41 President Sadat-s visit to Haifa- selected speeches- 4-6 September 1979

Your Excellency, the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Muhamad Anwar el-Sadat, and your honoured lady, Madam Jehan el-Sadat,

It is a great honour and pleasure to welcome you, your dear daughter and your distinguished entourage, and offer you our most cordial greetings on your arrival in Israel. I do so on behalf of all the people of our country, as well as in my own name and that of my wife, Ofira. There have come to meet you here the leaders of the Knesset, the Government and the Supreme Court, spokesmen of all sections and communities of our people, and the distinguished dean of the diplomatic corps in Israel. In the streets of Haifa thousands of the city's residents await you, to express their profound respect and esteem for your personality, your vision and your achievements, for your noble wife, for the generous and tolerant Egyptian people, for your great country with its glorious and ancient culture -and, of course, for peace.

Mr. President,

This time you have chosen to come to us by sea. Your ships are anchored in a friendly port, and I cordially invite your skilful seamen to feel at home here in Haifa, just as if they were in Alexandria.

Whether you come to us by land, air or sea, you will always reach the same destination: The hearts of this people. Your visit today follows upon the visit of our Prime Minister to Alexandria, it is an additional link in the golden chain of peace, which is now being shaped by our two peoples and our two governments.

We are confident that the talks you will hold here with our Prime Minister, Mr. Menachem Begin, and his colleagues, will remove some of the impediments that lie in the path of peace and help to pave the road to that comprehensive peace in the area, which we all desire and to the achievement of which we have committed ourselves. We can find great encouragement in the way in which the various provisions of the peace treaty are being implemented. The time-table is being meticulously observed, and there is an atmosphere of mutual trust in the good will of both parties. Insofar as there are differences of opinion on one subject or another, they should not be obstacles to peace but rather be regarded as challenges for both sides to overcome.

Those elements that match from the sidelines and proclaim their hostility to the peace process, do not yet grasp the full historic significance of what is taking place but sooner or later, they too, are bound to climb onto the chariot of peace, for this is the direction in which history has commanded us all to travel. Let us not forget that it is less than two years since this chariot of peace set out on its historic journey. It cannot be stopped.

Mr. President,

Your talks with the Prime Minister of Israel and his colleagues are taking place this time in Haifa. This is a city of labour, culture and creative activity, a city that symbolizes coexistence and fruitful cooperation between Jews and Arabs. We hope that it will not be long before we see, flying in the wind, side by side with the flags of Egypt and Israel, the flags of the other countries in the area, bringing good tidings of peace, prosperity and brotherhood among peoples.

President Navon, Premier Begin, dear friends, it is with hope and confidence that we visit Haifa in another step in our holy pursuit for peace.

It is also quite significant that our meeting is taking place in the city which is the living symbol of coexistence and fraternity between Arabs and Jews. For centuries those cousins lived side by side in peace and harmony, worshipping god and tilling the land for their common good.

We are here to consolidate the gains we achieved along the road to peace. I would like you to know that every Egyptian is determined to make peace a living reality that expresses itself in all the walks of life.

Never again will there be bloodshed and suffering. Never again would human life be wasted in futile conflict from which no one benefits.

We are also equally determined to spread the umbrella of peace to include the Palestinian people. This is a moral commitment to which we will remain faithful at all times.

Dear friends,

The challenge might be great, but the promise is greater. We are committed to meet the challenge. In the interest of every man, woman and chid in the region we will pursue our goal with all vigor and devotion. This is God's commandment and it is also our own choice.

May God almighty guide our steps and lighten our way. May he grant us the strength we need to overcome all obstacles and the wisdom to heed his words: "May God summon under the canopy of peace all those who wish it, with the help of God."

Thank you very much.

President Navon, Prime Minister Begin, Mr. Mayor, ladies and gentlemen, friends and cousins, It is a great honour for me to meet with you today. I have come here bringing to you with me the greetings of 40 million Egyptians who insist on building permanent peace in the area so that our coming generations will live together for the whole world. When there is a will, the people always win, and our will for peace and your will for peace, for sure will prevail. Thank you very much for this very warm welcome you have accorded me. And I promise that - this time, like I promised the Israeli people there in Jerusalem on my first visit, in '77 - I promised there that there will be no more war and that security should be met for both sides. I promise you here in Haifa that I shall be doing my best and putting all the necessary effort with my friend Menachem Begin so that we can reach a peaceful permanent solution based on justice and a comprehensive one. I promise you I shall be doing this. By now I know Premier Begin and I think I can do business with him.

Mr. President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, your excellency Mr. Muhammad Anwar el-Sadat, your honoured lady, your dear daughter and your distinguished entourage, Mr. Prime Minister, Speaker of the Knesset, Deputy President of the Supreme Court.... I wish you all a very good evening.

Mr. President,

This large and distinguished gathering of guests who have accepted our invitation my wife's and my own - have come here to pay you honour and respect for your vision and courage, and to express our confidence that this visit and the talks you are holding with the Prime Minister of Israel will mark a further important stage in the edifice of peace which you and Mr. Begin are building together with such persistence, determination and devotion.

I have no doubt that the time will also come soon for an exchange of views on the character of the cultural and spiritual dialogue between our two nations. While political, economic and military aspects can be defined and measured, the cultural and spiritual sphere is more complex, comprising as it does, beliefs, opinions, emotions and traditions that have taken shape in each people over the generation. Not only has there been no free and open contact between the two sides, but the unfortunate events that have taken place between them have prevented them from taking an objective view of each other. Naturally there are points of resemblance and points of difference between us.

Like you, we regard man as the crown of creation - not a means, but an end, not a playing in the hands of rulers, but a living being, for whose sake they were chosen, and whose welfare they have to serve.

