Amid mounting rumors of a planned return to the political arena, President Shimon Peres told reporters “I plan to complete my term as president. There is a year and 10 months remaining and I am not going anywhere”, putting an end to speculation that he plans to head a bloc of parties to unseat Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in the January 2012 national election.

Peres on Friday spoke with reporters accompanying him on a state visit to Moscow. He added that he has not involved himself in the political arena and has no plans to break from this policy.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)