New Delhi: Israel today (Feb 11, 2004) sought India's help in bridging differences with Palestinians and expressed its willingness to resume negotiations immediately to take the Middle East peace process forward.

"There are ways that India can be helpful to us to narrow the gaps...what we need is an end to terrorism in our region," Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said at a press conference in New Delhi.

He said Israel wanted New Delhi to reconsider its stand and join other countries who have opposed the International Court of Justice (ICJ) taking up the issue of the Jewsish State building a security fence in the West Bank.

"We would like India to take the same move as many others. They understand more than others why a country under the threat of terrorim needs to build a security fence," Shalom said.

"We understand it is not so easy", he said while indicating that Isreal may not participate at the meeting at the Hague on February 23 when this issue will be discussed. He said 30 countries have written to the ICJ saying that it was not the appropriate forum to discuss the issue and it should be left to the Israeli and Palestinians to resolve it.