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| Bush launches key Mid-East tour | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| US President George W Bush has arrived in Israel on a landmark visit to the region to try to advance peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians. | |
| Mr Bush received a red carpet welcome at Tel Aviv airport, where he was greeted by the entire Israeli cabinet. | |
| The president said he saw a "new opportunity for peace here in the holy land" as he began his week-long trip. | |
| Ahead of his arrival Palestinian and Israeli leaders agreed to begin tackling core issues dividing them. | Ahead of his arrival Palestinian and Israeli leaders agreed to begin tackling core issues dividing them. |
| Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert vowed at a US summit last year to try to achieve a two-state solution by the end of 2008. | |
| It is Mr Bush's first visit to Israel and the West Bank since taking office in 2001. | |
| 'Unshakeable bond' | |
| Mr Bush was met by Mr Olmert and Israeli President Shimon Peres. | |
| We are expecting that President Bush will get Israel to freeze settlement activity Nabil Abu Rudeina,Abbas spokesman Lasting legacy? | We are expecting that President Bush will get Israel to freeze settlement activity Nabil Abu Rudeina,Abbas spokesman Lasting legacy? |
| Mr Olmert spoke of the "unshakeable" bond between Israel and the United States, and of his deep personal friendship with Mr Bush. | |
| Meanwhile, Mr Peres said he took Mr Bush's advice "not to underestimate the Iranian threat". | |
| For his part, Mr Bush said the alliance between the US and Israel "helps guarantee Israel's security as a Jewish state". | |
| Mr Bush has said there will be three main themes to his visit. | |
| He said Palestinians need to have a clearly defined vision of a state that can exist alongside Israel, and both Palestinians and Israelis need to fulfil their obligations to bring about this vision. | He said Palestinians need to have a clearly defined vision of a state that can exist alongside Israel, and both Palestinians and Israelis need to fulfil their obligations to bring about this vision. |
| He also repeated that the US was committed to security in the region. But correspondents say many Israelis and Palestinians are sceptical about the chances for progress. | He also repeated that the US was committed to security in the region. But correspondents say many Israelis and Palestinians are sceptical about the chances for progress. |
| After holding talks with Mr Olmert and Mr Peres in Jerusalem on Wednesday, Mr Bush will go to the West Bank to meet Mr Abbas. | |
| He also plans to visit the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem before making stops in Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. | |
| Core issues | |
| In a meeting on Tuesday, Mr Abbas and Mr Olmert authorised their negotiators to begin discussing "final-status" issues of the borders of a future Palestinian state and the status of Jerusalem. | |
| Israeli and Palestinian views on US leader's visitIn pictures Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said it had been agreed that Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and former Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, also known as Abu Ala, would "start intensive meetings to immediately discuss all core issues of a final status agreement." | Israeli and Palestinian views on US leader's visitIn pictures Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said it had been agreed that Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and former Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, also known as Abu Ala, would "start intensive meetings to immediately discuss all core issues of a final status agreement." |
| "The president [Abbas] urged that the year of 2008 be made the year to reach peace. The intention is to see to it that we give peace a chance," Mr Erekat said. | "The president [Abbas] urged that the year of 2008 be made the year to reach peace. The intention is to see to it that we give peace a chance," Mr Erekat said. |
| But the BBC's Bethany Bell in Jerusalem says the rows over Israeli settlement construction in occupied East Jerusalem and of militant rocket fire into Israeli territory have not gone away. | But the BBC's Bethany Bell in Jerusalem says the rows over Israeli settlement construction in occupied East Jerusalem and of militant rocket fire into Israeli territory have not gone away. |
| The Palestinians have also accused Israel of stepping up raids in the occupied territories ahead of Mr Bush's visit. | The Palestinians have also accused Israel of stepping up raids in the occupied territories ahead of Mr Bush's visit. |
| A further issue is the removal of unauthorised Israeli outposts in the West Bank. | A further issue is the removal of unauthorised Israeli outposts in the West Bank. |
| Beyond that even tougher questions remain - the Palestinians made refugees since Israel's creation in 1948 and the sovereignty of Jerusalem. | Beyond that even tougher questions remain - the Palestinians made refugees since Israel's creation in 1948 and the sovereignty of Jerusalem. |