Acting President Dalia Itzik on Sunday defended U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's planned visit to Syria, a trip the White House had attempted to dissuade her from taking.

Pelosi, speaking at a dinner hosted by Itzik at the Knesset building, said she would raise with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad the issue of captive Israel Defense Forces soldiers Ehud Goldwasser, Eldad Regev and Gilad Shalit.

"Your expected visit to Damascus has naturally touched off a political debate in your country, and of course, here," Itzik said in televised remarks.

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"I believe in your worthy intentions. Perhaps a step, seen as unpopular at this stage ... will clarify to the Syrian people and leadership they must abandon the axis of evil [and] stop supporting terrorism and giving shelter to [terrorist] headquarters," said Itzik, a member of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's Kadima party.

Pelosi will convey a message to Syria from Olmert that Israel is interested in peace if Damascus stops supporting terrorism, an Israeli official said Sunday.

Pelosi met Sunday with Olmert and the families of the abducted IDF soldiers, as part of a Middle East tour that has drawn criticism from the White House because of a planned stop in Syria.

"Pelosi is conveying that Israel is willing to talk if they [Syria] would openly take steps to stop supporting terrorism," Olmert spokeswoman Miri Eisin said. "But at this point the Syrian government, by openly backing terror all around the Middle East, is not a partner for negotiations."

Pelosi held talks on Sunday with Olmert in a closed meeting.

On Sunday night, Pelosi spoke at a dinner for in the Knesset building, and told lawmakers that America remains strongly behind their country.

"Americans have many political differences, but we stand united with Israel now and always," she said.

Her speech was uniformly supportive of Israel, and she received a standing ovation at the end.

She said that Iran must not be allowed to get a nuclear weapon and called for the disarming of Hezbollah, which fought a war with Israel last summer. She also expressed fears that instability in Iraq will encourage Israel and America's enemies.

Pelosi was not expected to make any statements that would go against U.S. President George W. Bush's staunch support for Israel.

"She will talk about Congress' commitment to Israel's security," said Nadeam Elshami, a spokesman for the delegation said before the speech. The group was also discussing in meetings with Israelis the continued cooperation between the two countries, he said.

Pelosi has irked Bush over her decision to include Syria in the tour. The White House had last week called Pelosi's stop in Syria a bad decision since the administration considers the Arab country a supporter of terrorism.

U.S. Presidential counselor Dan Bartlett said Sunday that the White House had asked Pelosi not to go to Syria.

"We did not believe it would advance the diplomatic efforts in the Middle East. I think most Americans would not think that the leader of the Democratic Party in the Congress should be meeting with the heads of a state sponsor of terror," he said on CBS' Face the Nation.

Pelosi's trip with six other lawmakers also includes stops in the Palestinian territories, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.

The California Democrat is traveling with a delegation that includes Rep. Keith Ellison, the first Muslim member of Congress.

The Minnesota Democrat is scheduled Monday to meet with the mufti of Jerusalem, Muhammed Hussein, at the Al Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City. Ellison said Saturday that his presence - as a Muslim - on the trip sent a message to Israelis and Palestinians that people can come together. "Reconciliation is possible," he said.

Also on Sunday, Pelosi's delegation met with the families of three abducted Israel Defense Forces soldiers captured this summer, one along the Gaza Strip and two on the border with Lebanon.

The group Saturday toured Jerusalem holy sites on Saturday and met with Vice Premier Shimon Peres.

Pelosi's visit to Israel is her second trip to the Middle East since she took over leadership of the House in January and is an indication she plans to play a role in foreign policy.

Other representatives traveling with Pelosi and Ellison included Henry Waxman and Tom Lantos of California, Louise Slaughter of New York, Nick Rahall of West Virginia, and Ohio Republican David Hobson.

The group will also visit Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.