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Last update - 11:48 27/12/2008
Peres: Israel has no plans to enter Gaza, won't ignite regional war
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Service and News Agencies
Tags: Israel News, Iran 

In an interview with the pan-Arab daily newspaper Asharq al-Awsat which was published on Saturday, President Shimon Peres said Israel has no intention of igniting a regional war.

Peres told the London-based publication that Israel would undertake all necessary steps to put a halt to the firing of rockets, though he did qualify those statements by ruling out an Israeli re-entry into Gaza. The president refused to specify which tactics Israel would employ.

Peres also said Israel could not accept the Arab peace initiative without engaging in negotiations with the entire Arab world. The president called on the Arab states to appoint peace envoys who would be directed to handle the negotiations with Jerusalem.
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Peres said he would not object if the envoys were representatives of Jordan or Egypt, countries which in previous years were tasked with maintaining contacts with Israel on behalf of the Arab League.

Peres said that while Israel is desirous of a secure peace for both sides, he feels it is incumbent on Arab governments to hold negotiations on the parameters of such an agreement.

Peres also reportedly told Japanese media on Thursday that it would be wise for U.S. president-elect Barack Obama to put off dialogue with Iran until after the Islamic Republic holds presidential elections slated for June 2009.

"I hope that it won't be done before the elections (in Iran) because it may affect the results of the elections," Peres told the Kyodo news agency.

Domestic opponents of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are hopeful the stagnant economy that has been hampered by sagging oil prices will spur voters to oust him from office.

The president also sought to allay concerns that Jerusalem was angling to launch a military campaign against Iran to slow its suspected plans to build nuclear weapons.

"Israel doesn't intend to go to war, plain and simple," Peres told Kyodo.

He added that he believes Russia is as much against Iran becoming a nuclear-weapons state as anyone, but that its approach is to try to convince Iran to give up any ambitions through dialogue.

"[Russian Prime Minister Vladimir] Putin told me, I think he told many people, Russia cannot live with an Iranian bomb. They are totally against it, but they think they can prevent it by talking to Iran instead of pressing Iran."

U.S. President-elect Barack Obama said earlier this month that the West must engage in "tough but direct diplomacy" with Iran, but emphasized that Tehran's vocalized threats against Israel stand "contrary to everything" the United States believes in.

He also said that he was prepared to offer Iran economic incentives to stop its nuclear program, but warned that sanctions could be toughened if it refused.

"We need to ratchet up tough but direct diplomacy with Iran, making very clear to them that their development of nuclear weapons would be unacceptable, that their funding of terrorist organizations, their threats against Israel are contrary to everything we believe in," Obama said.

"We are willing to talk to them directly and give them a clear choice and ultimately let them make a determination in terms of whether they want to do this the hard way or the easy way," Obama told NBC's "Meet the Press" program.

Dealing with Iran's uranium enrichment program, which some Western countries say is being used to develop a nuclear bomb, will be one of the first foreign policy tests for Obama after he takes office on January 20.

Iran last month signaled it was expanding its nuclear enrichment program, a clear sign that it has no intention of bowing to Western pressure. Tehran says the program is purely for peaceful purposes to generate more electricity.

Iran said last week it did not believe U.S. policy would change under Obama. Washington, which cut ties with Tehran after the 1979 revolution that ousted the U.S.-backed shah, has been pushing hard to isolate Iran over its nuclear program.

He said his administration would work with international partners to present a set of carrots and sticks to encourage Iran to halt its nuclear development program.

"In terms of carrots, we can provide economic incentives that would be helpful to a country that despite being a net oil producer is under enormous strain, huge inflation, lot of employment problems," Obama said, without specifying what form the incentives would take.

"But we also have to focus on the sticks. In order for us to change Iran's behavior we may have to tighten up those sanctions."

Iran's refusal to stop enriching uranium, which can provide fuel for nuclear power plants or material for bombs if refined to a higher degree, has drawn three rounds of UN sanctions since 2006 as well as separate U.S. measures.

During a presidential debate with Republican rival John McCain in October, Obama said his administration would work to restrict gasoline imports to Iran, which suffers a shortage of refined fuel.

