Iraqi-Israeli relations, an idea unimaginable a few years ago, was briefly mentioned when Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom shook hands and chatted for a couple minutes with new Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi at the UN Tuesday.

According to a spokesman for Shalom, the Foreign Minister -- prior to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and US President George W. Bush's addresses to the 59th General Assembly meeting -- mingled among dozens of assembled world leaders.

According to the spokesman, Shalom and Allawi spoke for a few minutes and exchanged wishes for a day when it would be possible to establish diplomatic ties...