WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Bush administration pressed for renewed talks between Israel and the Palestinians even as it seeks a worldwide coalition in support of its anti-terrorism campaign.
President Bush telephoned Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Friday. Secretary of State Colin Powell has made several calls to Sharon, Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Yasser Arafat, the president of the Palestinian Authority.
Bush urged the prime minister to make progress with the Palestinians on ending the violence in the Mideast, White House spokesman Sean McCormack said.
Peres last week said he was prepared to talk to Arafat, but the Palestinians said further preparations for a meeting were required.
The main U.S. objective is to end nearly a year of conflict between Israel and Palestinians. A cease-fire arranged by the Central Intelligence Agency Director George Tenet in June has been swept aside by the fighting.
The Bush administration is hoping for a period of calm that would lead to implementation of peace-making gestures recommended by a panel headed by former Senate Democratic leader George Mitchell as a path to renewed negotiations.
"I am still hopeful that something can be done in the next several days to have that first meeting," Powell said Thursday.
In his 10-minute conversation with Bush, Sharon offered his condolences on the terrorist attacks against the United States, McCormack said.
