In meetings last week between dead duck Olmert and lame duck Bush, Olmert tried to convince Bush that negotiations with Syria are important strategically while Bush asked why Israel would want to give Syria the Golan Heights and get nothing in return. (good question, that)
Explaining that in his view Syria only pretends to be friendly to Iran and can be swayed to join the less terrorism-inclined states, Turkey, Jordan and Egypt, Olmert was told that Bush sees no future in such talks and thinks that it is more likely that progress can be made with Palestinians.
Aaron Miller, veteran member of Clinton's peace team, disagrees with Bush, stating recently that the Palestinians are the more hopeless partner for peace and that, as a result, negotiations with Syria should be the focus now.
It seems that what it boils down to is a question of which Arabs are more hopeless rather than any belief that there are Arabs sincerely seeking peace with Israel.
