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Bush presses for Mid-East peace Bush presses for Mid-East peace
(about 2 hours later)
US President George W Bush has said he is prepared to exert pressure so that Middle Eastern peace talks can succeed.US President George W Bush has said he is prepared to exert pressure so that Middle Eastern peace talks can succeed.
"If there needs to be a little pressure then you know I will provide it," he said after talks with Israeli prime Minister Ehud Olmert. "If there needs to be a little pressure then you know I will provide it," he said after talks with Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert.
He was speaking at the start of what he called a "historic" visit to the Middle aimed at advancing peace negotiations. He was speaking at the start of what he called a "historic" visit to the Middle East aimed at advancing peace talks.
However, within hours of his arrival, the Palestinians reported that Israeli forces had killed three people in Gaza.However, within hours of his arrival, the Palestinians reported that Israeli forces had killed three people in Gaza.
At least five more were wounded.
The Palestinians accused Israel of stepping up such attacks during the run-up to Mr Bush's visit.The Palestinians accused Israel of stepping up such attacks during the run-up to Mr Bush's visit.
The role of the United States is to help in (peace) negotiations. We'll help, and we want to help President Bush Middle East tour diary The role of the United States is to help in (peace) negotiations. We'll help, and we want to help President Bush Middle East tour diary class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7179370.stm">In pictures: Bush visit
The latest Israeli raids on Gaza followed rockets launched from inside Gaza into Israel. The Israeli raids followed rockets launched from inside Gaza into Israel.
Mr Olmert - standing alongside Mr Bush - said Israel would not tolerate such attacks. Mr Olmert - standing alongside Mr Bush - said Israel would not tolerate such rocket attacks.
"There will be no peace until terror is stopped," he said."There will be no peace until terror is stopped," he said.
But he also re-iterated his commitment to peace, saying both sides were "seriously trying to move forward in order to realise the vision of a two-state solution".But he also re-iterated his commitment to peace, saying both sides were "seriously trying to move forward in order to realise the vision of a two-state solution".
'Tough negotiations'
Mr Bush said he was under no illusion that this would be hard work.Mr Bush said he was under no illusion that this would be hard work.
We are expecting that President Bush will get Israel to freeze settlement activity Nabil Abu Rudeina,Abbas spokesman Massive disruption for visitIn pictures: Bush visitLasting legacy?
"I fully understand that there's going to be some painful political compromises," he said."I fully understand that there's going to be some painful political compromises," he said.
"I fully understand that there's going to be some tough negotiations. And the role of the United States is to help in those negotiations." We are expecting that President Bush will get Israel to freeze settlement activity Nabil Abu Rudeina,Abbas spokesman class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7178714.stm">Massive disruption for visit class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7176143.stm">Lasting legacy?
Earlier, Mr Bush had received a red-carpet reception at Tel Aviv airport, where he was greeted by the entire Israeli cabinet. "There's going to be some tough negotiations. And the role of the United States is to help in those negotiations."
His visit was not welcomed by Hamas, the militant group cut off by Israel and the West after winning Palestinian elections and which now runs Gaza. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Mr Olmert vowed at a US summit last year to try to achieve a two-state solution by the end of 2008.
"Bush is not welcome because he is one of the most prominent reasons for the suffering of the Palestinian people," Sami Abu-Zhuri, a senior Hamas official, told the BBC.
Israeli and Palestinian views on US leader's visitIn pictures Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Mr Olmert vowed at a US summit last year to try to achieve a two-state solution by the end of 2008.
Mr Bush said he was still hopeful a peace deal could be agreed by the time he steps down as president in January 2009.Mr Bush said he was still hopeful a peace deal could be agreed by the time he steps down as president in January 2009.
In a meeting on Tuesday, Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said it had been agreed that Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and former Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei would "start intensive meetings to immediately discuss all core issues of a final status agreement". The issue of settlements is expected to top the agenda when Mr Abbas meets Mr Bush in the West Bank on Thursday.
These include It also loomed large in Mr Olmert's and Mr Bush's news conference.
  • Israeli settlements
  • militant rocket fire into Israeli territory
  • the fate of Palestinians made refugees since Israel's creation in 1948
  • the sovereignty of Jerusalem itself
 Mr Bush said outposts - small unofficial settlements - ought to go. But he made no direct reference to the issue of settlements in general.
Mr Bush goes next to the West Bank to see the Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. Mr Olmert said Israel would abide by its commitment not to build any new settlements in Palestinian territories.
He then goes on to Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. But he also made it clear that Israel did not consider East Jerusalem as occupied, even though most other nations, and the Palestinians, do.
Naval encounter
Mr Bush also took the opportunity to warn Iran of "serious consequences" if it attacked US ships in the Gulf.
Israeli and Palestinian views on US leader's visitIn pictures
"My advice to them is, don't do it," he said.
"There will be seriously consequences if they attack our ships, pure and simple," he said.
He was speaking after the US reported that five Iranian speedboats had challenged and briefly threatened three US warships in the Strait of Hormuz at the weekend.
The US said its vessels were about to open fire when the Iranian boats withdrew.
Iran at first described the encounter as a routine occurrence and dismissed video of the incident published by the Americans as fake.
Mr Bush said he and Mr Olmert had also discussed the Iranian nuclear programme.
He said Iran was and would remain a threat to world peace if the international community did not stop it building a nuclear weapon.
Iran says its programme is for peaceful purposes only.