Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA: Ehud Yaari slammed President Peres for failing to
make a strong presentation responding to Iran's president.

PRESIDENT OF ISRAEL SPOKESPERSON'S OFFICE

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Address by the President of the State of Israel, Shimon Peres
at the United Nations General Assembly
September 2008

(EMBARGO - not for publication till the president's speech at the UN
assembly has begun, approximately 19:00 Israel time)
Mr. President,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Over Sixty years have passed since the United Nations General Assembly voted
on the historic resolution that would have put an end to the Arab-Israeli
conflict.

Resolution 181 called for the establishment of a Jewish and an Arab state.
Its title was: "Plan of Partition with Economic Union". It envisioned two
states for two peoples, each fulfilling a distinct national aspiration.

The Jewish people adopted the resolution and established the State of
Israel. The Arabs rejected it and led to war.
What happened in the ensuing years is much different from the resolution's
original intent. While much has changed, the ironies of history summon
similar circumstances today.

Today, again, we are the middle of the lake. There is no sense in rowing
back. Continuing forward will show how near we are to the shore of peace.

Mr. President,

A year prior to Israel's declaration of statehood, its first Prime Minister,
David Ben-Gurion, called me, a young man from a Kibbutz, to serve in our
national defense.

Since then, I participated in Israel's dynamic realities: the building of
security, striving for peace. So, I need no book to learn the history. I
witnessed its miraculous unfolding.
We went through seven wars. All have paid heavily. Tears still flow down the
faces of bereaving mothers.

Remembrance Days fill the air with silent prayers of widowed families who
lost young boys and girls in battle. They are, today, at the same age, but
lifeless.

Israel turned military victories to a peace process, knowing that the cost
of life renders imperfect peace superior to perfect victories.

We have also achieved two peace agreements. The first with the largest Arab
country, Egypt. The second with the Hashemite kingdom of Jordan.
All the land, water, and natural resources that fell in our hands through
war, were repatriated after peace was signed. Our countries can now offer
remedies to other disputed areas.

But for peace, the call in our region is to repair the damaged environment
and wounded land leading to poverty.

If we shall not overcome the desert, the thirst, the pollution - they will
overcome us.

Joint ventures can meet this call. Nature does not carry a national
passport.

With the Palestinians, we negotiate full peace. Both parties agreed to
building a Palestinian State side by side with Israel, living in peace,
security and respect.

We tried to conclude the negotiations this year. It will take longer. But, I
believe it can be accomplished within the next year.

We agreed to progress in spite of possible changes that may take place in
the leadership.

Gaps have been narrowed through negotiations. Particularly the territorial
ones. But, peace is not just a matter of territorial compromise.

Rogue politics reject peace even where territorial dispute was resolved.

In Lebanon, we implemented resolution 425. Yet Hezbollah paralyzed the
country and cut the road to peace.
From Gaza, we withdrew completely and dismantled our settlements. Hamas
responded with a bloody takeover and turned the strip into a basis of rocket
fire.

These militants carry no positive alternative - but the agonies of Jobe.

They added kidnapping to bombings, bringing strife for innocent families.
From this important stage, I call for the immediate release of Gilad Shalit.
The son of Aviva and Noam. A peace-loving family.

This honored assembly should make his release top of its agenda. Holding a
hostage in Gaza determines its isolation and further deterioration.

Mr. President,

At the center of this violence and fanaticism stands Iran.

It built a danger to the entire world. Its quest for religious hegemony and
regional dominance divides the Middle East and holds back chances for peace,
while undermining human rights.

Iranian support for Hezbollah divided Lebanon. Its support for Hamas split
the Palestinians and postpones the establishment of the Palestinian State.
Yesterday, on this very stage, the Iranian leader renewed the darkest
anti-Semitic libel - the protocols of the elders of Zion. An attempt to
bring to life one of the ugliest plots of history.

Their despicable denial of the holocaust is a mockery of indisputable
evidence, a cynical offense to survivors of the horror. Contradictory to the
resolutions adopted by this assembly.

