PM Sharon to Knesset: "Israel wants peace"
Jerusalem, October 24, 2001
Following are excerpts from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's speech
today (Wednesday), 24.10.2001, to the special Knesset session
marking the end of the week of mourning for the late Minister
Rechavam Ze'evy, who was assassinated last week by Palestinian
terrorists affiliated with the PFLP:
"Members of Knesset, just over one year ago, the Palestinians
began a campaign of violence in the midst of peace talks on a
permanent settlement - true, not with our government, but with a
government in Jerusalem. They thought that they could defeat
Israel by terror and violence. They assumed that they would - by
violent means - succeed in achieving further concessions from the
same government - whose intentions certainly stemmed from its
beliefs - that had discussed and offered unprecedented
concessions. They assumed that they would succeed in isolating
Israel in the international arena and thus maneuver it into an
agreement the principles of which stood in complete contradiction
to Israel's national interests. They believed that they would
succeed in causing Israeli society and its quality of life to
crumble. They interpreted Israeli democracy and the multiplicity
of opinions in Israel as weaknesses.
Mr. Speaker, my friends and Members of Knesset, they were wrong.
After a year, they have yet to achieve anything. While the
Israeli people want peace, they are united in their opposition to
concessions to terrorism. A national unity government has been
established in Israel that will not negotiate under fire. The
attempts to isolate Israel in the international arena have
failed. Moves at the UN Security Council have hitherto been
foiled; I hope that this will also be the case in the future. Our
security forces have registered exceptional successes in the war
against terrorism. Our deep friendship with the US is strong and
enduring despite - and I say this with pain - revelations of
disrespectful localized panic. Ours is a true friendship and
partnership even if we don't always agree on everything. This is
exactly the strength of true friendship.
I said that the Palestinians have not achieved anything. This is
not surprising. Whatever the Arabs have achieved, they have done
so through negotiations. By resorting to violence, they have only
brought tragedy on themselves. Even today, we still hope for, and
desire, peace. But today it is clear what are the necessary
conditions for establishing a true peace process. First, all
Palestinian terrorist organizations must be disarmed. Unless the
infrastructure for terrorism is dismantled, unless the terror
option is gotten rid of, there can be no genuine progress toward
peace because we will not compromise with terror. I am not
talking about declarations and promises; we have had enough of
those. Not declarations, but action. Not words, but facts.
The Jews are a people of believers and perhaps this is good but
let us remember that we are facing brutal, treacherous and
determined terrorism. I have said from this dais that I am
prepared for painful concessions on behalf of a true peace, a
peace for generations, but true peace cannot exist in the shadow
of terror, burning hatred, relentless incitement and the
aspiration to annihilate Israel.
Members of Knesset, Israel is committed to peace and wants peace.
Israel is interested in returning to the diplomatic negotiating
table and has stated its acceptance of the Mitchell plan. This is our
position. No one can preach peace at the Jewish people. We are
committed to peace because we have seen the full horrors of war.
The purpose of the IDF actions in Judea and Samaria in recent
days is to prevent terrorism and arrest terrorists. Arafat is not
making arrests - so we are. Many important arrests were made
overnight, which will certainly affect the terrorist
organizations' ability to continue attacking us. Arafat is not
preventing terrorism - so we are.
Israel's supreme obligation, as in any state, is to protect its
citizens, and Israel will continue to exercise its right to
self-defense. We have clarified our position - not in the wake of
the various reports that circulated here, not in the wake of
publications, remarks or conversations that were held yesterday,
and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Foreign
Minister Shimon Peres for his aggressive stand on the issue of
the necessity of stopping terrorism. We shall continue to act
until we accomplish our goals. We have clarified that we have no
intention of remaining in "A" areas, and when we conclude our
mission, we shall withdraw. If we should need to exercise our
right to self-defense in the future, we shall not hesitate to
act. We have clarified that Israel will do all it can in order to
prevent an escalation.
(...)
It is impossible to present a diplomatic plan at this point.
We've already tried to. The moment the plan is presented it
becomes the starting point in future negotiations. The military
plan should also not be discussed. There is a plan and it is
being successfully implemented.
Honorable Knesset, the situation Israel is grappling with is
neither simple nor easy. It requires endurance, patience,
determination and perseverance;, it requires mobilization of the
will power of our nation. There are no magic solutions, no easy
solutions. We will pay a heavy price if we are tempted to
surrender to terrorism. The government that I lead will not be so
tempted and will not surrender to terrorism. On the other hand,
we should not forget that at the end of this confrontation, there
will still be two peoples here who are destined to live together
in the space of this small country, and it is possible to live
together.
We, the elected representatives, need to strengthen the endurance
of the public more than perhaps in any other situation. We must
set an example in our unity.