(BBC) President George W. Bush told Palestinian Authority ministers that God had told him to invade Afghanistan and Iraq - and create a Palestinian state, a new BBC series reveals. In "Elusive Peace: Israel and the Arabs," Abu Mazen, Palestinian chairman, and Nabil Shaath, his foreign minister, describe their first meeting with President Bush in June 2003. Nabil Shaath says: "President Bush said to all of us: 'I'm driven with a mission from God. God would tell me, "George, go and fight those terrorists in Afghanistan." And I did, and then God would tell me, "George, go and end the tyranny in Iraq." And I did. And now, again, I feel God's words coming to me, "Go get the Palestinians their state and get the Israelis their security, and get peace in the Middle East." And by God I'm gonna do it.'" Abu Mazen was at the same meeting and recounts how President Bush told him: "I have a moral and religious obligation. So I will get you a Palestinian state."
2005-10-07 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive