Peres a reminder that Israel ‘not built by cynics’

Obama reaffirms bonds and commonalities between US and Israel.

He says both countries have flaws in their histories which they are reluctant to address. But because democracy was embedded from the start, “we have the capacity to do what’s right.”

Obama says he shared “a love of words and books and history” with Peres. “And perhaps like most politicians, we shared too great a joy in hearing ourselves talk.”

Obama says Zionism is a universal story.

Peres is a reminder that Israel, like US, “was not built by cynics.”

“And Shimon Peres was never cynical.”

Peres had accomplishments of “a thousand men.”

Now the work of peace-making is in the hands of Israel’s next generation and its friends, Obama says.

He ends with the biblical quote “choose life,” in Hebrew and English.

“Shimon, toda raba, haver yakar,” he says in Hebrew: “Shimon, thank you, dear friend.”