News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) Syrian media sources said Wednesday that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has passed a message along to Syrian President Bashar Assad expressing his willingness to give up the strategic Golan region in exchange for peace with Syria.  The message was reportedly transmitted via Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The sources said Israel has insisted that Syria end its support for Hamas and Hizbullah and cut its ties with Iran as a precondition to negotiations over the Golan.

Olmert has refused to confirm or deny reports that he is willing to give up the Golan in exchange for a peace deal.  He and Assad have confirmed that Israel and Syria are talking via third parties.