WASHINGTON, Sept 3: A staunch pro-Israeli lobby group in the United States has approached Muslim religious groups in North America in an attempt to neutralize their opposition to the state of Israel.

In a recent letter sent to an organization dominated by Muslims from Pakistan and India, the American Jewish Congress offers friendship with all Muslims and security for sacred Islamic places in Israel if they stop opposing the Jewish state.

“We are most interested in the careful pursuit of possible areas of agreement and common ground — not because we think agreement will be easy to achieve but because continued tensions and hostility threaten both communities,” says the letter sent to the Islamic Circle of North America.

The message is aimed particularly at Pakistan because the senders believe they have seen indications that Islamabad is toying with the idea of granting diplomatic recognition to Israel.

They refer to a statement by President Musharraf during a visit to Washington in late June, when he told reporters that “recognizing Israel will not bring down the skies. If the Arabs are recognizing it, we also ought to reconsider our policies towards Israel.”