Iran continues to develop enriched uranium and long range missiles.

They introduce a religion of fear, opposing the call of the lord in respect
of life.

The Iranian people are not our enemies. Their fanatic leadership is their
problem and the world's concern.
Their leader is a danger to his people, the region and the world.

He is a disgrace to the ancient Iranian people.

He is a disgrace to the values of Islam.

He is a disgrace to this very house, the United Nations, its basic
principles and values.

His appearance here is already shame.

The Jewish People have known, throughout history, to stand firm at the face
of evil.

Alongside the enlightened humanity we shall know to enable good and freedom
to prevail.
Tehran combines long-range missiles and short-range minds. It is pregnant
with tragedies.

The General assembly and the Security Council bear responsibility to prevent
agonies before they take place.

Israel has shown that democracies can defend themselves. We do not intend to
change.
Terrorism did not solve a single problem. It never has, and never will.

They will make the world ungovernable. If small groups of violent killers
are allowed to threaten innocent masses, the world will be without order or
security. A hopeless battleground.

The free world must unite to combat it.

Israel, on its part, shall continue to seek peace. We suggest immediate
peace with Lebanon.

Israeli prime ministers indicated to Syria that for peace, we are ready to
explore a comprehensive compromise.
In order to gain trust, and save time, we have suggested face-to-face
meetings with President Assad: "Follow the successful example set by
President Sadat and King Hussein".

We still await an answer.

I know there is a growing concern that peace is far away. My life-long
experience provides me with a different point of view.

True, I have seen stagnation and regression in our journey. But, today, I
can identify a road leading to the right direction.

In addition to the peace agreements, a series of summits took place -
Madrid, Oslo, Wye, Camp David, Sharm and Annapolis. Their accumulated sum
encourages a clear direction. In fact, Israelis and Arabs are marching
towards peace.
After a long internal debate, Israel accepted the two state solution.

The Arabs replaced the three NOs of Khartoum (no peace, no negotiation, no
recognition) with a peace initiative, inaugurated by King Abdullah Abdul
Aziz Al Saud.

I call upon the king to further his initiative; it may become an invitation
for comprehensive peace, one to convert battlegrounds to common grounds.

I invite, respectfully, all leaders to come and discuss peace in Jerusalem,
which is holy all of us. Where we all pray to the same lord, as offspring of
the same father.

Israel shall gladly accept an Arab invitation at a designated venue where a
meaningful dialogue may take place.

Mr. President,

We are facing a serious economic crisis. Maybe it has happened because we
are rich and light with funds and poor and heavy with ideas. While we live
in an era where science, not land, is the basis of economy.

Science does not stop at borders. Is not disturbed by distance.

Wisdom is not conquerable by armies. Knowledge diminishes discrimination
because it operates through good will and transcends race, nationality and
gender.

The Global dangers unite and divide us at the same time.

The dangers are the deterioration of environment. The shortage of water. The
lack of renewable energy. The spread of terrorism and the increased poverty.

Divisions of the free world will increase them.

Unity offers the potential of alternatives. It will direct global
investments to new areas and demanding challenges like health, security,
education and environment.

The future is not in the hands of oil or gold. Intellectual assets, new
inventions and superior education hold the key to our future.

In our region, border areas can become open economic zones. Enabling free
movement of people, commodities and ideas. They may encourage tourism and
build High Tech incubators. They will cultivate advanced agriculture.
Economic zones will provide a million jobs and produce billions of cubic
meters of desalinated water. We started to do so. The first steps are
promising.

The 21st century calls for pioneers. It is an opportunity to provide our
children with peace and knowledge. Strength and friendship. It is their
right. It is our moral obligation.

Mr. President,

The Jewish people are celebrating a new year. I would like to end with a
quote from Rabbi Nachman of Breslav:

"May it be thy will to remove war and bloodshed from the world and
perpetuate the wonders and greatness of peace.

All the inhabitants of the world shall recognize and know the truth: that we
have not been placed on this earth to wage war and not for hatred or
bloodshed. "

Amen.
Shana Tova.
Thank you, Mr. President