Peres Says Israel Must Continue to Pursue Peace

In a passionate defense of the quest for peace in the Middle East, former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres warned Thursday night that Israel must be prepared to pay the price for peace or ultimately face the threat of Muslim fundamentalism.

Peres, speaking to an audience of about 1,600 people at the Stephen S. Wise Temple in Bel-Air, voiced sometimes biting critiques of the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

He took note of the current Israeli government’s delay in pursuing peace with Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat.

“You can become a turtle, but the other side must also become a turtle,” he said--and without an active peace process, the Palestinians remain on a horse that “will continue to gallop in the direction of war, of hatred and of violence.”

Twice during a question-and-answer session after Peres’ speech, pointed inquiries were shouted from the floor, even though the audience had been asked to submit all questions in writing.

One man asked, rhetorically, who gave Palestinian Authority police their weapons--referring to the recent outbreak of violence, when authority police fired on Israelis.

Another member of the audience shouted: “You don’t give arms to the enemy!”

Peres replied that an independent authority has to have an armed police force. He added that if his questioners wished to boo him for his response, they would find plenty of support in Israel.

Overall, however, the audience responded politely and sometimes warmly as Peres spoke about his hopes for the future. At times, some members of the audience could be seen weeping as Peres offered poignant recollections of the night Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated.

Peres said that while peace will bring stability to the region and improve the economy, both for Israel and neighboring Arab nations, conflict, continued tension and a lack of agreement will give rise to Muslim fundamentalism.

He cautioned his audience to think hard about the prospect of nuclear terrorism by nations governed by ayatollahs.

Peres said moderate Arabs are as concerned as Israelis about the rise of terrorism.

“They know a government of ayatollahs is a danger that hangs not only over our skies, but their skies as well,” he said.

Last month, more than 75 people died in violence between Israelis and Palestinians after the completion of a tunnel near Temple Mount. Even some supporters of Netanyahu said his government erred in completing the tunnel when it did, because Palestinians were able to use the incident to claim Israeli disregard for Muslim holy sites.

Asked what the stance outside Israel should be toward the present Likud government, Peres, who leads the opposition Labor Party, urged support for it but said it was appropriate to question its policies.