Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., October 28, 2008 Tishrei 29, 5769 | | Israel Time: 21:12 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Peres Center Travel Week's End Anglo File
Comments:  88
Last update - 09:51 25/09/2008
Peres to UN: Iran thwarts efforts to forge peace in Middle East
By Haaertz Service
Tags: Ahmadinejad, United Nations 

President Shimon Peres on Wednesday told the United Nations General Assembly that Iran was responsible for undermining efforts for peace in the Middle East. He said that while Israel had made concessions in its desire to live in harmony with its neighbors, Iran's "quest for religious hegemony and regional dominance divides the Middle East and holds back chances for peace."

"Iranian support for Hezbollah divided Lebanon," Peres said. "Its support for Hamas split the Palestinians and postpones the establishment of the Palestinian State."

Peres also hit back at a speech by his Iranian counterpart to the same United Nations forum a day earlier, branding it "the darkest anti-Semitic libel."
Advertisement
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was absent from Peres' speech, said in his own address Tuesday that "a small but deceitful number of people called Zionists" had seized control financial and political centers in Europe and the U.S. in "a deceitful, complex and furtive manner."

On Wednesday, Peres said that the Iranian leader's speech was reminiscent of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, an anti-Semitic tract published in the early 1900s that described a Jewish and Masonic plot to take over the world.

The words of Ahmadinejad, Peres said, were "an attempt to bring to life one of the ugliest plots of history."

He also lashed out at the Iranian leader's frequent comments doubting that the genocide of 6 million Jews at the hands of the Nazis in World War II had taken place.

"Their despicable denial of the Holocaust is a mockery of indisputable evidence, a cynical offense to survivors of the horror."

But, Peres said, Israel did not see the Iranian people themselves as an enemy. "Their fanatic leadership is their problem and the world's concern," he said.

The president also addressed the peace negotiations currently underway between Israel and the Palestinians, saying "we negotiate full peace. Both parties agreed to building a Palestinian state side by side with Israel, living in peace, security and respect."

"We tried to conclude the negotiations this year. It will take longer. But, I believe it can be accomplished within the next year," he went on to say, adding that "gaps have been narrowed through negotiations. Particularly the territorial ones. But, peace is not just a matter of territorial compromise. Rogue politics reject peace even where the territorial dispute was resolved."

"From Gaza, we withdrew completely and dismantled our settlements. Hamas responded with a bloody takeover and turned the strip into a base of rocket fire," he added.

Peres also addressed the issue of the abducted Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit, who was seized by Gaza militants in June 2006, urging the General Assembly to "make his release top of its agenda. Holding a hostage in Gaza determines its isolation and further deterioration."


