"Bush warmly adopted Olmert's initiatives for an extensive withdrawal in the West Bank, terming them "bold ideas" that "could be an important step" to peace. The president also pledged that the United States would hasten to Israel's defense in the event of an attack by Iran, and, no less important to Olmert, stressed the personal relationship between them. Bush even mentioned the private talks the two were to hold in the residential wing of the White House, without the presence of aides, immediately after the press conference."