Israel-Palestine Video: Obama & Peres on the Path to Peace

Palestine Video: 20 Years Later, Another Wall (Partially) Comes Down

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On the 14th anniversary of the murder of Israeli leader Yitzhak Rabin, President Barack Obama's video message was shown to Israelis gathered at Tel Aviv's Rabin Square.He underlined Washington's strong ties with Israel while stressing the importance of peace between Israelis and Palestinians:

America's bond with our Israeli allies is unbreakable and U.S. support for Israel's defense will never be undermined.

To all who seek peace I say tonight, you will always have a partner in the United States of America and in my administration. That's why we've been working aggressively for our clear goal, two states living side by side in peace and security.

Israelis will not find true security while the Palestinians are gripped by hopelessness and despair.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnt8qx8XoIM[/youtube]

Then Israeli President Shimon Peres addressed the crowd:

You, here tonight, don't leave any stone unturned so that next year we will be able to reconvene here, on the 15th anniversary of the murder, and say 'we did it, we realized our dream and Yitzhak's last will and testament.

It is better to have imperfect peace, than a perfect war with no end.

And the path to that imperfect peace? Peres called on Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas to stay in office:

We both signed the Oslo accords, and I turn to you as a colleague and ask that you don't let go.

I know that you toiled for the sake of your people for 50 years. Toil that was accompanied by many disappointments and frustrations. But knowing my people and Israel's government I can tell you that Israel wants true peace, not make-believe. A close peace, not peace from a distance. Therefore, it stands to reason that your 51st year will bring independence to the Palestinian people and peace to the State of Israel. The next year could be a turning point.