Netanyahu invites Arafat, Assad to resume negotiations with Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called the Palestinians and Syria to resume peace negotiation with Israel.

In a meeting for businessmen in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu said: " I invite the Syrian President Hafez al-Assad and the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat to resume negotiations with the Israeli government, the only side which can ensure a peace supported by the whole people of Israel." He added " they (in remarks to the Syrians and Palestinians) waste this chance because it is not only in our interests, rather for its own interest and the interest of peace."

Netanyahu, on the other hand, asserted that Palestinian and Israeli negotiators have last week almost reached an accord. He went on the Palestinian at the last moment gave up. Netanyahu indicated that the Palestinians have now to return back to negotiation table and to propose their views concerning already reached points of agreement. He noted: " It is not only the Palestinians who need peace. The Syrians are also in need of it."