Mr. Levy laid out the philosophy of the new government in view of constant reports that its was going to slow down the peace process and re-think some of its key clauses. The focus of the remarks by the minister of foreign affairs to ambassadors stationed in Israel was that the government of Israel will carry out its international obligations and expects the other side to implement its part fully. If that does not happen "we shall not advance." Israel also wanted to continue the talks with Syria but without prior conditions. Israel expected Syria to oppose terrorism. The same applied to talks with Lebanon. He also mentioned ties with the Russian Federation. The minister also sent a clear message that there will be no return to a situation in which a bloc of countries starts making unilateral decisions on matters involving Israel and the region. This will not contribute to the peace process but could harm it. Israel will cooperate if involved in decision-making. The period of forcing Israel to take steps against its will is over. Text:
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am very glad we are having this meeting; I regard the dialogue that has to be ongoing between us as very important, in order that, through it, our message is also transmitted to your countries. Our message, as a new government just entering office, is a message of peace. We regard peace as a value, and therefore it is the core of our policy and of the basic guidelines of this government.
We mean this, we want to move toward implementing it, to achieve this great goal which has no equal, and toward security and existence. Naturally, there is no peace without security.
When I say theres no peace without security, I am thereby saying all peace lovers must confront the wave of terrorism: terror is a threat not only to Israel, but to the stability of the Middle East and I would say also to other parts of the world. It is a threat to stability, a threat to governments working toward peace, and it is a threat to cooperation, to all who want to strive for a tomorrow of a dialogue of understanding, of ensuring a better future for the children of all the peoples here and throughout the world.
That is our conception of peace: therefore, peace and terrorism are not compatible, and terror has no boundaries. We saw this here in criminal attacks in the hearts of our cities, whose victims were innocent citizens, women, children, old people, soldiers and civilians alike, in explosions which do not discriminate between nationalities. And in a harvest of merciless bloodshed. There is no rationality in those who act in this way; therefore we are working, and shall strive, to advance the peace process and stand with all our might together with all those who really desire peace, against this destructive wave, this threat.
I would like to welcome here, since I feel a pleasant obligation, the Ambassador of Egypt with whom we made the first peace, and we place importance on continuing the dialogue between us and Egypt. It is a very important state. I hope the clouds casting a shadow on our relations will quickly pass. I had the opportunity to speak with my counterpart, Amr Moussa, the Egyptian Foreign Minister. We know each other from my previous term here as Minister of Foreign Affairs, and I hope that through a joint effort we can resolve the difficulties and serve as a model of what peace brings to the two peoples and the two countries.
That is my hope. I trust that, out of this basic principle, a more comradely style will emerge, calmer on both sides, and that we shall not start to compete on the international scene. I do not know who will prevail, but I know who will lose both of us, Egypt and Israel. I do not want us to be among the losers, but those advancing and creating progress. That is my hope.
We have with us the Ambassador of Jordan, with whom we have also attained a peace agreement. The relations will develop, and Jordan too has a part and a commitment, as we have, regarding the same problems, to move forward together in cooperation, together with Egypt, for, in truth, the time has come to remove all misunderstanding. Neither side imposes on the other any obligation to do things; we shall work together. I am convinced of this.
We also have here today the representative of Morocco. You will understand that I have a special sensitivity; it is the country where I was born and grew up, a country with a fine population, very tolerant, a colorful country; and I want here to really express my pleasure in being able to greet and welcome the envoy of Morocco to Israel.
Tunisia we used to say Green Tunisia, "Tunis al-Khadhra." I am very glad to see the envoy of Tunisia here. I had the opportunity to meet with Tunisian industrialists and entrepreneurs who are really full of hope and the wish to cooperate. We shall continue to cooperate and strengthen the relations between our countries.
On the overall map of peace peace will take over from the Middle East and on to North Africa. Among people who want to see a different, better, tomorrow and there is nothing like dialogue. And with the representative of Mauritania, I would also recall that I remember from my youth the dispute between Mauritania and Morocco, the country of my birth, and every dispute ended in peace.
