US businessmen discuss peace talks, report says

Several Jewish-American businessmen have been shuttling between Israel and Syria over the last few months to try and get peace negotiations restarted, the Israeli newspaper Maariv reported on July 4.

In recent weeks the mediators, some of them close to Benjamin Netanyahu, have stepped up their contacts, and a number of messages have been exchanged, the newspaper said.

Netanyahu told his cabinet on July 4 that the businessmen were not acting on his behalf, and efforts to restart negotiations were in the hands of the US.

Maariv said the atmosphere between the two countries has improved. It said James Wolfensohn, president of the World Bank was among those involved in the contacts.