Washington ? A suicide bomber waged a deadly attack Tuesday on a crowded pool hall in Israel, abruptly setting back Mideast peace efforts as President Bush and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon struggled at the White House to find common ground to stop Israeli-Palestinian violence.

Sharon said the attack was “proof of the true intentions of the person leading the Palestinian Authority” placing the blame squarely on Yasser Arafat’s shoulders without mentioning his name. The prime minister cut short his visit to Washington to hurry home.

Rescue personnel search through a destroyed pool hall in Rishon Letzion, Israel, where a suicide attack killed at least 15 people and injured at least 60. The attack occurred Tuesday as Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was meeting in Washington with President Bush.

The bombing doused hopes for quickly getting the peace process on track, and an enraged Sharon raised the prospect of Israel retaliation.

“The battle is not done,” Sharon declared at a televised news conference, speaking first in Hebrew, then in English.

“The battle continues and will continue until all those who believe that they can make gains through the use of terrorism will cease to exist cease to exist,” the prime minister said.

Sharon learned of the explosion during a 70-minute meeting with Bush, who offered his condolences and expressed “disgust with this wanton waste of life,” an adviser said.

Bush and Sharon failed in their talks to bridge major differences, including how quickly to push for a Palestinian state, an outcome that the United States believes is essential.

The suicide attack shattered a pool hall in the Israeli city of Rishon Letzion 10 miles south of Tel Aviv, adding to the grim toll of deaths on both sides of the long Mideast dispute. The nail-studded bomb exploded at the entrance of the pool hall, killing at least 15 people. More than 50 other people were injured.

At his evening news conference, Sharon was adamant:

“I came here to the United States to discuss the prospect of peace and stability in the region,” he said. “I came to the United States to discuss the possibility of reform in the Palestinian Authority, which are a necessary precondition to the advancements of the political process. There is no way to move forward on the political process with a terrorist and corrupt entity.”

Halfway into Tuesday’s White House meeting, Bush’s national security adviser, Condoleeza Rice, told the leaders that there was an explosion in the Mideast but details were sketchy. As the meeting broke up, aides were told it was a suicide bombing and informed both men. That’s when Bush expressed his condolences.

Pressing for peace

Still, the president emerged from the talks expressing optimism that Israel, the Palestinian Authority and moderate Arab leaders would join in efforts to curb terrorist attacks in Israel while opening negotiations toward a Palestinian state. He said Arab leaders, in particular, appear to be more willing to press Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to reform his regime making it more democratic and less corrupt.

“The world is rallying toward these reforms,” Bush said, urging the Palestinians to write a constitution.

However, he and Sharon offered no signs that they had resolved their many differences.

Bush wants to accelerate peace talks; Sharon wants incremental advances. Bush wants Sharon to deal with Arafat; the Israeli refuses to do so. Bush believes Saudi Arabia is a key peace partner; Sharon’s government has accused the Saudis of supporting terrorism.

A separate Palestine

In a joint news conference with Sharon, the president renewed his call for a separate state for the Palestinian people and mentioned the word “Palestine,” the name of the hoped-for state. Sharon replied, “I think it’s premature to discuss” that issue until Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat reforms his government.

Bush also reminded Sharon that Israel was bound by U.N. Security Council resolutions adopted in 1967 and 1973 that call for territorial withdrawal, said a senior administration official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity. Bush renewed the U.S. call for restrictions on Jewish settlements in the occupied territories, the official said.

Rather than emphasizing the disagreements, Bush sought to strike a balance as he pressed both Israel and Arafat.

“There are people in Israel who long for security and peace, people in the Palestinian world who long for security, peace and economic hope,” the president said.

At the same time, he gave Sharon some breathing room, saying he would not insist that Israel compromise with Arafat. “I’m never going to tell my friend the prime minister what to do on how to handle his business,” Bush said.