I want to wish us, with everything happening now, that we shall see the conclusion of our efforts for peace, which will bring smiles to the faces of the people, of mothers and their children. That is our hope. The government does not ask for months to establish its position: certainly not years to forge a policy or a political line, despite the complexity of the situation with its many obstacles.
From the first day and it hasnt yet been a month since we entered office we raised the issue of peace and of achieving it to the top of our concerns, and in these very days we are carrying out in practice everything that has worked, is working today. In cooperation, at different levels, between us and the Palestinian Authority. Today, too, an international conference of donor countries is convening in Gaza, among whom Israel participates together with the Palestinian Authority, and we shall continue to work so the dialogue between us will bear fruit, and we shall do away with suspicion and break a path through to work together.
Israel the Government of Israel will carry out its international obligations and expects the other side to implement its part fully, because if that doesnt happen, we shall not advance. We are also forging the appropriate frameworks, the creation of contacts by special envoys; we have met with members of the Palestinian Authority and even with its Chairman Arafat. We have conveyed messages so there should not be misunderstandings, and in order to work out together the suitable frameworks for discussion at the highest level, that is, the Government and the Authority.
We shall attain this, and it is a matter which is crystallizing. I say these things so all may know that what we perceive as a line of action must also be based on seriousness, on responsibility, on a joint stand in the face of the threat menacing both parties. If we are frank and really say what is troubling us, what endangers security, and the other side acts accordingly and with understanding between us, then the path also toward meeting for the final-status settlement will be a paved road. I hope for this, and of course shall do everything I can to do it. And its not a little difficult.
Until Madrid, the situation was much more difficult. It appeared that a meeting between Israel and the Arab countries was an impossible objective, there were many obstacles in the way. There were also psychological barriers, and we crossed them with hard work and reached Madrid, and things moved ahead, and we shall move them in the correct direction. What is ahead of us today is the continuation toward completion [of the process] but understand one basic thing: I say it, and repeat it here and everywhere: the people of Israel will no longer tolerate its blood being spilt in the name of peace.
Peace is meant to prevent bloodshed; the term "victims of peace" is not acceptable to us. No enlightened person, no one who has eyes in his head, can accept the notion of "victims of peace." We want a wall against terror, we want to prevent bloodshed. We want to talk without pressure and without threats. We want to work together against any element that tries to upset the consolidating, desirable, stability in this region of the world.
Israel will do everything while insisting on this basic principle; for Heaven forbid that there is a renewal and the most awful thing happens, which is that the people of Israel despair of peace. Despair... Things can reach a certain limit, that if the people can not endure it, they despair of peace. And Heaven forbid, but I see this as the greatest danger; that the people of Israel do not want peace, while its government wants peace. Our partners in peace must stand against the enemy of peace, which is terrorism. I hope we shall succeed in putting up a wall against this threat, in uprooting it and its infrastructure, and people of understanding and goodwill will begin to advance toward peace, and to talk in a different atmosphere.
As for Syria, we do not want to isolate Syria, despite what people say. We want peace, we want to talk. When we say without prior conditions, I want to repeat and emphasize this principle, which is accepted all over the world one side does not impose on the other its stand as a condition for talking. This principle must be realized. We have our stand and we are not imposing it on Syria. Syria has a position; that is legitimate; but she cannot impose it on us as a condition for talks, as a condition for negotiations.
We expect that Syria if it wants peace and we do want peace will oppose terrorism. They do not go together, and do not create trust. More than once, it has required a reaction; and we have already seen what the need to react causes. We can move ahead, and when there are terrible events which impel you to react, you go right back to your starting point. And so reason requires the elimination of terrorism, condemnation of terrorism, and statesmen exist for that. I want to hope that this message will be registered: it is not a dictat, but a hope.
