"이스라엘을 축복하소서, 조지 부시(God bless Israel, George Bush)"

독실한 기독교 신자인 부시 대통령은 10일 요르단강 서안의 라말라에 있는 팔레스타인 자치정부 청사에서 마흐무드 압바스 수반과 회담한 뒤 곧바로 베들레헴을 방문했다.

   예루살렘에서 남쪽으로 8㎞ 거리에 있는 베들레헴은 성모 마리아가 예수를 낳은 곳으로 알려져 있다.

   부시 대통령은 베들레헴에서 예수가 태어난 마구간 자리에 세워진 성탄교회를 찾았다.

   팔레스타인 자치지역에 속하는 베들레헴의 주민들은 부시 대통령이 자신들의 비참한 생활을 직접 체험하길 기대했지만 부시 대통령의 베들레헴 마을 시찰은 이뤄지지 않았다.

   부시 대통령은 또 이스라엘-팔레스타인 방문 마지막 날인 11일 중동 특사로 활동 중인 토니 블레어 전 영국 총리를 만난 것 외에는 이스라엘이 마련한 관광 일정을 소화했다.

   부시 대통령은 이날 오전 에후드 올메르트 이스라엘 총리의 안내로 예루살렘 시내에 있는 홀로코스트 기념관(야드 바셈)을 방문해 나치 독일 정권에 학살당한 유대인들을 추모했다.

   유대인의 전통 모자를 쓰고 홀로코스트 기념관을 둘러본 부시 대통령은 "공포와 악에 직면해 있던 사람들이 그들의 신을 버리지 않은 것에 큰 감명을 받았다"며 "가능한 한 많은 사람들이 이 곳을 방문했으면 좋겠다"고 말했다고 AFP 통신 등이 전했다.

   부시 대통령은 또 홀로코스트 기념관은 악이 실재함을 그대로 보여주면서 악이 나타나면 저항하라는 요구를 하고 있다고 소감을 밝혔다.

   지난 98년 텍사스 주지사 시절 이 기념관을 처음 찾았던 부시 대통령은 이번 방문 때 2차례나 눈물을 보였다고 아브네르 샬레브 야드 바셈 관장이 말했다.

   부시 대통령은 또 미군이 2차 대전 때 공중에서 찍은 아우슈비츠 수용소의 사진들을 보면서 "우리가 폭격했어야 했다"고 말했다고 샬레브 관장은 전했다.

   부시 대통령은 기념관의 방명록에 "이스라엘을 축복하소서, 조지 부시(God bless Israel, George Bush)"라고 적었다.

President George W. Bush listens to Avner Shalev, Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate, as he visits the Hall of Names in Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum, in Jerusalem Friday, Jan. 11, 2008. Joining the President in the visit are, from left, President Shimon Peres, of Israel; Josef Lapid, Chairman of the Yad Vashem Council, and Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. White House photo by Chris Greenberg

 

President George W. Bush pays his respect to the victims of the Holocaust during a visit Friday, Jan. 11, 2008, to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem. The President made the visit before proceeding to Galilee, his last stop before departing Israel for Kuwait. White House photo by Eric Draper

With Prime Minister Ehud Olmert looking on, President George W. Bush reaches out to Israel's President Shimon Peres Friday, Jan. 11, 2008, as he arrives at Yad Vashem , the Holocaust Museum, in Jerusalem. White House photo by Eric Draper

 

 

President George W. Bush walks with Israel's President Shimon Peres, right, and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, center, as they arrive Friday, Jan. 11, 2008, to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum, in Jerusalem, where the President laid a wreath in honor of Holocaust victims before departing Jerusalem for Galilee. White House photo by Eric Draper

 

President George W. Bush, center, is silhouetted as he views Jerusalem from Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum, Friday, Jan. 11, 2008. The President was joined by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, right, Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, second from left, and Israel's President Shimon Peres during the visit. White House photo by Eric Draper

 

Photos and history of Holocaust victims frame the ceiling of the Hall of Names at Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem. President George W. Bush visited the museum Friday, Jan. 11, 2008, paying his respects before continuing on to Galilee. White House photo by Chris Greenberg

 

President George W. Bush listens to the Ankor Children's choir during his visit Friday, Jan. 11, 2008, to the Hall of Remembrance at Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority established in 1953 by an act of the Israel Knesset in Jerusalem. White House photo by Chris Greenberg

 

President George W. Bush pauses to pay respects in the Hall of Remembrance Friday, Jan. 11, 2008, at Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem. With him, from left, are: Josef Lapid, Chairman of the Yad Vashem Council; Israel’s President Shimon Peres, Israel’s Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, and Avner Shalev, Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate. White House photo by Eric Draper

President George W. Bush bows his head as Marines lay a wreath on behalf of the United States of America, honoring the victims of the Holocaust, during a visit Friday, Jan. 11, 2008, to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem. White House photo by Eric Draper

President George W. Bush visits the Hall of Remembrance Friday, Jan. 11, 2008, at Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum, in Jerusalem. White House photo by Chris Greenberg

 

President George W. Bush visits the Hall of Remembrance Friday, Jan. 11, 2008, at Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum, in Jerusalem. White House photo by Chris Greenberg

Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Authority, in Jerusalem. Standing with him from left are: President Shimon Peres, left, of Israel; Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, of Israel, and Avner Shalev, Chairman of Yad Vashem Directorate. White House photo by Eric Draper

 

 

 

President George W. Bush is flanked by Israel’s President Shimon Peres, left, and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as they arrive at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport Friday, Jan. 11, 2008, prior to the departure of Air Force one. White House photo by Chris Greenberg

President George W. Bush speaks to the media Friday, Jan. 11, 2008, as he stands with President Shimon Peres of Israel, right, and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport. The President concluded his two-day visit to Israel with a visit to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem, and the ruins of Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee. White House photo by Chris Greenberg

President George W. Bush is accompanied by two friars as he views the Sea of Galilee Friday, Jan. 11, 2008, during his visit to Capernaum before leaving Israel. According to sources, the location was that where Jesus walked upon the water. White House photo by Eric Draper

President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stand amidst the ruins of Capernaum, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, during his final stop Friday, Jan. 11, 2008, in Israel. White House photo by Eric Draper

President George W. Bush visits the ruins of Capernaum Friday, Jan. 11, 2008, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. The site, inhabited from 150 BC to AD 750, is reported to have been the home of the apostles Peter, Andrew, James and John, and according to the Book of Matthew, it was the town of Jesus, himself. White House photo by Eric Draper

 

President George W. Bush is greeted by nuns at the Church of the Beatitudes in Galilee Friday, Jan. 11, 2008. The stop marked the last in Israel for President Bush who later arrived in Kuwait City, Kuwait, on the second leg of his eight-day Mideast visit. White House photo by Eric Draper

 

President George W. Bush pauses for a photo opportunity with nuns at the Church of the Beatitudes Friday, Jan. 11, 2008, during his last stop in Israel. White House photo by Eric Draper

President George W. Bush arrives at the Church of the Beatitudes Friday, Jan. 11, 2008, in Galilee. The stop was the final one during the President’s visit to Israel. White House photo by Eric Draper

President George W. Bush participates in a tour of the Church of the Beatitudes Friday, Jan. 11, 2008, during his visit to Galilee. The President later departed Israel for Kuwait on the second stop of his eight-day, Mideast visit. White House photo by Eric Draper

 

 

Well-wishers bearing the U.S. and Israel flags line the motorcade route Friday, Jan. 11, 2008, as President George W. Bush departed Galilee for Tel Aviv. White House photo by Eric Draper