Shimon Peres Calls On Mahmoud Abbas Not To Quit

TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel's president on Saturday called on Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to rescind his decision to stand down, invoking the memory of Yitzhak Rabin at a public commemoration for the assassinated Israeli premier.

Shimon Peres spoke to a crowd of thousands at the square where Rabin was gunned down by a Jewish extremist who opposed his peace policies on Nov. 4, 1995.

Peres recalled that along with Rabin, he and Abbas were among signatories to the 1993 Oslo peace accord and he appealed to Abbas by name not to quit.

"We both signed the Oslo agreement," Peres said. "I turn to you as a colleague, don't let go."

Abbas announced Thursday that he would not run for another term in an election scheduled for January, citing deadlocked efforts to revive peace talks.

In a video message screened at Saturday's rally, President Barack Obama paid tribute to Rabin and pledged to keep trying to get the Israelis and Palestinians back to the negotiating table.

"To all who seek peace I say tonight, you will always have a partner in the United States of America and in my administration," Obama said. "That's why we've been working aggressively for our clear goal, two states living side by side in peace and security."

Comments

[jeanrenoir]

Abbas is resigning, and, apparently, all the Palestinians with him. Israel's settlement policy is imploding "the Holy Land," into nothing but a confrontation to the death between them and Hamas/Iran. It's almost enough to make one believe in the insane apocalyptic prophecies of the craziest fringes of the Christian right. Sow the wind, and reap the whirlwind.

[MIKEinNYC]

These two should be playing checkers on some park bench in Miami.

[Ziona Etzion]

Who is humiliating whom...

Are you all not ashamed of this power play!

No one is taking the lives of their citizen's into account.

Mr. Abbas is saying that my people are not following me. I cannot lead.

Is there a reason that his own people are not demanding that he stay?

Do they want him to find solutions?

A real state was offered over and over...not so.

If we make peace then we will have the ability to develop our area and
and grow as a nation.

With peace there will not be a need to defend ourselves against each
other!

Mr. Abbas is as frustrated as all of us who have expectations for a
more advanced society, having learned lessons from past mistakes.

One that wants to achieve something that will fill the needs of both
sides to live quietly side by side.

The alternative is ....as it is today!

It is like crashing into a wall over and over.

[Lavrion]

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives voted by a margin of ten to one to condemn South African jurist Richard Goldstone's report of atrocities committed by both Hamas and Israel during last winter's Gaza conflict. The report was denounced as "biased". That overwhelming majority were both right-wing Republicans and left-wing Democrats, all in lockstep with the Israeli lobby. For once, partisan fighting had been miraculously suspended. Only thirty-odd Congressmen "dared" not to vote as they were told by this foreign power. If you thought that American foreign policy was made by our own politicians, I suggest that you take a very cold shower. How else can believers in democracy and freedom tolerate an open air concentration camp that does not allow books or even toys to enter for Palestinian children? Gaza is a symbol to over a billion Muslims, and billions of others, of how America is led by its nose by the right-wing government of Israel. If anyone disagrees with this stance, I suggest they regard the Obama administration's 180 degree reversal on the cessation of settlement building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

[jeanrenoir]

Most Americans are too clueless to even know what the Gaza War was, much less the Goldstone report. Even more are they clueless about how completely the Israeli tail wags the dog of American foreign policy. When Netanyahu bombs Iran, however, giving us $15 gas at the pump, and imploding both the American stock market (which Goldman Sachs will have mysteriously shorted, creating the greatest bonuses in the history of finance) and the entire world economy, maybe the American clods will finally realize the implications for them and the world of allowing Israel to run our government for us.

[FACTISFACT]

It is a good gesture but why this very gesture could not be shown earlier, is not understood says a group of political analysts. They also opined that if solution to the dispute is the issue then why not have it and forget about the preconditions given by Israel and why not freeze the construction works totally . And sit to settle the issue with clean hand and mind as per the call of the President of U.S.both sides.

The countries living side by side are all living with own defense force. Do they pick up fight every now and then. No they don't on the contrary they all live in peace and security yet they have difference of opinion. Political analysts welcomed the gesture of the Israel's President but also opined that this nice gesture should not be linked with Goldstone's report to escape the humiliation by pursuing Palestinian Authority not to pursue the genocide case against Israel by these overtly nice gestures..

Let the dispute be settled and obviously the Palestinian government will give up pursuing the case as a good gesture, this would save misgiving and bring about a new era of peace and tranquility in Mid-East.

[Ibrahim S]

Shimon Perez is a charlatan, it beguiles me that people consider him a "dove". The rate of growth of illegal Israeli settlements were never faster than during Perez's tenure as PM. That is, the demolition of Palestinian homes and the banishing of Palestinians into ghettos if not homelessness, the diversion of their water and other resources...

Gaza and the West Bank are concentration camps. Israel will neither give the Palestinians rights of citizenship, nor set them free. Entire generations have been born and died living as Israel's prisoners.

[phute]

Peres - too smooth - never to be trusted.

[SiberianRat]

Amen!!!

[lbsaltzman]

I agree. Perez is as much a war criminal as any Israeli Prime Minister has been. Furthermore, he is a figurehead. He can't offer Abbas any substantial concessions that would make Abbas want to enter into negotiations with Israel. Abbas is right to not seek another term and be forced into playing collaborator with the Israelis.

[NeverUndecided]

Thank you for this heartwarming reminder that Shimon Peres is one of God's Angels working ceaselessly for the benefit of Palestinians - how truly lucky we are to have such a giant of a man sharing the same historical moment we are.

