping them The President. No, it’s just that people enriching is—the first choice is to do it are going to take care of their security diplomatically, of course. And that’s why needs. And the message to Iran is that your we’re working on the sanction regime, and desire to have a nuclear weapon, coupled that’s why we’re trying to affect their HEARING with your statements about the destruction money flows. with 667 DSK5TPTVN1PROD on VerDate Mar 15 2010 13:23 Apr 17, 2012 Jkt 217557 PO 00000 Frm 00667 Fmt 1240 Sfmt 1240 E:\HR\OC\217557A.019 217557A wreier-aviles May 13 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2008 But it’s hard because not everybody fine the two-state solution. It talked about shares the same anxiety as Israel and the who we would or not deal with. I’ve United States does. And—but it’s a tough been—I know, we’ve been very much en- issue, and I fully understand it. And I will gaged in terms of setting the conditions. continue to pressure as best I can. Remember, the roadmap was done during my time. Anyway, no, we’ve been very Jonathan Pollard Case much involved in the Middle East. It’s Q. Mr. President, did you get any official a—— request to pardon Jonathan Pollard, and if Q. And should the next President start yes, would you consider it? And do you early? know, many people in Israel think that the The President. Like me? arrest of Ben-Ami Kadish in another spy Q. You’re not the next President. case tended to influence you? The President. No, no, you mean, start The President. We are constantly ana- it early like I did? Sure, yes—— lyzing cases. There’s been no change in Q. No. Okay—— the Government’s attitude at this point. The President. ——you can’t help it. Q. So—— Look, this is the—one of the accomplish- The President. No change. ments—or one of the interesting things Q. What is your—did you get such a that’s happened in this administration is we request from Israel? have placed American foreign policy—a top The President. Oh, yes, constantly.