In early December there was a rise in violent activities in the territories. This was expressed in the shooting of Israeli soldiers and civilians, and reached a climax in the kidnapping of Border Policeman Nissim Toledano in Lod. His body was found two days later on the Jerusalem-Jericho highway. The acts were attributed to the fundamentalist Arab groups headed by Hamas, who were opposed to the peace process in general and to negotiations with Israel in particular. In the following interview the prime minister discussed the wave of terrorist activity. In a cabinet session held on 13 December, some ministers favored unilateral and gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Israel decided to limit the number of Gazans working in its territory. Excerpts:
Q: Do you have at this time any new information on the kidnapping affair and its follow-up?
A: There is, as of this time, no information, that could help in returning the kidnapped officer to his home. We are doing our utmost in order to obtain the information so we can fulfill the task at hand, to bring him home alive.
Q: From this I understand that no contact, be it direct or indirect, has been made with the kidnappers as of this time?
A: There is nothing new beyond the information from yesterday morning.
Q: Are you prepared to negotiate with these kidnappers? Are you prepared, for example, to release Sheikh Yassin, as they demand, in exchange for the return of Nissim Toledano healthy and alive?
A: I do not believe that it would be wise to enter [into] these or other details right now. Our role today is to find out all we can as to whether he is alive, and whether he can be returned home in peace.
Q: It is very likely that the kidnappers, in wake of the extensive manhunt after them, are finding it difficult, or are even afraid to make any contact with the Israeli authorities. Are you willing to make any other kind of promise - besides the negotiations - which will enable them, for instance, to give some signal of life?
A: As it has already been published, we have asked the kidnappers] to give a signal of life, as a precondition for talking [to them]. I stress "talking." (...) I suggest we do not elaborate on this matter. We are making a concentrated effort of all security branches in order to achieve the aforementioned goal.
Q: The kidnapping of the Border Policeman constitutes, perhaps, the culminating point of an unprecedented wave of terrorism: shooting, virtual daily killings of soldiers, car combs. How can this madness be put to a stop? Perhaps not enough has been done by the IDF or the security forces?
A: There is no doubt that there is a rise in a certain type of violent activity, and I mean first and foremost a certain increase in the number of shooting incidents; however, there has been a decrease, as compared to previous years, in the cases of disturbances. Why has there been an increase in shooting incidents in recent months? I have no doubt that those who propose this action are, first and foremost, the ones who want to kill Israelis, and also the peace and the chance to achieve peace. The activities which entail attacks on IDF soldiers, Border Policemen, by Islamic fundamentalist factors among the Palestinians: the Hamas and the Islamic Jihad. And they have a declared aim: in addition to killing Israelis and Jews, to kill the peace as well, and thereby accumulate strength and power among the Palestinians in the territories and increase support for their positions which will bring the peace negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel to a halt. I came into office with the intention of achieving one goal: peace and security. It will not be possible to solve the reasons and motives of the dangers of war, and internal and external terrorism, without implementing two parallel steps: marching towards peace negotiations, and military and other actions for the war against terrorism - especially against the terrorism of those who seek to kill the peace. I entered office determined to achieve this goal and I will. Neither stones, nor Molotov cocktails, nor gunfire will deter me from implementing these two procedures: the continuation of the peace negotiations and the strenuous activity against terrorism, within the framework, and with one activity against terrorism, within the framework, and with one limitation - that to which we are permitted by the law.
Q: A specific question regarding the Gaza Strip: in the cabinet yesterday there was also a suggestion raised as to why should Israel not withdraw from the Gaza Strip unilaterally and gradually, with enough advance warning, and would thus be spared from the deaths, daily street-wars - stones and bullets - which are being conducted there. Why do you actually reject the idea?
A: Part of the internal pressure in the Gaza Strip - the increase of disturbances and performance of terrorist acts -stems from the fact that we restrained the exit of those up to 20 years of age from Gaza. In the past, nearly 70% of the cases of knife-stabbings and terrorism inside Israel were carried out by Gaza residents to the age of 20, and therefore I preferred to close the Gaza Strip also to those up to 20 year old (...) The [implementation of this step] was grounded on the consideration that distress in Gaza is preferable to [the existence of distress in Israel - the type of knife-stabbing cases from which we suffered during the first half of the year in a much more outstanding way than in the second half. In the second half of the year the focus of the attacks was more on security officials inside the territories, or also in certain cases of civilians inside the territories. (...)
Q: If so, how long will there be killings inside the Gaza Strip?
A: To the best of my knowledge, any Israeli unilateral withdrawal under a reality of terrorism will be interpreted only as yielding to terrorism, and it will not put an end to it, but the opposite: it will increase terrorism. I believe in the following policy: yes to negotiations, to a severe war against terrorism, but no to withdrawal, not even one centimeter, if at all, without any agreement. Concerning Gaza, Judea and Samaria, the issue in question in the negotiations is the interim arrangement, autonomy or an arrangement of self-administration on for the Palestinians, as an interim arrangement for the transitional period. Withdrawal is not being discussed at this stage - neither from Gaza nor Judea and Samaria.
Q: Do you intend to change your domestic security policy in light of the incidents of recent days and the kidnapping?
A: We will evaluate each situation, we will look for every method with which to fight terrorism. (...) We will fight terrorism inside the territories, from the territories, and I believe that we must strengthen ourselves and be confident in our way, because I believe that within the next year we will reach an agreement, at least with one of the partners to the peace. negotiations, and all the terrorist attempts to spoil our lives and harm the peace process will be fruitless. I also address the public, those of us who experienced wars and terrorism: today, a chance to advance peace stands before us. The more we progress, those who oppose it will try to intensify terrorism in general. The increase of terrorism is a sign of fear of those who are enemies of peace that we will indeed achieve it, and thus I appeal to the public to be strong, to have confidence in the IDF and the security branches, and to believe in the chances of peace, and we will accomplish it.