By Prensa Latina,
Tel Aviv : US President George W. Bush confirmed on Wednesday his unconditional support of Israel and Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, two main US allies in the area.
The objective must be to support our closest ally and friend in the Middle East and at the same time speak about hope for the future, said Bush, who is on a visit for celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of the creation of the State of Israel.
The US president said to support the government of Lebanon, a country hit by a serious political crisis since 2005, behind of which there are the hands of Washington and Tel Aviv, according to Arab analysts and leaders.
Bush said to be confident of reaching a peace agreement between Israel and Palestine before the end of his term late this year.
But violence prevails. A missile launched from the Gaza Strip hit a crowded shopping center in Ashkelon, southern Israel. At least 14 people were wounded, three of them seriously, according to Israeli Red Cross.
While Bush met with his Israeli peer Shimon Peres, the Israeli Army killed four Palestinians and wounded another nine in two military raids in northern and southern Gaza Strip.
More than 400 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli Army since November, when the White House-sponsored Israeli-Palestinian talks resumed, according to sources from humanitarian organizations.
This is the second visit by the US president to the Middle East so far this year.