Shimon Peres’ presidential “Facing Tomorrow” conference continued today in Jerusalem.

At a plenary session, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Susan Rice, spoke glowingly of Pres. Peres, intimately about her first visit to Israel as a 14-year-old, and strongly about the unbreakable bond between the United States and Israel.

At a breakout session about the prospects for peace, Ziad Abu Zayyad- former Minister of Jerusalem Affairs and Member of Palestinian Legislative Council, in the words of the official notes, “made his feelings on Jerusalem quite clear. “If Israel says they will not negotiate Jerusalem, it means they do not want peace. There is no question without Jerusalem. And if you want war with one billion Muslims, keep talking about what you call ‘the Temple Mount’ and I call ‘Al Quds’. My advice, is listen to your Rabbis that say to leave it alone.”

As we noted, and Mr. Abu Zayaad cannot understand, “our rabbis” cherish the Temple Mount as do all Jews world-over. We do not war with one billion Muslims, we want peace. But the Jewish connection to the Har HaBayit, the Temple Mount, is not mere words.

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