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Last update - 02:02 05/06/2008 Bush reassures Olmert on Iran at W. House By The Associated Press WASHINGTON - U.S. President George W. Bush tried yesterday to reassure Israelis worried about the U.S. commitment to keeping Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. "Iran is an existential threat to peace," Bush told Prime Minister Ehud Olmert at the outset of talks at the White House. "It's very important for the world to take the Iranian threat quite seriously, which the United States does." Advertisement Bush said they also would discuss Syria's influence in Lebanon and the Israeli government's attempts to negotiate peace with the Palestinians. As they spoke, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for a new dialogue with Hamas, the militant group that has taken control of the Gaza Strip from Abbas' government. Abbas said he will call for new legislative and presidential elections if the talks succeed. Neither Bush nor Olmert mentioned perhaps the most pressing issue for their talks: Olmert's deteriorating political situation back home, where his popularity has nose-dived because of a new corruption scandal. The developments are jeopardizing Bush's already ambitious timetable for an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement by year's end and are making it unlikely that Bush or Olmert will be able to shepherd the process to completion. For Olmert, a friendly meeting with a stalwart ally like Bush was a marked change from what he left behind in Israel, where his political allies are conspicuously refusing to come to his defense and jostling for his job. The Israeli leader seemed delighted to be again at the side of Bush, who is enormously popular in Israel. Olmert smiled broadly at Bush throughout his opening remarks and effusively praised his speech last month before the Israeli Knesset. "The people of Israel were absolutely excited and moved by your spectacular speech in the Knesset, which was the best expression of the United States commitment to the security and the well-being of the state of Israel," Olmert said. Bush's emphasis on Iran, which came unprompted, reflects its importance to Israel. Both countries are concerned about Tehran's intentions, but Israel has a different intelligence assessment on the state of Iran's nuclear program. Israel believes that Iran has not suspended its nuclear weapons program, despite a report to the contrary by U.S. intelligence. In an indication of what Olmert was likely to tell Bush, the Israeli prime minister told thousands of Israel supporters at the annual convention of the pro-Israel American Israel Public Affairs Committee on Tuesday that the Iranian threat must be stopped by all possible means. The Bush administration has become deeply involved in Israel-Palestinian peace negotiations. Bush set the target for a peace agreement at the end of the year, saying Olmert and Abbas are the right people to lead a historic compromise. But the administration now seems aware that Olmert could be on his way out. "The Israeli-Palestinian peace process is bigger than any one person, and that we're going to continue to work on it, despite what may or may not be happening in Israeli political circles," White House press secretary Dana Perino said. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Terrorist donuts U.S. Arabs irate over criticism of celebrity cook's kaffiyeh. All the way to hell Rosner's blog: It's Obama's good intentions that pro-Israel activists fear.

Read & React Abbas slams Obama for saying Jerusalem to stay Israel's undivided capital Responses: 213 German neo-Nazis: We're pro-Israel and we condemn anti-Semitism Responses: 114 Olmert: We're close to stopping Iran's nuclear program Responses: 83 U.S. Arabs irate over criticism of celebrity cook's kaffiyeh Responses: 81 Israeli killed in Negev mortar strike; Gazan girl dies in IAF attack Responses: 92 More Headlines 01:36 Olmert hints major Gaza operation is imminent 02:50 PM to Bush, Abbas: I'll weather legal storm, stay in office 20:50 Israeli killed in Negev mortar strike; Gazan girl, 4, dies in IAF attack 21:07 Ex-MK Bishara: Israel is 'foreign entity' on a Crusader-like path 23:45 Turkey: U.S. backs mediation bid for Syrian-Israeli peace 22:24 A rabbi, an imam and a priest discuss their 'painful verses' 20:23 Blair: Use lessons of Northern Ireland to solve Mideast conflict 22:20 AG Mazuz: No legal grounds yet for forcing Olmert to resign 01:48 Congress: Pentagon concealed useful Iranian intel from CIA in 2001 00:50 Israel lags behind Sudan, Pakistan in number of women in legislature 20:38 Vandals deface concentration camp memorial near Berlin 02:06 Obama's pro-Israel speech before AIPAC riles Arab press Previous Editions Select Day 05 jun 04 jun 03 jun 02 jun 01 jun 30 may 29 may 28 may 27 may 26 may 25 may 23 may

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