Bush to visit biblical site on Mideast tour
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush visits the Church of the Beatitudes on the shore of the Sea of Galilee on Friday during a Holy Land visit aimed at breathing life into Middle East peace talks.
After separate meetings with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem, Bush is leaving them with the message: "now is the time to make difficult choices."
His first visit to Israel and the West Bank in seven years as president sought to create momentum towards establishing a Palestinian state, after a November summit in Annapolis, Maryland intended to jump-start peace talks.
The White House said he was likely to return to the region before his term ends in January 2009.
The Church of the Beatitudes, a Catholic Franciscan chapel, marks the spot where Jesus is believed to have preached his Sermon on the Mount, laying out core teachings and his call to "turn the other cheek".
The church's shape represents the sermon's eight Beatitudes listed in the Gospel of Matthew, including "Blessed are the peacemakers."
Bush was also expected to visit the ruins of the ancient city of Capernaum where Christians believe Jesus performed miracles.
Bush said on Thursday he expected a treaty to be signed before he leaves office. Continued...
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