Damascus would like to resume peace negotiations with Israel, a Syrian official said on Thursday, a day after Israel said it did not want to go to war with its arch-foe. “Our position is the same. We are ready to resume peace negotiations, we would like to take action for peace. We’re closely following the Israeli statements,” the official told AFP on condition of anonymity. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was quoted by his office as saying on Wednesday that his country “does not want a war with Syria.” Speaking after a powerful security cabinet meeting that focused on Damascus, Olmert said the message had been passed to Syria through various diplomatic channels. But the Syrian official said he doubted Israel’s desire for peace, adding: “We don’t have much hope of things changing.” On Wednesday, the United States and Israel said after high-level talks in Washington that the time might not be ripe for Israel to resume peace talks with Syria, which broke off seven years ago.