UNITED NATIONS, Nov 13: Israel’s president had rare praise for Saudi Arabia’s king at a UN interfaith conference on Wednesday, saying his initiative to end the Arab-Israeli conflict inspired hope that all countries in the Middle East could live in peace.

Speaking to hundreds of influential people in the General Assembly chamber, Israel’s Shimon Peres appealed to King Abdullah to maintain his leadership in the Arab world during the difficult process of achieving a peace settlement.

Minutes earlier, King Abdullah said it was “high time” the world learned the harsh lesson of history — that differences between followers of different religions and cultures “engendered intolerance, causing devastating wars and considerable bloodshed without any sound logical or ideological justification.” When Mr Peres took the floor, he said that building a new future in the Middle East “seems more feasible today in light of the Saudi proposal which evolved into an Arab peace initiative.”

The 2002 Saudi plan calls for Arab recognition of the Jewish state in exchange for a full Israeli withdrawal from all lands captured in the 1967 Mideast war.

Then, looking directly at King Abdullah, the Israeli president interrupted his prepared speech. “Your Majesty, the king of Saudi Arabia,” Mr Peres said. “I was listening to your message. I wish that your voice will become the prevailing voice of the whole region, of all people. It’s right. It’s needed. It’s promising.”

Later, President Peres told reporters “the king’s initiative created a U-turn in the policies of the Middle East, because until quite recently the formal Arab position was ... based on three ‘No’s’ ... no recognition, no negotiation, no peace with Israel.”

“Today, we have heard a totally different voice — a voice of frankness, of understanding and also the feeling that time has come to try and have an overall peace in the Middle East,” he said. “It can become not only a peace with the Palestinians but a peace with the rest of the Arab world.”

As for his remarks directed to the Saudi king, Mr Peres said: “I have reasons to believe that it didn’t embarrass him to say the least. I think the ... message was important because I suspect the king would like us to react positively to his call for the Arabs and the Jews and the Muslims and the Christians to live together.”

In reply to a question, Mr Peres said that the Saudis had come a long way. “Ten years ago you wouldn’t hear this language in front of the whole world,” he said. “Even if there are suspicions that there are double-standards, this is ... an advancement because the last time there was a single standard against Israel — to throw Israel to the sea.”—AP