Israel considering renewing Syria peace talks

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is exploring the possibility of renewing peace talks with Syria, a senior Israeli official said Thursday. Olmert has recently begun checking through a third party what Syria would offer in such negotiations, the official said on condition of anonymity since she was not authorized to discuss such matters with the media. Israel wants to be assured before starting such talks that Syria would cut itself off from militant groups like Hizbullah and Hamas, the official said.