US President George W. Bush on Sunday met with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon amid a fresh round of violence in the Middle East.
The meeting, which was closed to the media, was originally scheduled for Monday but moved one day ahead of the schedule as a series of bombings took place over the past 24 hours in Israel, killing at least two dozens of people with nearly 200 others injured.
The Palestinian militant group Hamas, which claims responsibility for all the attacks, had vowed to retaliate after Israeli missiles killed a senior leader of the movement earlier this week.
The latest violence cast a heavy shadow over the ongoing mediation by retired US Marines general Anthony Zinni and US Assistant Secretary of State William Burns.
Speaking at the White House before his meeting with Sharon, Bush condemned the latest violence in the Middle East, saying that it is time to fight terror in the region.
"This is a moment where the advocates for peace in the Middle East must rise up and fight terror. Chairman (Yasser) Arafat must do everything in his power to find those who murdered innocent Israelis and bring them to justice," said Bush, who cut short a weekend treat at Camp David, Maryland, to meet Sharon.
Bush's remarks echoed his statement made Saturday night at Camp David in which he placed all blames on Palestinian leader Arafat.
The United States, a strong ally of Israel and subject to heavy Jewish lobby at home, has been in favor of Israel in dealing with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict although it often publicly chants a balanced tone on the issue.
Sharon, who was in Washington on Friday for a five-day visit, is expected to return to Israel after his meeting with Bush to deal with the latest development at home.
( December 3, 2001)
