PRESIDENT OF ISRAEL SPOKESPERSON'S OFFICE

Jerusalem, 5 May 2008

PRESIDENT SHIMON PERES TO THE FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS IN ISRAEL:

Talking with the Hamas is like talking to the wall.

A nuclear bomb in the hands of Iran is a nightmare for the world

President Shimon Peres today (Monday), 5.5.08, in association with the
Foreign Press Association, held a press conference for approximately 120
foreign correspondents stationed in Israel on the occasion of Israel's 60th
Independence Day.

President Peres opened the event with a wide survey, which included
significant events in the life of the State. He related how Holocaust
survivors faced closed doors, how the majority of the countries in the world
refused to sell arms to Israel and how what he described as "the great
miracle" occurred when we won seven wars and two intifadas and became a
strong and leading country in the fields of defence, agriculture, medicine
and hi-tech.

In reply to the questions, President Peres referred to the Iranian threat
and said that Iran's efforts to obtain nuclear weapons must cause the entire
world to have sleepless nights. Ahmadinejad is calling for Israel to be
wiped off the map and the combination of nuclear weapons in the hands of an
extremist and mad religious leader is a nightmare for the world. "I do not
stand for military action but it is necessary to, quickly and with
determination, form a strong and resolute coalition of world countries which
will place strong economic sanctions on Iran," President Peres said, noting
that Iran is a centre of world terrorism, in the framework of which it is
training and supporting generations of murderers and terrorists.

Regarding Syria, President Peres said that if the Syrians really and
sincerely wish to speak, Israel will be prepared to speak with it. "We want
a comprehensive peace in the Middle East and are prepared to pay a price for
a comprehensive peace, as we have done in the past." On the issue of the
Hamas, the President attacked the movement and said that to talk with the
Hamas is like talking to the wall. Were it not for the Hamas and its
criminal behaviors, the Palestinians would long ago have had an independent
state. "It must not be forgotten that we evacuated Gaza and all the time
Hamas is firing on women and children in Israel. We do not want to harm the
innocent population. We are sending food, fuel and medicines to the
population in Gaza but it cannot be ignored that the Hamas is causing great
harm to its people and it can only blame itself."

It should be noted that the President elaborated on the President's
Conference which will take place next week in Jerusalem with the
participation of senior world leaders, as well as heads of companies,
writers, philosophers and researchers who will gather together to discuss
Israel, the Jewish People and the future.

President Peres noted that Israel, which is celebrating its 60th
anniversary, is interested in becoming a world laboratory that will
contribute to the world in the many fields in which it has a relative
advantage, adding that at this conference ways will be discussed in which
Israel and the Jewish People might act on behalf of the world in the fields
of medicine, hi-tech, security, agriculture and others.

Spokesperson's Office
spokesperson@president.gov.il 02-6707295 Fax 02-6707251/256
Office of the President