Posted on 03/31/2007 5:45:42 PM PDT by SkyPilot
CBS/AP) The leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, toured Jerusalem holy sites Saturday, along with a congressional delegation that included Democratic Rep. Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pauses in front of the Edicule in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, traditionally believed by many to be the place of the crucifixion, during a tour of Jerusalem's Old City, Saturday, March 31, 2007. (AP)
The tour came on the delegation's first full day in Jerusalem, the first stop on their fact-finding trip to the Middle East. The group arrived here Friday.
Flanked by security guards, Pelosi and the delegation toured the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, built on the traditional site of Jesus' burial, in Jerusalem's Old City. They also visited the Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism, where Jews have gathered for centuries to pray.
The group looked like any another busload of American tourists visiting the region's holy sights on a warm Jerusalem spring day — but with security guards wearing earpieces to move the delegation along. The tour was not announced ahead of time.
Ellison, a Democrat from Minnesota, said he hoped to visit the compound above the Western Wall known as the Temple Mount to Jews and the Noble Sanctuary to Muslims. The compound, the site of the biblical temples as well as the third holiest site in Islam, is one of the main points of friction between Israel and the Palestinians in the Middle East conflict.
"I haven't seen it yet, but I hope to, I'm really looking forward to it," Ellison said of the compound, which is also home to the Dome of Rock shrine.
Ellison said his presence — as a Muslim — on the trip sent a message to Israelis and Palestinians that "people can come together."
"Reconciliation is possible," he said.
Pelosi's delegation intends to meet Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the coming days.
On Sunday, Pelosi, a Democrat from California, is to address the Israeli Knesset in her first speech to a foreign government legislature.
As part of the trip, Pelosi and the delegation will visit Syria, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. The Syria stop has irked the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush, which considers the country a sponsor of terror.
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said the speaker "should take a step back and think about the message that it sends."
"This is a country that is a state sponsor of terror, one that is trying to disrupt the Saniora government in Lebanon and one that is allowing foreign fighters to flow into Iraq from its borders," Perino said. Fuad Saniora is prime minister of Lebanon.
Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly said the delegation "intends to discuss a wide range of security issues affecting the United States and the Middle East with representatives of governments in the region, including Syria," as recommended by the Iraq Study Group.
The independent bipartisan commission suggested in December that engaging Syria and Iran could help the war effort. The Bush administration eventually agreed to reach out to the two countries, but only to discuss Iraq.
Pelosi's visit to Israel is her second since she took over leadership of the House of Representatives in January and is an indication she plans to play a role in foreign policy.
Others traveling with Pelosi and Ellison included Henry Waxman and Tom Lantos of California, Louise Slaughter of New York, Nick Rahall of West Virginia, and Ohio Republican David Hobson.
"What can we do to stop this?"
If anyone on this thread voted or stayed home to teach their congress critters "a lesson", thereby installing Queen Nancy as SOH, they can vow to never vote for the dims again no matter how imperfect the pub candidate is.
The abomination of desolation? Hmmmm.....
susie
They don't capture fellow terrorist conspirators.
Ha! But you know, that almost isn't funny.
It was, of course, facetious. However, on second thought...
Nancy doesn't qualify for the position of Abomination (except in the generic sense). She's a minor demon at best.
Yes, well. Pelosi may not have any Constitutional authority to do these things, but as always, democrats do as they please and no one calls them on it.
The dems consider Bush to be an illegitimate President, so they intend to sideline him completely and make ALL government decisions without his input.
Hell, as far as the dems are concerned, The Bush administration and all Repub congressmen might as well just go on home for the year - except those being investigated and destined for jail time.
Like it. Hamas probably invited her in the first place, given all her support.
I think she qualifies in the visual sense, too. Ug.
Whore of Babylon.....Jezebel
She's on her way to see her ally Assad, who shares her goals in the WOB - the War on Bush. Democrats prefer the WOB to the War on Terror and naturally must thank such a good ally who has aided in the killing of so many Americans and coalition forces in Iraq, and who has killed so many Israelis and Lebanese.
This isn't the first time Satan vistied the Holy Land.
A real problem, IMHO, is that civics is hardly taught anymore. That helps explain why the sheeple absorb so readily the lies from the LSM.
If a person is unaware of the processes pointed out by you, they might think Bella was over there to negotiate.
Is Pelosi now the "Whore of Bablyon" or does she have to get to Babylon to achieve that title?
"This is a country that is a state sponsor of terror, one that is trying to disrupt the Saniora government in Lebanon and one that is allowing foreign fighters to flow into Iraq from its borders," Perino said. Fuad Saniora is prime minister of Lebanon.
Looking for supporters I'd imagine...
A new face stretch does wonders.
High Volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel. or WOT [War on Terror]
----------------------------
On the road to Damascus.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.