Israel was visibly annoyed that President Mitterrand of France met Yasser Arafat on Holocaust Memorial Day. The French government countered by saying that Arafat declared that the "Palestinian Covenant" was null and void and that he openly declared his opposition to violence and acts of terrorism. Mr. Arens shrugged off the Arafat statements, saying Israel heard many of them in the past. Israel was very unhappy with the Arafat-Mitterrand meeting and noted that President Bush and Prime Minister Thatcher had no intention of meeting with the head of the PLO. Text:
Q: What is your reaction to the fact that today, Heroes and Martyrs Remembrance Day, President Mitterrand is meeting with Yasser Arafat?
A: The timing is really miserable, but we must add that any meeting with Yasser Arafat is ill-timed. He is the head of a terrorist organization that bears responsibility for the most heinous atrocities the world has seen since WWII. It is hard to explain - perhaps in a few years historians, or maybe psychologists, will be able to explain this strange phenomenon: that some of the world's leaders are standing in line - are making pilgrimages to shake his hand, to embrace him. The Pope did this. The king of Spain did this, and now, unfortunately, the president of France is doing so today.
Q: There are those who claim that Paris is the last stop before Washington. Are you not afraid that a shortcut will be taken to Washington?
A: I don't think so. We have not seen any sign that the president of the United States or the British prime minister or others are prepared to shake his hand and to meet with him. But, as I said, we were disappointed, and I think the entire world was disappointed, by the sight of receptions given to this man.
Q: Do you believe that demonstrations by Jewish communities, such as those now being held in France, can affect decision-makers?
A: I have no doubt that they have. an effect. It seems to me also that from President Mitterrand's reactions during the past few days, we have seen that the response by French Jewry has influenced him. I presume that some of those prime ministers, those governments that hold receptions for Arafat draw a certain amount of encouragement and support from those few Israelis who meet with PLO officials, and consider these meetings to be a stamp of approval for what they are doing. And when they feel that the Jewish world is united in its feeling of disgust, and The rejection of any contact with this head of a terrorist organization, it seems to me that this has to have an effect.
Q: Are you picking up the signal from Paris that President Mitterrand agreed to this meeting on condition that Arafat declare clearly and explicitly that Israel has a right to exist, and that he objects to terrorism?
A: We have already heard a lot of declarations and clarifications from this man. 7 read the interview he gave to "Le Figaro" just the day before yesterday. Among the Zhings he said was that he always objected to airplane hijackings. Now, we know the truth. Hijackings and mid-air explosions are the trademark of the PLO. These things have been done during his chairmanship of the PLO. In the spine interview, he also said that the Israeli flag has blue stripes on either side of the Star of David which signify the Nile River and the Euphrates. This is a bunch of lies, which should not surprise any of us, since we know exactly who we are dealing with. We are always surprised that people forget this, and take the declarations and clarifications seriously.
Q: When this is Israel's position, and the world continues meeting with Yasser Arafat either directly, like Mitterrand or indirectly, like the U.S., what are the chances of promoting a political process?
A: We are of the opinion, and have relayed this to the governments of the world, that these meetings with the PLO in fact constitute a certain granting of recognition and legitimacy to this terrorist organization, and even if this is not the intention, these meetings are encouraging extremism, terror, and violence. We have seen proof of this again in recent days in Judea, Samaria, and the Gaza District. In the past few weeks these territories have seen a wave of terror, led by the PLO, this time, against Palestinians. They are stabbing people, cutting them into pieces with axes, burning people. A Palestinian woman in Nablus was raped in a gang-rape. Afterwards, they broke her hands. Anyone who is suspected of not being an enthusiastic PLO supporter is a target for such attacks. I have no doubt that that feeling of legitimacy being given to Arafat and the PLO by their contacts with the countries of the world increases their 'ability to perpetrate such acts and [encourages their] attempt to impose their authority over the entire population.
Q: The committee you established in the Foreign Ministry to prepare the details regarding the elections in the territories proposed by Prime Minister Shamir, met yesterday. Is there any movement?
A: The great movement occurred when the prime minister presented his four-point initiative, which did not only include the clause pertaining to elections. We are acting on the contents of all four clauses, not because anyone is asking us to do so, or because someone is trying to speed this up, but because we ourselves are interested in promoting and hurrying the peace process. We will undoubtedly continue in the coming weeks to add details to the principles, as they were presented by the prime minister.
Q: Are you encouraged by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's comment that an agreement. can be worked out concerning the ideas proposed for a Middle East settlement, including the idea of elections in the territories?
A: This is definitely encouraging. I summoned the Egyptian ambassador to my office a few days ago in order to present him with the prime minister's initiative. Just two weeks ago the Foreign Ministry director general visited Egypt and met with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ismat Abdel-Maguid. He presented him with the prime minister's initiative, and explained it. We were convinced from the outset that if Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir's initiative were to receive a positive reaction from the Arab world, and were to be supported by the world's governments, it could constitute a most significant step forward in the peace process in the region.