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President Shimon Peres (Daniel Bar-On / Jini)
Last update - 21:17 29/05/2008
Peres: If Assad wants peace, he should come to Jerusalem
By Haaretz Service
Tags: Shimon Peres 

President Shimon Peres on Thursday said that if Syrian President Bashar Assad is serious about reaching peace with Israel, he should either visit Jerusalem or invite the prime minister to Damascus for talks.

"If [former] Egyptian President Anwar Sadat has not come to Jerusalem and addressed the Knesset, there would not have been peace with Egypt," Peres told Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

The president also said that peace negotiations with the Palestinians were progressing, although he admitted that it was doubtful a detailed peace agreement could be reached by the end of the year.
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Peres told Rasmussen that Iran was aspiring toward religious hegemont in the Middle East, and has already gained the assistance of Hezbollah and Hamas for that goal.

"Hamas, which is an extension of Iran, continues to fire rockets on our children, despite Israel having evacuated settlements and soldiers from Gaza," Peres said.

For his part, Rasmussen affirmed Denmark's support for Israel "in the war on terror," adding he wished to compliment the efforts to return to peace negotiations with the Palestinians. He also said Denmark hoped the Middle East would succeed in realizing its financial potential.

Report: Syria-Israel talks coild resume next week

Peace talks between Syria and Israel will resume next week if Prime Minister Ehud Olmert manages to overcome his domestic problems, a senior Syrian journalist wrote on Thursday.

Writing in the London-based Arabic-language paper Al-Hayat, Ibrahim Hamidi, who is considered Syria's leading independent journalist, said that Damascus was anxious to return to the negotiating table and that serious progress had been made in the talks so far.

"Damascus will do all it can to further talks," he wrote. "It is examining every small move with hope on the way to peace."

He reiterated Syrian officials' claim that Israel's government had agreed to withdraw to the 1967 border, which Jerusalem denies. "When we mean the talks are serious, we mean that the other side is committed to a full withdrawal to the border of June 4, 1967," Hamidi quoted a Syrian source as saying.

"The Middle Eastern theater, and its strategic aspects, will change if the awaited peace is achieved," Hamidi continued. "The positive developments will be tangible for everyone living in the Middle East."

On Wednesday, Syrian President Bahar Assad told a British parliamentary delegation that he had no intention of complying with Israel's request that Damascus sever its close relations with Iran. During the meeting, Assad likened the Israeli request to his asking Israel to sever its ties with the United States.

Also Thursday, Syria and France resumed high-level contact with each other after several months during which no such communication had occurred, due to differences of opinion over the political strife in Lebanon. Assad spoke by telephone with French President Nicolas Sarzoky, and the French president told his Syrian counterpart that he supports the resumption of talks with Israel.

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      1.   what else should he do? 20:35  |  Peres 29/05/08
      2.   Alternative Route 20:47  |  Matthew Houston 29/05/08
      3.   Peres is a cardinal liar 20:51  |  KA 29/05/08
      4.   Peres Is On The Right Track 20:52  |  Markus 29/05/08
      5.   I agree with Peres 20:59  |  Akram 29/05/08
      6.   But who`s going to Damascus? 21:21  |  Paul Samaras 29/05/08
      7.   Sure...IF...Israel wants peace...it should... 21:27  |  Dutch Dirk 29/05/08
      8.   Peres, your words are meaningless babble. Go to a nursing home. 21:53  |  Gary A. MD 29/05/08
      9.   Peres, your words are meaningless babble. Go to a nursing home. 21:54  |  Gary A. MD 29/05/08
      10.   Taking the first step 21:58  |  John 29/05/08
      11.   Shimon I 22:12  |  Danny 29/05/08
      12.   arab league peace initiative 22:31  |  bashar 29/05/08
      13.   #7 Dutch Dick 22:32  |  Noah 29/05/08
      14.   #7 22:33  |  avi 29/05/08
      15.   Syria has not developed bond with Israeli people 22:41  |  Sam 29/05/08
      16.   Dutch Dummy 22:53  |  American Jew 29/05/08
      17.   Re: #6.....going to damascus? 22:56  |  Jabotinsky 29/05/08
      18.   Assad probably cannot find Jerusalem since he`s looking for.. 23:08  |  Richard S 29/05/08
      19.   They will resume , next year in the Alices Wonderland 23:30  |  Sal 29/05/08
      20.   Kind of scrambling, aren`t you? 23:36  |  Colin Wright 29/05/08
      21.   I agree with Peres 23:38  |  Abu Yusuf 29/05/08
      22.   ASSAD TO VISIT JERUSALEM AND RECEIVED BY ABBAS 23:39  |  TripleJump 29/05/08
      23.   Different time. 23:40  |  Pierre Balestino 29/05/08
      24.   HE SOULD COME HERE BECAUSE CHOSEN PEOPLE HAVE CHOSEN EGO 23:44  |  JACKAL 29/05/08
      25.   He can go where the US embassy is....Tel Aviv 23:49  |  Capital 29/05/08
      26.   peres 23:59  |  azad 29/05/08
      27.   Assad wants peace, but he`s not that desperate to come to Jerusal 00:04  |  Aounist 30/05/08
      28.   Bashar-Arabs see the picture only from their view 00:06  |  Sam 30/05/08
      29.   Address the Knesset? 00:11  |  Harold 30/05/08
      30.   A good idea. Why not? 00:22  |  Ahmad 30/05/08
      31.   come so we can use it as propoganda 01:12  |  sam i am 30/05/08
      32.   To #9 01:16  |  JB 30/05/08
      33.   Peres: If Assad wants peace, he should come to Jerusalem 01:22  |  sfg 30/05/08
      34.   To No. 13 re # 6 03:28  |  Paul Samaras 30/05/08
      35.   Peres 03:49  |  Brod 30/05/08
      36.   #24 sam 05:01  |  bashar 30/05/08
      37.   #29 sfg 05:04  |  Space 30/05/08
      38.   to Akram Syria can be trusted 05:05  |  gus 30/05/08
      39.   To sam Syria did gusture for peace 05:12  |  gus 30/05/08
      40.   No need to waste time in Jerusalem 05:16  |  Harold 30/05/08
      41.   Brod the real wolves are the current Israeli leaders 05:17  |  gus 30/05/08
      42.   Bashar-call for a one-state solution, so what? 05:45  |  Sam 30/05/08
      43.   Gus- not good enough on Syria`s part 06:09  |  Sam 30/05/08
      44.   That`s Awfully Indirect 06:12  |  Yosemite 30/05/08
      45.   because Olmert is too much of a crook for Syrians? 06:18  |  Fortuna Benmayor 30/05/08
      46.   TripleJump #22 -- time to fire your history teacher 06:33  |  bbl 30/05/08
      47.   Jackal, how poorly you understand the region 06:37  |  bbl 30/05/08
      48.   The demand of Assad to receive the Golan is the proof... 07:22  |  Jean Van Daem 30/05/08
      49.   SYRIA ! TAHRAN IS YOUR HUSBUND. DONT SLEEP WITH OTHERS ! 09:30  |  ... 30/05/08
      50.   Well, at least Peres didn`t announce his challenge on a TV show. 09:49  |  Johnboy 30/05/08
      51.   A sad rentaquote from Peres 09:51  |  JJ burke 30/05/08
      52.   Wrong, he should go to hell, are you all stupid? 11:02  |  Harvey (Chaim) 30/05/08
      53.   peres you talk too much 11:09  |  giora 30/05/08
      54.   "If Assad wants peace..." 11:09  |  DC 30/05/08
      55.   PEACE WITH SYRIA 11:46  |  Nicole 30/05/08
      56.   johnboy"peres is a sad and shameless old man" 12:18  |  amos 30/05/08
      57.   johnboy "peres makes a cheap offer to assad" 12:21  |  amos 30/05/08
      58.   How many nuclear sites were built in Syria? 12:52  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 30/05/08
      59.   ASSAD WILL GO TO ISRAEL, AND THEN AHMADINEJAD TOO 12:54  |  indrajaya 30/05/08
      60.   manic john insulting President Peres 13:06  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 30/05/08
      61.   To Cipora #60 13:23  |  oetis 30/05/08
      62.   New realities 13:39  |  Sami 30/05/08
      63.   Peres is Right,but Bashir prefers Teheran 13:43  |  Ronnie Wolman 30/05/08
      64.   Before coming to Jerusalem, Assad should recognize Israel`s right 14:53  |  Avraham Israeli 30/05/08
      65.   Cipora 14:53  |  Harvey (Chaim) 30/05/08
      66.   Foolishness by Peres 14:56  |  Tosefta 30/05/08
      67.   Paul Samaras read the whole article and then comment 15:02  |  x-ray 30/05/08
      68.   bashar 15:04  |  x-ray 30/05/08
      69.   he will if israel is serious... 15:31  |  ravi 30/05/08
      70.   tosefta "maybe peres does not understand the north" 15:49  |  giora 30/05/08
      71.   tosefta "syria just checking the waters" 16:03  |  giora 30/05/08
      72.   PRESIDENT PERES 17:09  |  Richard Cohen 30/05/08
      73.   Dutch Dirk from Amsterdam (#7) 17:20  |  Gil 30/05/08
      74.   DUTCH DIRK 17:21  |  chasaboy 30/05/08
      75.   Dutch Dirk from Amsterdam (#7) 17:22  |  Gil 30/05/08
      76.   Johnboy 17:25  |  pema 30/05/08
      77.   #7 Dutch Dirk 17:56  |  Moshe 30/05/08
      78.   Return of the shallow multi-headed Hydra/giora 18:01  |  Tosefta 30/05/08
      79.   To JB #32 18:19  |  utagawa 30/05/08
      80.   Why Assad Should Go to Jerusalem 18:23  |  Seraph 30/05/08
      81.   Dutch Dirk from Amsterdam will be surrounded by Jews 18:25  |  Tulip 30/05/08
      82.   #50 Johnboy 19:11  |  Moshe 30/05/08
      83.   delegation from IDF 19:37  |  FJ 30/05/08
      84.   Amos Johnboy thinks Peres is Katzav 19:47  |  x-ray 30/05/08
      85.   To #79 19:49  |  JB 30/05/08
      86.   Very good post, Seraph #80 20:10  |  Tulip 30/05/08
      87.   to Dutch and his band of haters renouned. 20:14  |  Robert/Montreal 30/05/08
      88.   Aounist sums up for his hater friends"Assad wants peace, but he`s 20:28  |  Robert Lovell 30/05/08
      89.   #22 Triple Dump 20:32  |  Robert/Montreal 30/05/08
      90.   if peres wants peace he should go to Damascus 20:33  |  mehmet 30/05/08
      91.   and imagine Peres is one of the more decent Israeli 20:37  |  mehmet 30/05/08
      92.   #88 Mehmet what a turkey! (I could not resist) 20:54  |  Robert/Montreal 30/05/08
      93.   I wonder, why do the Syrian refuse to recognize Israel`s right to 21:27  |  Roger 30/05/08
      94.   #61, oetis 21:54  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 30/05/08
      95.   #60 Cipora does not have a brain in her skull 22:10  |  Johnboy 30/05/08
      96.   #82 Man, there are some stupid people on talkback 22:17  |  Johnboy 30/05/08
      97.   johnboy on peres "he should stop saying this now he is president" 23:02  |  giora 30/05/08
      98.   johnboy "it is an insult to the head of a country 23:05  |  giora 30/05/08
      99.   #78 Tosefta 23:23  |  Moshe 30/05/08
      100.   Hey Dutch Dirk, did they release you for the weekend? 23:32  |  Benjamina 30/05/08
      101.   Robert Montreal come and take it then 23:41  |  mehmet 30/05/08
      102.   #96 Johnboy 23:48  |  Moshe 30/05/08
      103.   manic john, mouthpiece for Syria`s Assad 23:59  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 30/05/08
      104.   Assad can pray at the Western Wall but he`s not getting the Golan 00:20  |  Chaim 31/05/08
      105.   #40 Harold. Syria will be a threat if we are dumb enough to cede 00:23  |  Chaim 31/05/08
      106.   If the zionist state wants peace 02:48  |  mark 31/05/08
      107.   steps before knesset votes 03:01  |  yonah 31/05/08
      108.   What About A Neutral Meeting Place? 03:44  |  Jeff Northridge 31/05/08
      109.   #99 Jeff is another who misses the point 05:12  |  Johnboy 31/05/08
      110.   ASSAD IS NOT INTERESTED IN PEACE;ONLY PIECE;THE GOLAN AND MERT IS 05:25  |  glenna 31/05/08
      111.   #96 Johnboy 06:35  |  Moshe 31/05/08
      112.   Peres: If Assad wants peace, he should come to Jerusalem 06:55  |  martin list, m.d. 31/05/08
