Peres with Israeli children after decorating a Sukkah. Photo: PO.

Following the speeches Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave at the United Nations earlier this week, in which he said the state of Israel has no historical significance in the Middle East, the President of Israel intends to relay a history message to Ahmadinejad of the centuries old connection between Persians and Jews.

“The President of Iran delivered his speech yesterday at the United Nations, it was an embarrassing speech which showed a deep historical ignorance with regards to the deep historical connection between the Jewish people and the land of Israel,” Peres said to guests at his residence earlier this week.”

Ahmadinejad cited “seven to ten thousand years” of Persian existence in the region while claiming that Israel has been occupying the territory it sits on for the past six to seven decades.

“His comment that the connection was only 60-70 years old and that Israel was never based on its land is utterly ridiculous,” Peres said.  “I was embarrassed to see the president of a country deliver a speech at the United Nations without even knowing the history of his own people.”

The relationship between Persians and Jews is one that dates back thousands of years, Peres’ office said in an email to reporters.

“Ahmadinejad should be taught a history lesson; Around 2500 years ago King Cyrus, the King of Persia, granted the Jewish people led by Ezra and Nechamia the right to return to Israel and to rebuild their home. The Jews lived on the land of Israel for thousands of years and there is no lie or leader that can remove chapters of history.”

In the note to journalists, Peres announced that he intends to write UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to ask for a history lesson to be provided to Ahmadinejad.