Peres praises Blair, sees a future for Hezbollah

European Jewesh Press ^ | 10/01/2006 | Jonny Paul

[Republicain]

LONDON (EJP)--- Hezbollah have a future if they become a political party, Israel’s Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres told to a group of journalists at a briefing at the Ritz Hotel in central London on Thursday.

However, he added: “But if they try to be both a political party and an army they will encounter the contradiction soon enough, they cannot be both.”

The respected statesman was responding to a question about the deployment of Lebanese troops on the Israel-Lebanon border.

He said he was satisfied with their deployment in South Lebanon. “Much better than Hizbollah,” he said.

Good relations with Blair

Peres spoke at great length about British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and his admiration and respect for the Labour party leader.

“Tony Blair is highly respected and trusted and we see him as a courageous leader, not an opportunist, a person who has his convictions and is ready to fight for them.

“We appreciate his good relations with the Palestinian and other Arab countries. His contributions are huge both as a Prime Minister and as a leader who is highly respected and convincing.”

Peres said he believed Blair’s announcement last week that he plans to work on the Middle East peace process were sincere,:

“I think that even Tony Blair’s opponents have some respect in the way he made up his mind and fought for his beliefs, and no one will think he is looking for some real estate in the Middle East, he’s really looking for chance to make peace,” he said.

Asked if he would like to see Tony Blair play a major role in the peace process after he leaves office, he said a categorical “yes”. “Just as Bill Clinton has,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

Hamas

Peres also used the briefing to comment on the prospect of making progress on the Hamas front.

He said: “I think it will occur but depends very much on pressure that will be exerted on Khaled Mashal [the supreme leader of Hamas, who lives in exile in the Syrian capital] and his leadership in Damascus. I think all the reasons why the US is pressuring Syria is to say you’re the one that is the obstacle in negotiations, and the same about Egypt and other Arab countries.”

Noting the importance of the Palestinians freeing captured Israeli soldiers, Peres said he believed that if Gilad Shalit, the soldier kidnapped close to the Gaza Strip in June, is freed there will be an immediate meeting between Prime Minister Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Peres immediately added that the next step will be to release Palestinian prisoners, which would be a gesture of goodwill.

However, asked if there could be such a meeting without the release of the captured soldiers he replied: “No”, but added: “There can be but it won’t have an agenda.”

The Deputy Prime Minister was asked if after the war in Lebanon was there a greater need for Israel to resume peace negotiations with Syria.

“It doesn’t depend on us,” he said. “There were five attempts by Israel to negotiate with Syria hinting that they will get most, if not all, of the Golan Heights and they rejected it.

“It happened with Rabin, Netanyahu, Barak, myself, even Clinton flew to Geneva to meet the late President Assad and was shocked when Assad said no.”

The deputy Prime Minister was brought to the UK by the United Jewish Israel Appeal (UJIA) charity and was guest of honour at the charity’s fundraising dinner in Manchester on Thursday night.

On Wednesday he addressed an audience at the prestigious Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs then was guest of honour at London’s UJIA fundraising dinner. He is also meeting British Foreign Minister Margaret Beckett before returning to Israel.

[PGalt]

What is the bounty on terrorist Nasrallah's head?

[mtbopfuyn]

However, he added: “But if they try to be both a political party and an army they will encounter the contradiction soon enough, they cannot be both.”

Oh, really?

[OldFriend]

Now we see how Israel ended up over fifty years later, no safer than the day she was created.

And that's the kind of leadership some here in the US want for us.