News Brief03:53 AM

(IsraelNN.com) Defense Minister Amir Peretz said that the Saudi Arabia proposal for Israel to surrender all of the land restored in the 1967 Six-Day War could be the basis for an agreement with the Palestinian Authority (PA). Prime Minister Ehud Olmert made similar statements last month, the first time Israeli politicians publicly have credited the proposal.

Saudi Arabia offered in return recognition of the State of Israel by Arab countries. Neither the Defense Minister nor the Prime Minister has detailed how the agreement could serve as a starting point, inasmuch as both have stated that Israel will not surrender heavily populated areas, such as the outskirts of Jerusalem and Ma'aleh Adumim. 

--Prime Minister Ehud Olmert met with visiting British physicist Stephen Hawking and discussed the Arab-Israeli conflict. Their talks centered on the recent Gaza ceasefire and the prospect of resuming negotiations between the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Israel. The two men agreed that the correct strategy is to strengthen PA moderates who support an agreement with Israel. Israel and the United States have branded Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas a moderate although his demands for a new Arab state on Judea, Samaria and Gaza are the same as the Hamas terrorist organization. The principal difference between the two is that Abbas has said he would recognize the State of Israel if all of his conditions are fulfilled. 

--Six oil-rich Arab kingdoms announced they want to develop a joint nuclear energy program, which they said will be used only for peaceful purposes. The countries involved are Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman, members of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

--Former Cabinet minister Natan Sharansky will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States' highest civilian honor, the White House announced.