Shimon Peres - Dick Cheney

     During a meeting with President Shimon Peres in Jerusalem, Cheney also said that the US would do it utmost to advance the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Peres said that until the end of the term of Cheney and US President George W. Bush, several goals could be achieved. He said negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians must be focused on with a view to economic development. He also said special attention must be given to the threats posed by Iran, Hizbullah and Hamas.Israel will not agree to a deal with Syria involving the return of the Golan Heights, President Shimon Peres said."If the Golan is given back, it will boost Iran's influence in Lebanon and the territory will effectively be under Iranian-Syrian control," said Peres. Cheney said the US was concerned by developments in Syria, specifically about Damascus supplying weapons to Hizbullah.  Cheney also met with opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday. Netanyahu told the US vice president that regarding the Iran nuclear issue, all options must be on the table. Netanyahu went on to say that if Israel withdraws from any part of Jerusalem, Hizbullah and Hamas would take over there and establish "another Iranian base" next to Israel, similar, he said, to the Hizbullah-ruled base in the North and the Hamas-ruled base in the South. (12,08)