Peres calls on Palestinian leader not to quit
November 07, 2009 14:24 EST

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) -- Israel's president has called on Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to rescind his decision to stand down, invoking the memory of Yitzhak Rabin at a commemoration for the assassinated Israeli premier.

Shimon Peres spoke to a crowd of thousands at the square where Rabin was gunned down by a Jewish extremist who opposed his peace policies on Nov. 4, 1995.

Along with Rabin, Peres and Abbas were among signatories to the 1993 Oslo peace accord. Peres recalled that accomplishment in an appeal to Abbas at the rally on Saturday night, saying, "I turn to you as a colleague, don't let go."

Abbas said Thursday that he would not run for another term in an election scheduled for January, citing deadlocked efforts to revive peace talks.