28. Statement to the Knesset by Prime Minister Meir, 20 May 1974.
On 15 May, as the negotiations towards the conclusion of an Israel-Syria separation-of-forces agreement were proceeding, Palestinian terrorists struck at Ma'alot, in Galilee, breaking into a school and holding 85 school-children hostages. When the I.D.F. finally broke into the building, the terrorists killed twenty children. The mass murder shocked the world. Five days later the Prime Minister addressed the Knesset:
Mr. Speaker Members of the Knesset,
Barely a month has passed since the blood-bath at Kiryat Shmona, and we have been visited by the terrible massacre at Ma'alot. Three terrorists, spawns of Satan, cold-bloodedly and with premeditation killed infants, school-children and adults. The number of our precious dead, the martyrs of Ma'alot, amounts to 24. Many were wounded. The efforts to rescue our dear ones lasted long hours, and had it not been for the Israel Defence Forces' operation, it is not unlikely that all our dear ones would have been shattered in the crumbling of the building.
The huge massacre at Ma'alot recalls to our minds the terrible series of crimes of the base terrorism - the explosive-laden car set off in Jerusalem, in the midst of a market swarming with people; the blowing-up of the Swissair plane, with its passengers, whilst in the air; the murder of the Avivim children on their way to school; the slaughter at Lod airport; the bloody deed in Munich. The long list of victims of terrorism has now been swollen by our fine and innocent children, who set off from Safad to hike through the countryside, and were overtaken by the murderers. And before the murderers perpetrated their foul scheme on our boys and girls at the "Netiv Meir" school, they shot to death an Arab woman on her way home from work and murdered a family in their sleep.
The martyrs of Ma'alot went to their death for the sake of all of us. They were murdered for our sin in coming to this land, for the sin of the establishment and existence of our State, for the crime of our aspiration to live as a free and sovereign nation. This is Arab terrorism's reply to the yearning for peace which imbues us. This is the mark of the identity of the moral portrait of the anti-Israel terrorist organizations.
The blood of our children, the martyrs of Ma'alot, cries out to us, exhorting us to intensify our war against terrorism, to perfect our methods of operation, to concentrate our talents and resourcefulness, to persevere in the daring in seeking out the very heart of the terrorist nests wherever they may be. And, moreover, to impose greater watchfulness and alertness wherever necessary for obtaining warning information, as well as in everything relating to measures of protection and prevention, in good time.
The blood of the Ma'alot slain calls out to the world to desist from displaying any lenient attitude towards the terrorist organizations, their bases and their masters: to realize, while there is time, the peril stemming from the ideology and actions of the anti-Israel terrorism. This is a danger which cannot be ignored by any country which holds human lives dear. The call takes on added meaning in the light of the favouritism inherent in the Security Council's resolution following the Kiryat Shmona massacre.
Members of the Knesset,
On 15 May I spoke on television of what had happened at Ma'alot.
In order to recapitulate accurately the events of that bitter 15th of May, to collate the findings and draw the conclusions, I have appointed a commission made up of public figures. I therefore do not now propose to recount the events of that day, limiting myself rather to stressing certain facts and aspects.
The attention of the entire Cabinet was riveted to the happenings, the events being followed closely even as they were taking place. The Minister of Defence, the Minister of Police and the Chief of Staff were on the scene of the action, at Ma'alot.
According to definite data brought to the knowledge of the Cabinet in the course of its discussions, the terrorists who had gained control of the school were in possession of explosives. They rigged the explosives inside the building in a manner which would enable them to blow it up together with the trapped hostages.
All our thoughts were concentrated on rescuing our children. To achieve this, the Cabinet decided to accede to the demands of the terrorists and release twenty terrorists detained in Israel, as per a partial list presented, which was to be supplemented by two of the detained terrorists.
We took this decision with a heavy heart, aware as we were of its grave implication. In line with the terrorists' demand, an announcement of the Government's decision concerning the release of the detained terrorists was broadcast over Israel radio.
We were pleased to avail ourselves of the services of two ambassadors - the Ambassador of France and the Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of Romania.
In order to demonstrate our readiness to release the terrorists demanded, the three who headed the list were brought to the Ma'alot area. Efforts were made - without success - to establish communication with the three terrorists for the release of our dear ones in exchange for the release of the terrorists demanded. When it was proposed to them that they speak to the French Ambassador, who had (meanwhile) reached Ma'alot, they warned that they would kill him if he approached the building without a code-word.
