President Shimon Peres stressed his belief that Israel can make peace
with the present Palestinian leadership, while speaking at the 4th
Israeli Presidential Conference in Jerusalem on Tuesday evening.
"Peace is our aspiration and our strategy... For us, the pursuit of peace
is the realization of higher Jewish moral imperative, but it is also a
vital interest," Peres continued.
The president said that he would not have pushed for a historic compromise with the Arab world if he was not entirely convinced of
Israel's strength. He added that the principle of two states for two
people was a clear Israeli interest, and the way to keep Israel as a
Jewish, democratic and attractive state.
Peres spoke of the pursuit of peace as one of three basic Israeli
values, the other two being morality and the love of knowledge.