Reacting to the news of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's attempts to start talks with Syria, MK Effie Eitam (NU/NRP) said Friday that "the Olmert government, which failed in Lebanon, is now doing what failed regimes have done throughout history: in an attempt to cover up its responsibility for the failure, it embarks on a dangerous political adventure."

Eitam, himself a resident of the Golan Heights, said that a majority of Israel's citizens and Knesset Members oppose backing down from the Golan. "The Golan's residents are certain that the nation's citizens will defend the Golan and will prevent the failed government from gambling on their security and future.