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Peres Receives Congressional Gold Medal; Praises Abbas While Condemning Terror

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Israeli President Shimon Peres (center) receiving the Congressional Gold Medal in the Capitol rotunda. Surrounding him are Vice President Joe Biden and leading members of Congress including Speaker of the House, John Boehner, minority leader of the Senate, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), House majority leader, Rep Eric Cantor (R-VA), and House minority leader, Rep Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
Israeli President Shimon Peres (center) receiving the Congressional Gold Medal in the Capitol rotunda. Surrounding him are Vice President Joe Biden and leading members of Congress including Speaker of the House, John Boehner, minority leader of the Senate, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), House majority leader, Rep Eric Cantor (R-VA), and House minority leader, Rep Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
Outgoing President Shimon Peres received the Congressional Gold Medal on Thursday, June 26, at the US Congress, in his farewell appearance as he steps down from his post next month.

The gold medal, which features a portrait of Peres, has engraved on it a quote by the president reading: “you are as great as the cause you serve.”

“Many people call me a dreamer. I suppose that’s why I have always felt at home in the United States of America – America that was given the privilege to carry the dreams of humanity,” said the 90-year-old Peres while receiving the medal.

Peres related how Israel’s first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion sent him to the US to learn English. “Study the American dream,’ he told me. ‘That’s what you have to do.’ So I did,” said Peres, according to AFP.

The US and Israel share an “unbelievable and unbreakable friendship,” according to Peres, who added “whether through military assistance and security cooperation, or through diplomatic and moral support, you sent us a clear message: that we are not alone.”

Three Israeli teens were kidnapped by Hamas terrorists two weeks ago. “I met with their parents,” said Peres, “and they have one request – they asked me to speak here for them. To cause their voice to be heard around the world and to help bring their sons home.”

“We expect to hear a voice around the world against the terror. Israel has done and will do everything it can to return the kidnapped youths,” added the outgoing president.

It is worth noting that despite the call, President Obama has been notably silent over the abduction. Meeting with Peres, Obama said Wednesday “our hearts are with the families.” Meanwhile the US State Department has called for Israeli restraint in searching for the teens.

“Arabs are not the enemy”

Peres in his speech also discussed Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, saying he is “definitely” a peace partner. Peres noted that he had “condemned” the kidnapping, in reference to Abbas’s saying the kidnappers were “trying to destroy” the PA.

Abbas “spoke against terror and for peace. Hamas, which fires rockets on citizens, is not a partner for peace, and that’s clear,” said Peres.

It should be noted that Abbas’s Fatah faction includes a terrorist wing, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade, and that a senior Fatah official close to Abbas justified the kidnapping, saying Israel “only understands kidnappings.”

“The Arabs are not the enemy of Israel. The terrorists are the enemies of all of us. The terrorists spread danger throughout the region; the Middle East has to unify to stop the terror. The time has come to do that,” commented Peres.

Peres’s statements come as Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman told US Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday that Israel is offering to help “moderate” Arab states confront the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), which is conquering Iraq.

“To the skeptics: believe me”

“It’s hard to find the path forward on the peace process, but we can not lose hope. There’s no better solution than two states for two peoples,” claimed Peres.

The outgoing president repeated the tried and true leftist tropes, promoting “a Jewish state of Israel and an Arab state of Palestine. Peace between Israel and the Palestinians can bring wide regional peace.”

Peres concluded by saying “to the skeptics I can say: believe me. Peace is the most possible impossibility. In another month I will end my role as the ninth president of the state of Israel. But I will never raise my hands (in defeat) in the struggle for achieving peace.”

Republican House Speaker John Boehner praised Peres as a “great prototype of the Israeli statesman,” adding that it was the first time the Congressional Gold Medal was being given to an Israeli head of state.

“This medal says to our young people and yours – never get cynical, never give in to expediency, and know that America will always stand by Israel, and with all men and women of peace,” Boehner said.

Vice President Joe Biden added to Peres “you are a legendary friend.”

The medal is one of the highest civilian honors in the US, and is given to those who had an “impact on American history and culture.” The first recipient of the medal was the first American president, George Washington.

Peres will be succeeded by Likud MK Reuven Rivlin.

As part of his trip to the US, President Peres met with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Sunday, June 29th in New York. At their diplomatic working meeting, both Peres and Ban Ki-moon issued statements to the media and addressed the kidnapping of the three Israeli boys.

President Peres said, “Terror today is the central threat to the whole world. Israel suffers greatly from terror, and just yesterday evenings rockets were once again fired from the Gaza Strip at innocent Israeli civilians. I met with the families of the three kidnapped boys and they touched my heart, all of Israel is with them.” Urging the UN to take a strong position condemning the kidnapping as until this juncture they have remained silent on the issue, Peres said, “The United Nations is an important organization which represents the world – it is your responsibility to cry out on behalf of the mothers of the kidnapped boys and call for their immediate release. We must raise a moral cry and condemn terror on behalf of the entire world.”

Raising the issue of the UN’s legendary policy of exhorting Israel to “show restraint” in conflicts with Hamas in Gaza which emerge as a result of the terror group firing rockets into southern Israel, Peres said, “I know how much the situation in Gaza concerns you, but we must speak honestly – the one who is responsible for that is Hamas which runs Gaza and leads to terror and poverty – we have a moral responsibility to condemn Hamas and fight against all terrorism.”

Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon stressed that the United Nations unequivocally condemns the kidnappings and said “I have already issued a statement on the kidnapping of the young Israeli students, under any circumstances, for any reason, it cannot be justified. It is totally unacceptable.” He went on to say that he hoped to see the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians restart and that Israel will live in peace and security alongside a Palestinian state.

(INN)

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