Last update - 00:00 15/04/2007
Israeli author lends support to Suleiman-Liel peace initiative
By Jack Khoury and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents
Author David Grossman has told the Syrian-American businessman who took part in unofficial talks with Israeli representatives on a peace deal with Damascus that he supports the endeavor.
"I will begin to act on the matter," Grossman said in a telephone call to Ibrahim (Abe) Suleiman, who left Israel on Friday.
During Suleiman's visit, he made an unprecedented appearance before the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
On Thursday, Suleiman said he had high-level contacts with officials in Damascus on a possible peace agreement with Israel.
He told the panel that Syria was prepared to begin engaging in peace talks with Israel.
He also said that he believed an initial agreement could be reached within six months.
Shlomo Goldwasser, father of Ehud Goldwasser who was abducted last July by Hezbollah on the border with Lebanon, told Haaretz that in refusing Suleiman's request to meet a Syrian national held prisoner in Israel, Israel was passing on an opportunity for a gesture of good-will.
"The request should have been approved in my opinion," Goldwasser said.
He cited Syrian President Bashar Assad's recent statements that he wanted to assist in the negotiations for the release of Goldwasser and IDF soldier Eldad Regev, who was also abducted by Hezbollah.
Before leaving the country, Suleiman met with Noam Yifrach, chairman of Magen David Adom rescue service. Yifrach asked Suleiman to arrange for him a meeting with his counterparts at the Red Crescent in Syria.
Suleiman promised he would make an effort to follow through.
On Saturday, Syria rejected comments made by Suleiman, who told Israeli lawmakers last week that Syrian President Bashar Assad was ready to make peace.