Mayor Ramiz Jaraisy (left)
and President Peres Monday [February 20], President Shimon Peres carried out an official visit to Nazareth. The President held a story hour with fifth graders at the city library, where he read an Arabic folktale entitled 'The wonderful miraculous mountain'.

Nazareth's population is almost exclusively Arab with approximately 65,000 inhabitants. About 30% of the inhabitants are Christian and 68% Muslim. The Nazareth metropolitan area has a population of about 210,000. 59% are Israeli Arabs and 41% are Israeli Jews. This makes it the only urban area in Israel where the majority of the population is Arab.

President Peres told the children, "Israel must ensure full equality for all children so that you may fulfill all of your dreams. There must be full equality between Jews and Arabs that starts with education and continues with equal economic and work opportunities. Continue reading books. Excel and continue to dream. You are an important and inseparable part of Israeli society and Israeli society needs you."

President Peres toured the city, observed its development and spoke before approximately 150 residents, including Mayor Ramiz Jaraisy, prominent citizens, and religious and community leaders at a meeting in which he was briefed on Nazareth's high-tech and tourism development plans. Afterwards, the President held a Q&A with local Christian and Muslim high school students, who also presented him with their projects in various fields.

Mayor Jaraisy thanked President Peres for this visit and said, "In all of his public functions, the President has worked for equality for the Arab sector. I am certain that this visit will bear positive fruit for Nazareth in short and long terms."
 

Source: (By Isranet, February 20, 2012)

Photo Credit: Isranet