Israeli President calls on Abbas not to quit

Israeli President Shimon Peres has urged Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to reconsider his decision to retire from politics and to continue working for peace.

Peres made the call at an annual rally commemorating the assassination of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin a highly-reputed contributor to the Israeli- Palestinian peace process.

Peres recalled that along with Rabin, he and Abbas were among signatories to the 1993 Oslo peace accord, the first direct agreement between the Israeli government and political representatives of the Palestinian people.

Shimon Peres, Israeli President, said, "The both of us, Mahmoud Abbas and I, signed the Oslo agreement. I turn to him as my colleague, and tell him, don't let go! Don't let go!"