Israel calls on Syria to join direct peace talks

Israeli President Shimon Peres said some had suggested Syrian President Bashar Assad and Netanyahu meet and start talking directly. In another development, a report said that the Israeli Parliament members were divided over the visit of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington and his stance on the two-state solution. Whereas Labor ?dissidents? called on Netanyahu not to ?delude? himself and the Israeli people that there is a solution to the conflict with the Palestinians that does not include two states for two peoples, members of Netanyahu?s ruling Likud party warned they would ?rebel? against the prime minister should he change his stance and agree to enter negotiations on the establishment of a Palestinian state. In a letter addressed to Netanyahu on the eve of his trip to Washington, three MPs urged Netanyahu to drop talk of ?economic peace? and accept the Arab peace initiative. The Labor MPs urged Netanyahu to refrain from presenting US President Barack Obama today with what they term ?useless ideas,? stressing that no progress can be made without halting settlement construction and removing unauthorized West Bank settlement outposts. On the other hand, some members of Likud expressed fears that Netanyahu may succumb to US pressure and accept the two-state proposal. Meanwhile, Israel?s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in the US yesterday ahead of his maiden meeting with President Barack Obama amid divisions over Middle East peacemaking and Iran?s nuclear ambitions; Kazinform cites Arab News See www.arabnews.com for full version.