By Matt Sepic, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres was in St. Louis Monday to raise money for recovery efforts in northern Israel.
That area sustained heavy damage during Israel's month long conflict with Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon.
A report Amnesty International released last month said Israel committed war crimes by targeting civilian infrastructure in Lebanon.
But Peres says his country's reaction was not disproportional to the scale of the attack.
"Are 4,000 missiles over our heads in less than a month, is this the proper proportion? Imagine what would happen in the United States if Cuba were to fire 4,000 missiles over the head of Miami," Peres said.
Peres later attended a private fundraising event at the home of Sam and Marilyn Fox.
The Jewish Federation of St. Louis says it hopes to raise $2.5 million here for the Israel Emergency Campaign.