Former President Shimon Peres met Thursday with French Prime Minister Manuel Valls to discuss the current wave of terror, shortly after meeting with Parisian religious leaders
Peres expressed his sorrow and condolences to Europe for the recent wave of violent terror attacks, and thanked the French Prime Minister for his work to end anti-Semitism in France.
"I understands the depths of your pain. In this struggle, there cannot be any compromise, and we must fight efficiently and professionally in order to eradicate the terrorists' attempt to intimidate Europe. I want to thank you for lending your voice against the wave of terror and the cries of hatred. Like France, Israel is ever dealing with the war on terror. The only way we can defeat it is by uniting the world and all of its religions.
“Relations between Israel and France are strong, and I have no doubt that this friendship will continue to strengthen in the future. We are working to cooperate in the fields of security, science, economics and the fight against terrorism, and we cherish our deep friendship between the two countries.
"Unfortunately, Israel has many years of experience in the fight against terrorism, and we are determined to fight it. Israel is prepared to provide assistance through lending its experience and technological capabilities in this important struggle,” said Peres.
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls noted his willingness to stand by Israel and reiterated his commitment to fight the war against anti-Semitism and terrorism.
"My old friend, I thank you for coming to visit Paris, especially at this difficult time. Promoting peace between Israel and the Palestinians is as important today as ever before. France stands alongside Israel and honors the good friendship between our countries.
“The fight against terrorism and anti-Semitism is a global struggle. We must all unite to support this struggle,” concluded Valls.
As part of his visit to France, Shimon Peres will be the guest of honor at the signing ceremony marking cooperation between The Peres Center for Peace and UNESCO. He will be recognized internationally for his actions in promoting peace and working to stop bloodshed through peace education projects.
