JERUSALEM — President Bush flew to Israel yesterday to give a fresh boost to the stalled Middle East peace negotiations that he launched just six weeks ago.

Mr. Bush said the region had a “historic chance” to reach peace and that Israeli and Palestinian Arab leaders were “determined” to reach a final settlement. “It’s a historic opportunity to work for peace,” he said. “I’m very hopeful.”

But he could offer no breakthrough on the issues that have blocked negotiations since the two sides met at Annapolis, near Washington, last November.

Israel refuses to ease its controls over the Palestinian Arab territories because of continued attacks by Palestinian Arab militants, while the Palestinian leadership accuses Israel of continuing to build illegal settlements.

The disagreements meant officials were unable to even organize a trilateral meeting between Mr. Bush, Prime Minister Olmert, and the moderate Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas. It has been a serious blow to Mr. Bush’s hopes that his last year in office would be crowned with a negotiated end to decades of violence in the Holy Land.

As one of the most pro-Israeli American presidents, Mr. Bush enjoyed full honors when Air Force One touched down at Ben Gurion International Airport. He was met by President Peres and the entire Israeli Cabinet, led by Mr. Olmert.

Security around Mr. Bush was tight, with special agents carrying assault rifles at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem.

Affection was obvious in welcoming remarks from Mr. Peres. “We greet you as a great friend,” he said. “You towered at moments of need — you paved the road to peace.”

And before three hours of talks with Mr. Olmert, Mr. Bush, a keen cyclist, was given an Israeli national cycling team outfit and a handlebar-mounted satellite locating device that bore the message: “To my friend George Bush from one athlete to another — happy trails.”

At a press conference after the talks, Mr. Olmert reiterated Israel’s policy that there can be no negotiated settlement of the Palestinian Arab-Israeli conflict without a complete end of all attacks by Palestinian militants. “Israel does not tolerate and will not tolerate the continuation of these vicious attacks,” he said. “We will not hesitate to take all the necessary measures. There will be no peace unless terror is stopped. And terror will have to be stopped everywhere.”

As Mr. Bush arrived, there was no let-up from Palestinian militants in Gaza, who fired at least eight rockets into Israel. No serious injuries were caused. And there was no let-up in Israel’s military response. Palestinian Arab sources inside Gaza said two civilians died in the crossfire yesterday.

Thousands of Hamas supporters also took to the streets of Gaza, burning effigies of the American president and his Israeli counterpart, while Hamas politicians labeled Mr. Bush “the butcher of the world.”

After hearing the Israeli perspective yesterday, Mr. Bush travels to the Palestinian Arab territories today for a meeting with Mr. Abbas before some sightseeing in Bethlehem.

He leaves for Kuwait tomorrow and a series of visits with other pro-American Gulf states before two nights in Saudi Arabia.

Seeking to maintain the diplomatic pressure on Iran, he used his press conference in Jerusalem to reiterate that he regards a nuclear-armed Iran as “a threat to world peace.”

The President’s Itinerary

TODAY: Visit to Palestinian Arab territories and Bethlehem. Meeting with the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas.

TOMORROW: Visit to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial museum in Jerusalem, and holy sites at the Sea of Galilee and Capernaum.

SATURDAY: Meetings in Kuwait with the royal family.

SUNDAY: Tour of Bahrain.

MONDAY: Tour of Abu Dhabi.

WEDNESDAY: After two days in Saudi Arabia, return flight to Washington.