Israel Urges Sri Lanka Not To Give In To Terrorism

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Monday urged his Sri Lankan counterpart, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake, not to give in to terrorism.

"Don't give in to terrorism because it will only destroy your country ... It is forbidden to surrender to it," Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told his Sri Lankan counterpart on Monday.

The Sri Lankan prime minister, who is on a rare four-day official visit to the Jewish state, thanked Israel for providing assistance when a tsunami devastated parts of his island nation in 2004. The two countries renewed relations in 2000 after a 30-year lull.

The two countries are battling suicide bombers and other extremists for years now. Israel has been battling Palestinian militants for decades while Sri Lanka's fight against Tamil rebels has killed more than 70,000 people since 1983.

During his visit, Premier Wickramanayaka is scheduled to meet Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and President Shimon Peres, and travel to the West Bank for talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.