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Last update - 08:52 24/12/2007
December 23, 2007
Celebrating the 60th anniversary of an international vote of courage
Tags: Israel, President of Israel 
Sixty years have passed since that moment of grace that appeared in Jewish history - a history accustomed to bereavement, suffering and alienation.

Sixty years have passed since that moment of grace that appeared in Jewish history - a history accustomed to bereavement, suffering and alienation.

We will never forget the benevolence of the nations of the world.

In the speech I gave in the Knesset, in honor of the commemoration of the decision taken on November 29, 1947, I asked the Ambassadors of those countries that had the vision and the courage to vote for the establishment of the State of Israel, to convey to their people our sincere gratitude and acknowledgement.
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This moment of kindness will be stored in our national memory as time in which historical justice overcame political considerations of cost-versus-benefit and cold efficiency.

I personally experienced this moment in the presence of the leader of the nation, David Ben-Gurion. While the people of Israel rejoiced, he chose to sit in solitude. When I inquired why he did not find joy in such a moment, he replied that "today we dance, and yet tomorrow we shall find ourselves facing a war with our Arab neighbors."

As Ben-Gurion correctly predicted, the United Nations Resolution did not leave a meaningful impression upon the Arab leaders. Seven Arab countries immediately declared war upon the newly established State of Israel.

Whereas the United Nations had offered a political majority which supported the establishment of the state, the reality on the ground presented Israel with an Arab military might that tried to destroy it.

The war began even before we had a state, and the battles before we had an army. The entire nation fought, and the whole country was turned into a battlefield. Nonetheless, and despite the hardships, we fought as a democratic state and the stark, internal differences of opinion did not prevent the unity of the people at this time of peril.

One opinion, for example, rejected the partition of the country and proposed postponing the declaration of statehood and placing it, for a period of time, under international guardianship, although it was not clear to whom such guardianship could be entrusted.

Another opinion advocated opting for gaining back the biblical land of Israel and did not heed the difficulty involved in a small minority trying to govern a large area made up of a hostile and violent majority.

In the end, the Biltmore Plan was accepted, despite the pain we knew it would undoubtedly cause in the short run. It was accepted on the premise that it would serve as the most reasonable solution for the future.

Ben-Gurion demanded that the state be established right away. He envisioned the return of hundreds of thousands of Holocaust survivors, who had discovered that the gates of the nations of the world were closed to them. The consequent establishment of the State of Israel cannot be merely explained with logic or in quantitative terms, for neither logic nor numbers were in our favor.

The price was almost unbearably high. We lost many of our sons. Many of our soldiers became invalids. Bereaved families continue to bear their pain and mourning with unprecedented courage.

It was said to be a miracle.

In fact, no legendary miracle saved us, but the extraordinary, courageous and united standing of our people against all odds. Despite our being divided in opinion, we remained united in our dream to provide our children with a state, in which peace stands at the core of our values. While security was given supreme priority, democracy continued to be guarded and nurtured.

Following that war, and despite the lack of water and the barren ground, we established a system of agriculture that currently serves as a model for the world. We have also nurtured and brought about a prosperity and economic growth which overcame many hurdles and political upheavals.

Despite the medley of tongues spoken in this land, we revived our Hebrew language. While we continued to fight our wars, we also built infrastructure, industries, housing projects and a way of life which honors democratic values, creativity and innovation.

Today, we are at peace with Egypt and Jordan, our immediate and important neighbors. We are conducting peace negotiations with the Palestinians, knowing that their elected head, Abu Mazen, seeks peace.

The fact that the representatives of the Arab countries came to the Peace Conference in Annapolis, is certainly remarkable, although not all of them hurried to shake hands with their Israeli counterparts. Nonetheless, the issue on the agenda was unmistakably peace, not war. It has become clear to them that it is not Israel which is threatening their independence, but Iran.

The decision taken on November 29, 1947, was an outstanding event and a dramatic turn along the path of history.

The road ahead is long and winding, full of risks and paved with obstacles, and yet there is a mutually agreed-upon concept, adopted by the moderate and peace-loving people of the region and the world, and that is that the next station along that road must be a station of peace.

This is the same station which was missed by those parents, on both sides, who lost sons in the various wars, and which must not be missed again by this generation.

We have proved that great vision is stronger than the logic of acceptable norms, and now we pray that Israelis and Palestinians will discover the way to accept each other's friendship. Different circumstances allow for a change in people and in nations, and war - after all - is not a heavenly decree.

