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We Want Peace But Oppose Terrorism

[Daily Star-Lebanon] Shimon Peres - Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh remains opposed to recognizing Israel and respecting the existing agreements. He declared that he is for the continuation of resistance in all forms. What kind of guarantee of a good faith effort to reach a peace agreement can come from such a stance? We are for negotiations. We are for the "two-state solution." We accept the Middle East "road map." What we are against is terrorism. As it debates whether to resume providing financial aid to the Palestinian Authority, the EU should make it clear to Hamas that it is not going to finance terrorism and is not going to finance a refusal to make peace. Iran represents a threat that combines religion with a determination to acquire nuclear weapons. Iran is the only country that openly declares its desire to destroy another member of the UN. That is a threat that every country must take seriously. The issue is not one of restoring nuclear "balance" to the Middle East, as Iran's leaders maintain. Israel does not threaten anybody. Israel never said that it wants to destroy Iran; Israel never openly proclaimed that it would enrich uranium and build nuclear bombs in order to destroy another country. On the contrary, Israel has said that it will not be the first to use nuclear weapons in the Middle East. Israel wants - indeed, desperately needs - peace and stability in the Middle East, and we will continue to do everything in our power to achieve it. But we cannot reach that goal alone, much less negotiate with those whose idea of a stable and peaceful Middle East is one that has no place for Israel. The writer was elected Wednesday as the next president of Israel.
2007-06-14 01:00:00
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