President Shimon Peres
Photo: Mark Neiman, GPO
Peres wishes Israelis, Jewish Diaspora Happy New Year
In Hebrew, English and even on his Facebook page, President Shimon Peres shares his wishes for a 'Happy peaceful and prosperous' New Year ahead of Rosh Hashanah holiday
President Shimon Peres
published a greeting for the Jewish New Year: "I wish you all a Happy New Year and hope from the bottom of my heart that this is a year of peace and security, a year of prosperity," the president said.
"We are standing today before difficult security challenges," Peres noted, "they must not be taken lightly but they must not instill us with fear. We have known how to get over difficult situations in the past and I am sure that we have the abilities and talent to beat any enemy and defeat every threat."
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Peres expressed hope that the New Year would bring a renewal of negotiations with the Palestinians. "The security of our citizens and our aspirations for peace will stand at the center of our being," he said.
Peres' Yuotube message for the New Year
Peres went on to add: "We will continue to maintain our deep friendship with the US, important contacts in Europe and relations we have developed with Russia and our relationships with Asian and African countries."
Meanwhile, the president also issued a New Year greeting to the Jewish Communities in the Diaspora.
In his Rosh Hashanah message Peres said: "As we stand poised on the threshold of the New Year, it is my distinct pleasure to convey my heartfelt good wishes to all the Jewish communities around the world, in my name and on behalf of your brethren in Israel, eager to embark upon another year with hope and optimism."
The president added: "We look upon the Jewish communities around the world not only as our extended family, but also as our full partners, and feel it is imperative that our deep-rooted Jewish bonds continue to be safeguarded, cultivated and brought to fruition."
In closing Peres wished the Jewish communities a "Shana Tova U'Metuka" (A sweet and good new year), the traditional holiday greeting in Hebrew and noted: "I want to wish the Jewish people the world over a happy, peaceful, healthy and prosperous year."
The president also uploaded a Youtube greeting on his Facebook page.
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