Israel's President Sends Message of Peace to Iran

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Israel’s president reached out to the Iranian people with a message of peace Wednesday, as the West tightened sanctions over Iran’s nuclear program, and a former Israeli spymaster said Israel is not in mortal danger.

Shimon Peres, an elder statesmen who is a Nobel Peace laureate, appealed to the people of Iran to look beyond the current crisis.

The U.S., Israel and the West believe Iran is trying to produce nuclear weapons. Iran denies that. This week the U.S. cranked up its sanctions on Iran to try to force it to stop its uranium enrichment, but Iran responded with defiance.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the 63rd anniversary of the founding of Israel’s parliament, Peres directed his remarks to the people of Iran.

“We were not born enemies and there is no need to live as enemies. Do not allow the flags of hostility to cast a dark shadow over your historic heritage,” Peres said. “Your people are a sensitive people that aspire for friendship and peace, and not for conflicts and wars.”

Israel and Iran had close relations before the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

Peres spokeswoman Ayelet Frisch said he had fond memories of Iran then.

“Peres is one of the few people in Israel who remember the warm ties between the two countries. He visited a few times before the revolution, he walked the streets of Tehran, ate at restaurants there and had many Iranian friends,” she told The Associated Press.

In contrast to his message to the people, Peres denounced the Iranian regime.

“Iran is not only a threat for Israel, it constitutes a real danger to humanity as a whole,” Peres said about the Iranian nuclear program. “The present Iranian regime is Imperialism-hungry, aspiring to be the region’s supreme ruler,” he said.

Peres, 88, fills a mostly ceremonial post as Israel’s president. He spoke after U.S. officials expressed concern that Israel might attack Iran’s nuclear facilities in the spring. Israel’s leaders rank Iran as their greatest threat because of its nuclear and missile development programs, frequent references by its leaders to Israel’s destruction and support for violent anti-Israel groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the West Bank and Gaza.

Earlier Wednesday, Meir Dagan, the former head of the Mossad spy agency said he does not believe Israel faces an existential threat from Iran, a view that contrasts with Israel’s prime minister and other leaders.

Since retiring a year ago, Dagan has become a surprisingly vocal critic, repeatedly and publicly accusing Israel’s top leaders of irresponsibly pushing for an attack on Iran.

At the launch of an electoral reform movement he chairs, he observed, “I don’t think there is an existential threat.” He did not specifically mention Iran, but the use of the phrase “existential threat” in Israel generally refers to Iran.

Although Israel says it hopes deepening economic sanctions will pressure Tehran to curb its nuclear ambitions, Israeli leaders haven’t ruled out military action, routinely observing that “all options are on the table.”

AP/ ABC

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  1. Sebouh80 Avatar

    Nobel peace laureate my Ass. We all want peace, but the question is at what price.

  2.  Avatar

    Nobel peace laureate my Ass. We all want peace, but the question is at what price.

  3. yes they are from 1 family good call faqih shit family

  4.  Avatar

    yes they are from 1 family good call faqih shit family

  5.  Avatar

    yes they are from 1 family good call faqih shit family

  6. applause! more please.

  7. applause! more please.

  8. wargame1 Avatar

    ABDALLAH IBN SABA:From jewish encyclopedia
     

    A Jew of Yemen, Arabia, of the seventh century, who settled in Medina and embraced Islam. Having adversely criticized Calif Othman’s administration, he was banished from the town. Thence he went to Egypt, where he founded an antiothmanian sect, to promote the interests of Ali.

    On account of his learning he obtained great influence there, and formulated the doctrine that, just as every prophet had an assistant who afterward succeeded him, Mohammed’s vizier was Ali, who had therefore been kept out of the califate by deceit. Othman had no legal claim whatever to the califate; and the general dissatisfaction with his government greatly contributed to the spread of Abdallah’s teachings. Tradition relates that when Ali had assumed power, Abdallah ascribed divine honors to him by addressing him with the words, “Thou art Thou!” Thereupon Ali banished him to Madain.

    After Ali’s assassination Abdallah is said to have taught that Ali was not dead but alive, and had never been killed; that a part of the Deity was hidden in him; and that after a certain time he would return to fill the earth with justice. Till then the divine character of Ali was to remain hidden in the imams, who temporarily filled his place. It is easy to see that the whole idea rests on that of the Messiah in combination with the legend of Elijah the prophet. The attribution of divine honors to Ali was probably but a later development, and was fostered by the circumstance that in the Koran Allah is often styled “Al-Ali” (The Most High).

    Bibliography:Shatrastani al-Milal, pp. 132 et seq. (in Haarbrücken’s translation, i. 200-201);Weil, Gesch. der Chalifen, i. 173-174, 209, 259.

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar

      Also remembered in the more famous 1000 Nights and One Night (Tales of Shahrazad) …. ‘Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves’ … I am sure.  🙂

      1. Hannibal Avatar

        Why don’t you start by dismantling your own nukes… Then we will believe your message of peace.

    2. 5thDrawer Avatar

      Also remembered in the more famous 1000 Nights and One Night (Tales of Shahrazad) …. ‘Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves’ … I am sure.  🙂

  9.  Avatar

    ABDALLAH IBN SABA:From jewish encyclopedia
     

    A Jew of Yemen, Arabia, of the seventh century, who settled in Medina and embraced Islam. Having adversely criticized Calif Othman’s administration, he was banished from the town. Thence he went to Egypt, where he founded an antiothmanian sect, to promote the interests of Ali.

    On account of his learning he obtained great influence there, and formulated the doctrine that, just as every prophet had an assistant who afterward succeeded him, Mohammed’s vizier was Ali, who had therefore been kept out of the califate by deceit. Othman had no legal claim whatever to the califate; and the general dissatisfaction with his government greatly contributed to the spread of Abdallah’s teachings. Tradition relates that when Ali had assumed power, Abdallah ascribed divine honors to him by addressing him with the words, “Thou art Thou!” Thereupon Ali banished him to Madain.

    After Ali’s assassination Abdallah is said to have taught that Ali was not dead but alive, and had never been killed; that a part of the Deity was hidden in him; and that after a certain time he would return to fill the earth with justice. Till then the divine character of Ali was to remain hidden in the imams, who temporarily filled his place. It is easy to see that the whole idea rests on that of the Messiah in combination with the legend of Elijah the prophet. The attribution of divine honors to Ali was probably but a later development, and was fostered by the circumstance that in the Koran Allah is often styled “Al-Ali” (The Most High).

    Bibliography:Shatrastani al-Milal, pp. 132 et seq. (in Haarbrücken’s translation, i. 200-201);Weil, Gesch. der Chalifen, i. 173-174, 209, 259.

    1.  Avatar

      Also remembered in the more famous 1001 Nights and One Night (Tales of Shahrazad) …. ‘Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves’ … I am sure.  🙂

  10. Hannibal Avatar

    Why don’t you start by dismantling your own nukes… Then we will believe your message of peace.

  11. Why don’t you start by dismantling your own nukes… Then we will believe your message of peace.

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