(5 Apr 1997) Hebrew/Eng/Nat
On the eve of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's departure for crisis talks with U-S President Bill Clinton in Washington, thousands of Israelis have rallied for peace in Tel Aviv's Rabin Square.
There, opposition leader Shimon Peres told the crowd that Netanyahu must resume negotiations with the Palestinians at once.
"Save Peace," read a banner draped across the podium.
A symbolic location for an Israeli rally in support of the faltering peace process.
Rabin Square, in Tel Aviv.
It was here that former Prime Minster Yitzhak Rabin was gunned down at another pro- peace rally nearly a year and a half ago.
The overall mood -- get the peace process back on track.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Here in Rabin (Square), where Rabin was murdered. that's the place to confront Bibi Netanyahu -- go behind (the) Rabin way, peace, security for Israel and Palestinians."
SUPER CAPTION: Anat Maor, left wing Meretz Party
It was a pointed message to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
He leaves for Washington Sunday to hold crisis talks with U-S President Bill Clinton.
Opposition leader Shimon Peres, the architect of the peace accords with the Palestinians, told the crowd that Netanyahu must resume negotiations immediately, and that there was no alternative to the process.
SOUNDBITE: (Hebrew)
"Here, in Rabin Square we stood sixteen months ago and we sang the song of peace. Yitzhak sang. We sang with him. The nation sang. The whole world sang peace."
SUPER CAPTION: Shimon Peres, Israeli opposition leader
He accused Netanyahu of making promises he couldn't keep.
SOUNDBITE: (Hebrew)
"On the eve of elections came Bibi Netanyahu and gave the nation impossible promises, promises that could not be covered. He promised a secure peace, he promised security before peace, he promised a slow peace, not quick, he promised that the whole world will match itself to Bibi. Ten months have passed, the peace looks worn out, the security did not arrive."
SUPER CAPTION: Shimon Peres, Israeli opposition leader
Peres dropped several hints in his speech that he was ready to bring his Labour Party into Netanyahu's right-of-centre government if asked by the prime minister.
If Netanyahu is serious about negotiating a peace agreement, he may have to bring in Labour to neutralise his far-right coalition partners who are not willing to make further concessions to the Palestinians.
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