Bush, Mubarak pledge redoubled peace effort

Mubarak's remarks echoed in part the peace proposal by Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush welcomed Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to the White House Tuesday, praising his efforts to battle global terrorism and secure peace in the Middle East.

"We both feel deep sympathy for the people in the region who are trying to live their lives in peace," Bush said at a joint news conference after their meeting. "And we're both determined to redouble our efforts to work for peace."

Bush said the United States hopes to see harmony in the Mideast, where violence has escalated since a rash of Palestinian attacks on both Israeli civilians and soldiers. Israel has responded with what it describes as retaliatory strikes in Gaza and the West Bank. The death toll in recent days has climbed on both sides.

"We are committed to two states, Israel and Palestine, living peacefully together within secure and recognized borders as called for by the Security Council resolutions of the United Nations," Bush said, reiterating a goal he announced at the United Nations last November.

But, the president said, peace in the region can come only "if there is a maximum effort to end violence throughout the region, starting with the Palestinian efforts to stop attacks against Israelis."

Mubarak called on both sides to end the violence.

"As the Palestinians are being asked to exert more effort to bring down the level of violence, the Israeli government should understand that the use of military power and unilateral measures against the Palestinian population -- the closure of roads, the siege of towns and villages, the demolition of houses, the collective punishment that make progress more difficult -- should stop," he said.

Peace can come about only by "ending the Israeli occupation of all territories occupied since June 1967, implementing the relevant U.N. resolutions, establishing of a viable Palestinian state and the guaranteeing of the security of all parts in peaceful coexistence," Mubarak said.

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His comments echoed, in part, a peace proposal touted last week by Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah.

The crown prince suggested the Arab world normalize relations with Israel and assure its security in return for Israel's withdrawal from the Palestinian territories back to Israel's borders before the 1967 Six-Day War.

Prince Abdullah's proposals are historic, Mubarak said. "This is the first time in the history of the Saudis that they could say, 'We are ready to normalize the relation with Israel in case of peace prevails,'" he said.

Bush hailed Mubarak as a "vital partner" in the efforts to broker peace in the region and noted that Egypt has preserved its peace with Israel "even during difficult times."

Both leaders also vowed to unite their efforts in the battle against terrorism.

"And to the extent that we can help round up those extremists that would do harm to the president, or his government or the people of Egypt, we will do so," Bush said.

"It doesn't matter to me where a terrorist tries to hide. We will work with our friends and allies to hunt them down."