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Middle East Trip, May 2008
Middle East Trip, May 2008
President George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel and Mrs. Aliza Olmert stand on the upper level of Masada, a palatial fortress built by King Herod, and listen to Eitan Campbell, Director of Masada National Park during their visit to the historic site Thursday, May 15, 2008. On the fringe of the Judean Desert near the shore of the Dead Sea, the camps, fortifications and assault ramp at its base constitute the most complete surviving ancient Roman siege system in the world.
President George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel and Mrs. Aliza Olmert stand on the upper level of Masada, a palatial fortress built by King Herod, and listen to Eitan Campbell, Director of Masada National Park during their visit to the historic site Thursday, May 15, 2008. On the fringe of the Judean Desert near the shore of the Dead Sea, the camps, fortifications and assault ramp at its base constitute the most complete surviving ancient Roman siege system in the world.
 
President George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush and Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Mrs. Aliza Olmert tour the storerooms complex at Masada during their visit Thursday, May 15, 2008, in Masada, Israel. The storerooms complex is a concentration of 29 long rooms surrounded by corridors that was built by King Herod of Judea to hold food, liquids and weapons in the palatial fortress. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Mrs. Laura Bush and Mrs. Aliza Olmert listen as President George W. Bush talks about the water system at Masada, the historic fortress built by King Herod of Judea. The couple's toured the National Park Thursday, May 15, 2008, during the visit to Israel by President and Mrs. Bush to help celebrate the 60th anniversary of the country's independence.
President George W. Bush listens to Eitan Campbell, Director of Masada National Park, as they take a break during their tour Thursday, May 15, 2008, of the historic Israeli fortress located on the eastern fringe of the Judean Desert near the shore of the Dead Sea. Mrs. Laura Bush pauses during her tour of Masada National Park Thursday, May 15, 2008. The palatial fortress built by King Herod of Judea, sits atop a plateau overlooking the Judean Desert.
President George W. Bush shakes hands with American students from Connecticut, Massachusetts and California who are volunteering at Masada National Park in Masada, Israel. The President met the young men as he toured the historic site with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Mrs. Laura Bush and Mrs. Aliza Olmert. President George W. Bush waves goodbye to a group of young American men who are volunteering their time at Masada National Park in Masada, Israel.
The sun rises Thursday, May 15, 2008, over the Old City of Jerusalem in this view taken from the King David Hotel. President George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush stand with Mrs. Aliza Olmert, spouse of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, as they listen to Eitan Campbell, Director of the Masada National Park, during a visit to the historic site Thursday, May 15, 2008, in Masada, Israel.
Mrs. Laura Bush and Mrs. Aliza Olmert leave the upper terrace of Masada during their visit Thursday, May 15, 2008. Masada, built by King Herod of Judea, was the last bastion of Jewish freedom fighters against the Romans; its fall signaled the violent destruction of the kingdom of Judea at the end of the Second Temple period. President George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel and Mrs. Aliza Olmert stand on the upper level of Masada, a palatial fortress built by King Herod, and listen to Eitan Campbell, Director of Masada National Park during their visit to the historic site Thursday, May 15, 2008. On the fringe of the Judean Desert near the shore of the Dead Sea, the camps, fortifications and assault ramp at its base constitute the most complete surviving ancient Roman siege system in the world.
President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert sit on a wall as they take a break from their tour of Masada Thursday, May 15, 2008. The President and Mrs. Laura Bush took the opportunity to visit the historic site during their two-day visit to Israel to help celebrate the 60 anniversary of the country's independence. Mrs. Laura Bush visits Masada National Park Thursday, May 15, 2008, during a visit by she and President George W. Bush to Israel.
Mrs. Laura Bush and Mrs. Aliza Olmert walk a path at Masada National Park Thursday, May 15, 2008, during a tour of the historic site with their spouses. President George W. Bush acknowledges Dalia Itzik, Speaker of the Knesset, as he visits the Israeli parliament Thursday, May 15, 2008, in Jerusalem. At right is Israel's President Shimon Peres.
President George W. Bush receives a standing ovation by members of the Knesset Thursday, May 15, 2008, in Jerusalem. Acknowledging the 60th anniversary of Israel's independence, the President told the Israeli parliament, "Earlier today, I visited Masada, an inspiring monument to courage and sacrifice. At this historic site, Israeli soldiers swear an oath: "Masada shall never fall again." Citizens of Israel: Masada shall never fall again, and America will be at your side." A gondola rises from the Judean Desert Thursday, May 15, 2008, at the Masada National Park in Masada, Israel.
President George W. Bush and Dalia Itzik, Speaker of the Knesset, review the Knesset Guard of Honor Thursday, May 15, 2008, during the arrival ceremony for President and Mrs. Laura Bush at the Israel Parliament in Jerusalem. President George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura pause for the raising of the American flag Thursday, May 15, 2008, during arrival ceremonies at the Knesset in Jerusalem.
President George W. Bush participates in a wreath-laying ceremony during his visit Thursday, May 15, 2008, to the Knesset in Jerusalem. President George W. Bush stands with Dalia Itzik, Speaker of the Knesset, and Israel's President Shimon Peres on the floor of the Knesset Thursday, May 15, 2008, in Jerusalem. During his remarks to the members of the Israel parliament, President Bush said, "We gather to mark a momentous occasion. Sixty years ago in Tel Aviv, David Ben-Gurion proclaimed Israel's independence, founded on the "natural right of the Jewish people to be masters of their own fate." What followed was more than the establishment of a new country. It was the redemption of an ancient promise given to Abraham and Moses and David -- a homeland for the chosen people Eretz Yisrael."
President George W. Bush participates in a wreath-laying ceremony during his visit Thursday, May 15, 2008, to the Knesset in Jerusalem. Mrs. Laura Bush sits with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Mrs. Aliza Olmert, spouse of Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert before the start of Thursday's afternoon session at the Knesset in Jerusalem.
With Mrs. Laura Bush by his side, President George W. Bush delivers remarks at a reception Thursday, May 15, 2008, at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem in honor of the 60th anniversary of the state of Israel. President George W. Bush and Laura Bush are shown a large model of the city of Jerusalem, Thursday, May 15, 2008 at The Israel Museum in Jerusalem, prior attending a reception and dinner at the museum.President and Mrs. Bush are joined by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his wife, Aliza Olmert, left, and Israeli President Shimon Peres, right.
President George W. Bush listens as Amanda Weiss, Director of Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem describes and exhibit Friday, May 16, 2008, during a tour of the museum by the President and Mrs. Laura Bush. Mrs. Laura Bush looks over an exhibit at the Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem Friday, May 16, 2008, during a final stop in Israel before departing for Saudi Arabia.

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Middle East Trip, May 2008; Photo Essay: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4