Bush Defends Israel's Right to Self-Defense

STRASLUND, Germany, July 13, 2006 — -- President Bush said Israel had a right to defend itself and chastised what he called "a group of terrorists who want to stop the advance of peace," speaking today in Germany on his way to the G8 summit in St. Petersburg, Russia.

"We were headed toward the road map, things looked positive, and terrorists stepped up and kidnaped a soldier, fired rockets into Israel," Bush said. "Now we've got two more kidnapings up north. Hezbollah doesn't want there to be peace. The militant arm of Hamas doesn't want there to be peace. And those of us who do want peace will continue to work together to encourage peace."

Bush expressed his disappointment over the latest developments, saying there is a "very good chance" for two states, Israel and Palestine, to live side-by-side in peace.

"[I]t's really sad where people are willing to take innocent life in order to stop that progress. As a matter of fact, it's pathetic," he said.

Later he noted how remarkable the actions of Hamas and Hezbollah are. "In this case, the objective is to stop the advance of peace -- which is a remarkable statement, isn't it? Willing to kill to stop peace."

Diplomacy

The president said there are U.S. diplomats in the region. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is talking by phone from Germany to her counterparts around the Middle East, and that he also would get on the phone.

Lebanon's 'Fragile Democracy'

Bush said he is concerned about the "fragile democracy" in Lebanon and added that whatever Israel does, it should not weaken the Siniora government there.

"We've been working very hard through the United Nations and with partners to strengthen the democracy in Lebanon," he said. "The Lebanese people have democratic aspirations, which are being undermined by the actions and activities of Hezbollah."

Lebanon needs to hold Syria to account for supporting the militant wing of Hamas, the president said, and he called on President Assad to step in and show some leadership in the effort to restore peace.

Bush-Merkel Relationship

Bush highlighted Germany's transition to democracy and his close relationship with Chancellor Angela Merkel during an arrival ceremony in Market Square in Stralsund, a city that had been part of communist East Germany before the country was reunified.

"For decades, the German people were separated by an ugly wall. Here in the east, millions of you lived in darkness and tyranny," Bush said. "Today your nation is whole again.The German people are at the center of Europe that is united and free and peaceful."

Bush had strong words of praise for Merkel, noting her "bold vision" and "humble heart."

"We see that she's willing to make hard decisions and eager to build strong partnerships," he said. "And like many others in the international community, I respect her judgment and I value her opinion."

Bush came to this port city on the Baltic Sea that was once behind the Iron Curtain following a personal invitation from Merkel back in May. The president has met with Merkel twice at the White House, but this is his first visit to Germany since she took office in November 2005. Bush said he was looking forward to the trip to Merkel's "home turf."

"She kindly invited me to go to her part of the country. I always view that as a sign of generous hospitality, when somebody says, come by my home area," he said in a roundtable with foreign print journalists on Monday.

Merkel has quickly become one of the president's closest allies on the international stage, in contrast to his relationship with her predecessor, Gerhard Schroeder, who did not support the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

But they are not eye-to-eye on every issue -- particularly on the Bush administration's handling of the detainees at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Merkel has said she wants the prison shut down. When she was in Washington on May 4, Bush said he would also like to close Guantanamo but he punted on the answer of what to do next because he was waiting for the Supreme Court to decide on where the people being held there could be tried. This is Bush's first meeting with Merkel meeting since the Supreme Court struck down the military tribunals.

Barrel of Herring?

Bush was presented with a rather unusual gift this morning in Stralsund -- the people of the town gave him a barrel of herring, which he proudly held above his head and pretended to eat.

The coastal town of Stralsund was a busy port city during the Middle Ages. The fisherman here caught herring but only during some parts of the year. According to local lore, several merchants opened the first fish-canning factory on the Baltic. They marinated the fish in vinegar and salt so they could preserve it and sell it during the off-season.

The owner of that first Baltic fish-marinating factory sent Chancellor Bismarck a barrel of herring in 1871 and asked that he allow them to call it Bismarck herring.

According to one write-up, these days locals -- who inherited the recipe -- turn five tons of fish into Bismarck herring, using that original recipe.

U.S.-Russian Relations

On the eve of his trip to St. Petersburg, Russia, for meetings with President Vladimir Putin and the G8 summit, Bush previewed the diplomatic finesse he would likely use in his meetings with his Russian counterpart, avoiding flat-out criticism but making it clear that the United States and Russia share common values that need to be upheld.

Bush said he would stand firm in stating his belief in certain democratic institutions and an active civil society, but as far as his relationship with Putin goes, he said he understands nobody likes to be lectured to a lot.

"[I]f you want to be an effective person, what you don't do is scold the person publicly all the time; you remind him where we may have a difference of opinion, but you do so in a respectful way, so you can then sit down and have a constructive dialogue," he said.

Asked about Putin's comments this week, that Vice President Dick Cheney's criticism of Russia in May was "an unsuccessful hunting shot," Bush acknowledged that it was "pretty clever" and "quite humorous" but that he did not want to "dis" his friend, the vice president.

ABC News' Jessica Yellin contributed to this story.