U.S. President George Bush is in Israel at the start of a five-day trip to the Middle East. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports, the president is hoping for progress on efforts to resolve Israeli/Palestinian violence.

An Israeli military honor guard welcomed the president and Mrs. Bush to Tel Aviv.

U.S. National Security Advisor Steve Hadley says the president is still working toward the outline of a separate Palestinian state before he leaves office in January.

"The president will reaffirm his personal commitment to peace between Israelis and Palestinians and encourage continuing efforts for a two state solution: a democratic Israel and a democratic Palestine living side-by-side in peace and security," he said.

But progress toward the two-state solution is complicated by a Palestinian authority divided between Gaza and the West Bank and an Israeli Prime Minister weakened by last year's war in Lebanon and an ongoing investigation into political corruption.