Peres: Ben-Gurion was first to support two-state solution

President addresses top gov't officials assembled at Sde Boker to honor first prime minister on 37th anniversary of his death.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Peres honors Ben-Gurion 311 (photo credit: GPO)
Peres honors Ben-Gurion 311
(photo credit: GPO)
David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister, “was the first to support the solution of two states for two peoples,” President Shimon Peres said Sunday.
“He did not give up our rights to the Land of Israel,” Peres told a gathering at Ben- Gurion’s former home at Sde Boker, where the 37th anniversary of his death was marked.
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“But he believed that our immediate obligation was to save the Israeli people, to save the nation from dependency on foreigners. Things that are not attainable without giving up parts of the country.”
Among the other top government officials who gathered at the Negev site were Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin and various MKs and public figures.
Peres cited the continued relevance of the former prime minister’s message today, and discussed his contribution toward making Israel a viable state.
“He knew that a state is not built on a UN decision. A state is built with bricks and tears,” Peres said. “Ben-Gurion believed in his heart that rather than the state absorbing the new immigrants, the new immigrants would build the state.”
Peres added that Ben-Gurion’s vision was still not fully realized.
“There is still much work to do until we know peace and security. Until justice will lead us socially, and peace will lead us politically.”