Speech by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at ceremony awarding him an honorary doctorate from
Ben-Gurion University
Beer Sheva, 21 November 2001
(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was on Wednesday, November 21, 2001,
awarded an honorary Doctorate at Ben Gurion University of the Negev
in Beer Sheva. Following is the text of his speech at the
ceremony:
Minister of Foreign Affairs, President of the University, members of
the academic staff, ladies and gentlemen,
Greetings to my fellow honorees, each one with their own unique
contribution:
Gustav Levin, a man of education and scientific research, a pioneer
in the field of knowledge, a teacher of generations of students,
Avraham Sarusi, who dedicated his life to the establishment of a
deterrent power, one of the basic foundations of the strength of
Israeli society,
Efraim Kishon, whose writings, plays and rich Hebrew language,
portrayed the profile of the proud and just Israeli,
I feel humble as I stand before you today, to receive this honorary
degree. Such an honor is usually bestowed upon those whose work is
close to completion and they are now able to survey it in full. My
government is only at the beginning of its path. The impact of its
actions can only be judged in a few years time.
When I formed my government - the National Unity Government - I knew
that we were facing numerous battles on several fronts, each one
difficult and urgent. I knew then that the government would not be
able to raise only one banner and postpone all other problems for a
later date, as did previous governments.
The threat of terrorism is on our doorstep and we are expected to
devise a new solution. Terrorism is attempting to instill fear in our
hearts. In this, it has failed.
While we are willing to make painful compromises for peace, we will
not make even the slightest compromise that will endanger Israel's
security.
This is a long and painful battle. It did not start yesterday and it
will not end tomorrow. We, unfortunately, will continue to pay a
heavy price for our desire to live in peace. Eventually we will
triumph. We will triumph because we have justice on our side, because
we will continue to seek and pursue peace, and at the same time we
will continue to defend our lives, the lives of our children, and the
safety of our homes. We will take chances, persevere and triumph.
The United States, our greatest friend and ally, and its courageous
and determined leader, George W. Bush, is currently spearheading the
war of the free world against terrorism. We share America's
commitment to the Tenet and Mitchell understandings, which
specifically outline the roadmap toward our sought-after goal: peace
and tranquility. The Secretary of State defined the one test of
success: deeds and not words. And we will indeed insist upon complete
quiet without any threat or harm to the people of Israel, as a
pre-requisite for any negotiations, particularly any concessions.
Aside from the security problems, Israel is currently in an economic
situation that can only be defined as a crisis situation. These are
not merely hollow words. The global economic storms, simultaneously
with the security difficulties, threaten to overturn the Israeli
economic ship.
The economic results are not merely theoretical formulas. Economy is
not only about numbers, it is about people - their lives, livelihood,
hopes, however humble, for a better future for them and their
children.
These people must always be foremost in our thoughts: the workers who
earn no more than the price of a loaf of bread and are terrified of
losing their jobs, the unemployed who have lost all hope, those in
need of a helping, comforting hand. These phenomena can no longer be
accepted as part of the daily routine.
Salary demands, strikes and sanctions are the legitimate right of
every employee, but we have no way to accommodate their demands - not
because we do not wish to give them, but because the coffers are
empty.
Salary increases for high-level earners must stop. It is the leaders
who must show the way. We, the State officials, must lead the process
of freezing salaries for the high-level earners. Political
legislation must stop, or at least be postponed to better times.
The bureaucratic delays in the implementation of projects must stop
immediately. This is the time to take action, or to let the doers,
primarily those of the private sector - take action.
These are trying times. One must admit however, that we have known
even more difficult times in this country, and we have triumphed.
Today especially, here in Be'er Sheva, the capital of the Negev, we
remember the first leader, who was greater than all of us, David Ben
Gurion.
Both I and my friend and partner Shimon Peres had the privilege of
working directly with Ben Gurion. We watched closely how in times of
fear and doubt, when trouble rocked the shaky boat of Independence,
Ben Gurion had a solution to every problem - the establishment of
Israel's security forces, immigrant absorption and the great economic
crisis, the coming into being of Israeli statehood, and encouragement
of Hebrew culture and creation. Ben Gurion was the embodiment of
active and involved leadership, which looked beyond the obstacles of
today, into the future.