Like you, we believe that the family is one of the highest values, of crucial importance in the social and national fabric. Like you, we seek to build our society on a synthesis of the achievements of modern science and our ancient spiritual heritage. On the spiritual plane, our religions have the same concept of the one and absolute and eternal creator uncompromising monotheism. Arabic and Hebrew are two sisters. The more deeply one delves into the two languages, the more one discovers, not only an extraordinary similarity of vocabulary, but also a similar world of symbols and concepts. After all, they grew up in a common home and were born of the same parents.

Like you, Mr. President, we too regard war as the instrument of death, and peace as the tree of life.

At the same time there are not only similarities between us, but also differences natural differences, stemming from the history and the needs of each of our nations. Constantly growing knowledge of each other will teach our peoples to recognize the similarities and respect and differences. After all, the entire cosmos testifies to both variety and harmony. In the Talmud, which was composed after the Bible, the question is asked: Why did the almighty create man as one single individual, who is called Adam, instead of doing as he did with the beasts and the flowers, which he created, by his word, infinite numbers and quantities?

One answer is: So that man should say to his neighbour: my father was greater than thy father, my pedigree is more honorable then yours.

Another reason is: In order to show the greatness of the almighty, for when a king of flesh and blood produces coins from a single mould. All the coins are identical, but the almighty, who is the king of kings, created all men from the mould of the first Adam, and yet not one is identical with the other. A combination of both replies could serve as a basis for the relations between peoples: All of us are equal in origin and value but each of us is entitled to be different from the others.

Mr. President,

During our meeting today, which I found an extremely pleasant and instructive experience, I presented to you a copy of the "Guide to the Perplexed", which was written in the Arabic tongue but in Hebrew letters by Moshe ben Maimon, known as Maimonides, the great Jewish philosopher, who lived for many years in Egypt and whom you mentioned in your speech at the Ben-Gurion University in Beer Sheba. This is not the place, nor am I qualified, to evaluate this book, which covers such a wide spectrum of philosophical and religious inquiry on the basis of Judaism, referring to Greek philosophy, the Mu'atazila, the Ash'aria, the Arab Aristotelians and other schools of thought. I will limit myself, therefore, to a brief quotation dealing with the secrets of nature, which - as Maimonides says form part of the secrets of the divine science. This is what he wrote - freely translated and somewhat abbreviated: "Do not imagine that these great secrets can be fully and completely known by any one of us. Not so. At times the truth shines so brilliantly that we perceive it as clear as day, and then matter and habit draw a veil over our perception, and we return to a darkness almost as dense as before. We are like those who, in the thickest darkness of the night, behold frequent flashers of lighting.

"On some the lighting flashes in continuous succession, and their night is as clear as the day... For others the lighting flashes only once during the whole night... There are some to whom the flashes of lighting appear at longer or shorter intervals... And there are some who never behold the light even once, but grope about in the darkness..., Despite the powerful manifestations of the truth." My wish for you and for ourselves is that the truth, which has flashed before our eyes during the past two years, may shine upon all of us, at continually shorter intervals, and with constantly growing brightness.

I raise my glass, Mr. President, and I ask you all to join me, in a toast to the health and happiness of his excellency the President of Egypt, his honoured lady, their household, and our distinguished Egyptian guests, to the progress and prosperity of the great Egyptian people; to peace between Israel and Egypt; to peace in our area and all over the world.

President Navon, Mrs. Navon, dear friends:

Thank you very much for the sentiments you expressed towards me and the people of Egypt. The reception we found here was both moving and significant. It is an expression of joy for the advent of peace. It is an affirmation of confidence in the present and hope in the future.

This feeling is equally shared by the Egyptian people. To my satisfaction and happiness, a new sense of mutual trust is emerging across the border. This is a revival of the great heritage of our forefathers and spiritual teachers for this feeling to continue, it has to be cemented and fortified by our behavior with one another every day. It should be reflected in the way we think of each other, the manner in which we formulate our policy and interpret the other party's moves. We should make a major effort to erase what remains in the minds of some of us from the unhappy past. Persisting barriers should be broken and eliminated, through hard work by both sides.

We are here to work for that goal and we are determined by God's will to succeed. We approach our task with a sense of history and optimism, as you have always noticed, I am an optimist by nature. I pay no attention to the voices of defeat and pessimism. I am never deterred by the size of the challenge. That is what men are for.

For answer to the challenge before us is neither despair nor fanaticism. It is broadmindedness and understanding.

Above all, we should never lose sight of our goal. We did not take the giant steps we took to reach a tactical accommodation with Israel. We did so to bring peace to every home in the area and to put an end, once and all, to the causes of war and conflict. We took that difficult road to restore the fraternity and affinity that have always existed between Arabs and Jews. Thus, it is an historical mistake to think of what someone gave and what the other got. Rather, we should think and move in terms of what we all can do to make the Middle East a zone of happiness and fulfillment. Each and every one of us should invest his potential to insure the creation of a better tomorrow for this generation and the generation to come.

First and foremost, we should all realize that the only durable peace is the comprehensive peace. Any misconception of this point would be a gross mistake whose price no one can afford. It is with this in mind that we shape our determination to pave the way for a just settlement to the Palestinian problem which is heart and core of the entire conflict. The realization of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people is not incompatible with Israel's interests. It is the only guarantee for coexistence. It is a prerequisite to a world of harmony and tranquility for all of us.

Dear friends, we came here with a message of friendship and amity from 41 million Egyptians. We brought with us all the good will men can possess. I am certain that our endeavour will be fruitful. This is the dictate of reason and the wave of the future. None of us will be judged in the annals of history by the arguments he made or the demands he presented. We all shall be judged by the suffering we ended and the wounds we healed.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I invite you to rise as a tribute to President Navon and his spouse, to each and every one who is dedicating himself to the cause of peace, to the people of Israel, and to the growing friendship between our two peoples.

