Bush vows support for Palestinian State

US President George W Bush yesterday stressed his commitment to a separate Palestinian state.

"No president has ever said that," Mr Bush told the BBC1 Breakfast with Frost programme, "I said it, and I said it with conviction, because I believe it is in Israel's interest that there be a peaceful Palestinian state. And I know it's in the Palestinians' interest.

"However, to achieve a peaceful Palestinian state, the emergence of a peaceful Palestinian state, a state where people are willing to risk capital, a place where people are willing to develop an economy, there must be a focused effort to defeat terror. And there hasn't been with the current Palestinian leadership."

Mr Bush denounced the way Abu Mazen had been "shoved aside" as Palestinian Prime Minister.

"I embraced the guy and I believe that he is a partner with whom we can work. And he's shoved out. Progress is being made and he is shoved aside by the old guard. And that's unacceptable behaviour. It's just unacceptable."

Mr Bush agreed he could see hard-line Israeli leader Ariel Sharon "emerging as a man of peace".

"I believe he wants peace for his people truly do. And I believe he believes in the Palestinian state. I've asked him in the Oval Office," he said.

"I said, 'Listen, am I out there by myself on the Palestinian state, or will you support it?', And he said he will.

"But both of us understand that for a state to emerge, there must be a focused effort to get after the Hamas killers, for example, who want to destroy the hopes of the people that believe in a Palestinian state."