Nothing epitomizes the ideals of our generation's greatest Jew, like
the vision of the Negev.
For me the Negev is home. I love this land - its open spaces, its
wonderful landscapes and the fascinating past embedded in its earth.
I will always return to this place.
However, Ben Gurion built his home in the Negev not only because of
his love for this land. The Negev was, in his mind's eye, the focus
of the realization of our future in the entire Land of Israel.
Today, we still have time restrictions, and Ben Gurion's vision has
not yet been realized. We have traveled a long and difficult journey.
The threats we face today are nothing like those of the past.
However, we are stronger, we are advanced, and we have more resources
and oportunities. We have accomplished much in the country, and in
the Negev. We have built homes for our children and grandchildren. We
have planted trees and we eat the fruits they bear. Still, we have a
long way ahead of us. The vision of the blossoming Negev is still
calling us and waiting for its full realization.
The blossoming Negev will be the land of peace. The Negev has always
been a bridge between cultures - here Israel and the Arab countries
can meet at the shores of the Red Sea, extract the treasures of the
Dead Sea, and develop the Mediterranean coastline in Rafiah, Gaza and
Ashkelon.
The blossoming Negev will be an example of co-existence between the
Jewish and the Bedouin residents. We must take every possible step to
assist the Bedouin, to give them equal rights and duties in our
State, to be part of the splendid mosaic that makes up the State of
Israel and the Negev.
The blossoming Negev will be the home of a rich industry that will be
established along the shores of the Dead Sea and Ramat Hovav and
Be'er Sheva, which will have to expand to further locations, that
will offer a decent livelihood to many, and will be the center of
production and exports of our main natural source, the Jewish
mind.
The blossoming Negev will be a center for learning and education, and
its nucleus is this wonderful university, that you head, Avishai;
[Braverman] the colleges and centers of learning, from the College of
Sha'ar Hanegev to the branch of Ben Gurion University in Eilat.
Particularly in this area - the blossoming Negev - we can cast aside
all our daily disagreements, and unite together. All our tribes, our
different sectors and backgrounds - a broad national consensus.
The wild Negev panorama, the dry land and the cliffs, the craters and
sand, the acacia trees, the juniper trees, will continue to be a
source of magical inspiration, a bond between a magnificent past to
no less a magnificent future.
Here in the Negev, a place where every beginning can be a new
beginning, primarily, we can build the core from which inspiration
and momentum can be drawn throughout Israel. Israel will not
fertilize the Negev - the Negev will fertilize us, all of us.
Therefore, we have decided that in order to tackle our present
problems, we must not neglect building a future in the Negev.
We have already reached decisions concerning our infrastructure and
we are beginning to accomplish things. I am working to hasten the
paving of the Trans-Israel Highway - the link between the Negev and
other parts of the country. I have issued instructions to open a
rail-line to Dimona, and when completed, a track will be laid to
Be'er Sheva, a project which was initiated when I was Minister of
National Infrastructures. I also issued instructions to start the
planning of another train line for Ashkelon-Sderot-Netivot-Ofakim-
Be'er Sheva. We will allocate other resources towards the development
of the infrastructure to shorten distances, improve the capabilities
of the Negev, and help Israel to flourish. We have also been active
in the field of education. On Monday I gave instructions to commence
this great enterprise to build 5000 classrooms, for Jews and Bedouins
in the Negev.
We will continue to breathe new life into the Negev. We will
establish new settlements along the lower part of the Hevron hills,
along the sands of Halutza, in Ramat Hanegev and in the desert. We
will continue to build in the city centers, in Be'er Sheva, Eilat and
the surrounding cities, from Mitzpe Ramon to Kiryat Gat, and from
Dimona to Sderot.
I stand before you, as the head of the Ministerial Committee on Negev
Matters. I call on all those seated here, people of the Negev and
guests, not to give in to our trying and stressful daily routine,
which is sown with tears and wrath. We must not judge the future by
the present. Join us in shaping the future of Israeli society here in
the Negev, from which we will eventually see the light.
Thank you.