"It is in the interest of the Israeli government to return directly to the negotiating table," Roed-Larsen told the London-based Arab newspaper Al-Hayat monitored here.

He added that he "highly welcomed" Syria's offer, in the remarks translated from Arabic.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad called on the United States last month to support renewed negotiations with the Jewish state in order to normalize the two neighbours' relations and defuse the volatile situation on Israel's northern border.

The offer has divided Israel's political circles.

Previous negotiations between then Israeli premier Ehud Barak and Assad's father, Hafez, collapsed in early 2000.

Israel had agreed to withdraw from most of the strategic Golan Heights, occupied by Israel in 1967 and annexed 14 years later, retaining control only on the rim of the Sea of Galilee.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is apparently demanding that any new talks start from scratch.

Meanwhile, hardline Israeli Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged his government yesterday to resume peace negotiations with Syria, arguing that the Jewish state was in a strong position to obtain concessions.

"Bearing in mind Syria's very precarious position, it's in our interest to exploit recent overtures for contacts" with Syria, the influential former premier told public radio.

He explained that US pressure on Damascus in the aftermath of the war in Iraq provided an unprecedented opportunity to reach an agreement "without withdrawing from the Golan" Heights, occupied by Israel in 1967 and annexed 14 years later.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad called on the United States last month to support renewed negotiations with the Jewish state in order to normalize the two neighbours' relations and defuse the volatile situation on Israel's northern border.

The offer has divided Israel's political circles.

Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom and the head of military intelligence have also spoken out in favour of resuming talks, while Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz has voiced his opposition.

Shalom again said Thursday that Damascus' overtures should be examined seriously.

"There is a need to examine Syria's intentions seriously, but this is a long way from saying in advance that we are ready for this or that withdrawal," he told army radio.

"We have to go (to the negotiations) without preconditions. I believe that in this way we can achieve peace."

Sharon is reportedly in no mood to do Syria a favour by welcoming it to the negotiating table and happy to keep it painted in a diplomatic corner.

In response to Assad's request that any negotiations should resume where they left off four years ago, Sharon responded that they should start from scratch.

The recent announcement that Israel was launching a largescale settlement project for Jews in the occupied Golan was also seen as a slap in Assad's face.