President Shimon Peres on Saturday called on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas not to give up on the peace process.

Speaking at the annual memorial rally for former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin in Tel Aviv, Peres responded to Abbas's recent announcement that he will not be running for reelection in January.

"We both signed the Oslo accords, and I turn to you as a colleague: Don't let go. Knowing my people and knowing the Israeli government, I tell you that Israel wants real peace."