On the Jewish feast of Shavuot, 30 May 1990, Palestinian terrorists belonging to the Abu al Abbas group landed on the shores of central Israel in three points, coming by motor boats. The IDF was able to repel the attackers who failed to achieve their goal which was to capture Israelis and to kill them. The PLO assumed responsibility for the attack. Israel was curious to see what would be the American reaction to this attack, which revealed that the PLO had not abandoned violence and terror as means to achieve its targets. By doing so the PLO violated a commitment it made to the Reagan administration not to engage in acts of terror. The foreign minister discussed the attack and its political consequences in the following interview. Text:
Q: Have we finally succeeded in convincing the U.S. regarding the PLO's true character?
A: I do not know if this is an issue of political encouragement, but for more than a year we have been trying to convince the U.S. State Department - the Administration in Washington, that in fact the PLO is not fulfilling the conditions imposed on it by former President Reagan [during his administration] at the beginning of the dialogue. In other words, the PLO is continuing to deal in terrorism. We know this in Israel. We encounter this - if not every day, then almost every week. But the U.S. Administration, contrary to some of the congressmen, refused to let itself be convinced. And here we have the proof - which I think is clear to everyone. The U.S. State Department must now cope with this.
Q: Do you really believe that the U.S. State Department will change its basic positions of yes to negotiations with the PLO? Won't this [incident] be forgotten, and then they will return to their traditional position of the last two years?
A: Perhaps. But, as you corrected yourself, this is not a long-standing tradition. For many years the U.S. government refused to talk with the PLO. I cannot provide a guarantee that they indeed will change the policy they have adopted during the last two years. But one thing is clear: The truth has come out. It is clear to everyone that the PLO is a terrorist organization. I presume we shall not hear any more mention from the U.S. Administration that the PLO is not a terrorist organization, that the PLO, Yasser Arafat, are people who discarded terrorism.
Q: Can it not be said by !he U.S. Administration that the PLO perpetrated the attack because they became desperate because of what they perceived as the end of the political process?
A: I do not think so. I think that the principle of the war against terrorism and not surrendering to terrorism is so rooted in U.S. philosophy as well as U.S. policy. I do not foresee that we shall hear anything from any U.S. spokesman, who will try to justify this terrorist act.
Q: Are your relations with the U.S. at their lowest level ever?
A: Firstly, I do not agree with this. Every few years, this is said. I remember this was said when I arrived in Washington as [Israel's] ambassador, in February 1982, eight years ago. This was not correct then either. I remember the freezing of the F-16 shipments following the bombing of the Iraqi nuclear reactor; after the Golan Law, they talked about decreasing aid. But this was not the case, and I think that when you look at Israel-U.S. relations from a historical perspective after 42 years, you will not reach the conclusion that we are at the lowest point ever, in reality, the relations are becoming stronger and improving all the time.
Q: What about voices in the Congress as well in the Administration which speak of a deep crisis in relations?
A: This morning, I met with two congressmen, one of them very senior, Bill Lehman from Florida. He did not say a word about a crisis in Israel-U.S. relations. This does not mean that there are not disagreements, and that part of the disagreements are severe, but I do not think they should be exaggerated.