Interview: Deal with Abbas was close

In an exclusive interview with Israel Channel 2 Television, Peres claims that three years ago he was on the verge of reaching a peace agreement with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. According to Peres, Abbas was committed to recognizing the right of Israel to exist, and to accepting the Arab League plan for dealing with Palestinian refugees. The deal was never culminated, however, due to what Peres describes as  Prime Minister Netanyahu’s belief that  “former British Prime Minister Tony Blair was about to present a better deal.” Prime Minister Netanyahu has not confirmed Peres’ account of the events, and neither has President Abbas.