The murderers announced that they would not talk with anyone not in possession of the code-word. But the code-word, which was to have been transmitted to the French Ambassador, and subsequently to the Romanian Ambassador, or to their Governments, was not delivered, neither to the embassies in Damascus or Beirut, nor yet in Paris or Bucharest.
The Ma'alot murderers announced that the code-word would be delivered only after the arrival of the released terrorists in Damascus.
At one stage, the Romanian Ambassador received a message from Bucharest regarding the terrorists' proposal. According to the proposal, the 23 terrorists were first to be flown to Damascus or to Nicosia. Once they arrived in Damascus or Nicosia, the code-word would be transmitted and half the number of the children held in the school-house would be released. Subsequently, the three terrorists - together with the remaining pupils - would be flown to an unspecified Arab country, and there released. This was at 17:05 hours. Not a single member of the Cabinet or of the Knesset Defence and Foreign Affairs Committee countenanced agreeing to this terrible demand.
We apprised the terrorists of the Syrian Government's readiness to allow the landing of a plane which would bring the released terrorists. We informed them that a U.N. plane had been obtained to fly those released. They were informed of the efforts of the Romanian and French Ambassadors to obtain the code-word.
The murderers as well as their organizations were pressed to extend their 6 P.M. deadline, at which time their horrible ultimatum to blow up the building was to become effective. They refused - once, twice, three times.
All efforts to influence the terrorists to accede to the proposals we raised and to secure extrication of the pupils in exchange for the release of the terrorists - were unsuccessful. The murderers did not cooperate.
The hour of the threatened detonation drew steadily closer. The Ambassadors failed to establish any contact or influence. All the indications were that on the dot of 18:00 hours, the terrorists would implement their threat and blow up the building with the pupils. Time became ever more pressing.
An appraisal of the situation showed that the prospects of releasing our dear ones through negotiation had given out. The Cabinet resumed its discussion of the situation, and resolved to approve the proposal made by the Minister of Defence and the Chief of Staff, regarding a military operation aimed at occupying the building in order to free the hostages.
The break-through by the I.D.F. and the occupation of the building lasted scant minutes. The terrorist who was to have detonated the explosives was hit by a sniper's bullet. The first soldier to enter the building succeeded in cutting the fuse, thereby averting activation of the explosives. It is not for me to relate the details of the battle. The terrorists employed the children as shields. Our soldiers who broke in killed the terrorists, but they were unable to prevent the murderers from such a mass killing of their victims.
Members of the Knesset,
Before approving the proposal of the Minister of Defence and the Chief of Staff, the Cabinet was subjected to agonizing hesitation. I am pleased to note that the members of the Knesset Defence and Foreign Affairs Committee, too, supported the Government's stand, also holding that first priority must attach to the effort to rescue the pupils, even at the cost of freeing the terrorists. However, as aforesaid, even our readiness to agree to the extortionist demand of the murderers, so long as we obtained the release of our dear ones - even this did not accomplish the aim.
We did not feel justified to stand by idly, waiting for the explosion which might well have resulted in the loss of all the hostages. When no alternative remained, we preferred - rationally but with great apprehension and heavy heart - to confirm the operation, in an endeavour to rescue the children with the help of the Israel Defence Forces.
Members of the Knesset,
The Commission I have appointed is composed of Major-General (Res.), Amos Horev, Chairman, and Moshe Unna and Advocate Erwin Shaul Shimron. The Commission has been requested to speed up the investigation of the following:
1. State of alert of the various bodies in the Ma'alot area, in the light of prior notice of terrorist activity in anticipation of 15 May.
2. The Safad pupils' hike to the Ma'alot region - its approval, its course, and its protection,
3. The assaults in the Northern region on 15 May and the actions taken in their wake.
4. The contacts for the extrication of the children trapped inside the school, including contacts with foreign elements in this connection.
- The Commission will hold its sessions in camera and preserve secrecy of its conclusions, and, to the extent that the Commission finds it appropriate, its recommendations as well.
- The Commission is requested to submit the report to me as early as possible.
- The Commission will hold its sessions in camera and preserve secrecy of its discussions, and in line therewith will itself determine its order of work.
