At a meeting with Prime Minister Sharon in New York on Wednesday, President Bush said that from the U.S. perspective, Gaza is a test ground, and for there to be any further steps in the diplomatic process the Palestinians must ensure quiet, security, and proper governance. Bush also told Sharon the U.S. would press the Egyptians to take control of the Egyptian-Gaza border.
President Bush, speaking at a commemoration of 350 years of Jewish life in America on Wednesday, said:
“To stand for religious freedom, we must expose and confront the ancient hatred of anti-Semitism, wherever it is found. When we find anti-Semitism at home, we will confront it. When we find anti-Semitism abroad, we will condemn it. And we condemn the desecration of synagogues in Gaza that followed Israel’s withdrawal.”
