Politics
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- Written by Office of the President

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, met this evening at the President's Residence in Jerusalem with the President of the State of Israel, President Shimon Peres, and announced to him that he has succeeded in building a government.The Prime Minister said to President Peres at the beginning of the meeting; "As you know I was tasked with forming a government. You bestowed that task upon me and I carried it out. We are standing before a decisive year in terms of security, economy and in efforts to progress peace. The citizens of Israel wanted change. This government shows cooperation, and I believe that we will be able to bring news in all these fields, to all the citizens of Israel. That is my mission and I know that it is your prayer."
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- Written by Office of the President
"The newly elected Pope represents devotion, the love of God, the love of peace, a holy modesty and a new continent which is now awakening. May the Lord Bless the new Pope."
"I would like to invite the newly elected Pope to pay a visit to the Holy Land. He'll be a welcome guest."
The President of the State of Israel, President Shimon Peres, welcomed the new Pope during a meeting with the leaders of the Catholic Church in Poland. President Peres said, "The newly elected Pope represents devotion, the love of God, the love of peace, a holy modesty and a new continent which is now awakening. We need, more than ever, a spiritual leadership and not just a political one. Where political leaders may divide, spiritual leaders may unite. Unite around a vision, unite around values, unite around a faith that we can make the world a better place to live. May the Lord Bless the new Pope."
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- Written by Prime Minister's Media Adviser
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulates Pope Francis I on his accession as leader of the Roman Catholic Church
and expresses his confidence that the excellent relations between Jews and Christians, which have deepened, will continue,
as will the excellent ties between the Holy See and Israel.
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- Written by Chief Rabbinate Spokesperson
"Over the past twelve years there has been a rich and fruitful dialogue between the Holy See and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel on primary issues such as banning terrorism in God's Name, the sanctity of life, the sanctity of the family unit, etc.
This dialogue has led to significant achievements over the years, such as Holy See's decision to heed the Chief Rabbinate's request and suspend Holocaust-denier Bishop Richard Williamson, and the modification of sections of the Good Friday liturgy that were harsh and insulting towards the Jewish People.
Especially memorable are the statements of Pope Francis's two predecessors, Pope John Paul and Pope Benedict XVI , that the Almighty
has never broken his covenant with the Jewish People. It has been stated by the Holy See that Jews are the elder brothers, and even the parents,
of Christian believers. Statements by the two previous Pontiffs have played a significant role in the fight against anti-Semitism in Europe and beyond.
The dialogue between the Holy See and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel was welcomed and nurtured with personal involvement by the two previous Pontiffs. The Chief Rabbinate of Israel is confident that Pope Francis, whose good relations with the Jewish People are well known, will keep the same spirit, and strengthen and develop the Roman Catholic Church's connections with the State of Israel and the Jewish People."
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- Written by Office of the President
The President of the State of Israel, President Shimon Peres, congratulated the newly elected President of China, Mr Xi Jinping.
An official greeting letter will be sent to the new Chinese President on Sunday.
President Peres said:
"I would like to extend my congratulations to President Xi Jinping on his election as President of The People's Republic of China.
I have every confidence that under his leadership, China will continue to prosper and that the cooperation between Israel and China
will grow stronger and deeper for the benefit of both our peoples. I believe he can help make the world a better place for future generations."