[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA: Words of hope from President Peres regarding his
currently distorted take on the Palestinian leadership?: " As the secrets of
the human brain are revealed, people may improve their capacity to choose
between right and wrong."]

President Peres awarded Medal of Freedom

On Tuesday evening, June 13, 2012, at the White House, President Barack
Obama awarded Israel President Shimon Peres with the Presidential Medal of
Freedom.

President Shimon Peres:

"I receive this honor today on behalf of the people of Israel. They are the
true recipients of this honor. With this moving gesture, you are paying
tribute to generations upon generations of Jews who dreamed of, and fought
for, a state of their own. A state that would give them shelter. A state
that they could defend."

Address by the President of the State of Israel, H.E. Shimon Peres

Mr. President,

I was profoundly moved by your decision to award me the Presidential Medal
of Freedom. To receive it is an honor. And to receive it from you, Mr.
President, is a privilege that I shall cherish forever. It is a testament to
the historic friendship between our two nations.

When I was really young, the founder of the State of Israel, David Ben
Gurion, called me to work with him. For sixty-five years, inspired by his
leadership, I gathered strength for my country. Pursued peace for my people.
I learned that public service is a privilege that must be based on morality.

I receive this honor today on behalf of the people of Israel. They are the
true recipients of this honor. With this moving gesture, you are paying
tribute to generations upon generations of Jews who dreamed of, and fought
for, a state of their own. A state that would give them shelter. A state
that they could defend.

Mr. President,

You are honoring the pioneers who built homes on barren mountains, on
shifting sands. Fighters who sacrificed their lives for their country. On
their behalf, I thank America for days of concern, for sleepless nights,
caring for our safety, for our future.

Tonight, Mr. President, you kindly invited outstanding personalities whose
commitment to Israel is nothing less than heroic. I offer them the eternal
gratitude of my people. Present here is Dalia Rabin, the daughter of my
partner, the unforgettable, Yitzhak Rabin, who gave his life for peace.

Mr. President,

You have pledged a lasting friendship for Israel. You stated that Israel’s
security is "sacrosanct."
So you pledged. So you acted. As a great leader, as a genuine friend.

Israel admires the United States, for being a land of the free. A home of
the brave. A nation of generosity.

A world without the United States and her values would have been chaotic.

Moses began the journey to freedom by demanding "Let my people go." The
prophet Isaiah promised: "Nation will not take up sword against nation." A
biblical promise became a grand American reality.

When the Liberty Bell rang in Philadelphia, it resonated throughout the
world. A tired world was surprised to witness, contrary to its experience, a
great nation growing greater by giving, not by taking. By making generosity
the wisdom of policy, and freedom as its heart.

Freedom from oppression and persecution.
Freedom from violence and evil.
Freedom from discrimination and ignorance.
Liberty that does not fear liberty.
Liberty that does not interfere with the liberty of others.

You introduced a constitution, based on balance, not on force. Liberty is
the soul of the Jewish heritage. We didn’t give up our values, even when
facing furnaces and gas chambers. We lived as Jews, we died as Jews, and
rose again as free Jews.

Israel did not survive merely to be a passing shadow in history, but as a
new Genesis, a start-up nation.
We were faced with the worst in humanity. But also experienced the best in
humanity.

When we discovered that we were short of land and water, we realized that we
had a priceless resource: The courageous, undefeatable human spirit. We
invested in knowledge and turned our attention to the ever-growing promise
of science. Unlike land and water, science cannot be conquered by armies or
won by wars. In fact, if applied rightly, science can make wars unnecessary.

Science provided Israel with unexpected economic growth. In the last twenty
years our economy grew two hundred and seventy percent. Science has enabled
us to build an agriculture based on technology, that yield ten times more
than the norm. It has enabled us to build an effective defense against
armies ten-times greater. Brave soldiers and sophisticated tools brought us
victory. But, we remained the people of the book.

Yes, my friends, Israel is the living proof that democracy means progress.
Science means growth. Literature and arts means enrichment.

Israel today is an innovative, pluralistic society, where Christians, Arabs,
Jews Bedouins and Druse live together in peace. It is not yet perfect, but
it is an example of what can be.

My Friends,

We are now witnessing the departure of one age and the arrival of a new one.
The agricultural age lasted 10,000 years. The scientific age is still fresh.
Yet in the last fifty years, the scientific age has achieved more than in
the previous 10,000 years. This new age has brought new challenges, and new
dangers. It generated a global economy, but not a global government. It gave
birth to the horrors of global terrorism, without global control.

The danger is today concentrated in Iran. The Iranian people are not our
enemy. It is the present leadership that became a threat. It turned Iran
into a danger to world peace. It is a leadership that aims to rule the
Middle East. Spreading terror all over the world. They are trying to build
a nuclear bomb. They bring darkness to a world longing for light.

We have a solemn responsibility to our own people, to our friends throughout
the world, to posterity. The Iranian threat must be stopped. It cannot be
delayed.

Mr. President, you worked hard to build a world coalition to meet this
immediate threat. You started, rightly, with economic sanctions. You made it
clear, rightly again, that all options are on the table. Clearly, we support
it.

Friends,

Extremists are using the conflict with the Palestinians to cover their true
ambitions. The majority of people are tired of war. In many homes, families
still mourn the loss of their loved ones. I believe that peace with the
Palestinians is more urgent than ever before. It is necessary. It is
crucial. It is possible. A delay may worsen its chances.

I remember that 19 years ago, on the lawn outside this house, President
Clinton helped us initiate the peace process. Since then, Israelis and
Palestinians have come a long way together, but still, hard work remains
ahead.

Israel and the Palestinians are ripe today to restart. A firm basis already
exists. A solution of two national states: A Jewish state - Israel. An Arab
state - Palestine.

The Palestinians are our closest neighbors. I believe they may become our
closest friends. Peace with the Palestinians will open ports of peace all
around the Mediterranean. The duty of leaders is to pursue freedom
ceaselessly, even in the face of hostility. Even in the face of doubt and
disappointment. Leaders should not only try to rule from the top but also
guide their people to move ahead. Just imagine what could be…

Now the young Arab generation has opened its eyes and stood up against
oppression, poverty, and corruption. They seek freedom. They understand that
freedom begins at home. I pray for their success. It may become a success
for all.

My vision is an Israel living in full, genuine peace, joining with all the
people of the Middle East, former enemies and new friends alike. Jerusalem
becoming the capital of peace. An Israel that is a scientific center, open
to all, serving all. A green Israel in an increasingly green Middle East.

My vision is an Israel whose moral call is old as the Ten Commandments
tablets and whose imagination is as new as a digital tablet. Together, our
ancient and modern vision can help bring Tikkun Olam.

I believe that in the coming decade, Israel will be a center of the latest
developments in brain research. As the secrets of the human brain are
revealed, people may improve their capacity to choose between right and
wrong. In the absence of global government, the ability to govern ourselves
can contribute to world peace.

Dear Friends,

My greatest hope is that a dawn will rise where every man and woman, Israeli
or Palestinian, Syrian or Lebanese, young people, wherever they are, will
wake up and be able to say to themselves: "I am free to be free."

Amen.