'We Will Achieve Our Goal Of Peace'

by Justin Cohen - Thursday 20th November 2008


During the first speech by an Israeli president at Britain's Parliament, Shimon Peres yesterday called for the support of British politicians in the pursuit of Middle East peace and claimed that the Jewish state would eventually achieve its goal of a settlement with the Palestinians.

The historic address was the latest engagement of a packed three-day visit which will also see him being honoured by The Queen and holding talks with Gordon Brown at Downing Street, before returning home tomorrow morning.

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But while Britain laid out the red carpet for the former Nobel peace prize winner and there was no shortage of reminders of the two countries' close relationship - Peres himself insisted "the great light of the Balfour declaration will never be dimmed" - it was also hard to ignore the ongoing friction which has resulted from a British call for products from West Bank settlements to be specifically labelled as such. The proposal is seen as a further expression of the UK's oft-stated opposition to settlement activity.

But stressing that Israel shares the benefits of trade agreements with the Palestinians and that most of the workers in the settlements were themselves Palestinian, Peres told reporters in London that he did not consider the move "serious" but nonetheless reflected a "painful attitude".

The 85-year-old, however, did see eye-to-eye with Britain when it came to academic boycotts of Israel, telling the gathering that he would not be raising the subject with the Prime Minister during today's meeting "because Gordon Brown himself thinks it's wrong".

However, a visit by the president to Oxford University on Monday provided a reminder of the anti-Israel sentiment that can still be found on university campuses. As he addressed 1,000 students at the Sheldonian Theatre, Peres was repeatedly interrupted and even labelled a "war criminal" as dozens of other students protested outside the venue. And although the veteran politician largely refused to react, at one point he told a protesting student: "Sometimes it's not so terrible to open your eyes and ears and keep your mouth closed for a different opportunity."

The president's message of Israel's tireless pursuit of peace was captured in his speech to MPs and peers on Wednesday, during which he drew on Brown's recent words to the Knesset by saying: "Today, in your Parliament, I feel like your home is my home."

He told the gathering: "In our 60 years of existence, Israel fought seven wars. Defeat would have ended our existence. However, victory did not necessarily yield peace. We insisted that a day of war shall never postpone a day of freedom. That the glory of victory shall never weaken our desire for peace.

"As a matter of fact, the peace we have won, though incomplete, was achieved through negotiations... We started to negotiate with the Palestinians. We have made some progress. Eventually, we will accomplish our goal. We left Lebanon. We left Gaza and dismantled the settlements we built there."

Peres - who recalled how his father and British soldier Charles Coward found a way to save Jews from the Auschwitz gas chambers - told the politicians that there was a need for a "joint effort" to stop the Iranian threat. "The International community should prevent Iran from shattering the already fragile stability in the region," he said.

At a separate event earlier in the day, Peres said that he didn't have the "slightest worry" when it came to Barack Obama's presidency, describing the US-Israel relationship as "profound".

"Practically all the Presidents have shown an understanding and a sympathy to Israel... if the United States wants to become more friendly with the Arabs we are not against it, we also want to become friendly with the Arabs. The future is not for animosity."

Peres' visit also saw him attend a dinner put on by the Jewish community, during which he was described by Israeli Ambassador Ron Prosor as "quite simply an icon". The veteran leader also laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and held meetings with Prince Charles and Conservative leader David Cameron.

On Tuesday, he addressed a meeting of around 200 UK business leaders at Mansion House hosted by new Lord Mayor of the City of London Ian Luder. Also speaking at the event was Lord Mandelson, who called for deeper business ties between the UK and its "firm friend" Israel.

The Business Secretary also told the gathering: "Your country's prudent fiscal policy, structural reforms and investment in education and hi-tech industries have encouraged strong growth, foreign investment and consumer spending and left your economy well placed to withstand the current global downturn."

During his own address, which came after he was granted an Honorary Doctorate by Kings College, Peres said: "I must admit it took me a long time to get used to the title 'President' and when they called 'President' I did not know to whom they were referring. Now when they call me 'Doctor' I should look around to see to whom are they talking!"

Of the honour, he added: "It is very dear to me and I really appreciate it from the depth of my heart."

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