Israeli Arabs to visit Syria

An Israeli official declared on August 3 that a large delegation of Israeli Arabs, including members of Parliament, will make a rare visit to Syria at the end of this week for talks with Syrian President Hafez Assad and other officials on the peace process.

Nawaf Masalha, a labor MP, who will be part of the delegation said, "We are going to Syria to encourage the two sides to return to the negotiating table because we are convinced that both our people want peace."

He also added: "We will tell the Syrian president our views of the matter, which are based on a total withdrawal from the Golan Heights."

Till now it is not clear whether the delegation has received the approval of the Israeli government for this visit.

The delegation will include deputies Taleb al Sanna and Abdel Wahab Darawsheh of the Arab democratic Party, Abdel Malek Dahamsh of the Islamic Movement and Walid Sadek of the left wing Meretz party, as well as mayors and the poet Samih al Kassem.