Mr. Shamir discussed the entire gamut of Israel's foreign relations, ranging from ties with the United States to the Camp David process. He criticized the proposed sale of German-made Leopard tanks to Saudi Arabia, a hostile country to Israel which kept calling for a holy crusade against the Jewish state. He expressed hope that the autonomy process and talks will yield a full agreement with Egypt "in all spheres as well as full normalization." Excerpts:
... The whole world was watching yesterday as two great events unfolded, events which will have significant influence on international developments in the near future. The news of the release of the American hostages from their lengthy imprisonment in Teheran was a moving experience for all the world's inhabitants. We all congratulate the great American people, and we share the joy of the families involved, as this nightmare that weighed heavily on all free men for over 14 months has ended. Israel, perhaps more than any other nation, knew the depth of the pain and the fear as to the fate of the sisters and brothers, and sons and daughters held captive by inhuman beings.
We have suffered through this total collapse of international law and order and we felt keenly the anguish of this trampling sacred rights and the dignity of man, and therefore our best wishes to the American people today are accompanied by prayers that never again will such a trauma afflict the United States, the leader of the free world. And, if, God forbid, someone else should try to do something similar, the United States will find the strength and the way to defend its honor, because this is the essence of all humanity. The fate and future of the free world depends upon the ability of the United States to prevent these kinds of crimes. May she possess this capability forever.
Yesterday, a new administration took office in the United States. The people of Israel, and the entire Jewish people, extend their sincere felicitations to President Reagan and his administration, and wish him complete success in advancing the interests of the United States, and in strengthening the cause of peace and security in our troubled world.
Relations between Israel and the United States over the years have always been characterized by ups and downs. After all, one can not always expect that two nations, so different, will always have identical interests and policies. But there is something basic and elementary in the relations between the two nations, something that is not damaged by changes in circumstances: and that is the deep-rooted friendship between the two peoples, and the mutual commitment to walk together, through good and bad, despite the differences of opinion, which in and of themselves are nothing but normal phenomena accompanying relations between peoples...
We are encouraged by President Reagan's words that the United States will remain loyal to her allies, and will help them defend their freedom. We have no written treaty of alliance with the United States, but as the only democratic nation in this part of the world, we see ourselves as the ally of the world's largest democracy. We are proud of our democratic regime, in our ever-changing region. We know that Israel - despite her many problems as a result of her democratic system: the interparty warfare, the coalitional crises, etc. - is the most stable nation in the region. Here, even should a government change, the system remains stable and enduring in contrast to the autocratic nations that surround us, in which, despite the firmness of their rulers, there can take place overnight a revolutionary change, that will pull down in its wake internal stability and international commitment. Behold, Israel has decided to hold elections in another few months, and elect its Tenth Knesset - and already we are hearing voices from several quarters expressing anticipation of the subversion of the basic principles of Israel's peace and defence policies, as a result of the upcoming elections.
The scent of prey has aroused the hyenas yelping about "stubborn" Israel. All those who long to see a dismembered, fragmented Israel, without Jerusalem, pushed back to its 1967 borders, with an Arafatist state alongside it, are hoping that perhaps their hour has come.
We shall calm them. First of all: the Israeli voter and only he, shall decide who will form the next government in Israel and not the commentators and various pollsters - and this will be decided here and not in London or Paris - and secondly, whatever the election results, no government in Israel would be willing or capable of adopting the stifling plans which the oil and petrol-dollar thirsty experts in Europe and other areas have been drawing up in their offices for Israel. The national consensus remains deeply ingrained in the national consciousness of the people of Israel. Jerusalem, the capital of Israel (will remain) united, and there will be no return to the cease-fire lines of before June 1967, no Arab Palestinian state will be established in the Land of Israel, there will be no negotiations with the organizations of murderers - the vast majority of the people of Israel stands united behind these principles, and this will not be changed by the 1981 elections. So let our friends be reassured, and let our enemies not rejoice...
Mr. Chairman, during the last few days we have learned of the possibility that the government of the Federal German Republic may sell Saudi Arabia a large quantity of the newest and (most) sophisticated "Leopard" tanks. On this Jewish podium, I must seriously warn against this provocative attempt at supplying lethal German arms to extremist enemies, in order to endanger Israel's security. Saudi Arabia is, for some reason, considered by the Western world to be a moderate state - but as far as its relations with us are concerned, it is one of the most radical countries in its hostility towards Israel.
At this very moment it is hosting an Islamic summit which has engraved on its banner the slogan "Jerusalem and Palestine", and calling for a "Jihad" to be waged against Israel. It is fighting the Camp David Accords, generously financing the Palestinian organizations of murders and bribing the rulers of various countries to sever their relations with Israel - and there is no doubt that the addition of hundreds of brand-new tanks will significantly increase the danger to our existence posed by the eastern front. It is reprehensible that German arms should threaten the security and existence of the Jewish state. We are hopeful that the voices of conscience being heard in Germany against this "deal", will win the day, and that we and the world will, be spared this disgrace...
The framework agreement signed in Camp David has determined the character of the arrangement to prevail with respect to the areas of Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip, during the five-year transition period. If this agreement had intended to establish a Palestinian entity, or a kind of state-in-the-making, we would not even have signed the agreement, and our partners to the agreement are quite aware of this. We have opposed every attempt at rendering such a distorted interpretation of the autonomous regime, and have made efforts to advance the autonomy talks with Egypt towards a successful conclusion. Egypt has taken the tactic of suspension and attrition in the framework of negotiations, accompanied by declarations and steps favoring a "Palestinian" state and joining the P.L.O. to the negotiations. The Egyptian actions are aimed at pressuring us, by exploiting the various initiatives and resolutions taken by Europe, the U.N. and other international forums. We, on our part, have exercised maximum restraint, and have agreed to return to the negotiating table time after time, despite the unjustified unilateral suspensions by the Egyptian government.
Camp David was not, and was not intended to be, the beginning of a process of attrition which would lead to a Palestinian state. If this truth is made very clear to everyone, then there will be no obstacle to our reaching an agreement on the matter during the course of this year. The elections both in Israel and the U.S. are irrelevant to this matter. In 1981 we must and are capable of reaching a full agreement with Egypt in all spheres as well as full normalization.
From a geographical standpoint, the only part of the Middle East which is quiet and stable is that which includes Egypt and Israel. All the remaining area, to the east, north and south. is stormy, volcanic and fraught with danger to regional and world peace. The Iraq-Iran war, Libya's mad invasion of Chad, the bloodbaths in Syria - and the feuds between Jordan and Syria, Iraq and Syria, Libya and Saudi Arabia, etc. - paint a picture of chronically dangerous instability.
In this volcanic sea, Israel has no alternative but to be strong and to reflect strength. Its strength must be real and its borders defensible. There is no alternative to these' principles for our security and our existence...