JERUSALEM, May 14 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President George W. Bush on Wednesday vowed to continue support for Israel, which is "the strongest ally and friend" of the United States in the Middle East.

    Bush, who arrived in Israel earlier Wednesday on the occasion of the Jewish state's 60th anniversary, made the remarks during a meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres at the latter's official residence in Jerusalem.

U.S. President George W. Bush (L) meets with Israeli President Shimon Peres at the President's Residence in Jerusalem May 14, 2008. The president is on a five-day swing in the Middle East with scheduled stops in Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt before returning to the United States on Sunday.   (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    "The objective of the United States must be to support our strongest ally and friend in the Middle East... and, at the same time, talk about a hopeful future," Bush was quoted by local daily Ha'aretz as saying, signaling his aim to make a new push for Israeli-Palestinian peace on the three-day trip.

    Bush also said 60 years of democracy in Israel is the reason for optimism for democratic change throughout the Middle East.

    "What happened here is possible everywhere," he said.

    The U.S. president has expressed optimism that an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement would be reached before his term ends while having little hope for a major breakthrough during this trip.

    U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, part of Bush's entourage, said Tuesday that reaching such a deal within the next eight months might be improbable but it's not impossible.

    Peres backed Bush's optimism for a Middle East peace accord, saying Israelis want to work with the Palestinians.

U.S. President George W. Bush (L) tours the gardens of the President's Residence with Israeli President Shimon Peres (R) in Jerusalem May 14, 2008.    (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    "We would like to see the Palestinians living together," he said. "They have suffered a great deal of their life. The separation is a tragedy for them and for the rest of us."

    Peres also accused Hamas, the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip, of working to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state and chastised Hezbollah for aiming to destroy Lebanon.

    Upon his arrival, Bush was greeted at Ben-Gurion International Airport by the Israeli leadership, including Peres, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and opposition leader Member of Knesset (parliament) Benjamin Netanyahu.

    Bush then flew by helicopter to Jerusalem for Wednesday and Thursday's events marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of Israel.

    It is Bush's second visit to Israel in four months. The U.S. president visited Israel in January for the first time in his seven years' tenure in a bid to advance peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians in the wake of the Annapolis Summit held in November 2007.

    During his visit, Bush will also hold talks with Olmert, who is now facing investigations on alleged bribery charges, and other senior officials including Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defense Minister Ehud Barak.

    Bush will attend an international conference hosted by Peres to mark Israel's 60th anniversary. He is also expected to deliver a speech at a special session of the Knesset.

    After the Israeli tour, Bush will visit Saudi Arabia and Egypt during his five-day visit in the region.