President Shimon Peres, in his address to the Knesset opening the winter session, cajoled the government to reach a two-state solution with the Palestinian Authority - and provided a "simple" solution for the Iranian threat. 

Peres noted that Israel had been among the very first countries to recover from the world economic crisis. He credited the national economic leadership for “acting with caution,” and praised the bustling “talents of its citizens.”

The President stated that though Israel’s population is only one-tenth of a percent of the world’s population, its GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is, proportionately, three times that much.

“In my opinion, if we move forward with peace and make peace with the Palestinians, and if we start negotiations with Syria and Lebanon, we will remove the main pretext for the Iranian madness."

“Two central challenges face us in the future,” Peres said: “Security and education.”

Acknowledging the argument that Israel has no partner for peace, Peres said in his inimitable manner, “Indeed, we have no partner for emotional peace. The peace we have, and the peace that will come, will not be romantic. It will not come from love. It will come from necessity.”

He said, however, that such peace – as exists with Egypt and Jordan - is preferable “to an endless process with no foreseeable end. Enough with the process; the time has come to reach final conclusions.” 

Peres said Israel faces two options: To either “continue negotiating with the PA until we find an acceptable solution” – which he later said must be one that includes a Palestinian state – or “to be alone, isolated, and solely responsible for all the territories, while facing hostility from Palestinians and Arab states, as well as increasing criticism from many other countries.” He did not mention the third option of encouraging our enemies to make peace by confidently and proudly retaining, building and developing our Biblical homeland.

“The miracle drug we seem to have invented for all our sickness is ‘public relations’ and explaining our situation. We believe that if we explain [to the world], solutions will suddenly bloom, or there will be need for them. But we will not win through explanations. We will win with actions.”

Peres believes there is a simple method by which to cause Iran to cease threatening Israel with nuclear destruction: “In my opinion, if we move forward with peace and make peace with the Palestinians, and if we start negotiations with Syria and Lebanon, we will remove the main pretext for the Iranian madness against us and against the other residents of this region.”

He called on Prime Minister Netanyahu to “call on the Palestinian Authority to establish a state adjacent to us that does not threaten.”

Peres attacked the Goldstone Commission Report as having given an encouraging shot in the arm to Hamas, seeking “war criminals” among the victims.  “Out of the 26 suggestions that the Commission made,” Peres said, “not one of them deals with how to fight terrorism.” He also criticized the report for stating that the “Palestinians have the right ‘to forceful resistance based on the right of self-determination.’ What is this right - to fire on civilians?!”

On Education

Peres then devoted the second half of his speech to the importance of education, which he termed a “challenge no less important than achieving peace and security.”

To this end, he offered a number of suggestions:



“Providing primary and secondary education, free, for all of Israel’s youth, promises the best future for this country…

“Israel cannot accept the present decline in learning, nor the rise in ignorance.  The violence amongst the young in our country is an epidemic we must stand against…

“We cannot accept the brain drain from this country, and we must and can ensure the return of brains to Israel. 

“I suggest that the bulk of revenue collected from the recent economic growth and discovery of new natural resources, such as gas, be allocated to education and science…

“The IDF has moved over the past few years from being an army of soldiers to an army of minds. Thus, we must, in my opinion, provide academic instruction for all IDF soldiers. Increasing the academic foundation of the IDF will raise the general level of science in Israel. Israel can and should be the first in the world to have an army that trains and studies at the same time…

“The IDF is ready today to connect military training with university campus. And Israel has the necessary financial and intellectual resources.  The universities can and should act as partners in this change. They will develop new opportunities including fostering more research and development, alongside teaching and education.

“For this reason I suggest that, in addition to private donations, all the organized donations that come from the Jewish people to Israel go to research and development in universities and research institutes. 

“Israel’s scientific potential is priceless. Science and technology must hold a central part in building Israel’s future… Israel has already begun heading in the right direction. In the five innovative global industries – energy, water, biotechnology, teaching, and internal security –  Israel is one of the leaders. In stem cell research, for example, Israel is 2nd after the United States, alongside Britain, in the relevant research. And of the 20 most important scientific articles in this field from the past year, 10 came from Israel.”

In conclusion, Peres provided one of his characteristic adages: “History is sometimes like a galloping horse.  When it passes by your house, you had better jump on its saddle, because that horse can also gallop without you. I hope that from this building will emanate great news. May you have a productive year.”