American President George W. Bush, before leaving for his visit to Israel, called the Middle East the "center of anti-Americanism and hatred." He told Yahoo News and Politico that a peace agreement between the Palestinian Authority and Israel "looks distant" but that "Americans at home ought to care for the advance of free societies throughout the Middle East."
National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley told reporters as they were preparing to leave for Israel that President Bush may use the celebrations of Israel's 60 anniversaries to recognize "the hardship" for Arabs in the creation of the Jewish state.