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I don't think anyone is authorized to say that the decision of the government to go to war was hasty
Analysis: Barak, U.S. set to talk rockets Oct 18, 2007
I know I am being made to pay the price for past failures and I surrender to that. I ask just one thing: That you all keep your eyes open -- Knesset members, ministers and you the people of Israel
New Israel defense minister takes office Jun 19, 2007
As a man of peace I tell you, you have to warn the international community that all the goodwill it expressed toward the unity government in the Palestinian Authority has to stop
Peretz asks EU to maintain PA boycott May 22, 2007
We will not turn down any operative proposal that would help prevent any of our enemies from harming us
Defense minister: Israel won't occupy Gaza May 19, 2007
A large-scale land incursion into Gaza does not serve Israel's security
Defense minister: Israel won't occupy Gaza May 19, 2007
Amir Peretz (Hebrew: עמיר פרץ, Arabic: عمير بيريتز; born Armand Peretz on 9 March 1952) is an Israeli politician and member of the Knesset for the Labour Party. He is a former Defense Minister of Israel and former leader of the Labour Party, having left those positions in June 2007.
Peretz is the former chairman of the Histadrut trade union federation and defeated Shimon Peres in the primary elections for the Labour leadership on 9 November 2005. He led the Labour Party to a second place showing in the 2006 elections and became Defense Minister on 4 May 2006. He was defeated by Ehud Barak for the Labour leadership on 12 June 2007 and resigned from the cabinet.
Peretz was born as Armand Peretz in the town of Boujad in Morocco. His father was head of the Jewish community in Boujad and owned a petrol station. The family emigrated to Israel when Morocco won independence in 1956. They were settled in the development town of Sderot, where Peretz graduated from high school.