Peres. Maybe next time
Photo: Hagai Aharon
Vietnam postpones Peres visit over raid
Hanoi officials ask president to reschedule next week's planned visit following worldwide criticism against Israel over deadly takeover of Gaza-bound flotilla
President Shimon Peres
on Saturday accepted a request by Vietnamese to postpone next week's planned visit to the country following the deadly Israeli raid
on a Gaza-bound flotilla.
The president is expected to leave Monday on a visit to South Korea, after which was scheduled to travel to Hanoi for the first visit by a senior Israeli officials in many years. The visit was aimed at renewing and strengthening the relations between the two countries.
Peres' associates are already in the Far East on a preparation tour and are in touch with the Vietnam authorities to reschedule the visit.
Hostility against Israel has grown in the past few days after the Navy took over Turkish ship Marmara in an operation which left nine passengers dead after they violently attacked the soldiers.
Turkey is leading the international struggle against Israel, but additional countries have expressed their protest by summoning the Jewish state's ambassadors and demanding clarifications. Nicaragua has gone one step further by announcing that it was suspending its ties with Israel, while South Africa recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv for consultations.
