The State Prosecutor's Office asked the High Court of Justice to deny a petition filed by Knesset Member Limor Livnat (Likud) against the government's continued negotiations with the Palestinian Authority and Syria.

Livnat petitioned against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, the government and Attorney General Menachem Mazuz in early November, and asked the court to order the cabinet to halt all negotiations pending the general elections and the formation of the new government.

The State Prosecutor's Office argued Monday that since the talks were essentially a diplomatic matter, any decision on their future should be left to the political echelon, and was not for the court to make.

The State cited a 2000 case brought before the High Court, in which a seven-judge panel was asked to rule on whether or not a transit government's actions were  innately limited, and whether or not it could hold diplomatic negotiations.

At the time the court ruled that a transit government's actions are under to formal restriction.

The State Prosecutor's Office also argued that according to expert political opinion, it was crucial to pursue the negotiations on both the Palestinians and Syrian avenues: "Suspending the talks at this point in time would make it harder to resume them at a later date.

"It will harm the relations between Israel and Turkey and may harm Israel's image and standing within the international community," said the State.