World Jewish News

President Shimon Peres receiving an honorary doctorate in Russia on May 11, 2010. Photo by: GPO

Peres: Nuclear terror is the world's greatest threat

President Shimon Peres on Tuesday said that nuclear weapons in the hands of terrorist groups constitutes the modern world's greatest threat. "The world has changed," Peres told an audience in Russia, where he was awarded an honorary doctorate from MGIMO, an institute for international relations.
"Terror is borne by small fanatic groups," Peres said. "They have no inhibitions, they harm even innocents without differentiation and they have modern equipment at their disposal. There is a reasonable fear that nuclear weapons will make their way into the hands of terror groups worldwide. This is the world's new danger and the world must develop a counter-strategy.
"In our new world there is no going back to armed warfare of the past," Peres said, adding that the new warfare consists of terror groups whose location is unknown and missiles that easily cross borders.
Peres also addressed the shared history between Russia and the Jewish people and said that they both suffered a great deal during World War II. He said that shared fate obligated Israel and Russia to work together toward a better future.
Peres told the audience that the immigration to Israel of more than one million people from the former Soviet Union changed the relationship between the two countries, and also enriched Israel in the fields of science, culture, art and sports.
Peres went on to address the topics of Syria and peace talks with the Palestinians during his speech, saying that Israel seeks peace with its neighbors.
However, he said Damascus must decide where it stands.
"One cannot ask Israel to withdraw from land in order to fill it and the depots of Hezbollah with missiles that aim to harm Israel," Peres said.

Haaretz.com