WASHINGTON, March 15 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush called on Hezbollah, the Lebanese group Washington describes as terrorist, to lay down its arms for the sake of peace.
Both he and Jordanian King Abdullah are concerned Hezbollah may try to derail the Palestinian-Israeli peace process, he said, and "it's very important this peace process go forward for the sake of the Palestinians, for the sake of the Israelis, and for the sake of all the people of the region."
Bush, with King Abdullah beside him, made the remarks following talks in the Oval Office and before a working lunch with the monarch, a key ally in the Middle East peace process.
Bush said Hezbollah, because of its past terrorist activities, is on the State Department list of terrorist organizations.
"We view Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, and I would hope that Hezbollah would prove that they are not by laying down their arms and not threatening peace."
Hezbollah is backed by Syria and Iran. It maintains a militia and also has representatives in Lebanon's parliament. It's forces sometimes launch attacks on northern Israel.