It is now up to the Palestinians to sign away any claim to anything whatever - Shimon will take care of each and every one of them, he loves them so.

[duxguts]

I don't know why anyone even bothers to say there is still a peace process. Under International law the settlements are on Palestinian land, so why does Israel continue building them? Because they have no intention of giving any of the land back.

[SiberianRat]

And because we finance it and give them political cover all the time. Sickening.

[brady61995]

they really need to kiss and make up and get on with the peace. both sides know its senseless what they do to each other. its time to settle this once and for all, now is the time

[sense oar sheep]

shimon peres and mahmoud abbas are free to travel anywhere in the world

Goldstone Report: the United States of American Homeland Security screens every international traveler

HR 867 Resolution dictates South African Justice Goldstone as an Anti-semite

Justice Goldstone is an Honorable human beings

[darthmaul]

Ironic, since he is also Jewish. I'm afraid this is a case of "My country right or wrong."

[darthmaul]

Israel has demonized Hamas and marginalized Abbas. Israel just wants someone to pretend to negotiate with. I hope Abbas sticks to his decision.

[jwcmass]

Unrotunately, President Peres doesn't have a vote in the upcoming elections.

And because of the points you mentioned above, it's highly doubtful Abbas could win -- which is probably why de decided to pull out.

For all the regard Peres seems to have for Abbas, his country has treated him very shabbily. And Palestinians notice these things.

Perhaps Mr. Barghouti will run -- it would be a good thing for both Israel and the Palestinians if he managed to win, IMO.

I don't know who else is out there.

As for Hamas, I think a similar approach should be used to reach out to them as was done with the IRA 11 years ago. If Sinn Fein can be in government in Northern Ireland with the Loyalists, then ANYTHING is possible.

Perhaps Barghouti (or Abbas) can play a role similar to that of John Hume.

[jeanrenoir]

I do, too. It's time the Palestinians called Israel's bluff and ended the charade.

[VS007]

Israel is not interested in peace, they are just wasting time and humiliate Palestinians.
And they can afford to do so with their superior weapons and ofcourse AIPAC.

[Donatella]

Peres wants him to stay because Abbas has been compromised by the U.S. and Israel. Look at the way he caved on the Goldstone report only to reverse his position after the outcry by the Palestinian public. Most of the leaders of the Palestinian leaders that have not been corrupted have either been assasinated or jailed by the Israelis. Israel understands the danger of good leadership.

[Quinterius]

Abbas is irrelevant. He is incapable of doing anything useful for the Palestinians. The sooner he leaves the better it will be. Actually, nobody can do anything for the Palestinians. The way things are going they are destined to suffer for 50 more years. No one in the US or the Arab world cares about them.

[SiberianRat]

Not "no one" in the US cares about them--some of us do quite a lot, actually. I'd like to see Zainab Badawi get the job.

[Quinterius]

You must be kidding. The irritating tone of her voice is enough to turn everybody off. Who is she anyway to run a government? You also miss the whole point: Fatah has become irrelevant, regardless of who leads it. Hamas is the only Palestinian organization with any principles.

[jeanrenoir]

Long before "50 years" is up, America will no longer be the dominant superpower in the world. China will be much more powerful internationally than we are. If the price of oil spikes as much as it is likely to, even Russia will be richer and more powerful than we are. And the exploding price of oil will also make Iran much, much more powerful than Israel. Of course, long before "50 years" is up, the Arabs will considerably outnumber the Jews in Israel, too. So it won't matter whether "no one in the US or the Arab world cares about" the Palestinians. Israel will be facing major enemies, stronger than America, in the world at large, not to mention the power of Iran, as well as a majority of Arabs within its own borders. Under such radically changed circumstances, Israel's capacity to dominate the Palestinians can hardly remain as strong as it is today. This is why Olmert urged Israel to make a two-state peace now, as soon as possible, since time is completely on the side of Israel's enemies.

[Quinterius]

I agree with you to some extent but we cannot predict the future beyond a few years. The price of oil may go up but alternative sources of energy will make oil less important. So, while surely China will be more powerful, it is not clear that the US will not be. The point is that since the US is essentially subservient to Israel, the hope that the US will help resolve the Palestinian issue is fading very fast. Obama does not have the guts to stand up to Israel and Israel itself is not going to give up anything. So, the only alternative is war, except that the Palestinians, unlike the Hezbollah, do not know how to fight. Therefore, there is no immediate hope for them.

[rissole]

Shimon Peres has only asked Abbas not to resign because Israel has a few more trick up their sleeves to humiliate him. And if that doesn't work they will order Hillary to come back for another visit.

[Trogenhorse]

give it a break. Anytime there is a chance to find peace an effort has to be made. I don't know what will come of it but neither do you. Aren't you sick of the blood shed and hate?

[TonyMbutu]

Peres is pleading for Abbas not to resign and does so as a fellow signatory of a 1993 treaty. Given the face of futility, with ever-growing illegal settlements, ever lengthening occupation, ever lasting opporession of the Palestinians, one must ask what can be accomplished now or in the near future with Abbas in place that Israel has not already rejected in word or dead over the last 16 years since that 1993 treaty? Will they permit a real state? Will they permit full control of lands and borders? Will they permit the Palestinans the ability to defend themselves against Israel? Will they permit full sovereignty? Will they permit Palestinian control of the Palestinian capital?

The Israelis cannot even agree to stop building settlements. Why would Abbas not walk away, given the apparent refusal of the US and Israel to actually work toward peace?