"Iran is not solely Israel's problem. The combination of terror, nuclear capabilities and irresponsible leadership poses a danger to the entire world," President Shimon Peres told visiting US senator John McCain on Tuesday.
"The Arab countries in the region are also fearful of Iran," Peres told the US presidential hopeful at his official residence in Jerusalem. Sen. Joe Lieberman and Sen. Lindsey Graham from South Carolina also took part in the meeting, during which McCain expressed his concern over Iran's funding and training of extremist elements in the Middle East.
On Wednesday McCain is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.
Earlier Tuesday McCain received a celebrity welcome in Jerusalem, with American tourists scrambling to shake his hand and get a souvenir snapshot.
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| Israelis look ahead to post-Bush White House / Reuters |
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While it appears that among Israeli citizens Clinton has the upper hand, many Israelis feel that Bush's pro-Israel shoes are too big for any candidate to fill |
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McCain began a two-day visit with a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial and museum. As his motorcade pulled up, dozens of tourists greeted him and chanted "Mac is back," while he shook their hands and posed for photographs.
McCain is on a week-long trip to Israel,
Iraq, Jordan,
Britain and France. He has said the tour is a fact-finding, mission, not a campaign photo opportunity.
During his 90-minute visit at the memorial and museum, McCain was visibly moved, his eyes welling with tears as he viewed photographs from Nazi death camps.
He laid a wreath in memory of the 6 million Jewish Holocaust victims and lit a memorial flame, wearing a skullcap placed on his head by Sen. Lieberman.
Lieberman, an independent and Graham, a Republican, are two of McCain's top supporters in his campaign for the Republican nomination and his bid for the presidency.
Signing the Yad Vashem visitors' book he wrote: "I am deeply moved. Never again. John McCain.
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