DAMASCUS, March 30: A two-day Arab summit, subdued in the absence of leaders critical of Syria, told Israel on Sunday that Arab countries would review an Arab peace offer unless the Jewish state changes its behaviour.

Arab governments will review their strategies on peace with Israel, added a statement at the end of the meeting in the Syrian capital Damascus. But it did not say what options were under consideration or when the review would take place.

“For the Arab side to continue to offer the Arab peace initiative is tied to Israel executing its commitments in the framework of international resolutions to achieve peace in the region,” the Damascus Declaration said.

The Arab initiative of 2002 offers Israel peace and normal relations with all Arab countries in return for withdrawal from all territory captured in the 1967 war.

Successive Israeli governments have either ignored or rejected the offer, which would require Israel to dismantle settlements which house hundreds of thousands of Jews.

The statement, read by Arab League chief Amr Moussa, added:

“(The Arab heads of state decided) to evaluate and review Arab strategies and the plan of action regarding reviving the peace process as a prelude to decide on next Arab moves.”

Although it did not set a time frame, Moussa told a news conference later that Arab foreign ministers could start a review in the middle of the year.

The language on the Arab peace plan was not a surprise as it was almost identical to that of a decision approved by Arab foreign ministers at a meeting in Cairo three weeks ago.

Moussa and other Arab officials said that withdrawing the peace plan was not an option and in public they have not given details of alternative approaches.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem told the news conference: “The (peace) initiative is one thing and the strategy for activating the peace process is something else. We did not submit any proposal to amend the initiative.”—Reuters