Bush has decided to take a more hands-on role in the peace process

Mr Bush's proposed meeting with Ariel Sharon and Mahmoud Abbas will be his highest profile intervention in Middle East diplomacy to date.

The White House said the meeting with Mr Sharon and Mr Abbas - who is better known as Abu Mazen - would take place "conditions permitting".

Shortly before the announcement of the meeting, Israeli troops shot dead a member of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Force 17 elite guard.

Palestinian medical sources said the man, Mahmud Zayed, 36, was shot six times in the head and chest. The circumstances surrounding the shooting are not clear.

Mr Arafat reminded Israel and the US this week that he still holds significant power despite efforts to work around him.

He reportedly delayed a meeting between Mr Sharon and Abu Mazen - who is favoured by the West but who reports to Mr Arafat - planned for Wednesday.

The meeting is expected to take place later in the week.

Round of diplomacy

Before the Jordan summit, Mr Bush will meet Arab leaders in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

ROADMAP MAIN POINTS Phase 1 (to May 2003): End to Palestinian violence; Palestinian political reform; Israeli withdrawal and freeze on settlement expansion; Palestinian elections Phase 2: (June-Dec 2003) Creation of an independent Palestinian state; international conference and international monitoring of compliance with roadmap Phase 3 (2004-2005): Second international conference; permanent status agreement and end of conflict; agreement on final borders, Jerusalem, refugees and settlements; Arab states to agree to peace deals with Israel Roadmap full text Q&A: What does it mean

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer described Mr Bush's planned meetings with Mr Sharon and Abu Mazen as "part of an overall approach to making progress down the road".

The United States recently unveiled its long-delayed peace plan for the region, known as the roadmap.

The meeting in Jordan, if it goes ahead, will be Mr Bush's first face-to-face meeting with Abu Mazen.

Mr Arafat, out of favour in Washington, has not been invited.

Israel welcomed news of Mr Bush's planned visit.

"President Bush would not bother to help if he didn't think it was possible to renew negotiations in this summit," Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said.

"I very much hope that we will leave there with a decision to renew talks," he said.

Mr Bush is also scheduled to visit the Gulf state of Qatar to meet troops who took part in the US-led war in Iraq that toppled Saddam Hussein's regime.