Related articles:
  • The full text of Shimon Peres' speech to the UN General Assembly
  • Peres: Israel isn't willing to give Syria land in exchange for rocket fire
  • Livni: Ahmadinejad speech makes mockery of UN vow of 'never again'
  • Shimon Peres presidential blog, exclusively on Haaretz.com
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Livni ahead in polls
    Netanyahu loses lead he has held for two years, while Labor heads for election debacle.
    The frozen chosen
    In staunchly Republican Alaska, a Jewish Democrat may take state's lone seat in Congress.
      1.   We love you, Peres! 20:58  |  Jewish Lady 24/09/08
      2.   It`s the illegal settlements 21:12  |  Jack 24/09/08
      3.   Almost unbelievable 21:14  |  Sam C 24/09/08
      4.   Iran is a good excuse 21:15  |  najour 24/09/08
      5.   Zionists in control? 21:17  |  Ricardo 24/09/08
      6.   DOVES & EAGLES 21:19  |  Shmuelshachor 24/09/08
      7.   Iran 21:21  |  paul 24/09/08
      8.   Israel is the best soap oprea on the internet 21:25  |  Lori 24/09/08
      9.   How dare you? 21:25  |  Mike 24/09/08
      10.   Other than barking out loud these so-called leaders are a disgrac 21:27  |  Manhigim atem? Lechu 24/09/08
      11.   President Peres has spoken the truth 21:31  |  Johnny 24/09/08
      12.   Israel thwarts peace by continued settlement building. 21:36  |  Maki 24/09/08
      13.   To #2 What Illegal Settlements? 21:50  |  Levi 24/09/08
      14.   No, #2: it`s refusal to accept a Jewish State 21:51  |  Martin P. 24/09/08
      15.   Hey Peres, Israel undermines..world peace. 21:52  |  Rimon 24/09/08
      16.   YOU CAN NOT HANDLE THE TRUTH 21:55  |  Mike 24/09/08
      17.   Iran really doesn`t want peace with anyone 22:01  |  Lynn 24/09/08
      18.   Jack 22:05  |  Ben 24/09/08
      19.   To Jack # 2 22:09  |  e.m.Jordan is Palest 24/09/08
      20.   Invite Ahmedinejad to the Holocaust Muesum in DC 22:15  |  Kareem 24/09/08
      21.   peres oslo is afailure there is no chance of peace 22:19  |  victor hardman 24/09/08
      22.   World will cry 22:19  |  Pedro 24/09/08
      23.   Jack - There are NO illegal settlements.. They belong to 22:20  |  Ben 24/09/08
      24.   Jack # 2 22:21  |  ChanahS 24/09/08
      25.   Peres TOLD....and? 22:25  |  Jacob 24/09/08
      26.   Cabal members: 22:26  |  "Shlomo" 24/09/08
      27.   Mr President Thank for your intelligence you are 100% right 22:27  |  e.m.Jordan is Palest 24/09/08
      28.   Gr8 for PRESIDENT Peres, Rimon is acting ignorant 22:29  |  Big Sur 24/09/08
      29.   #10 22:43  |  dr 24/09/08
      30.   To Rimon# 15 22:46  |  e.m.Jordan is Palest 24/09/08
      31.   #2 where are the illegal settlements jack 22:46  |  victor hardman 24/09/08
      32.   Attack before they do 22:58  |  Abe 24/09/08
      33.   Response to Mike ``how dare you`` 23:09  |  Alberto Pinto 24/09/08
      34.   #9 Mike 23:17  |  Moshe 24/09/08
      35.   WHAT PERES MISSED - And Torah Codes 23:25  |  Barry S. Roffman 24/09/08
      36.   Mike if you are in Washington you`re on stolen land 23:28  |  x-ray 24/09/08
      37.   Let Me Explain How This Works Now 23:30  |  Yosemite 24/09/08
      38.   Mike 23:32  |  Connie 24/09/08
      39.   Kareem 23:34  |  Connie 24/09/08
      40.   Barking out loud never won anybody anything 23:34  |  bow wow 24/09/08
      41.   go for it abe,don`t just sit there and talk about it 00:00  |  watcher 25/09/08
      42.   Kareem 00:14  |  Yosemite 25/09/08
      43.   14. its a refusal to accept kosher suprematism 00:28  |  you donkey 25/09/08
      44.   `World Control` 00:36  |  The Teacher/Instruct 25/09/08
      45.   #33 There`s Connie Whining Again 00:40  |  ballistic 25/09/08
      46.   Not another excuse from Peres! 00:43  |  Michael 25/09/08
      47.   A cancer on the tongue of the monkey! 00:51  |  Akiva P 25/09/08
      48.   PERES NEEDS IRAN FOR PEACE? 01:01  |  indrajaya 25/09/08
      49.   37 01:16  |  Gail 25/09/08
      50.   Peres so right, but his word choice SO wrong! 01:17  |  Israeli 25/09/08
      51.   Peres speaks 01:19  |  Jim 25/09/08
      52.   #5 Ricardo 01:34  |  Jim 25/09/08
      53.   Re: Karmiel 01:42  |  Thundercloud65 25/09/08
      54.   #13 Levi 11 questions, one answer. 01:51  |  Jim 25/09/08
      55.   #17 Lynn 02:00  |  Jim 25/09/08
