Peres to participate in Copenhagen climate conference

President Shimon Peres will represent Israel in the climate conference that will be held in Copenhagen, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Wednesday that he will not take part in the convention.

The president is slated to arrive in Copenhagen on Wednesday, and will participate in the final days of deliberations along with some one hundred world leaders. Peres will be one of several presidents to deliver a speech, among them US President Barack Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

The president will also take part in a special event hosted by the Queen of Denmark Margrethe II, and the conference closing ceremony. Peres is also expected to participate in a Hanukkah candle lighting ceremony organized by Copenhagen's Jewish community.

The president's trip comes after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he will not attend the conference. Sources in Netanyahu's office explained the prime minister's decision is due to the high cost of accommodation in the city.

They further claimed that Netanyahu's stay would have cost more than that of the president because of the considerably higher number of people in the prime minister's entourage.