Senior Bush administration officials have expressed dissatisfaction and puzzlement at Defense Minister Ehud Barak's recent statements that Israel should pursue negotiations with Syria. "We do not understand why he is going on the Syrian track, but that is your decision," a highly placed official told Israeli diplomats, according to Voice of Israel government radio.

The senior American official said, "Be our guest," meaning that the United States has no intentions of backing Israel if it pursues Barak's proposals. The U.S. has labeled Syria as a country that supports terrorism and has suspended diplomatic relations with Damascus.