I would like to express my full agreement with the statement made by the President, that the cordiality of the meetings between our peoples is a reflection of the warmth and the friendship between ourselves. Yes, indeed, the President saw the people of Israel in Jerusalem, Beersheba and Haifa: I saw the people of Egypt in Cairo and Alexandria: both of us saw the people en masse, waving, cheering and expressing their deep wish for peace between our nations for cooperation, for friendship, and this is the blessing of the good days.

The Camp David Agreement was signed a year ago - a few days less, but almost a year ago - and since then great events took place and we made real progress. I am grateful to the President for his invitation: we didn't yet determine the date of our new meeting, or the place. We shall do so through our channels, through our direct contacts as you know, we have a direct line - and we shall in the next few weeks determine both the place and the time of our next private meeting. Our colleagues in the negotiating teams in the meantime will do their very important work. Now we reached in principle agreement, the President said, about the controlling process of the peace treaty in Sinai during the period of the next months - two and a half years - on a bilateral basis, but other details will be dealt with by the Ministers of Egypt and of Israel together with our American friends. Secondly, we reached in principle an agreement on the oil issue, and on the quantity which will be supplied, or sold, by Egypt to Israel - and again there are several details which will be open for negotiations between the competent ministers. Israel decided to turn over Santa Katerina to Egypt before the 19th of November because of the symbolic importance of this date connected with the visit of President Sadat to Jerusalem nearly two years ago. But we also decided that all the arrangements which were predetermined in the wake of normalization should be in force, namely: the tourism will continue during the intervening weeks, both through the use of the airfield, in the air, and on the land - and so it will continue also after the period of normalization, and there will be from this point of view no change. And this is very important also for the peace-making process: the continuation of the normalization.

Thank you very much, Ladies and Gentlemen, for your attention.

My Dear Friend the Prime Minister, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me seize this opportunity to express my gratitude to my friend Prime Minister Begin, who gave me the opportunity to meet with the population of Haifa, Jews and Arabs. I was very keen, really, to visit this town - I never visited it before - and in all candor, I am indebted to the population here, Jews and Arabs, for the very warm welcome they accorded to me. And I think it is accorded mainly to the Egyptian people, who share with the Israeli people here and everywhere all the intentions to keep the momentum for the peace process and to reach a comprehensive peace settlement once and for all for all those who live in this region.

As I told yesterday in my speech immediately after I arrived, in the last two years we have really made a great achievement: no one can believe that in such a short time - two years, November '77 and now we are in September '79 - all this big event could have taken place and changed the course of history. And as I told the Haifa population, that we have succeeded to fulfil what we have agreed upon in Jerusalem, the Prime Minister and me, that the October War is the end of the wars.

We have achieved also the understanding and friendship which enable us to sit together and continue and persevere for the achievement of the comprehensive peace settlement. The Camp David Agreements and the Treaty of Peace between Egypt and Israel both are a very solid cornerstone for the comprehensive peace settlement in this area. It is only a matter of time when everyone will join: I have no doubt of this. As I said in Alexandria, I have no differences, in the sense of differences between me and Premier Begin, or between Egypt and Premier Begin. My main aim was to continue the process of normalization, meeting with the Israeli people in Haifa after I met with them in Jerusalem and in Beersheba, and to continue the discussions for the achievement of the comprehensive settlement, namely, in this precise moment, the full autonomy that we have agreed upon in Camp David, including Jerusalem.

Yesterday and today we have really made a very intensive discussion about all the issues. There has been an issue of the United Nations force, or the observers, which the Soviet Union raised. Well, we decided, Premier Begin and me, to take the whole matter in our hands, both of us, through a temporary agreement, until we meet with our friends in America and reach a permanent agreement to solve this. The Soviet veto will never stop or end the peace process: on the contrary, it will give it more momentum.

There are other matters that we have discussed and agreed upon, and certain matters that we have discussed and disagreed upon - and we think that like this we have taken in our hands the matter of the United Nations forces and observers issues. We think also that we shall continue together, and with our friends in the United States, to meet on the various levels - either it is summit level between Premier Begin and me, or the ministerial level, to continue the discussions and to solve and bridge the differences between us in the fields where there are differences between us.

I seize this opportunity to invite Premier Begin to come and sit with me in Egypt so that we can continue what we have agreed upon. That we shall meet on all levels in the future until we reach an agreement upon the full autonomy, including Jerusalem, and all the issues for the future and for the achievement of comprehensive peace in the area.

Thank you very much.

Q: (To President Sadat) Mr. Sadat, you mentioned Haifa as an example of brotherhood between Jews and Arabs. Did you find that your stay here was more conducive to interchange of ideas with Prime Minister Begin because of that?

A: Of course. Really, I have enjoyed my stay. I have enjoyed first of all, before I reach Haifa, in the sea, the Carmel mountain, and then the very warm welcome that was accorded to me. I shall never forget what I heard from the Israelis, either Jews or Arabs, and in Arabic I heard the same slogans that my people use in Egypt whenever I visit there. I think that this is of utmost importance for us to know each other, and I am quite satisfied with the result of the discussions and talks between Premier Begin and me.

Q: Mr. President, you have raised the subject of Jerusalem. What exactly are your demands on this issue? Another question: There is a feeling among some Israelis that Egypt is concerned more with the return of the lands than with a real peace. What can you tell these people?

A: For the first question about Jerusalem: It is quite natural, because in the Camp David we have stated that Jerusalem is part of the Western Bank and when we are discussing the full autonomy for the Western Bank and the Gaza, for sure we are discussing the Jerusalem issue. But it has much more importance because it is a very sensitive matter for the three religions who started, thanks to god, on Mt. Sinai, in Egypt. This is for Jerusalem. I have expressed my views to Premier Begin, Premier Begin has expressed his views. We need more time, more careful study for the whole thing, and this is quite natural.

