Israeli President Shimon Peres Outlines A Path To Piece
Peres’s clash with Netanyahu over Iran is only one of many disagreements between the two men. On the one hand, Netanyahu is a conservative prime minister who relies on a hard-line, hawkish coalition and who is likely to win next week’s Israeli elections by a landslide. On the other, Peres is Israel’s elder statesman, who, very late in his life, has attained a degree of popularity that eluded him throughout his earlier career. In a survey conducted by the Israel Democracy Institute, 84 percent of Jewish respondents said Peres was trustworthy, while 62 percent thought Netanyahu was.
Some gems from Peres:
- The problem is that Obama would like to reach peace in the Middle East and has to be convinced that Israel agrees with this.
- President Obama thinks that peace should be made with the Muslim world. We, the State of Israel, do not appear to be thinking along those lines.
- Without U.S. support, it would be very difficult for us. We would be like a lone tree in the desert.
- We do not agree in our evaluations of [Palestinian Authority President] Abu Mazen. I do not accept the assertion that Abu Mazen is not a good negotiating partner. To my mind, he is an excellent partner.
- The difficulty with us is similar to that of the man with a hammer who thinks every problem is a nail. Problems are not nails. If there is good will, they can all be overcome.
- President Obama asked me who I think is preventing democracy in the Middle East. I told him, “The husbands.” The husband does not want his wife to have equal rights. Without equal rights, it will be impossible to save Egypt…
- If I have another 10 years to live, I am sure that I will have the privilege of seeing peace come even to this dismal and wonderful and amazing part of the world.
And my favorite:
- There are two things that cannot be made without closing your eyes — love and peace.
Copyright 2013 Liberaland
