Cabinet minister says Israel trying to bring Syria back to the negotiating table

An Israeli Cabinet minister confirmed on Friday that Israel was trying to bring Syria back to the negotiating table.

The disclosure of Israeli efforts to engage Syria in negotiations come at a time when Israeli attempts to reach a peace deal with the Palestinians are making no visible progress despite intense U.S. involvement. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was expected in the region this weekend to try to narrow the differences between the two sides.

Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer spoke about the talks with Syria just days after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert hinted that Israel might be holding _ or planning to hold secret talks with its northern …