Israel orders U.S. lobbyist to go slow on aid for Syria pact

WASHINGTON -- The government of Prime Minister Ehud Barak is urging a leading U.S. supporter and philanthropist to delay his campaign to win support from Congress to provide U.S. aid to Syria as part of any peace agreement between the Jewish state and Damascus.

After initially encouraging the effort, aides to Barak have told philanthropist Daniel Abraham that such a campaign would be counterproductive as Damascus rejects direct negotiations with Israel until it commits to a full withdrawal from the Golan Heights. The aides told Abraham that the Syrian move would only undermine congressional support for Damascus.

On Monday, the Syrian government daily Tishrin said Damascus had no choice but to suspend the negotiations until Israel agrees to withdrawal to the June 4, 1967 lines on the eve of the Arab-Israeli war.

Israeli sources said, however, that Abraham plans to send the first congressional delegation to Damascus on Feb. 10. Abraham is being aided by former U.S. House Rep. Wayne Owens. Owens told Israeli officials that Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk A-Shaara has encouraged the effort.

The sources said aides to Barak urged Abraham to send congressional delegations to North African countries in an effort to encourage them to bolster ties with Israel. Abraham send after the Feb. 10 trip, future congressional delegations would be sent to North African countries.

Abraham's project is part of a campaign by Barak supporters in Washington to lobby Congress to vote to finance an Israeli-Syrian peace treaty. Last week, a delegation led by Anti-Defamation League national director Abraham Foxman visited Amman, Cairo and Riyad.

In an unusual move, Saudi-owned newspapers in London reported the visit.