Israeli President Shimon Peres said President Barack Obama is a friend of Israel, as he accepted the credentials of the new U.S. ambassador to Israel, Dan Shapiro.

“We all read the newspapers and I want to take advantage of this opportunity to express my appreciation to President Obama and say in a clear voice – President Obama is a friend of the Jewish people and the state of Israel and there is no doubt in this matter,” President Shimon Peres said on Wednesday at a ceremony.

“President Obama represents the tradition of deep friendship between Israel and the United States, not only in words but in actions and he has emphasized that Israel’s security is a top priority of the American government – and he has acted thusly,” Peres continued.

In the past, Shapiro has served as a senior adviser to Obama and as the head of the Middle East division of the U.S. National Security Council.

For more, see Haaretz.com

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