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Peres tells AIPAC Netanyahu wants to make history with peace By Natasha Mozgovaya WASHINGTON - President Shimon Peres told an AIPAC conference here yesterday that Prime Minister Benjamain Netanyahu was ready to forge ahead to make peace with the Arab world. "Netanyahu knows history and wants to make history. In our tradition, making history is making peace, and I am sure that peace is his priority," Peres told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's annual conference yesterday. Advertisement Speaking ahead of today's meeting with United States President Barack Obama, Peres stressed throughout his speech the message that the Israeli government was committed to previous agreements and to pursuing peace. Netanyahu is due to meet with Obama later this month. Speaking of negotiations, Peres said: "We shall negotiate with any partner ready to negotiate the peace that has eluded us since 1947. The Saudis gave birth to a peace initiative. Israel wasn't a partner to the wording of this initiative. Therefore it doesn't have to agree to every word. Nevertheless, Israel respects the profound change, and hopes it will be translated into action. In pursuing peace, the present government of Israel shall respect commitments made by the previous one." He also paid tribute to the new American president. "A tsunami of hope is rolling across the globe, its center is right here in America," Peres said. "Six months ago you elected a new president of the United States." "In his inaugural address, President Obama elegantly articulated what is needed, when he called for an outstretched hand instead of a clenched fist," he said. "In the future, our time may be considered as the age of outstretched hands. Israel stands with her arms outstretched, and her hands held open to peace with all nations with all Arab states, with all Arab people." "Israel's definition of success is not by the military campaigns we have been forced to wage and win, but by the peace we have achieved together with some of our neighbors," Peres said. The Israeli president dedicated a key portion of his speech to the Iranian crisis. "The fanatic rulers of Iran are on the wrong side of history. Actually, they are outside of history... Historically, Iran sought to enrich mankind. Today, alas, Iran's rulers enrich uranium," Peres said. "They develop a nuclear option. Iran funds and arms Hezbollah and Hamas to spread division and terror, trying to impose a foreign and violent ideology. Their agents target Americans, Europeans and Arabs alike. Historically, the concern was to separate religion from state. Today, however, the challenge is to disconnect religion from terror." A number of protesters in the audiences heckled Peres and displayed signs saying "Free Gaza" and "Stop the Occupation," until they were removed by security. Most of the audience, however, reacted enthusiastically to the speech, frequently stopping Peres with applause. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Peres hits Washington President meets top officials, including Obama and Clinton, to discuss Mideast peace. The Syria-Iran axis Ahmadinejad and Assad reaffirm countries' ties, vow united support for Palestinians.

Read & React Netanyahu to AIPAC: We want peace with Arab world Responses: 70 Obama gets tougher with Israel on Palestinians, Iran Responses: 115 Bradley Burston: This is how the occupation ends Responses: 52 Israeli ambassador to Spain called 'Jew dog' at Real Madrid game Responses: 54 More Headlines 00:58 Peres to Obama: No choice but to compare Iran to Nazis 23:00 Barak: IDF did not mean to shoot at UN facilities in Gaza 22:36 Biden tells AIPAC: Israel must support two-state solution 23:51 Assad: Syria-Iran ties serve stability and strength of Mideast 23:07 U.S. urges Israel to sign anti-nuclear arms treaty 16:44 Israel begins revoking citizenship of four Arabs 22:35 Lieberman: Take action against Iran if no talks in three months 19:23 AUDIO / American Idol finalist Adam Lambert sings Yom Kippur prayer 21:58 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel 19:15 Israel to pay terror victims with money allocated to PA 22:02 UN questions Israelis on Palestinian torture allegations 13:18 Far-rightist MK: Hitler Youth pope not welcome in Israel 20:09 Woman hospitalized in Nahariya with Swine Flu symptoms 13:58 'U.K. airline BMI must explain its omission of Israel from maps' 17:33 Meshal: Hamas seeks Palestinian state based on 1967 borders 10:03 Israeli ambassador to Spain called 'Jew dog' at Real Madrid game Previous Editions Select Day 05 may 04 may 03 may 01 may 30 apr 29 apr 28 apr 27 apr 26 apr 24 apr 23 apr 22 apr

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