President George W Bush launched the most ambitious US Middle East peace mission in two years today and said a summit with Arab leaders had advanced the "road map" to peace.
"We have made progress on a broad agenda," he said after the summit hosted by Egypt's President Mr Hosni Mubarak in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. The US president won an Arab vow to try to choke funding to "terrorist groups", but he also urged Israeli action on Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza.
"We are determined to keep moving forward," said Mr Bush, who moves straight on to a landmark summit with the Israeli and Palestinian premiers on Wednesday in Aqaba, Jordan.
Ahead of that meeting, Israel freed around 100 prisoners in a goodwill gesture the Palestinians called cosmetic. Despite the positive moves, violence crackled in Gaza and the West Bank.
In an outdoor address, the sea behind him and Mr Mubarak at his side, Mr Bush hailed a pledge by five Arab leaders to crack down on violence and said if all sides met their obligations, progress could be made to Palestinian statehood and a secure Israel.
"Today I am pleased to stand with leaders of the Arab world who are committed to these principles," he said. Mr Bush met Mr Mubarak before they both joined Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah, Jordan's King Abdullah, Bahrain's King Hamad and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, making his debut on the international stage.
Syria and Lebanon, two frontline Arab states that have yet to make peace with Israel, were absent.
Mr Mubarak, reading a statement from Arab leaders, said Arabs welcomed the road map and Bush's commitment.
"We will use the full force of the law to stop funds getting to illegal organisations including terrorist groups," he said.
In a conciliatory gesture to his Arab hosts Mr Bush said before the talks that Israel had to deal with Jewish settlements.
"Israel must make sure there is a continuous territory that the Palestinians can call home," he said.
Freezing settlement-building is central to the road map drafted by the United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia.
US hopes for progress have been buoyed by word Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is to announce plans to uproot some rogue Jewish settler outposts, though it is unclear how many.
The international community considers the settlements illegal, although Israel disputes this.
A Sharon aide said Mr Bush's remarks were no surprise. "All this will be discussed at tomorrow's meeting," he said.