Reaching a viable peace depends upon us, and it is largely within our reach.
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  1.   To our President 14:36  |  dovale 23/12/07
  2.   Excellent speech my President! 15:42  |  Alicia 23/12/07
  3.   I pray for the peace of Israel 16:09  |  Stephen 23/12/07
  4.   To the President 16:37  |  Michael 23/12/07
  5.   Vision:mutual respect. Reality: kill the Infidel. 18:00  |  Nora 23/12/07
  6.   Mr. President... 18:15  |  Steve 23/12/07
  7.   Circumstance changing people & nation.... 18:45  |  Isca 23/12/07
  8.   10 year old girl with no presidents 19:01  |  Nasser Assad 23/12/07
  9.   Personal versus actual / factual history 19:36  |  H.H.M 23/12/07
  10.   Mr . Peres 19:47  |  Alark 23/12/07
  11.   What the President missed in his speach. 21:47  |  Akram Zekaria 23/12/07
  12.   Having been homeless in Israel but not hopeless 22:05  |  Dr Haim Bendayan 23/12/07
  13.   President Peres. 22:50  |  Maureen Ann 23/12/07
  14.   peace for piece 23:02  |  Nussan 23/12/07
  15.   Congrats...but 00:02  |  Ayman 24/12/07
  16.   You are a president of a sick nation 07:50  |  Otto Rand 24/12/07
  17.   In what way is this "Peres Online"? 10:30  |  Clickfool 24/12/07
  18.   Israel, my beloved child 11:28  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 24/12/07
  19.   Israel: A Disastrous Experiment 11:41  |  The End Is Nigh 24/12/07
  20.   The Arabs came to Annapolis demanding Israel surrender; peace not 11:41  |  Pavel 24/12/07
  21.   #17 boris reads the jpost? he does it for laughs! 12:03  |  victor hardman 24/12/07
  22.   Kohn 12:04  |  The End Is Nigh 24/12/07
  23.   Celebration: 750,000 Pals Cleansed, over 500 villages destroyed 13:26  |  The End Is Nigh 24/12/07
  24.   More reasons to Party 13:29  |  The End Is Nigh 24/12/07
  25.   peres 13:57  |  nahel 24/12/07
  26.   Why has Peres waited almost a month for this speech?The 60th 14:08  |  lakshmi 24/12/07
  27.   #22, you most certainly know nothing of courage 14:27  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 24/12/07
  28.   READ HERE WHAT SECGEN OF ARAB LEAGUE,AZZAM PASHA SAID IN 48 14:35  |  Alan 24/12/07
  29.   To The End is Nigh re Cipora... Pass me the mouthwash... 14:53  |  Klaudia 24/12/07
  30.   ENTIRE CONFLICT EXPLAINED IN LESS THAN 20 LINES 14:55  |  G. Marcus 24/12/07
  31.   Clickfool 14:58  |  Sarah 24/12/07
  32.   #24, Yoseph Weitz 14:59  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 24/12/07
  33.   Kohn: usual dodge: change the subject to anti-semitism 14:59  |  The End Is Nigh 24/12/07
  34.   Claudia: another who ignores the facts 15:05  |  The End Is Nigh 24/12/07
  35.   17 Clicky, ignore him like we do you. 15:08  |  The Equalizer 24/12/07
  36.   End is nigh....the end of his brain function 15:10  |  The Equallizer 24/12/07
  37.   the end is nigh for accurate history by quoting out of context 15:22  |  victor hardman 24/12/07
  38.   Wicked Peres is as Jewish as Wicked Fatah Skullduggery is 15:48  |  Joseph E . 24/12/07
  39.   TO # 18 CIPORA & KLAUDIA 15:49  |  The Teacher/Instruct 24/12/07
  40.   End is Nigh....Some words of wisdom for you ... 15:58  |  Klaudia 24/12/07
  41.   PERES AND ISRAEL NATURE 15:59  |  indrajaya 24/12/07
  42.   Joseph E. # 38 16:46  |  Klaudia 24/12/07
  43.   Garbage from Holocaust Denier 18:37  |  W 24/12/07
  44.   To Cipora Kohn 19:29  |  Otto Rand 24/12/07
  45.   # 17, Click the Fool, This is a misinformation planted by Mossad 19:41  |  Max Zinger (Mossad 24/12/07
  46.   L`Shana HaBa, B`Yerushalayim! 19:45  |  Phillipe T. Lucre 24/12/07
  47.   #34 Your end is nigh 19:54  |  Sarah 24/12/07
  48.   60 yrs of terroism in the ME 20:14  |  proud jooooo 24/12/07
  49.   I am tired of being an anti-semetic whiner 20:15  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 24/12/07
  50.   # 16 Otto Rand 22:25  |  Ben Moshe 24/12/07
  51.   TO Cipora & Klaudia 22:30  |  The Teacher/Instruct 24/12/07
  52.   #49, the fake, the one who never wins an argument 22:58  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 24/12/07
  53.   #33, when a person has nothing to say 23:14  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 24/12/07
  54.   # 42 Klaudia / Canada 23:17  |  Joseph E . post 1 24/12/07
  55.   # 42 Klaudia / Canada 23:23  |  Joseph E . post 2 24/12/07
  56.   LOVE 23:30  |  Yitzhak 24/12/07
  57.   Otto Rand 23:34  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 24/12/07
  58.   No benevolence, but political fight...& they prefer jews far away 23:37  |  Alain 24/12/07
  59.   #39, Teacher/Instruct 23:44  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 24/12/07
  60.   Shalom Mr. Peres 23:57  |  Larry 24/12/07
  61.   Shalom Mr. Peres Part 2 00:03  |  Larry 25/12/07
  62.   # 42 Klaudia / Canada 00:07  |  Joseph E . post 2 25/12/07
  63.   Rewriting history 00:19  |  Colin Wright 25/12/07
  64.   58Colin Wright,agreed,but do you agree that the solution now is 02:22  |  lakshmi 25/12/07
  65.   The good, the bad and the ugly 02:28  |  Klaas Vel 25/12/07
  66.   Courage? More like shame. 05:01  |  peacelover 25/12/07
  67.   Simon Peres and disinformation 06:42  |  Nick Ferriman 25/12/07
  68.   #63 Colin Wright; Your Allegation of the "indefensible" 07:22  |  Max Zinger,P.Chimist