Brown to Knesset: Iran must halt nuclear bid or face international isolation

In the first ever Knesset address by a British prime minister, Gordon Brown vowed that Tehran's bid to acquire nuclear weapons would not be allowed to pass and condemned Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's call for the destruction of Israel as "abhorrent."

Brown expressed his firm view that it is "totally abhorrent for the president of Iran to call for Israel to be wiped from the map." He added: "Iran has a clear choice to make: suspend its nuclear weapons program and accept our offer... or face isolation... not just of one nation, by all nations around the world."

The British prime minister hailed Israel's successes in the 60 years since its establishment as the manifestation of "boundless capacity of mind and spirit," adding that "no other country has accomplished as much in such a short time."

In addition, Brown condemned recent efforts by British unions to implement a boycott against Israel on the grounds of its treatment of the Palestinians. "The British government will stand full square against any boycotts of Israel or Israeli academic institutions," he said.

Brown voiced his support for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, relaunched at Annapolis last year, telling the Knesset that he felt "a historic and lasting peace is within your grasp." He added that he favored a two-state solution with a Palestinian state that "accepts Israel as a friend and a neighbor."

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