Washington – President Barack Obama presented Israeli President Shimon Peres with the Medal of Freedom on Wednesday, calling him the essence of Israel itself and a man who earned his place in history long ago.
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Obama said Peres, who served twice as Israel’s prime minister and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994, knows the necessity of strength but also understands that a nation’s security depends on the righteousness of its deeds.
“The security of the state of Israel is non-negotiable,” Obama said during a White House presentation of the Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. “And the bonds between us are unbreakable.”
Peres’ Washington visit comes at amid rising violence in Syria and worries in the U.S. and Israel about Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Peres said the threat posed by Iran’s leaders must be stopped. But he said Israel supports Obama’s efforts to pressure Iran, making a special point to note that Obama has declared that all options in dealing with Iran are on the table.
To Obama, Peres said: “You have pledged a lasting friendship for Israel. You stated that Israel’s security is sacrosanct for you. So you pledged; so you act. So you are acting as a great leader, as a champion for peace.”
Among those attending the black tie White House dinner were Vice President Joe Biden, first lady Michelle Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton. Also among the invited guests in the East Room were former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and some members of Congress, including Democratic Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts and Republican Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, both veteran foreign policy specialists.
Following the dinner, the more than 80 guests were entertained by a violinist Itzhak Perlman, who opened with Fritz Kreisler’s “Tempo di Minuetto.”
you desreve it president peres !! yasher koach and mazal tov!!
Peres deserves nothing as he created the oalow peace process that caused the death of hundreds of jews by hamas and arafat, He never won any election as he was always appointed .They make a good team obama and peres.
They bought want to collect the medals and do only harm to their countries.
I guess he thinks he can buy some Jewish votes with this act.
What happened to addressing the pollard issue which Peres said he would?
Mazal tov… do more good!
Any guy who has the guts to ask the most President of the United States to accept an apology that has never been made deserve a medal.
I’m not sure for what, but he sure deserves some recognition for his guts!
A medal for the Jewish vote….an easy buy for Obama!
Peres deserves this medal only slightly more than Obama deserved the Nobel Peace Prize. Both were given for what ‘coulda’ and ‘shoulda’ heppened, not necessarily for what did happen
One phoney honoring another
Why is a foreign national getting an american award? ?
Perez caused a thousand dead Jews giving fifty thousand guns to the PLO. Now they can shoot Jews instead of just throwing stones.
Instead of playing pin the tail on the old donkey, why doesn’t Obama give REAL freedom to Jonathan Pollard instead of playing around with freedom symbols. Is this not a flashing neon sign for the fact that this man is full of hooooey? The phony metrosexual is playing around with medals when the recipient came to Washington to request that real freedom be given to a Jewish political prisoner. That is like saying “My ______ went to America and all I got is this damn shirt.”