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Last update - 13:04 25/09/2008
Peres: U.S. has no choice but to save world from Ahmadinejad
By Haaretz Service
Tags: Iran, Shimon Peres 

The United States has no choice but to save the world by stopping Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President Shimon Peres told Israel Radio on Thursday.

The president said Ahmadinejad was a passing phenomenon who will disappear "like a gust of wind," Israel Radio reported. Peres added that Ahmadinejad's statements against Israel and the West only serve to unite the entire world against Iran.

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."
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"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."

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:
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  • 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'
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      1.   Peres on Iran 10:44  |  JJ burke 25/09/08
      2.   Israel gives America a direct order 10:44  |  Clickfool 25/09/08
      3.   Ahmediejad is frustrating, but Israel hold key: SAUDI PLAN! 10:46  |  Ivar 25/09/08
      4.   IRAN needs to maintain conflict,as do despots everywhere 10:52  |  PETER SM 25/09/08
      5.   WHY PERES, WHY YOU HUMILIATE YOURSELF LIKE THIS 10:52  |  indrajaya 25/09/08
      6.   Ahmedinejad is good for Middle East peace. 10:57  |  Michael 25/09/08
      7.   U.S. has no choice but to tell Peres to go jump in a lake 10:59  |  Natallie Durson 25/09/08
      8.   Neither Israel nor the world are in danger 11:03  |  Fritz T. 25/09/08
      9.   Ahmadinejad isn`t the problem 11:55  |  Stella Westwell 25/09/08
      10.   Israel must learn again to take care of herself..... 11:56  |  Swiss (Dino) 25/09/08
      11.   IVAR Where do Iran,Hamas,Hezballa say they accept the Saudi Plan? 11:58  |  PETER SM 25/09/08
      12.   Don`t hold your breath. McCain takes time out. 12:01  |  Maureen Ann 25/09/08
      13.   DURSON The US leaders would rather Ahmad. jumped in the lake 12:01  |  PETER SM 25/09/08
      14.   CFOOL can`t read"The United States has little choice but-" 12:05  |  PETER SM 25/09/08
      15.   Ivar thinks the Saudi Initiative will solve all 12:10  |  Tzfonit 25/09/08
      16.   Iran has no choice but to save itself from US Aggression 12:14  |  MiddleStanian 25/09/08
      17.   #2 Clickfool - You miss the point by miles once again 12:23  |  ScotGuy 25/09/08
      18.   Indrajaya, why insist on humiliating yourself??? 12:26  |  ScotGuy 25/09/08
      19.   Thoughtless Responses 12:26  |  Tal 25/09/08
      20.   Peres needs to be briefed 12:42  |  Chris Linthwaite 25/09/08
      21.   Natallie Durson, Argentina tells you to jump in the sea 12:43  |  Argentinian 25/09/08
      22.   #3 the alien robot from the saudi planet lands in haaretz again 13:01  |  v.hardman 25/09/08
      23.   Stupid President of a Stupid Fake Country 13:23  |  Ahmed 25/09/08
      24.   Something tells me. 13:29  |  Murray 25/09/08
      25.   #7 Natallie Durson 13:37  |  Not Quite 25/09/08
      26.   More fear mongering from Peres 13:39  |  Mike 25/09/08
      27.   Save the world, indeed! 13:40  |  Jim 25/09/08
      28.   #18 Tal makes me laugh 13:44  |  Johnboy 25/09/08
      29.   Natallie Durson Continued 13:45  |  Not Quite 25/09/08
      30.   solicitation for murder... or worse! 13:58  |  northern neighbor 25/09/08
      31.   Please please save the world from Larry King!!! 14:06  |  Ronnie Wolman 25/09/08
      32.   How dare you 14:11  |  Palestinian 25/09/08
      33.   Games Israelis play 14:14  |  Jim 25/09/08
      34.   Calm down Shimon, the iranians are just 14:15  |  Buick from Boca 25/09/08
      35.   Chris Linthwaite #20 14:18  |  Anne Moriarty 25/09/08
      36.   Natallie you are a genius.....!!! 14:23  |  Clickfool 25/09/08
      37.   Israel itself makes peace in the ME impossible 14:26  |  Edith 25/09/08
      38.   # 36, FAKE CLICKFOOL 14:45  |  indrajaya 25/09/08
      39.   Jim 27 14:45  |  ChanahS 25/09/08
      40.   EDITH you forgot to give any substance for your headline 14:50  |  PETER SM 25/09/08
      41.   #13 Peter SM 14:50  |  Jim 25/09/08
      42.   Ghost of Jerusalem 14:51  |  Shimon Cleopas 25/09/08
      43.   # 31 Come on, Ronnie, bashing the "nicest Jew on earth"...???:) 15:00  |  Swiss (Dino) 25/09/08
      44.   ronnie wolman 15:03  |  greenbaum 25/09/08
      45.   #18 ScotGuy 15:03  |  Jim 25/09/08
      46.   #35 Anne Moriarity Really? 15:05  |  Chris Linthwaite 25/09/08
      47.   #25/29 Not Quite-aka `fraud` 15:15  |  Not Likely 25/09/08
      48.   And they wonder why Ahmadinejad says many are run by few 15:15  |  ID 25/09/08
      49.   JIM Both candidates have come out and said their piece 15:15  |  PETER SM 25/09/08
      50.   # 31, RONNIE WOLMAN 15:18  |  indrajaya 25/09/08
      51.   Translation: Will the U.S. do Israel`s dirty-work 15:42  |  gearoid 25/09/08
      52.   U.S.A. will 15:45  |  Dami 25/09/08
      53.   I Don`t Think That Anybody Can "Stop" Ahmadinejad 15:49  |  Jeff Northridge 25/09/08
      54.   U.S.A. will 15:49  |  Dani 25/09/08
      55.   Iran will have a nuclear bomb next year. 15:57  |  Jean Van Daem 25/09/08
      56.   Arabs had better side with Israel 16:00  |  Lynn 25/09/08
      57.   Greenbaum: "You dont really want to hurt Israelis do you?" 16:05  |  Ronnie Wolman 25/09/08
      58.   #39 ChanahS 16:11  |  Jim 25/09/08
      59.   Abuse from Ahmadinejad and Ayatollah 16:20  |  Anonymous 25/09/08
      60.   Peres: U.S. has no choice.............. US???!!!!!! 16:26  |  Persian Hero 25/09/08
      61.   RODNEY 16:29  |  Chakester 25/09/08
      62.   #46 Chris Linthwaite 16:32  |  Jim 25/09/08