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Peres. Message of peace
Photo: Reuters

Peres on J'lem: We will respect every holy site

Amid fears of riots on backdrop of Hurva Synagogue rededication in Old City, president says during meeting with his Brazilian counterpart, 'We aspire to promote peace process and won't let anything stop it. Battlefields filled with victims and negotiation tables full of achievements'

Amid high tensions in Jerusalem's Old City on the backdrop of the rededication of the Hurva Synagogue in the Jewish Quarter, President Shimon Peres tried to instill calm on Monday.

 

"Israel will respect every holy site and place of worship. What is holy to the Muslims will be holy to us; what is holy to Christians will be holy to us. And of course, vice versa," said Peres.

 

In a meeting with Brazilian President Lula da Silva in the president's residence in Jerusalem, Peres said, "The three monotheistic religions in Israel are respected in every single place."


Peres and Da Silva on the red carpet (Photo: Gil Yohanan)

 

"There is no substitute for the peace process, nor is there much time left to reconcile with our Arab and Palestinian neighbors. There may be crises along the way, but we will not let a crisis stop the peace process itself. Nothing is dearer to us than making peace. The battlefields are filled with victims, and the negotiation tables are full of achievements," continued Peres.

 

To his Brazilian counterpart, Peres said, "You are a president bearing hope for peace. Your people chose you and love you. The world looks at you and sees in you hope. To a large extent, you are heralding the future for all of us. You brought your country to zero poverty, zero illiteracy, and are fighting violence."

 

The Brazilian president said to his host, "The art of politics is overcoming difficulties that have yet to be solved. Politics is the only science in which there are no borders and the impossible becomes possible."

 

Da Silva said that one of the objectives of the meeting is to discuss potential solutions for peace: "There are so many people with experience in such processes, and apparently no one has more experience than you. On the trek towards peace in the Middle East, we are now starting a new phase in the relations between Brazil and Israel."

 


פרסום ראשון: 03.15.10, 11:18
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