President Shimon Peres opened a conference on the balance of power and national security Sunday with a call to Israel and the Palestinian Authority to return to the bargaining table. Peres told the Herzliya gathering, "History has lost its patience. It's in a hurry. Either we hurry with it or it hurries without us," he warned. He added, "Recent dramatic events raise the need to free the agenda from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and as soon as possible, because the conflict is being exploited to the detriment of both sides."
The president said, "Israel must maintain its power against all enemies that crop up, while extending a hand in peace to every party that is ready for making up. Our deterrence must be credible and visible, as should our readiness for peace with our neighbors. Today the peace process is an essential need for our neighbors, not just for us."