Interview of the President by Nadia Bilbassy-Charters, Al Arabiya TV

Business Wire, Jan 6, 2008

WASHINGTON -- Office of the Press Secretary

Map Room

January 4, 2008

4:37 P.M. EST

Q Mr. President, thank you very much for your time, as always, and thank you for the interview.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.

Q The major obstacle to peace is the settlement activities. Would you request from Prime Minister Olmert a freeze on the settlements?

THE PRESIDENT: I think the major obstacle to peace is going to be the politics of both Palestinians and Israelis trying to take advantage of the difficult work that these two leaders are going to have to do to define a state; that's what I think. I think that extremists, in some instances, will try to stop the peace. I believe there is a lot of forces at play in Israel that will try to stop these two men from defining what a state will look like. And my job is to help them stay on the big picture, and have the confidence necessary to make tough decisions.

No question the settlement activity is a problem. But there's a mechanism to deal with that, and that is the road map commission, for the best word -- is the trilateral commission, which we head, to deal with these road map issues. Now, we can solve those -- we can work through those problems, but the key is to define a state. Now is the time. And I believe it's going to get done before my presidency is over. And the reason I believe it is because these two men, with whom I've spent a fair amount of time, are committed. The state will come into being subject to a road map. But the first step is to define what is possible, here's what a state will look like. And that is very important for both the Palestinians and the Israelis.

Q Well, in this case, what is exactly your strategy to implement your vision of a Palestinian state by 2008?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, the key is for me to convince the two leaders to work through the hard issues. I'll help them, but in order for there to be lasting peace, they've got to come to the table, they have got to negotiate it. And what ends up happening in this process is that the leaders will commit, and then they'll get their committees to work, and it gets stuck. And that's when I'll have to work with Condi Rice to unstick it, to keep it moving.

One thing is, is that they know that they've got a good partner in peace in me. They also know that I'm not going to be in office a year from now, so there's a certain urgency to get this state defined. My trip is going to be to kind of keep momentum. The Annapolis Conference was a successful conference for two reasons: One, it was a chance for the Palestinians and the Israelis to know that the United States is serious about helping them, and equally importantly, it gave the world a chance to come to the table. The rest of the Middle East was there. And that's an important movement. It's going to be important for both Israel and the Palestinians to know that an agreement they reach will be supported by the Middle East.

And so part of my -- one of the goals of my trip is to remind our friends and allies in the Middle East that they have got to be supportive of the Middle East peace process, as well. They're going to want to know whether or not I'm going to push. And I'm going to want to know -- and I'm going to tell them, yes, I am, but we expect you to be constructive players, too.

Q Exactly, but can you elaborate a little bit about this? What more can you do? I mean, support is enough? One visit is enough? Will you be --

THE PRESIDENT: But, you see, to get it to this place -- a visit is important, but I'm on the phone a lot, and Condi is on the phone a lot. There's a little -- visits are important, obviously. And there's a reason why the timing of this visit is what it is it. I mean, there was an intifada when I first came into office. Secondly, there is a philosophical change about a two-state solution. I mean, I supported it as the first American President ever to support it. The Israelis, under Ariel Sharon, came to the conclusion that this is in their interests.

We're pushing a lot, let me put it to you that way. I repeat to you, though, the notion that somehow America can impose its will on two parties, I don't think it works. I think America can facilitate. I hope that as a result of this interview and my trip, that people come away with the notion that George Bush understands now is the time to move.

Q People know that you are close friend of Israel. What do you want to do to win hearts and minds of the Palestinians, to assure them that the United States is a fair broker in the peace process?

THE PRESIDENT: You know, I've heard that. I've heard that, well, George Bush is so pro-Israeli he doesn't -- he can't possibly care about the plight of the Palestinian person. I would hope that my record, one of liberation and -- liberation, by the way, not only from dictatorship, but from disease around the world, like HIV/AIDS or malaria -- is one that will say to people, he cares about the human condition; that he cares about each individual; that my religion teaches me to love your neighbor.