Exiled Syrian opposition member Farid Ghadry of the Syrian Reform Party, scheduled to speak before the Knesset Monday, urged Israel on Sunday to negotiate peace with the Syrian people, rather than Syrian President Bashar Assad.

In a statement released Sunday, Ghadry refrained from mentioning Syria's demands that Israel withdraw from the Golan Heights in exchange for peace. "My aim is to convince the Israeli government that peace with Syria means peace with the people, not with the ruling family," the statement said.

51-year-old Ghadry left Syria at a young age and immigrated to Lebanon, and later to the United States, where he lives today. He is considered a close associate of conservative officials in Washington. Ghadry founded the Syrian Reform Party while in exile in the U.S. in 2003, with the aim of bringing down Assad's regime. He later called on the American government to invade Syria, as it did in Iraq.

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Ghadry's opponents within the Syrian opposition maintain that he is an "imposter" and has no support in Syria or outside of it. Ghadry himself maintains that he is an integral part of the Syrian opposition.

Ghadry was invited to Israel by MK Yuval Steinitz (Likud), former chair of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. MK Nadia Hilou (Labor) is scheduled to meet with Ghadry on Monday, though she openly supports Israeli negotiations with Assad and his current regime.

Ghadry will be the second Syrian expatriate to address the Knesset this year. Last month, the committee heard Syrian-American businessman Ibrahim Suleiman. He discussed his contacts with Alon Liel, former Foreign Ministry director general, on a proposed Israel-Syria peace deal.

Ghadry on Sunday described Suleiman's visit saying "Bashar Assad's messenger failed in his last attempt to open up a peace channel. We hope to succeed where the regime has so far failed."

Ghadry said that the ability of the Syrian opposition to bring about change is measured by its willingness to conduct a dialogue with area states, especially with neighboring countries, which include Israel. "Peace with Israel means a bright future for Syria," he said.