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      1.   With all due respect 20:00  |  An American 26/12/08
      2.   The sooner the US talks to Iran the better 20:00  |  spyguy 26/12/08
      3.   Surely if the rumours about Iran`s 21:23  |  Chris Linthwaite 26/12/08
      4.   Obama the thief. 21:36  |  zaz 26/12/08
      5.   What arrogance! 21:41  |  Maureen Ann 26/12/08
      6.   it won`t affect the elections 22:13  |  Iranian 26/12/08
      7.   Perhaps Pres. Peres Should Mind Israel`s Business First 22:20  |  massaraksh 26/12/08
      8.   "Russia cannot live with an Iranian bomb" 23:01  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 26/12/08
      9.   #4, Maureen Ann, "what arrogance!" 23:05  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 26/12/08
      10.   #4 Maureen Ann 23:22  |  H 26/12/08
      11.   "Qassams Smassams" philosopher gives his invaluable advice 23:41  |  Absolute Sweden 26/12/08
      12.   #4 23:57  |  Jane 26/12/08
      13.   why 00:10  |  Aaron 27/12/08
      14.   A Great Man Providing Sound Advice 00:10  |  Lee 27/12/08
      15.   Israel desperate it will lose the imbalance in power, 00:12  |  Labhras 27/12/08
      16.   Pres.Peres 00:24  |  Llyn 27/12/08
      17.   The correct advise: Cancel Talks 00:26  |  Shimon Cleopas 27/12/08
      18.   "Israel doesn`t intend to go to war, plain and simple." 00:32  |  Zed 27/12/08
      19.   to #1 An American 01:01  |  Gus 27/12/08
      20.   That`s what fuels anti-semitism: 01:23  |  Axel 27/12/08
      21.   Surely if the rumours about Iran`s 01:38  |  Chris Linthwaite 27/12/08
      22.   Peres diplomatic approach is short of one would have desired! 01:39  |  Akram Zekaria 27/12/08
      23.   delay talks with iran 03:01  |  steve 27/12/08
      24.   No matter who gets elected the Iranian threat 03:22  |  Darth Zaider (Ed) 27/12/08
      25.   # 2 Spying must be hard in the Bay City ? 03:46  |  Darth Zaider (Ed) 27/12/08
      26.   #7, Axel, expert on antisemitism 04:32  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/12/08
      27.   Peres TELLING OBAMA....Not Urging... 04:48  |  ali 27/12/08
      28.   President Peres is right 05:14  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/12/08
      29.   US should talk with Iran 05:43  |  Mick 27/12/08
      30.   Axel`s anti-Semitism 05:52  |  SDHD 27/12/08
      31.   #16, Ali, great American hero 06:00  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/12/08
      32.   I have 2 sons into the army, maybe this is NO army 06:01  |  L 27/12/08
      33.   Who is he again to Patronize US President? 06:20  |  Adam Habib 27/12/08
      34.   Darth Zaider`s Historical Revision 06:40  |  Mark of Lewiston 27/12/08
      35.   To Axel (#9) 07:06  |  Morris Valentine 27/12/08
      36.   Talking to Iran has been decided Nov. 4, 2008 07:17  |  American Voter 27/12/08
      37.   The verdict is out 07:29  |  James 27/12/08
      38.   peres the word wise does not fall under Israeli/dc iniquity 07:33  |  glenna 27/12/08
      39.   Israel is way too powerful 07:56  |  D 27/12/08
      40.   OBAMA MUST DELAY TALK WITH ISRAEL AS WELL 08:11  |  indrajaya 27/12/08
      41.   Darth Zaider`s revisionist history 08:15  |  spyguy 27/12/08
      42.   Iran tells US and Israel: Iran is becoming nuclear,get over it 08:16  |  Aounist 27/12/08
      43.   Israel is a nuclear nation - why not Iran? 09:03  |  Palestinian Brit 27/12/08
      44.   its about time all arabs took responsibility 12:55  |  seth thomas 27/12/08
      45.   An EASY answer to Palestinian Brit`s question. 18:03  |  SDHD 27/12/08
      46.   Look out, Israel must bomb Iran before Jan 20,2009 19:13  |  Steve 27/12/08
      47.   run away pal undermining UK 43 19:45  |  larry from delaware 27/12/08
      48.   Palestinian Brit # 43 _ A Nuclear Iran Is Not A Problem 20:02  |  Eli 27/12/08
      49.   spyguy,its the persians that have acted like a"petulant five year 21:20  |  terrornator 27/12/08
      50.   reply to Axel, no. 20 00:23  |  Sam C 28/12/08
      51.   A reminder for Mr Peres. 00:57  |  Maureen Ann 28/12/08
      52.   The Palestinian Brit is a twit 01:21  |  charles soper 28/12/08
      53.   Persky 01:37  |  Anthony 28/12/08
      54.   Peres, the war-criminal clown! 05:36  |  Niva dos Santos 28/12/08
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