Let me come to the second question, that we are much more eager to have the land rather than the peace. Well, I don't agree with this because, for the very simple reason: Today, for instance, there has been a very big issue, this is the threat of the Soviet Union using the veto. Well, it took five or ten minutes only between Premier Begin and me to agree upon the fact that let us take the whole thing in our hands and continue our peace process together. Well, I don't think this is returning of land that we have agreed upon. And then the visit - I don't really like this tone of returning the land and so forth. We are not returning land or so. We are, as I said in my speech yesterday, we are building peace, building new understanding, not only for this area but for the whole world - new order, that we can overcome all these difficulties in one leap and miraculously change the enmity to friendship. So I don't agree with you at all on this second question, and there is nothing that indicates that our utmost effort is for the comprehensive peace settlement for our generation rather than any other thing.

Premier Begin: Ladies and gentlemen, as the President mentioned Jerusalem, and told you that I expressed my opinion to him, he expressed here his own opinion. Not let me also tell you what it is I told my dear friend President Sadat about Jerusalem. It's an indivisible city. There is completely free access to the holy shrines by sons of all religions without any exception, completely protected and guaranteed by the law of the country, and those holy shrines are being administered by representatives of the religions, respectively, without any interference by Israel. This is the attitude and the point of view of Israel. On this, indeed, we differ, and this is one of those issues to which I hinted in my introduction remarks. This is the attitude of Israel, and I think supported by almost every citizen in Israel. As far as the Camp David agreement is concerned, we stand by it, we are faithful to it, we want to carry it out, to the words, "full autonomy for the Palestinian Arabs, inhabitants of Judea, Samaria and the Gaza district." The negotiations go on. President Sadat and I wrote a joint letter to President Carter, stating that for these negotiations we reserve a year - we still have time to go, we of course want to make real progress, we hope our colleagues will make progress, but we should all of us be faithful to what we wrote in the Camp David agreement and signed it. Thank you very much.

Q: President, Sir, in your after-dinner speech last night, you mentioned again that for peace to be lasting it would have to be a comprehensive peace, and you also attached a warning about possible misconceptions. I would like to follow this up, Mr. President, by trying to find out in what length the lasting peace would have to be comprehensive. Is it in a general sense that this area cannot be at peace without a comprehensive settlement, or does it imply a possible disruption of the peace process between Egypt and Israel unless other forms are also included?

President Sadat: Well, I have stated yesterday, exactly as you said, that the Palestinian question is the core and heart of all the conflict here which we lived for 31 years, until now, in the area. First, let me tell you this: In my speech now, I said that we have already laid the cornerstone for comprehensive peace. This cornerstone consists (on Camp David and the treaty between Egypt and Israel. I said more, that my promise to you in Jerusalem has been fulfilled: 'There will be no war after the October War.' Number three: As I promised you in Jerusalem also, that there is a security issue to be recognized and met, it has been fulfilled between Egypt and Israel. This may answer your question about the breaking of peace also.

Now, why did I come to Haifa? As an answer to the visit that my friend Premier Begin extended to me. I didn't come because we have differences in oil or in the United Nations forces also, because as I told you now, we have reached in ten minutes - we said, 'well, if the Soviet Union wants to maneuver, well, let us take the whole thing in our hands' -and we took it, really. The oil, for instance, it need not have brought me here apart from meeting the Israeli people here, but it wouldn't have made me come here, because there are differences of opinion on the oil issue also, because as I told you we have decided it also in a few minutes between Premier Begin and me. I came mainly because we have pledged together - when we signed the Egyptian-Israel peace treaty: And we have not only pledged but designed the whole process as a comprehensive peace settlement, not a separate agreement like some others say. I think I have answered your question.

Q: Mr. President, have you achieved any progress during your talks with Mr. Begin on autonomy rules, and if so, what is the progress? Have you asked other countries to join the peace process?

A: Well, for the first question: We have already signed in Camp David an agreement in which we have put certain principles for the comprehensive settlement and solving the Palestinian question, stating with the full autonomy. Let me tell you this so that everyone can hear it: We are not and we cannot decide the fate of the Palestinians. They should decide with us all like it is stated in Camp David. After three years from the start of the transitional period they should have their say like we said in the Camp David. But in my meetings with Premier Begin we don't work on the details: our ministers are working on the details of elections and so, but we discussed the principles rather than the details. On the second question: Well, they are welcome. Yes, I anticipate that by the end of this year, insh'a allah.

Q: (to Prime Minister Begin, two questions, asked in Hebrew by the head of Radio Cairo's Hebrew dept.). Mr. Premier Minister, the first question: Prior to President Sadat's visit to Haifa, the political reporters in Israel reported that the Israel government intends to make several gestures on the occasion of the event of the visit by President Sadat - inter alia, the release of several Palestinian prisoners from among the residents of the West Bank and the Gaza - Northern Sinai region, and the moving up of the date of the transfer of the Santa Katerina monastery to Egypt. As to the second matter, an Israeli decision was taken, and we welcome it - but what of the first point?

The second question: It is now clear that the Israel government is taking far-reaching steps on the path of peace, but on the other hand continues to insist on establishing permanent settlements in the area. How can these two matters be reconciled?

Premier Begin (in English): Well, thank you very much for your expression of understanding and friendship for our decision which I announced here about Santa Katerina. As far as prisoners are concerned, we always must bear in mind our security, and therefore there must be a permanent check by men who are dealing with these issues of security. We must remember what is going on as a result of the criminal activities of the so-called PLO, which is bent on the destruction of Israel in accordance with their charter, as they so openly - of course they will never achieve that aim, but this is their declared aim; And then they always attack civilians, men, women and children, and during the last months great tragedies happened, and therefore we must be very careful. But your question will be taken into consideration.

