The new Palestinian government will first try to subdue militant groups by persuasion rather than force, a senior Palestinian official told visiting US envoy William Burns Monday.
| How do you persuade somebody who's rolling his eyes, jumping up and down, and screaming, while firing a Kalashnikov at random targets? |
The meeting, which follows talks between Burns and Israeli leaders, including Premier Ariel Sharon, comes as peace hopes slowly rise despite a renewed flare-up of violence which Israel played as an attack on the Palestinian premierâs authority. Burnsâs efforts coincided with reports that Israel had rejected a peace overture from Syria before the start of the US-led invasion of Iraq in March. Syria wants Israel to return the Golan Heights seized in the 1967 war.
"Hey, can we have those back?"
"No, why?" |
Israelâs Maariv daily said a Syrian proposal to resume peace talks was made in secret contacts in Jordan between Israeli businessmen and Syrian President Bashar Assadâs brother, Maher. A Syrian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman declined comment on the report, but a source in Sharonâs office said âit was decided that treatment of the matter would be delayed until Syriaâs true local and international situation becomes clear in the fallout of the Iraqi war.â
| "Yo, Bashar! Your eyes open yet?" |
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