Israeli President Touches Down in L.A.
Israeli President Shimon Peres will visit Los Angeles Thursday evening to address 1,400 local Jewish community members at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will attend the event, as well as Michael Oren, Israel's ambassador to the U.S., and other Jewish community leaders. Governor Jerry Brown was also invited.
Peres will address community leaders, students and philanthropists at the event, strengthening the relationship between Israel and the L.A. Jewish community.
USC Hillel Director, Michael Jeser, said that it is a "big deal" that Peres made L.A. his last stop in the U.S.
Since L.A. is so far from the East Coast's financial and political hubs, like New York and Washington D.C., it may be the first time that a lot of students and philanthropists have heard Peres speak.
It is a strategic move for Peres to come to L.A., one of the leading cities in innovation and technology, said Jeser, who feels that L.A. and Israel have this innovative spirit in common.
Jeser also expressed doubts that Peres will tackle political concerns during tonight's conference, saying, "I think this is more human relations and building relationships between the two communities. Hopefully there are private meetings going on with the president and some people in town where he has an opportunity to talk about Israeli's security requirements and what Israel needs to make peace in the Middle East. I don't think tonight's event will play a big role in that conversation."
Los Angeles is just one of the stops President Peres' made during his primary goal to meet with President Obama.
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