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World Jewish News
Peres tells AIPAC Netanyahu wants to make history with peace
04.05.2009
President Shimon Peres told an AIPAC conference here yesterday that Prime Minister Benjamain Netanyahu was ready to forge ahead to make peace with the Arab world.
"Netanyahu knows history and wants to make history. In our tradition, making history is making peace, and I am sure that peace is his priority," Peres told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's annual conference yesterday.
Speaking ahead of today's meeting with United States President Barack Obama, Peres stressed throughout his speech the message that the Israeli government was committed to previous agreements and to pursuing peace. Netanyahu is due to meet with Obama later this month.
Speaking of negotiations, Peres said: "We shall negotiate with any partner ready to negotiate the peace that has eluded us since 1947. The Saudis gave birth to a peace initiative. Israel wasn't a partner to the wording of this initiative. Therefore it doesn't have to agree to every word. Nevertheless, Israel respects the profound change, and hopes it will be translated into action. In pursuing peace, the present government of Israel shall respect commitments made by the previous one."
He also paid tribute to the new American president.
"A tsunami of hope is rolling across the globe, its center is right here in America," Peres said. "Six months ago you elected a new president of the United States."
"In his inaugural address, President Obama elegantly articulated what is needed, when he called for an outstretched hand instead of a clenched fist," he said. "In the future, our time may be considered as the age of outstretched hands. Israel stands with her arms outstretched, and her hands held open to peace with all nations with all Arab states, with all Arab people."
"Israel's definition of success is not by the military campaigns we have been forced to wage and win, but by the peace we have achieved together with some of our neighbors," Peres said.
The Israeli president dedicated a key portion of his speech to the Iranian crisis.
"The fanatic rulers of Iran are on the wrong side of history. Actually, they are outside of history... Historically, Iran sought to enrich mankind. Today, alas, Iran's rulers enrich uranium," Peres said. "They develop a nuclear option. Iran funds and arms Hezbollah and Hamas to spread division and terror, trying to impose a foreign and violent ideology. Their agents target Americans, Europeans and Arabs alike. Historically, the concern was to separate religion from state. Today, however, the challenge is to disconnect religion from terror."
A number of protesters in the audiences heckled Peres and displayed signs saying "Free Gaza" and "Stop the Occupation," until they were removed by security.
Most of the audience, however, reacted enthusiastically to the speech, frequently stopping Peres with applause.
By Natasha Mozgovaya
Источник: Haaretz
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