Israeli President Shouted Down By Protesters

Monday, May 4, 2009 at 5:27PM
Talk Radio News Service (Admin) in Barack Obama, Convention Center, Gaza, God, Iran, Iranian, Israel, Israeli, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Michael Ruhl, Middle East, News/Commentary, Protest, Ruhl, Shimon Peres, West Bank, allah, history, michael, michael t ruhl, michaeltruhl, missiles, nuclear, nuclear programs, nuclear weapons, occupation, president, protester, religion, washington dc

By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico - Talk Radio News Service

Israeli President Shimon Peres spoke today in favor of peace in the Middle East, but some in the audience likely couldn’t hear his call, as protesters within the room shouted him down. Three eruptions of protesters in the audience were stopped by police. The protesters shouted from tabletops and waved signs saying “stop the occupation” and “free gaza.” This all transpired at the Washington DC Convention Center, at a conference led by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

Peres spoke of his commitment to the peace process, saying that one of the big challenges they all faced was to “disconnect religion from terror”, so extremists are not killing in the name of a higher power.

“History is on the side of peace... history’s on our side,” Peres said. He continued that the extremists leading Iran “are on the wrong side of history.” Peres acknowledged that most Iranians are good people whom he respects, but pointed his finger at extremists like Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as being the problem.

“Iran is not threatened by anybody,” Peres said, and continued that Iran’s new missile programs are unnecessary. He said that Iran’s missile development and nuclear program are a threat to Israel “and the global community at large.”

Peres said that he trusts President Obama to make meaningful bilateral negotiations, and to contribute significantly to the peace process.

Article originally appeared on Talk Radio News Service: News, Politics, Media (http://www.talkradionews.com/).