President Shimon Peres spoke Saturday night at a memorial ceremony for slain Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin, and used the opportunity to call to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas not to leave politics. Abbas announced Thursday that he would not seek reelection in January.
“We both signed the Oslo agreement, and I ask you as I would ask a friend – don't give up. I know you've worked on behalf of your people for fifty years... I can tell you that Israel truly wants peace... It could well be that your fifty-first year will bring independence to the Palestinian people and peace to the state of Israel,” Peres said.
“This year is likely to be a decisive year,” he added.