Obama says Peres recognized need for Palestinian statehood

Obama says Peres saw the need for Palestinian statehood. He quotes the former Israeli president as saying the Jewish people were not meant to rule over another people.

“Out of the hardships of the diaspora, he found room in his heart for others who suffered,” says Obama.

“Even in the face of terror attacks, even after repeated” failures in negotiations, he recognized Palestinian self-determination, he says.

“He believed the Zionist idea would be best protected when Palestinians too had a state of their own,” he says.

Peres “never saw his dream of peace fulfilled. The region is going through a chaotic time. Threats are ever-present. And yet, he did not stop dreaming and he did not stop working.”

“By the time I came to work with Shimon, he was in the twilight of his years, though he would not admit it,” Obama continues.

Obama says he was the tenth US president to “fall prey to his charms.”

Obama compares him to Nelson Mandela, Queen Elizabeth — “leaders who have seen so much, whose lives span such.. epics, that they see no need to posture or traffic in what’s popular in the moment. People who speak in depth and knowledge, not in soundbites.”

“He knew better than the cynic that if you look out over the arc of history, human beings should be filled not with fear, but with hope.”

Peres “believed in miracles, because in Israel, he saw miracles come true.”