Bush: 'New opportunity for MidEast peace'

George W Bush has said there is a new opportunity for peace in the Middle East, and that both sides are ready to make tough concessions.The US President earlier arrived in Israel for an eight-day trip to the region.It follows an international conference held in Maryland in November, when Israelis and Palestinians promised to work towards a two-state accord before his presidential term ends in January 2009.Arriving at Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion airport, Mr Bush said: "We see a new opportunity for peace here in the Holy Land and for freedom across the region."He then held talks in Jerusalem with Israeli President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. He will meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Thursday.After meeting Mr Olmert, President Bush said: "Both leaders are determined to make the hard choices necessary."It's a historic opportunity to work for peace. I wouldn't be standing here if I did not believe that you, Mr Prime Minister, and Mr Abbas...are serious."Mr Bush added that he is ready to apply "pressure" to achieve progress and described his visit as a "pretty significant nudge" that had pushed Mr Abbas and Mr Olmert to finally agree to open negotiations on the "core issues" in the 60-year-old conflict.However, Palestinians say Israel's refusal to honour a pledge to halt settlement in the West Bank shows bad faith from the outset.Meanwhile, Mr Bush took an opportunity to warn Iran of "serious consequences" if it attacked US ships in the Gulf.His message came just days after Washington said Iranian boats aggressively approached three US Naval ships in the Strait of Hormuz, a major oil shipping route off Iran's coast, and threatened that the ships would explode.Mr Bush said: "My advice to them is don't do it. We have made it clear publicly and they know our position, and that is there will be serious consequences if they attack our ships, pure and simple."© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.

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ITN | January 9, 2008

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