Now, as far as our actions are concerned, I would like to explain the main problem. My dear friends, we have to deal with the issue of our lives. To many countries, this issue, of a Palestinian state, of the so-called PLO taking over, turning any territory they would have under their control into a Soviet base and creating a mortal danger to Israel, may be a matter of serious policy to many countries. To us, its a matter of our lives and the fives of our children. And therefore what we want, what we strive for is to live together with our Arab neighbours in peace, in understanding and in human dignity and in common advancement. This is our progressive human and humanitarian aim. And here is the idea of the autonomy - which is our idea - and it was, I am grateful, accepted by President Sadat and by President Carter at Camp David, and it means that the Palestinian Arabs living in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza district will democratically, through a secret ballot, elect the administrative council, as it is written in the Camp David and in the joint letter of President Sadat and myself to President Carter after the words "self-governing authority."

They will elect their own administrative council, and it will deal with their daily affairs without any interference by us. We shall of course have to reserve security as a result of the reasons I already explained to you.

Now, what we suggest is that our negotiating teams. faithfully to keep to the commitments in the Camp David agreement, and I am very glad that President Sadat also expressed the same opinions. If we are all of us faithful to what we signed at Camp David, or rather agreed at Camp David and signed in Washington on the 17th of September last year, as we are in connection with the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel, great progress will be made, and I believe many other countries will join the peace-making process, insh'a allah. And I want also to state that we didn't sign a separate peace treaty between Egypt and Israel: Our real aim is a comprehensive peace settlement so that finally there is peace throughout the region of the Middle East, and no more bloodshed and no more suffering, and all the nations will live in friendship and in cooperation.

Q: Mr. Prime Minister, you and President Sadat have obviously made giant steps on the road to peace because you have been able to talk reason with each other. It may be wishful thinking, but if tomorrow the PLO were prepared to recognize the State of Israel, to stop its violence against our civilians, to accept 242, to revoke the section of the covenant which calls for the end of Israel - is it possible, or what other conditions would you want, to talk with them, or do you believe that we can reach a comprehensive peace without involving them in the peace process?

Premier Begin: You know, my friend, sometimes people say, 'I do not wish to answer an hypothetical question,' and you put so many hypotheses into your question that I of course easily could repeat that. I will not do so: I will answer your question. If all that happened, the so-called PLO would cease to be what it is, and therefore I can say, on the basis of the experience I don't believe it can or it will happen but that is not enough. I will speak to you with complete candor. This organization is both in aim and in methods a genocidal organization. We have an experience which we cannot and shall never forget of the thirties and forties and when we read a document in which it is clearly stated - I can quote it, I don't need it now - that the State of Israel must be wiped off the map: And when we see emissaries of death coming to a place, Nahariya, and killing a father and a small girl, or to Ma'alot and massacring eighteen school children, etc., and when we can say that the method is a result of the aim: And therefore, the so-called PLO is not a party of any negotiations. We want our neighbours - Palestinian Arabs - to be around the table: We invited them. It is written also in the Camp David agreements. But we did not mention the so-called PLO: Not at all because of the character of that organization. Now may I tell you we are not the only object of the attacks of the so-called PLO. Yesterday Mr. Arafat attacked violently Egypt, President Sadat, the peace treaty, the Camp David agreement - anything we did. This is not their attitude. It is very interesting, paradoxical that as we signed peace and we are doing our best to proceed with it - instead of being praised by people, there are some circles who condemn the peace process. That is an absolutely curious paradox, and therefore in summing up I would like to say: We want to live in peace with our Arab neighbours including the inhabitants of Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip. But. that murderous organization you mentioned is not part of these negotiations.

Q: My question is for President Sadat. You recently said that you are optimistic that an agreement would be reached on autonomy and on Jerusalem by the end of the year.

Based on the comments that were made here earlier about Jerusalem, are you still optimistic about reaching an agreement on Jerusalem by the end of the year?

A: For sure Jerusalem is, as I have already stated and as Premier Begin stated also, a very sensitive matter for all of us, the three religions. Despite that, as I told you, there are fields of, for instance, agreement and there are fields of differences. And its as I have already said then, let me repeat what I have already said in Arabic as an answer to the question that was put before me before you. If we shall not by the end of this year put the final touch, at least we shall have to reach or to achieve a very big step towards what we are after, that is comprehensive peace. Because the question of Jerusalem or the autonomy that we are discussing now - the aim of solving it, the aim of our meetings, the aim of our work now is to reach an established, comprehensive peace settlement so that we can agree upon all the points of differences like we have done between Egypt and Israel. So, yes, I am optimistic and I think if we don't reach by the end of this year the final touch that I spoke about in Alexandria, I think we will be leaping a very big step towards this and as Premier Begin, said, we have one year to reach an agreement that we have agreed upon in Camp David, upon the full autonomy we have one year, it means that we have another five months or so in the year 1980. But I am an optimist.

Mr. President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Mrs. Sadat, members of the Egyptian and Israeli cabinets, Mr. Speaker of the Knesset, our parliamentary colleagues, dear friends, ladies and gentlemen.

In extending a heartfelt welcome to my dear friend President Sadat, to his gracious lady, to their lovely daughter, to all our Egyptian friends, may I say that this visit to our beautiful ancient and rebuilt city and harbour of Haifa is a noble response by the President and his entourage to my visit to another beautiful and ancient Mediterranean port and city - famous Alexandria. These mutual visits, paid in the spirit of understanding and friendship, continue to make the peace we concluded a living reality. We all hope that so it will be in the future.