In the same way as peace is also not a dictat, it is more than a wish, it is a commandment for responsible people, working for the sake of achieving peace. But they cannot do this and will not succeed if one side holds an olive branch and the other resorts to terrorism. They do not go together. In the war between these two concepts, either the olive branch or the terrorist weapon will fall. I would prefer the weapon to fall, leaving the olive branch intact; and we could then talk and advance and really understand, each understanding the others difficulties, in their joint determination to make progress.
The Lebanese drama is also known to all. We want a sovereign Lebanon, and do not want a single millimeter of its territory. We are there only because we have been forced to protect our towns and villages and our citizens; and we hope Lebanon will revert to having a tranquil life and to being a neighbor with whom we can live in peace. All in all, peace is possible; but for its sake, decisions must be made, and statesmen are required to take decisions decisions for peace.
A tense atmosphere brings with it threatening clouds. The skies of the Middle East, even after the peace with Egypt drove away many clouds, are still clouded with many difficulties and obstacles. But we pray for rain clouds, and no others. I hope there will not be any other clouds and we shall be able to work together for the same rains, the rains of the blessing which is peace.
We have worked and I was the initiator at the time of a multilateral dialogue to bring about talks to search for ways to serve the entire region. From the start, many were skeptical. I remember the first gathering in Moscow, where we founded this additional parallel process to talk about subjects in which, if there was no cooperation and help from everyone, international help, we could not change situations.
This country has many dreamers: but we have also converted a dream into reality in very difficult conditions. All we have gone through has gained us great experience which can prevent others from also going through the same things. There are very hard problems in almost every field. In this multilateral axis, we could for the first time think together about these difficult problems which each, separately, could not solve. They are basic issues: on the question of water resources, experts have met, and work is proceeding, which is precious beyond measure, and truly forming the basis and a working plan for the good of the entire region.
And in the field of regional development and I shall not detail all the other aspects, whether in medicine, pest control, natural dangers, diseases, etc. for the first time channels of conversation have opened up between people. People generate hope and turn it into reality only when they talk. And when they are not talking about war, they are talking of cooperation, thinking together, about the same things which give life. Then we slowly get a new reality being created. We intend to continue along this channel, and convince our friends in the world, both the Americans and the Europeans and the Russians.
On this occasion, I should like to work to advance the relations between us and Russia from their current level to that they stood at some years ago, when they were very good. We should go back to where at least there will not be a situation resulting from a lack of dialogue or understanding. We are truly not interested in confronting anyone, but in maintaining cooperation and dialogue with all.
We also want to work to strengthen the relations with all your countries, to advance bilateral ties; and I would be very happy not just to have this meeting regularly at fixed times, but also though you will understand that is not possible at this period because of the pressure of work to meet each of you individually as a partner in dialogue, for clarification and updating. My door will be open, and I shall see to it that these meetings occur. On this occasion, I want to thank those who congratulated me, and to greet you as partners, whom I would be very glad to work with.
Relations with this country have a special character: I have met ambassadors who have served here, and always carry in their hearts the fond memories of their service here. I also would like to hear any ideas you may have from time to time to advance these themes I would be most happy.
But, in a truly friendly spirit, I should like to warn that we shall not return to a situation in which blocs of countries, on matters involving us and the region, start making decisions. Unilateral decisions do not, and will not, contribute anything; they can only harm the peace process.
For all such decisions will bring in their wake other decisions. Anyone adopting decisions on their own to force us [to act] cannot be an open, responsible, cooperative, partner if they are perceived as taking decisions against us. That period is over. The world is no longer divided into blocs, neither three blocs, non-aligned, or aligned. The world today comprises one interest that of existence. Another interest, international cooperation to advance matters, is a common interest of all countries.
Therefore, I should like to see beyond this special task: each of you is his countrys flag here: I should like to feel the presence of not just the flag, but the strong flagpole bearing it, which should not fall. I extend my hand warmly in conveying the message of understanding, as those flags fly here in our freedom-loving country which dreams of peace and is doing everything to achieve it.