Visiting Israeli President Shimon Peres declared Tuesday that peace between Israelis and Palestinians was within reach.

"I know it is difficult to achieve (peace), but we are very near to achieve it with the Palestinians. I understand the impatience and the nervousness, but we must persevere in the dialogue," Peres said during a seminar organized by the Argentine Council for International Relations (CARI).

Peres said his country sought neither to occupy lands nor to govern people. However, "Hamas does not allow the Palestinians to make what they wish; they are the ones who divide the country," the Israeli president said.

He added that it was not sufficient to say there would be a UN resolution to recognize a Palestinian State. "But the Palestinians must negotiate with patience. We want a Palestinian State," he stressed.

During his visit to Argentina, Peres signed a number of agreements with his Argentine counterpart Cristina Fernandez, including a deal on telecommunication cooperation to develop postal and telecommunication services.

Peres arrived in Argentina on Sunday after visiting Brazil. He returned to Israel on Tuesday noon.

(Xinhua News Agency November 18, 2009)