Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert speaks at the annual Israel Editor's Committee in Tel Aviv, Israel, yesterday. Olmert yesterday rejected a US advisory group's conclusion that a concerted effort to resolve Israel's conflict with its neighbors will help stabilize the situation in Iraq , saying there is no connection between the two issues. -Xinhua/AFP

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert yesterday responded to a US report on the Iraqi issue by presenting "different view."

The Iraq Study Group (ISG) report, presented to U.S. President George W. Bush on Wednesday, said resolving the long-running Arab-Israeli conflict was key to achieving Washington's regional goals in Iraq and the Middle East.

It is an attempt to create linkage between the Iraqi issue and the Mideast issue and "we have a different view," Olmert was quoted by local daily Ha'aretz as saying.

Olmert made the remarks at the Editors' Conference in Tel Aviv, which is Israel's first official response to the report.

"The Middle East has a lot of problems that are not connected to us," Olmert said, adding that "I am not convinced that this report imposes all of the U.S.' troubles on Israel's shoulders."The highly-anticipated report has recommended major changes in the policy adopted by the U.S. President George W. Bush on the Iraqi issues.

Meanwhile, the ISG report called for direct talks with Iran and Syria to stabilize Iraq, saying they need a renewed and sustained commitment by the United States to a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace on all fronts: Lebanon, Syria and a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians.

However, Olmert said Thursday that the conditions were not ripe for Israel to reopen talks with Syria.

"Syria's supports to Hamas and its efforts to destabilize Lebanon minimized the chance of having negotiations with the Syrians at any time soon," Olmert said.

"Nobody wants to negotiate more than we do," said the prime minister, adding that "The question is, what can we get from the Syrians if enter negotiations."

Syrian President Bashar Assad has called in recent months for a new round of talks with Israel, but Olmert has rejected them out of hand.

Olmert also voiced his support for the U.S. war in Iraq at the conference.

Addressing the controversy over Iran's nuclear issue, Olmert reiterated Israel's position that it would not tolerate a nuclear Iran, but would not take unilateral action.

Talking on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Olmert said that Israel wants "with all our might" to restart peace talks with the Palestinians.

Despite occasional rocket attacks by Gaza militants at Israel,"we will continue to show restraint," he added.

Israel and Palestinians reached a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip on Nov. 25. The move was welcomed by the international community, but seemed fragile due to occasional violations of the truce deal by both sides.