Admittedly, it is an unusual time, characterized by a paradox. Ladies and gentlemen, peace is being attacked. Usually, and in other times, war was being condemned as a tragic, horrifying phenomenon, causing unspeakable suffering to human beings, orphaning of children, bereavement of families, destruction of moral and other values. War was always deemed to me a disaster to all those involved in it and to others as well. There was even a brave, alas, a fruitless attempt by Briand and Kellog to outlaw war forever as an instrument of national policy.

Now what is happening before our eyes? Now peace not war is condemned. In international conference halls, by official communiques, by various spokesmen. The object of all these negative statements is the peace treaty Egypt and Israel have concluded, signed and ratified and duly brought into effect. Consider what did these nations do? They put an end to the state of war that lasted for 31 years. They pledged not to raise arms against each other, to cooperate in friendship with each other in all spheres of human interest and activity. What a damaging action. What a horrible, new reality? This is perhaps the most amazing paradox of our days. What has always been a praiseworthy cause for joy and rejoicing has become, in certain circles, a cause for alarm. I believe, Mr. President, that our answer to all this is simple: We are patient. We did our duty. Our nations and their representatives took a momentous decision to bring peace, yes, a general, comprehensive peace settlement, to the war-torn Middle East. It is a good, God-blessed decision. No words of wrathful, artificial condemnations can change its real nature. We shall not be discouraged. We shall proceed with our efforts. We signed a great, international document, a peace treaty. We will carry it out in good faith, in cooperation, in understanding, in friendship, for the good of our peoples and of the region and of the world.

At Camp David we reached a second agreement concerning the full autonomy for the Palestinian Arabs in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza district. It is also a good, positive progressive agreement, to which we should be faithful. In this agreement, there are constructive clarities, not what some call ambiguities. If we base the negotiations between our competent teams headed by Prime Minister Dr. Khalil and Interior Minister Dr. Burg on the clear stipulations of the Camp David agreement, we can, as we both wrote to President Carter, during a year, reach an agreement on the outstanding issues and set another example of how understanding between nations can be achieved and how they can live together in peace, in security, in human dignity, in common advancement. On this issue, too, let us not pay attention to the negativists, to those who condemn agreement instead of war and let us proceed with our efforts in complete faithfulness to what we agreed upon and signed. The time will come when others will see the justice of our intentions and actions.

I raise my glass to his Excellency, the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, to all our guests, to peace, to our friendship, to the cooperation, prosperity and happiness of our two ancient nations.

Prime Minister Begin, Mrs. Begin, dear friends,

Once again we meet in an atmosphere of amity and friendship. Once again, we lay a new brick on the foundation of peace. Once again, we see a smile on every face and find joy in every heart. This is the essence of peace. This is the only road to the future.

We are determined to take that road no matter what the obstacles might be. We made a firm commitment to our peoples and all the nations of the world to pursue the noble goal of peace and reconciliation. This is not merely a line of policy. It is a sacred mission that started the day I visited Jerusalem. It is an irreversible stream which is engraved in the minds and hearts of millions of people of good will everywhere.

To be sure, that road is not full of roses. It is an uphill struggle against formidable odds. But so was the road of the prophets and great reformers throughout history. Let us derive from their shining record the wisdom and vision necessary to find our way. Let us vow to overcome all obstacles and remove all barriers. We have effectively confronted many difficulties in the past. There is no reason why we cannot do the same in the months ahead. A humane and thoughtful approach to the Palestinian problem can perform miracles. Reconciliation between Israel and the Palestinian people is the shortest cut to a new era of peace and happiness. We share a responsibility to see that process in motion. You have your legitimate concern. Similarly, they have their legitimate rights and aspirations. We want these ends to meet.

I have dealt with Prime Minister Begin since I launched my initiative. We have experienced agreement and disagreement on several issues: however, we remained always faithful to our goal of reaching a comprehensive peace that covers every nation in the area. We all realize that in the absence of such a comprehensive settlement, tension and instability will build up every day. This is a price none of us can afford.

In our meetings yesterday and today, we discussed many points that bear directly on the Palestinian question. We will pursue our dialogue until we reach agreement. We both know that time is of the essence. We will solve the remaining problems through resort to reason and mutual understanding. We are not trying to resolve the entire question. We are only helping the Palestinian people to take the first step forward. Subsequently, they will speak for themselves. This is their inherent right.

Dear friends:

Let us join together in a solemn prayer to God almighty to enlighten our minds and purge our hearts. Let us sew the seeds of love in every corner in our region. Let there be no more suffering, no more violence, no more destruction, God willing, we shall succeed.

Q: Many Israelis are worried in case you retire from your post. What guarantees do we have that we will have another Egyptian president who will pursue your attitude, and that we will not lose Sinai and peace together?

A: Let me tell you this: Lots of your people, our friends in Israel, have visited Egypt. Egypt is not a one-man country. We are a democracy, and you have to come and see by your own eyes, there on the spot. On my return from Jerusalem, I never anticipated that 5 million out of the population of Cairo come out. The same thing happened after Camp David and the signing of the treaty. We are not any more one man's country. We are a democracy with institutions and with multi-party system. In the last plebiscite, on the treaty, 5 thousand only said "no" out of 41 million people. Ask Premier Begin himself when he came and he just went in the streets like that, without any preparation. He has felt that I have felt yesterday in the streets of Haifa here. We are a state, we have a government, we are a state of institutions, we are a democracy - you have to come and see by your own eyes. But don't ever repeat these words, "lose Sinai and lose peace." Don't ever repeat this. I shall not agree to it.

Q: In a recent interview in the German weekly Der Spiegel, the president of Syria, Assad, strongly attacked your Middle Eastern policy and yourself personally. Would you like comment on your position personally and the position of your country in the Arab world?

