Peres: West Bank improving
Photo: Rotem Feldner
Peres: No peace means nuclear Mideast
President tells Republican Congress members it would be a mistake for Israel to miss chance for peace
President Shimon Peres warned Tuesday that if Israel dallied on the peace front, the Middle East would almost certainly reach "a point of no return" en route to turning into a region teeming with nuclear weapons.
Speaking to a delegation of Republican congress members, Peres said Israel should ask itself two questions: Which kind of peace could it obtain, and what would happen if peace was not obtaine? He said it would be a "mistake" if a chance for peace was passed up.
Peres also warned his audience that Iran should be prevented from developing nuclear weapons.
Turning his attentino to the Palestinian issue, the president said Israel was making great efforts to improve the lives of Palestinians in the West Bank, noting the removal of 25 of 41 IDF checkpoints in the area.
Peres said residents of the West Bank were already enjoying more freedom and economic improvement, though a peace agreement had not yet been reached. "I see this as an important achievement," he said.
Congressman Eric Cantor, who heads the delegation, said it was the largest delegation of congress members ever to visit Israel. He said they had come bearing the message that the US Congress supports Israel and endorses the two-state solution.
