Faisal el-Mikdad, the Syrian delegate to the Annapolis conference, gave a speech on Tuesday accusing Israel of ignoring Syria’s calls for peace.  Syria is ready to make peace with Israel based on the “land for peace” formula, he said, calling on Israel to negotiate.  Israeli delegates called the speech “moderate,” and said they were ready to negotiate with any country interested in peace.

Syrian officials told Al-Jazeera that Syria was attending the conference “To show the world that we have rights, that the Golan is an Arab Syrian right.”  Israeli officials said Syria was welcome to bring up the subject of the Golan, but that the conference would focus mainly on negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.