- All the relevant bodies are requested to assist the Commission in its work and to place at its disposal the information, testimony and means requisite to this end.
The Commission will not deal with the subject of the military operation mounted to rescue the children. This subject comes under the jurisdiction of the General Staff. The Chief of Staff will report thereon to the Ministerial Defence Committee and to the Knesset Defence and Foreign Affairs Committee.
I am confident that the Commission will succeed in acquainting us with the accurate facts. If there were weak points in the security system, the police action or the Ministry of Education will point them out unhesitatingly. The Commission's conclusions will assist the Government in pursuance of the struggle against the terrorist organizations.
The report will be communicated to the Knesset Defence and Foreign Affairs Committee, and I propose to bring the principal findings to the knowledge of the public.
Members of the Knesset,
Terrorist activity constantly accompanies both our lives and every step in the progress of our project. The methods employed by the terrorists become increasingly brutal, lacking any semblance of humanity. Those responsible for terrorist activity have clear political goals. They strive for the destruction of the Jewish State and the establishment of a Palestinian State in the Land of Israel. There can be no compromise between us and the terrorist organizations. These organizations increase their activity whenever there are enhanced prospects for peace in the region. This time, too, there are reliable indications that the action at Ma'alot was aimed at undermining the efforts to achieve a separation-of-forces agreement with Syria. The Arab press relates that the terrorists even wrote this explicitly to the Arab rulers. There is no doubt that terrorism against us is also fed by the encouragement of elements which are not deterred from the cynical exploitation of the hostility for Israel in serving superpower interests. In this connection condemnatory mention should be made of the fact that the Soviet communications media reporting the events at Ma'alot did not hesitate to place the responsibility on Israel. In these reports there is an easily discernible positive tone applied to the terrorists, who are referred to as Palestinian partisans waging a legitimate struggle. In contrast, I feel duty-bound to praise worthy expressions on the part of statesmen and dignitaries in various countries, in condemnation of criminal terrorism.
The war against terrorism is vital to our existence. The attacks both here and abroad, which we have witnessed, are only a part of the actions that were planned. A great many attacks were averted in time - and this is not something we are in the habit of publicising. Activity against the terrorists and their organizations must be systematic, constant and daring. Our people are acquiring more and more knowledge and experience, and there is still a great deal, to learn and perfect in this field. I am convinced that it lies within our ability to deal the terrorist organizations mortal blows, but we must soberly realize that they cannot be defeated by a one-time operation. We shall increase our activity and continue to perfect all the (fighting) arms charged with combating terrorism. However, we must not content ourselves with the diligent and dedicated work of the various institutions. A great deal of \volunteering is called for. I hope that this spirit of volunteering will find expression in systematic and organized ways, and I believe that we shall achieve much in the way of prevention and punitive measures, and shall not permit the course of our life to be brought to a halt by the terrorists.
There can be no doubt that the acts of terrorism are also directed at destruction of the mutual understanding which exists between ourselves and the Arab citizens of Israel, as well as between us and the population of the administered areas. I am greatly concerned at certain manifestations of violence towards Arabs in the wake of the terrorist acts. While these manifestations are not the rule, they are nevertheless extremely dangerous - first and foremost to ourselves, to our human image. We are required to exercise self-control. We must not let irresponsible passions come to the fore. Let us not play into our enemy's hands. Let no one, take the law into his own hands. We must not make wholesale accusations. It behoves us all to assist the authorized bodies in fulfilling their task.
Members of the Knesset,
The brutal attacks at Kiryat Shmona and Ma'alot have again brought to the fore the problems and the situation of the development towns in Galilee. This aspect is not the subject of this statement, but the issue requires attentive handling by all Government departments. Not that there has been any lack of thought so far for the plight of the development towns. We should not belittle the achievements in the spheres of the economy, education, immigrants' and young couples' housing, and housing improvement at preferential terms.
New immigrants as well as old-timers are being directed to most of the development towns in Galilee. The dimensions are inadequate and the pace is insufficient, and it is imperative therefore to expand the dimensions and accelerate the pace. And I believe that a splendid and extensive development lies ahead for these towns.
Members of the Knesset,
Evil strikes in one place, and then in another. These attacks underline Israel's true solidarity, which transcends differences and contradictions. Terrorism will not weaken our spirit. We must be fully prepared if we are to succeed in preventing terrorist activity and in overcoming it.