Egypt, Jordan Officials Visit Israel

JERUSALEM — The two Arab states that recognize Israel paid an unprecedented visit to the Jewish state yesterday, saying they were extending "a hand of peace" on behalf of the Arab world.

The one-day visit by the foreign ministers of Egypt and Jordan marked the first time any of the group's 22 member states have sent representatives to Israel.

Although they were not an official delegation from the Arab League, the visit highlighted a change of direction for the Arab body, which once advocated Israel's destruction.

Israel stopped short of embracing their plan, which offers recognition of Israel by Arab states in exchange for all land occupied in the 1967 war, but nonetheless described the meeting as "historic." Prime Minister Olmert used the visit to reach out to the Palestinian Arabs, sending his clearest signal yet that he would try to restart talks on the final status of a Palestinian state with the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, whose secular Fatah faction lost control of the Gaza Strip last month to Hamas Islamists.

There was no immediate response from Mr. Abbas, and no indication of when negotiations would start, although Israel is keen to move quickly. The move reflected Israel's belief that Fatah could deliver a long-term agreement on the Palestinian Arab-Israel conflict.

"I resolve to create a track that will allow me to hold serious discussions with Abu Mazen [Mr. Abbas]," Mr. Olmert said. "There are risks for Israel as well, but we are strong enough to take that risk." The demands of the Arab delegation are problematic for Israel, not least because in defiance of international law it has aided the creation of large Israeli settlements in the Palestinian West Bank territory which it does not want to give up entirely.