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Peres: Arab peace plan jumpstarts 'real progress' By Haaretz Correspondent and Agencies , By Shlomo Shamir NEW YORK - President Shimon Peres yesterday told the United Nations General Assembly that the 2002 Saudi initiative represents "a serious opening for real progress" on peace in the Middle East. "We cannot change the past," Peres said to the delegates at a UN meeting on interfaith dialogue. "However, we can shape our future. This seems more feasible today in light of the Saudi proposal, which evolved into a Arab peace initiative." Advertisement Referring to the stated goals of the Saudi proposal, Peres said, "these expressions in the Arab peace initiative are inspirational and promise a serious opening for real progress." Turning to the Arab leaders at the conference, Peres called for a renewal of the prophetic vision of peace and brotherhood. "In our region, children bear the names of prophets who are sacred to us all. Why should Moses, Moshe, and Musa, Avraham, Abraham and Ibrahim grow up as adversaries, in animosity?" Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, who initiated the meeting, and many Arab leaders were in the plenum during Peres' speech. The president began his remarks by recalling "prime minister Yitzhak Rabin - my friend and partner in our journey. He was murdered while singing a song of peace," Peres said. "Tragedy had united the sons and daughters of all religions. Our shared agony shed light on our shared hopes, our hunger for fraternity, the dream of peace which we nurtured in our hearts... As our prophets asked: Have we not all one father? Hath not one God created us? Why do we deal deceitfully every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?" "I know it is harder to pursue peace than to wage war; building is more difficult than destruction. Yet, this is my life experience - it is worthwhile to strive for peace and build homes," said Peres. Bookmark to del.icio.us   A ringing endorsement Jimmy Carter says Obama will waste no time in pursuing Middle East peace. Peres' olive branch Israel's president says the Arab peace plan is an opening for progress.

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