Rice will travel to Bethlehem for first time, says visit will be emotional

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Monday she expects an emotional experience when she travels to Bethlehem this week. "I'm really looking forward to going to Bethlehem," she told reporters at her Jerusalem hotel after two days of meetings with Israeli and Palestinian officials aimed at preparing a US-hosted peace conference this fall. "I think it will be kind of emotional for me." "I am myself deeply religious so just the name is evocative in ways that I can hardly describe," Rice said, noting that she had similar feelings when going to other holy sites in previous visits to the region.