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Photo: AP
Former Israeli President Shimon Peres (Photo: AP)
Photo: AP

Peres warns Israel: Return to negotiations or risk becoming an Arab state

Former president implores Israel to resume negotiations, encourages hasbara with global companies to combat BDS, rejoices over Erdogan's defeat in Turkey's elections.

Israel's ninth President Shimon Peres warned Israel to immediately return to the negotiating table at the Herzliya Conference on Monday morning saying, "Israel should start political negotiations first and foremost in order not to become an Arab state and to improve its international stature.

 

 

"If we do not start negotiating, Israel could become an Arab state. We will be eaten demographically. This would be the end of the dream of a Jewish and democratic state."

 

Regarding the negotiations with the Palestinians he said: "The preconditions set by both sides lead to stubbornness and make it difficult to negotiate. Both sides should approach the negotiating table without preconditions.

 

"I know Abu Mazen better than others do – he is the most comfortable Arab leader to negotiate with, he fights terrorism in cooperation with Israel, and says courageous things that no other Arab leader does. The negotiations will take time, but we must not despair and we must return to the table", he added.

 

Shimon Peres with former French President Nicolas Sarkozy at the Herzliya Conference on Monday (Photo: AFP)
Shimon Peres with former French President Nicolas Sarkozy at the Herzliya Conference on Monday (Photo: AFP)

 

Also at the conference, together with StandWithUs, a non-profit pro-Israel education and advocacy organization, Peres announced the launch of a website that fights boycotts of Israel via social networks.

 

Referring to the BDS movement Peres said: "Boycott organizations offer ignorance and hate. One has to understand that boycotts prevent negotiations; BDS organizations want to kill the peace negotiations through boycotts, and they will achieve nothing but increasing hatred.

 

"Orange's CEO made a mistake and it's good he's coming to Israel to apologize. We have friendly relations with many nations but one must realize that the boycotts are coming from independent companies with worldwide influence .We have to engage in hasbara with global companies and show that we are truly seeking peace."

 

Peres stressed that it is important that the Israeli government speaks clearly and with one voice to the world. "Is Israel in favor of, or against, two states?" he asked. 

 

Regarding the loss of Tayyip Erdogan's party in Turkey's elections on Sunday, Peres said: "I'm glad about what happened in Turkey: Erdogan wanted to transform Turkey into Iran, but there is no room for two Irans in the Middle East. The results of Turkey's elections are a positive trend for Israel and the Middle East."

 

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan (Photo: AP)
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan (Photo: AP)

 

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's hopes of assuming greater powers suffered a major setback Sunday when the ruling AK Party he founded failed to win an outright majority in a parliamentary election for the first time.

 

In an attack against the New York Times, Erdogan said the newspaper had been campaigning against Turkey's leaders going back to Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid II, who ruled the Ottoman Empire during the final phase of its decline.

"Now, they are spitting out the same hatred on me... It's clear who their patrons are. There is Jewish capital behind it, unfortunately" he explained.

 

Referring to an incident at a conference in New York on Sunday during which boos were directed at US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, Peres said: "The shouting at Jack Lew was shameful. Jack is an Israel supporter and not our enemy. Why were they shouting at him? And does screaming make the truth a lie or a lie truth? Of course not - we must stick to the truth."

 

On US-Israel relations Peres said: "All the disputes between Israel and the United States can be resolved amicably and in private conversations. Obama must be judged according to his actions and the truth must be said: there is not a single Israeli security problem that Obama has not addressed. He supported Israel in the UN on settlements even though his opinion differed, because he cares for Israel. We always got what we desired from Obama even when he disagreed with us."  

 

 

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 06.08.15, 21:11
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