      56.   Of course... 02:19  |  Colin Wright 25/09/08
      57.   bow wow # 40 Which One Are You Referring To? 02:33  |  Jeff Northridge 25/09/08
      58.   Re:Jim# 54 03:22  |  e.m.Jordan is Palest 25/09/08
      59.   Israel is the obstacle to peace in the Middle East 03:46  |  American in NY 25/09/08
      60.   Jimbo in Tennesse 04:30  |  Sanity 25/09/08
      61.   #47 04:44  |  Sank 25/09/08
      62.   Thank God Shimon is still among us. 04:48  |  Fortuna Benmayor 25/09/08
      63.   Problem is settlements? Bunk!!! 05:19  |  dovvod 25/09/08
      64.   # 60, DOWOD 05:34  |  indrajaya 25/09/08
      65.   American in New York 05:54  |  Connie 25/09/08
      66.   Sooner Or Later Indrajaya... 06:01  |  Yosemite 25/09/08
      67.   ballistic 06:10  |  Connie 25/09/08
      68.   # 66, YOSEMITE 07:47  |  indrajaya 25/09/08
      69.   Israel is eternal because its enemies don`t ever wants Peace. 07:54  |  Akram Zekaria 25/09/08
      70.   Peres, There is no "Mideast Peace" 08:19  |  Baruch Gold 25/09/08
      71.   Re;Akram Zakaria.Our enemies live with us and it is the problem 08:56  |  e.m Jordan is Palse 25/09/08
      72.   Re;Akram Zakaria.Our enemies live with us and it is the problem 08:56  |  e.m Jordan is Palse 25/09/08
      73.   SIMPLE really.Iran supports "NO PEACE ever" Hamas 09:10  |  PETER SM 25/09/08
      74.   #62 fortuna peres is bad fortune for israel on a 09:21  |  victor hardman 25/09/08
      75.   71# em Jordan is Palestine. 09:40  |  Akram Zekaria 25/09/08
      76.   PERES says it clearly..Iran supports NO PEACE ever Hamas 09:56  |  PETER SM 25/09/08
      77.   Ahmadinejad struck a nerve 09:59  |  Steve the Pals. 25/09/08
      78.   Israel, you must learn to take care of yourself..... 10:08  |  Swiss (Dino) 25/09/08
      79.   Bullistic 10:26  |  Sanity 25/09/08
      80.   Who will save the world from the US? 10:26  |  Pepe 25/09/08
      81.   #77 STEVE PALS 12:00  |  Israeli 25/09/08
      82.   80# Pepe: The calture of destruction is the result of the .. 12:08  |  Akram Zekaria 25/09/08
      83.   The outcome of non violence advocates and extreme left militants 16:19  |  Jean Van Daem 25/09/08
      84.   #67 Say Connie 18:11  |  ballistic 25/09/08
      85.   #79 Sanity...You have written a very comprehensive post.And I 01:46  |  Israeli 26/09/08
      86.   To Mike 20:52  |  S13 28/10/08
      87.   To mike 20:58  |  S13 28/10/08
      88.   To Lori 21:00  |  xnvy 28/10/08
     Read & React
    Sources: Sarkozy views Obama stance on Iran as 'utterly immature'
    Responses: 86
    Moshe Arens: It's the IDF, not the security fence that stops terror
    Responses: 36
    Yoel Marcus: Tzipi Livni deserves to win
    Responses: 34
    U.S. agents foil neo-Nazi plot to assassinate Obama
    Responses: 108
    Israeli ambassador meets Palin, as Republicans rally for Virginia
    Responses: 40


    More Headlines
    19:23 Syria demands UN action against U.S. over raid
    20:18 Witness in Hirchson graft case: I handed Olmert a fat envelope
    17:42 General elections to be held in Israel by middle of February
    21:02 Student at Gaza refugee camp campaigns for Obama online
    15:38 Peres: Israel is closer to peace than ever before
    21:05 Legendary singers gather in Tel Aviv to celebrate Peres Center
    10:32 Sources: Sarkozy views Obama stance on Iran as 'utterly immature'
    18:46 Palin to Israeli ambassador: I look forward to hearing about Jewish Agency
    14:10 A chance to yell at Yossi Beilin
    13:24 Saudi luxury car sales seen rising despite global crisis
    12:02 PLAY THE NEWS / Can you beat OPEC at its own game?
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    Living in Israel Studying in English
    Click & Meet our students from all around the world
    Dial 013 for your long-distance calls
    and get all your money back
    US CITIZENS
    Vote for real change. Request your ballot today!
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Jewish Singles Personal Ads
    Find the love of your life on JDate.com
    Israel's Premier Real Estate Website
    www. israel-property.com
    Hebrew Summer courses
    From $39.95
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
    birthright Israel | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved