Peres, Obama, exchange friendly sentiments and commitments

Following is the release of the Israel President's office regarding the Obama - Peres meeting. It was full of positive genstures, though perhaps these were of dubious significance.

 

President Shimon Peres Met with President Barack Obama At the White House

 

President Barack Obama:

 

"America's commitment to Israel's security is unequivocal, and it will remain that way throughout my administration"

 

 

President Peres:

 

"We cannot close our eyes to the Iranian nuclear threat. We cannot repeat the same mistakes that brought the horrors of the Holocaust to the world." 

 

President Shimon Peres held an official meeting last night with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. President Peres was received warmly by President Obama, who embraced him and said, "It's great to see you again – I always enjoy hearing your words and your wisdom, and I hope we can meet again many times in the future." 

 

It should be noted that the meeting began with the participation of top advisers to the both of the Presidents, including President Obama's Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel, adviser to the President David Axelrod, General James Jones, Dan Shapiro, the head of the Middle East desk of the National Security Council, the Israeli Ambassador to the United States Sallai Meridor, and President Peres's top advisers. Later on, President Obama requested to continue the meeting with President Peres privately.

 

President Obama told President Peres that, "The challenges standing before us are also great opportunities that can lead in promising directions. America's commitment to Israel's security is unequivocal, and it will remain that way throughout my administration. This commitment to Israel's security is a top priority of the United States."

 

 

President Obama added that, "America is a great friend of Israel," and that, "I am looking forward to my meeting with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu; I am sure that we will be able work together cooperatively and pragmatically. I see that the most important thing in his eyes is the security of the citizens of Israel, just as the most important thing in my eyes is the security of the citizens of America.

 

 

President Peres responded to President Obama: "We see you as atrue friend of Israel, without reservations, and we wish you good luck. I will repeat what I said to you in our previous meeting in Israel: the best thing for Israel is that you be a great President of the United States, because today Israel's problems are problems that affect the entire world - nuclear terror, and preventing war and discrimination.

 

 Regarding Iran's efforts at nuclear armament, President Peres told President Obama that, "I always support talking and advancing interests through negotiations – this is preferable to war and I hope that it will succeed in keeping Iran from going nuclear. But we cannot close our eyes to the Iranian nuclear threat. We cannot repeat the same mistakes that brought the horrors of the Holocaust to the world. If Europe had taken Hitler seriously from the beginning, millions of human lives would have been saved. Iran is the world's problem, but it is particularly worrying for us because of our history as Jews."

 

Regarding the Palestinians, President Peres told President Obama that, "I come to you as the President of the State of Israel to emphasize that Israel wants peace, Israel is committed to the peace process. I have spoken in-depth with Prime Minister Netanyahu before coming here, and I bring a clear message: Israel is ready to begin negotiations with the Palestinians immediately. Israel does not want to rule another nation. Conquest goes against the Jewish values that we hold in our hearts." President Peres added that, "The government of Israel respects all previous international commitments, including the Road Map."

 

President Peres emphasized to President Obama that, "We are seeing a dramatic change in the Middle East – many moderate Arab states in the Middle East see Iran as the biggest threat facing them, and not Israel, and this presents us with an opportunity to act together with all of the Arab world to bring regional peace to all of the Middle East. There is an opportunity to make history here; I believe that Netanyahu also wants to make history, and you two have the opportunity to do that." President Peres elaborated on how it would be possible to set the peace process in motion immediately with the Palestinians and the entire Arab world.  

 

Earlier in the day, President Peres met with Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi. In their meetings with President Peres, all three reiterated America's commitment to Israel's security, and President Peres outlined how he believes it is possible to set the peace process in motion. He also raised the issue of kidnapped soldier Gilad Schalit, and President Peres thanked Rep. Pelosi for her diplomatic activities and special efforts to advance the release of Gilad Schalit.

 

 

 

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