Peres Calls for Unity at Rabin Memorial Rally

Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres made an impassioned plea for Jewish unity Sunday at a New York memorial rally for his predecessor, Yitzhak Rabin, assassinated by a religious Jew opposed to his peace policies.

More than 15,000 people attended the rally at Madison Square Garden, where tight security checks spurred by the fear of demonstrations against Israel’s peace with the Palestine Liberation Organization kept thousands waiting outside in subfreezing temperatures.

Even though thousands were attending, only 16 metal detectors were in use, making access a slow and bitterly cold process.

Also speaking were Rabin’s widow, Leah, and Vice President Al Gore, who called the fallen Israeli leader “the consummate man of Israel, one who always put substance before style, action before acclaim and ideals above ideology.”

Peres, making his first trip to the United States since becoming prime minister after the Nov. 4 assassination, decried the atmosphere that led to his peace partner’s death.

Standing in front of a giant portrait of a sad-eyed, square-jawed Rabin, Peres said: “My friends, when you have two views, you don’t have to become two peoples. We are one people, and may I suggest unity against violence, against murder and against cowardice. Let’s argue, not hate.”

He also predicted that Rabin’s great dream--true Middle East peace--was close at hand.

“Now maybe we can conclude the circle by making peace with Syria and Lebanon. If we can succeed, that will mean the end of war in the Middle East,” he said.

Peres meets President Clinton today in Washington to discuss ways to restart negotiations with Syria over the future of the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Middle East War.