In his address to an academic conference at Tel Aviv University yesterday, Defense Minister Amir Peretz lauded the dormant Saudi peace initiative as a "basis for negotiations."

Although Peretz emphasized he was not endorsing the plan, but referring to its potential, he was the most senior Israeli official to bring it up for consideration.

"We could see the Saudi initiative as the basis for negotiation," he said, adding: "This does not mean that were are adopting the Saudi initiative, but it can serve as a basis."

	Advertisement

The 2002 Saudi plan called for a comprehensive peace between Israel and the Arab world. However, Israel balked at its call for a full withdrawal from all territories captured in the 1967 Six-Day War, including the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Peretz also said he intends to make negotiations with Syria a part of the public agenda.

"If Assad will show he can remove himself from the radical terrorist path, and establish true peace, I am confidant that I can find partners in Israel for dialogue with Syria, and even those who will painfully concede [territory]," he said.

Students heckled Peretz during his speech, calling him "child killer," apparently in reference to children killed during the recent war in Lebanon and in Israel Defense Forces operations in the Gaza Strip. They held up signs reading, "Peretz promised education and funds - all we got were tanks and bodies" and "There is hunger in Gaza. Stop the occupation now!"

The protesters accused Peretz of having "promised a social revolution, but instead having led Israel into another war sponsored by a racist government more interested in the Iranian threat and abandoning the socioeconomic threat." Demonstrators also tried to block the entrance to the auditorium where Peretz was scheduled to speak.

Student and IDF refusemik Matan Kaminer, who was inside the conference, said security officials dispersed the protesters within minutes, using excessive force.

Tel Aviv University's spokeswoman said in response, "Peretz is a protected figure. Whenever such a personality arrives, we act under strict security instructions."