A: Let me tell you this: I have done my best. Before I visited Jerusalem I visited Damascus. Forty-eight hours before I arrived in Jerusalem I was in Damascus. I had a long session of five hours of talks with Assad at his home, and I tried to convince him - but the man couldn't understand or does not want to understand. For many reasons, this is something in the Arab family, no need to tell. They chose to sever their relations with Egypt immediately after we signed the treaty in Washington. What is the situation now? What is the situation of Egypt and what is the situation of the others who have severed their relations with us?

Egypt is achieving every day, not only in the area but in the whole world, achievements. One day before I arrived here I opened with the Foreign Minister of Germany one of the giant plants for fertilizers. Before that, we had El-Arish on the 25th of May. After that, we shall be having our oil in October, Mount Sinai after then, the first phase of withdrawal. In the same time we are conducting the negotiations between us and Israel and the United States for the full autonomy for the Palestinians. What is in the other camp? There is a plot in Iraq and he has to remove his president and kill his very intimate friends and to see them by himself shot, Sadam Hussein. In Syria the situation is deteriorating, they are much more nearer to you here, I can see the borders from the balcony here, than it is from Egypt - everything is deteriorating, especially after this Lebanese fiasco. What is happening between Morocco, Algeria, Libya. What is happening there on the Gulf? What is taking place there in Saudi Arabia even - the king left to Switzerland and they speak about some changes there also. In the middle of this you will find Egypt: The island of peace, island of love, island of democracy - and if you don't believe this, just come and see by your own eyes on the spot. At one time I said this: 'Let me see what the Arabs can do without Egypt and what Egypt can do without the Arabs.' I think this situation will be cleared by the end of this year.

Q: Last night in the last sentence of your speech in the dinner, you asked us to salute the peace between Israel and Egypt. What will it demand for you to envision not only a situation of no more war, but a real peace and cooperation?

A: Believe me, I am open - because this step is not a tactical step, this is peace, I mean, process, it is not a tactical step: it is a start, that's what I told my colleague, Assad, when you asked me, that's what I told' him there in Damascus 48 hours before I came here. I envisage open borders, friendship. The people of Haifa, when I extended an invitation to them, I knew that the population of Haifa is 250,000. Well, in Alexandria every summer we have one-and-half million - and we can accommodate them. Well, we can accommodate the whole population of Haifa, there in Alexandria. If you ask me about peace, I'm not at all worried about the details in the oil problem or so, because I have told you that I promised my friend, Menachem, when we met in my embassy in Washington, that oil will continue to flow - and it will continue to flow. There are differences: This is a matter for the ministers to decide.

But let me tell you this: When I look to the future, for instance, I am planning to begin the Nile water to Sinai - Sinai will not be any more isolated like it was before, and you know that the tunnel that we built under the canal will be ready by next summer. After the tunnel is completed, I am planning to bring the sweet Nile water - this is the sweetest of the four big rivers in the whole world - to Sinai. Well, why not send you some of this sweet water to the Negev desert as good neighbours - the water has already arrived in Sinai when I transfer it from the Nile to Sinai, and Sinai is on the borders with the Negev: Why not? lots of possibilities, lots of hopes.

And in the same time, let me assure you: The decision of war and peace in Egypt, as you well know: There will be no war after the-October War, this is a fact.

Q: As you said, the conditions in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq are most unstable. There has been for years now unrest, fighting, bloodshed Sadat: Iran also, add Iran.

Q: (cont.): civil war. There is serious danger that similar conditions could develop in the future also in the West Bank. Would you agree, Mr. President, that for that reason for essential security reasons for Israel - Israel should also be in the future in charge of security in the West Bank, also during the autonomy period?

A: During the autonomy period - what we called in Camp David the transitional period, the five years - the Israeli forces will withdraw to the security locations in the Western Bank and the Gaza. I am of the idea that, let us not cross the bridge until we reach it. Let the Western Bank and the Gaza have the full autonomy, and after 3 years we will be sitting together, and let me hope that King Hussein resumes his responsibility, like I resumed my responsibility towards Gaza, and sits with us - and until then, I don't think anything will harm Israel or will harm the security of Israel. But, on the other side: You remember when I visited Jerusalem two years before, I said I recognize two facts - one is that there should not be war after the October war - and thank God we have fulfilled this, once and forever. The second issue that I said was that there is a security issue to be met with for both sides: Let us sit together round a table, as civilized people, and discuss this security issue. Until this moment, this is my view. Whatever comes, I don't think any one of you, or in my country, could have imagined that in two years, after two years I'm sitting now relaxed like this here, and hailed by the whole population of Haifa in such warm feelings that I felt that I shall always feel that I am indebted to those people in Haifa here, Jews and Arabs. So let us take it step by step. But I'm not at all ignoring the security issue, but let us always take every step when the proper time comes.

Q: What is the most important achievement in this visit?

A: Well, the most important achievement in my view is that we have cemented our agreements in Camp David and the treaty between Egypt and Israel, and we are ready together - Menachem Begin and me - to face whatever comes, and for instance, this issue of the United Nations forces: Well, we decided together to take the whole thing in our hands, we need not go and convince the Soviet Union or any other one, we have took the matter in our hands, and we shall be working out the details for the supervision of the security issue in Sinai until we have agreed upon a temporary agreement to be concluded between us with our friends the Americans also, so that we can continue to face our obligations of Camp David and the treaty as well.

Q: With all your beliefs in the strategic moves for peace, there is some linkage with the autonomy. How do you foresee the necessary progress on the autonomy talks in order not to impede the broader peace process?

