Peres to Arab-Israelis: You know Israel does not want to conquer

President Shimon Peres called on Israeli-Arabs Sunday evening to "contribute to the effort to stabilize the situation in Gaza."

During a visit to the family home of Druze Warrant Officer Lutfi Nasereldeen, who was killed in a mortar attack last week after his Golani Brigade unit was transferred to the Nahal Oz Base near Gaza ahead of the IDF's ground operation, Peres said "I call on the Arabs of Israel – serve as a bridge, not a wedge. You know Israel does not want to conquer and oppress," Peres said at the Nasereldeen family home in Daliat al-Carmel.

After offering his condolences, the president shrugged off the international community's criticism over Israel's ground offensive in Gaza, saying "what right do they have to preach to us? Do we not have children? Woman? Are we not obligated to protect them? What is this hypocrisy?"

During his visit Peres turned to Lufti Nasereldeen's grandfather Amal, a Likud Knesset member from 1977-88, and told him "Israel is proud of its Druze - who are peace-seeking people who also know how to be brave fighters at times of war.

Amal told the president, "Our son is the nation's son; the son of the strong army that is giving its soul to bring peace," adding that he was proud that his grandson died defending the Gaza vicinity communities.

Lufti was survived by his wife Hanan, his daughter, his parents Latifa and Wajiya, two brothers and two sisters.