Barak: Palestinian channel is main concern

Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Tuesday that Syria's participation in the US-sponsored Mideast peace conference this month could be positive and could lead to the renewal of peace talks. Barak made the comments at forum on terrorism at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya .

Barak said that Syrian attendance at the upcoming peace summit "needs to be based on the premise that the Syrians recognize that the main topic for discussion is the Palestinian issue. To the best of my knowledge, the prime minister, I and the Americans see completely eye-to-eye on this issue."

Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter also weighed in on the Syria issue and reminded those in attendance at the conference that Syria was the only state that maintains a quiet border with Israel.

In reference to global terrorism, Barak said, "I am not optimistic about the struggle in the short-run." He warned about the possibility of terrorist groups gaining possession of biological and chemical weapons.

"After the struggle with North Korea, now we are looking at Iran and taking into consideration what is occurring in Pakistan," the defense minister said.

What to do about Iran

Foreign Minster Tzipi Livni, who also gave a speech at the conference, said that Israel "must join hands with different countries and the UN Security Council" in order to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

According to Livni, there are some states that do not support the application of additional sanctions on Iran because of their trade relations with the Islamic state.

"Iran is becoming a threat to the whole world and it is important these countries understand that trading with Iran is not in their interests. This is part of what we're doing today at the international level in order to create this pressure," Livni said.

The foreign minister also spoke about the progress in peace talks with the Palestinians.

"The whole world has understood that the last thing we need in the region is another terror state. The whole world has understood—including segments of Palestinian society—that when heroes in your culture are terrorists, this will affect the education and the society that you live in.

"Today, it is understood more than ever that this will affect your interests to receive legitimacy as a state," Livni said.