One of the last great Israeli politicians is dead

[abaris]

Schimon Peres died aged 93, after suffering a stroke a couple of weeks ago. He always stood for negotiations and virtually worked to his last breath with his organisation for peace. A rather secular figure on the side, who always was a big defender of Israel but never outright denied the Palestinian right to find a two state solution.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people...34186.html

[Pat Mustard]

Schimon Peres died aged 93, after suffering a stroke a couple of weeks ago. He always stood for negotiations and virtually worked to his last breath with his organisation for peace. A rather secular figure on the side, who always was a big defender of Israel but never outright denied the Palestinian right to find a two state solution.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people...34186.html

He stood for a nuclear Israel, he stood for further disenfranchisement of Israel and stealing of their lands (for example when the PLO were, very reluctantly, willing to allow the largest of the illegal West Bank settlements to remain under Israeli jurisdiction as part of the Camp David negotiations, they were told in no uncertain terms that their surrender didn't go far enough).

For me Peres is the symbol of all that is wrong with the Israeli/Palestinian situation, in that the Israeli side cannot see that they are in the wrong, and they are too mollycoddled by the powerful to be shown that they are wrong.

[abaris]

He stood for a nuclear Israel, he stood for further disenfranchisement of Israel and stealing of their lands (for example when the PLO were, very reluctantly, willing to allow the largest of the illegal West Bank settlements to remain under Israeli jurisdiction as part of the Camp David negotiations, they were told in no uncertain terms that their surrender didn't go far enough).

He stood for all of that. But for the last 30 years, at least, he mainly stood for brokering some kind of peace deal. Exposing himself to all kinds of criticism from the Israeli right. He also stood for founding the Peres center for peace where he virtually worked until his last breath.

I grew up observing the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Peres was one of those knowing that there will be the necessity to give up territory in order to achieve peace.

[Pat Mustard]

He stood for a nuclear Israel, he stood for further disenfranchisement of Israel and stealing of their lands (for example when the PLO were, very reluctantly, willing to allow the largest of the illegal West Bank settlements to remain under Israeli jurisdiction as part of the Camp David negotiations, they were told in no uncertain terms that their surrender didn't go far enough).

He stood for all of that. But for the last 30 years, at least, he mainly stood for brokering some kind of peace deal. Exposing himself to all kinds of criticism from the Israeli right. He also stood for founding the Peres center for peace where he virtually worked until his last breath.

I grew up observing the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Peres was one of those knowing that there will be the necessity to give up territory in order to achieve peace.

Unforunately for the prospects of actual peace, like most Israeli "peacenik" politicians, he demqnded that the Palestinians be the ones giving up the land.

[RobertE]

He stood for all of that. But for the last 30 years, at least, he mainly stood for brokering some kind of peace deal. Exposing himself to all kinds of criticism from the Israeli right. He also stood for founding the Peres center for peace where he virtually worked until his last breath.

I grew up observing the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Peres was one of those knowing that there will be the necessity to give up territory in order to achieve peace.

Unforunately for the prospects of actual peace, like most Israeli "peacenik" politicians, he demqnded that the Palestinians be the ones giving up the land.

It is not often I agree with you, but when you are at that age, it is difficult to start changing your thinking. Whether we like it or not, Israel or Palestine will never change unless they both have leaders that "genuinely", and not just for the media circus, want to live together in peace.