      113.   #107, manic john, learn to read 07:15  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 31/05/08
      114.   #110, martin list, m.d. 07:19  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 31/05/08
      115.   Dear sam it is two way street 08:41  |  gus 31/05/08
      116.   To X ray read history 08:46  |  gus 31/05/08
      117.   #110 Moshe has short-term memory problems 09:22  |  Johnboy 31/05/08
      118.   #78, Tosefta 10:07  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 31/05/08
      119.   gus 10:45  |  x-ray 31/05/08
      120.   Johnboy`s chip 10:52  |  glial 31/05/08
      121.   #117 Johnboy 13:28  |  Moshe 31/05/08
      122.   #116 Gus 14:10  |  Moshe 31/05/08
      123.   Not So Fast 15:19  |  Yosemite 31/05/08
      124.   Assad can`t come to Israel (Johnboy #109; re Jeff; Cone) 15:41  |  Tosefta 31/05/08
      125.   Assad visit... 16:43  |  jean marie 31/05/08
      126.   Assad can`t come to Israel (Johnboy #109; re Jeff; Cone) 18:08  |  Tosefta 31/05/08
      127.   CJK # 58 How many nuclear weapons does 18:52  |  American in NY 31/05/08
      128.   Perez a good man of peace 20:11  |  j weigland 31/05/08
      129.   # 78 Tosefta`s Reppeppetions.We Know Them All By Heart And 21:09  |  KATHY 31/05/08
      130.   CJK # 103 Neville Chamberlain was invited to Berlin 21:34  |  American in NY 31/05/08
      131.   Assad can`t come to Israel (Johnboy #109; re Jeff; Cone) 21:40  |  Tosefta 31/05/08
      132.   Pres. S. Peres, peace, Pres. Dr. B. al-Assad 22:43  |  Ricardo Kolbe 31/05/08
      133.   Peace for peace 22:51  |  Scharker Yid 31/05/08
      134.   # 95 jb The Biggest whore here on these talkbacks. 22:57  |  KATHY 31/05/08
      135.   What a brazen thing to say.... 23:20  |  Dutch 31/05/08
      136.   # 117 Moshe has a short-term memory.While You are demented 23:45  |  K 31/05/08
      137.   dont give the man ideas Assad knows how to manipulate 23:49  |  zioist forever 31/05/08
      138.   Pers disappointing 00:17  |  Fed up 01/06/08
      139.   # 132 Ricardo Kolbe..Who are you??Another Pisher? 01:40  |  ..... 01/06/08
      140.   Perez has the right idea, but... 01:58  |  Jim 01/06/08
      141.   #135 I Will not sit here let the whole ME Kill Israelis.. 02:00  |  Dutch 01/06/08
      142.   # 93 Roger..Mon petite choux.We don`t care... 02:19  |  .... 01/06/08
      143.   # 90 mehmet who thinks turkey is still strong,but is nothing 000 02:33  |  .... 01/06/08
      144.   #13 Noah wants it all 02:35  |  Jim 01/06/08
      145.   # 101 mehmet the poor muslim who thinks like a sultan.. 02:38  |  ....... 01/06/08
      146.   #15 Sam 02:41  |  Jim 01/06/08
      147.   #24 Jackal 03:16  |  Jim 01/06/08
      148.   #29 Harold 03:21  |  Jim 01/06/08
      149.   #47 bbl 03:38  |  Jim 01/06/08
      150.   #48 Jean Van Daem 04:09  |  Jim 01/06/08
      151.   #50 John 04:16  |  Jim 01/06/08
      152.   #97 giora Israeli constitution??? 04:58  |  Jim 01/06/08
      153.   it`s a little early for that; isn`t it peres? 05:03  |  eric 01/06/08
      154.   Jim- interaction facilitates trust 05:08  |  Sam 01/06/08
      155.   # 8 "meaningless babble", gary? 05:29  |  eric 01/06/08
      156.   #131 I am not arguing to THAT, Tosefta 06:06  |  Johnboy 01/06/08
      157.   #120 Content-free platitudes, hey, glial? 06:10  |  Johnboy 01/06/08
      158.   #121 Oh, yaaaaaawn, Moshe..... 06:18  |  Johnboy 01/06/08
      159.   #113 Cipora, learn to discriminate.. 06:29  |  Johnboy 01/06/08
      160.   If Israel wants to fight terror they must get rid of Olmert 08:19  |  Rachel 01/06/08
      161.   #150, Jim, you are wrong 09:18  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 01/06/08
      162.   #151, eric 09:21  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 01/06/08
      163.   #134 Another content-free post from KATHY 09:33  |  Johnboy 01/06/08
      164.   # 162 to cipora 13:14  |  eric 01/06/08
      165.   # 156 jb to Tosefta..Hey JB You are Slipping! 16:54  |  KATHY 01/06/08
      166.   #137 zionist forever..don`t give the man ideas Assad knows how to 17:48  |  KATHY 01/06/08
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