US First Lady Laura Bush (L) visits the Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism, in Jerusalem's Old City during a one-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories as part of a six-day Middle East tour, May 22, 2005. (Xinhua Photo/Gao Xueyu)

US First Lady Laura Bush (C) visits the Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism, in Jerusalem's Old City during a one-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories as part of a six-day Middle East tour, May 22, 2005.

Israelis hold portraits of Jonathan Pollard as US First Lady Laura Bush visiting the Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism, in Jerusalem's Old City during a one-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories as part of a six-day Middle East tour, May 22, 2005.

Israelis hold portraits of Jonathan Pollard as US First Lady Laura Bush visiting the Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism, in Jerusalem's Old City during a one-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories as part of a six-day Middle East tour, May 22, 2005.

    JERUSALEM, May 23 (Xinhuanet) -- US first lady Laura Bush's trip to Israel, which was widely regarded as a move to improve the damaged US image in the region, was overshadowed as both Jewish and Muslim protesters heckled her during her visits to Mideast holy sites in Jerusalem.

    Laura, who has won favorable reviews in her overseas forays,came amid a furor in the Muslim world over a retracted Newsweek magazine report that the Koran was desecrated by US interrogators at Guantanamo.

    Sixteen people died in Afghanistan and protests raged in Pakistan, Indonesia and Gaza.

    Newsweek retracted the report last week, but White Housespokesman Scott McClellan said it has caused lasting damage to the US image.

    Under the circumstances, the first lady's visit to Jerusalem holy sites met dozens of protesters who expressed their strong opposition on US policies.

    As she approached the gold-capped Dome of the Rock Mosque,Muslim worshippers shouted, "How dare you come in here and why are you hassling our Muslims?"

    As she entered the holy site, located on the fault-line of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, one man seethed, "None of you belongs in here."

    Israeli police formed a human chain around her, pressing together to push away protesters.

    Earlier on Sunday, Laura placed a note in the Western Wall,Judaism's holiest shrine, in line with Jewish custom. About 40 demonstrators, demanding the release of convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard, stood nearby, shouting, "Free Pollard Now."

    At the first stop on her visit, the residence of President Moshe Katsav in Jerusalem, about two dozen demonstrators chanted for the release of Pollard who is serving a life sentence in a US prison for spying for Israel.

    "Pollard, the people are with you," the group chanted.The first lady had expected some of the anti-American sentiment during the visit following the Newsweek report about Koran abuse,saying she was not surprised at the protests.

    "I think the protests were very expected. If you didn't expect them, you didn't know what it would be like when you got here,"said the first lady on Monday in the courtyard of the Church of the Resurrection at Abu Ghosh, a predominantly Muslim town where some believe Jesus appeared on Easter.

    "As we all know, this is a place of very high tensions and high emotions. And you can understand why when you see the people with a deep and sincere faith in their religion all living side by side,"she said.

    Abu Ghosh was the last stop of Laura in Israel and she headed to Cairo later.

    Mrs. Bush's five-day visit to the Middle East, which also includes stops in Jordan and Egypt, was intended partly to help defuse anti-American sentiment in the region.

    Strains have arisen because of the US-led war in Iraq and allegations that US interrogators have mistreated Muslim prisoners.

    The protests in Israel, however, protrudes the discordance between the United States and the Muslim world as news titled "Protesters heckled US first lady's trip in Israel" dominated locala nd international newspapers, analysts said.

    Although the first lady showed the protestors with a smiling face all the time, yet not many people believe the anti-US sentiments will reduce a bit after her visit, some said. Enditem