WASHINGTON'Expressing \great alarm"" at the level of hostilities engulfing Israelis and Palestinians, President Bush said Tuesday that the United States and Egypt have pledged to redouble their peacemaking efforts.
Bush's comments came after he met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. At a news conference both leaders also expressed support for a recent Saudi Arabian proposal advocating full recognition of Israel by Arab states in exchange for Israel's withdrawal from Arab territories seized during the 1967 Middle East War.
Bush called the Saudi initiative, which is not a formal peace plan, a very positive development, saying that ending the violence would depend on a ""vision of peace."" The president also lauded Mubarak's offer to host Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat for talks at the Egyptian resort of Sharm el Sheik.
""I appreciate any efforts, any ideas that will lay out a vision for a peaceful resolution,"" Bush said.