A: In the first hand, let me tell you this: Our work is dedicated for a comprehensive peace settlement. It started with my initiative in the Knesset in my speech there, it continued in Camp David, and on the signing of the treaty. There are lots of details in this matter of full autonomy, as I said yesterday, heaps of reports we shall be receiving about, for instance, the elections. How could the elections be done, and so and so, and we have to decide upon it, Begin and me. but let me tell you this, in candor: We shouldn't jump over this period and say that the future of Palestine will be so, the Palestinians will be so and so; No. They are not with us, and we can't decide anything behind their backs. Let us have them. The only thing that your colleagues asked me is this: Let us stand fast together and agree together after differences - we have differences, we-have fields of differences, fields of agreements, this is quite natural as human beings. But let us stick together to the cornerstone of the whole comprehensive settlement, that is Camp David and the Egyptian-Israeli treaty. Everything after that will be solved easily. But if we reach the moment when we face any conflict between us - difference of opinion, yes, it is natural - but conflict, I don't think we shall have any conflict between us again.

Q: You mentioned yesterday in your opening statement to the press that it may be useful to have a summit conference at some stage in the future with President Carter. I was wondering whether you have a certain period of time in mind - now, or closer to the end of the year?

A: Well, I myself, I welcome the idea to meet with Carter and Begin but yesterday I didn't say there is a summit, I said that there should be an exchange of views at summit level either between me and Begin, or on the ministerial level. But I didn't say at all that I'm looking forward to this - but: Carter is a dear friend, Carter is the unknown soldier behind what we have reached here and I welcome any meeting with him. But I didn't say it yesterday.

Q: We all have to go home now and write an article summing up your visit. What would you write if you had to write it instead of us?

A: Thank God I am not a journalist any more, thank God. It's a very difficult job for me. If you ask me my idea, I would say this: I don't know if it is by coincidence - I wonder if it is only coincidence - that a few days before I arrived here, we found - my archaeologists found - the very famous city Ayon, where Joseph lived, married and studied, and where Plato also studied. We have found the house of the priests. My archaeologists now are doing their best to locate the house of Joseph. I have told my friend Yadin yesterday to come and join efforts with my archaeologists. But let me tell you this: When we find the house where Joseph lived, married and brought his two sons and studied also - and it was 3,000 years before, when it was the capital of the culture all over the world, because as I told you, Plato was there, and was examined before they accepted him in Ayon. This Ayon we found 15 kms. from Cairo, in a place called Mattariya. Whenever we find the house of Joseph, and my archaeologists say they have found the location of the houses of all the priests there - and his father-in-law was a priest - and they told me they will be trying to locate Joseph's house; Well, as I told you, I wonder if it is by coincidence or anything else that this happened a few days before. But write this: Whenever we find the house of Moses, I shall refuse any Israeli claim of territory.

Mr. President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Mrs. Sadat, Mr. President of the State of Israel, Mrs. Navon, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Mr. President, on behalf of the people and Government of Israel, I have the honour to express our gratitude to you and to your gracious lady for the visit you paid to our people and country.

This was a momentous visit and it gave positive results. Again it was proved that the warmth of the hearts of our people, as that of the Egyptian people, brings them, with ever visit you pay to Israel and I pay to Egypt, nearer and closer.

We had very serious discussions. During this visit again close, intimate friendship was established between the representatives of our two countries, which in our time is a treasure to be guarded, cherished.

And so you end a three-day visit to Israel. I do believe that the city of Haifa and its people, both Jews and Arabs, the mayor and all of us, did their best to make your stay enjoyable. Our President and his gracious lady took part in the reception in Haifa, and we all remember the wonderful words he uttered in greeting you on behalf of all the people of Israel.

These were three good days for our country and for the great human ideal of peace. When we look around the world we can see that it is in turmoil. Not only our region around, but in many parts of the world there is hatred and bloodshed, and we want to build a corner which will serve an example to other nations of tranquility, of goodwill, cooperation, of understanding. We did lay the foundation for these great human values already. The time that passed was not in vain. We made efforts. Our colleagues did their best. And therefore we could have lived to see the great day when we put our signatures on a document called "Treaty of Peace between Egypt and Israel" - a turning point in the annals of the Middle East.

And then we want to continue with the Framework we agreed upon at Camp David, to be faithful to it. I do believe with all my heart that difficulties will be put aside if all of us are faithful to agreements we reached and decided to bring them into fruition. We, all of us are grateful to you and to your gracious lady for the days we spent together. There will be more visits. You will come again to us, representatives of Israel will visit your ancient country, and so the peace we concluded will be more and more reality in life itself. And when the years pass, we are absolutely convinced - all over the world it will be said that in this foundation we built a strong a beautiful edifice. It is peace not only between our countries, it is real peace between our nations.

Mr. President, Godspeed to you and to your lady on your way back home. We do not say today goodby but au revoir.

We came to Haifa with a message of love and friendship. We leave today with a renewed sense of hope and confidence in the future. The sentiments expressed by every Israeli throughout our visit were overwhelming. I interpret this not only as a message to the Egyptian people, but also as a vote of confidence to the prospects of peace.

It was equally heartening to find a clear realization of the true nature of the peace we are working to achieve. It is a comprehensive peace that encompasses every aspect of the dispute. What we have accomplished constitutes at giant step of unparalleled dimensions, but it remains a first step that should be cemented and fortified by other important steps. Each and every one of us bears the historic responsibility of translating this commitment into a living reality.

The talks I held with my friend, Prime Minister Begin, were constructive. They were conducted in the spirit of Jerusalem and Camp David. We were both aware of the vital necessity to make progress on the Palestinian question soon. We are determined to pursue this goal in the months ahead with all vigor and in full awareness of our mission. I am very pleased with the ever-growing friendship between our peoples. Very soon, our relations will reach a new era for our common benefit. This driving spirit must be invested to spread the blessings of peace to every corner in our region. In this task, we need the cooperation and understanding of every person of good will. This is how the course of history is changed. This is how a better world is built. And to this goal we remain faithful forever.