September 27, 1996
Mr. President,
Today, the day when the Jewish people in Israel and around the world, sit in the tabernacle and offer the prayer to the almighty that he "place the tabernacle of peace over us", is also the day that the bereaved families are mourning their loved ones, cut down in their twenties in the recent events, and offering prayers in their memory.
Many others stand concentrated and pained at the bedsides of the many injured, with a silent prayer for their recovery in their hearts.
On this day I stand here in the face of the orchestrated attempt to place blame on Israel and to portray it as the sole responsible party for the bitter harvest of blood in which so many have lost their lives, Palestinians and Israeli alike.
I come to refute in their entirety the distortions of fact which are being spread here regarding the dramatic events of the last days, which have cast such a dark cloud over the entire peace process.
No matter what claims may be held against Israel, they in no way justify the incitement to violence and the use of live weapons, especially by those who have been empowered by the agreements to ensure law and order.
The essence of the peace to which we all aspire is the transformation of the patterns of behavior, replacing threats with dialogue, and violence with conciliation and direct talks between the sides.
The atmosphere of escalation, threats, and calls for armed struggle will not move us from the fundamental principles which guide our policy - the pursuit of peace while ensuring national and personal security for our citizens.
Israel's desire for peace is enshrined in the declared policy guidelines of the government.
The commitment of the present government to the agreements signed by its predecessor gives expression to the democratic values which light our path, and is deserving of due recognition from all interested parties.
From the inception of this new government, Israel has been subjected to calls for the normalization process to be halted, and threats of a return to the intifada if Israel does not commit itself in advance to the outcome of the negotiations between us and the Palestinians. Israel has been threatened that if the demands of the other side are not met in their entirety, then it will face an armed struggle against it.
On other fronts, steps have been taken and troops redeployed as a means of sending a message warning Israel that if it does not adopt one specific path and commit itself in advance to one single outcome demanded by the other side, then the situation in the region will deteriorate, and the blame will be placed squarely at Israel's feet.
A constant propaganda war is being waged against Israel and its government. Filled with hatred and venom, and carried out without interference and often even with the encouragement of statesmen.
Shocking and unprecedented personal insults against Israeli leaders are voiced daily.
There is not one country in the world that can accept this, even in the name of peace itself.
Mr. President,
Let us remove all doubt. While the official reason for convening this session of the security council is the opening of the western wall tunnel, this is merely a pretense. What we have before us is yet another attempt to dictate and pressure Israel as a means of achieving political goals, and to predetermine the outcome of the negotiations. Given, however, the declared purpose of this session, it is important, in light of the distorted perspectives that are being heard from all directions, that we set the record straight regarding the western wall tunnel.
This is a 2,500 year old tunnel, which in ancient times was used as a water system, providing life itself to Jerusalem and its inhabitants. Today, water is of course supplied differently, yet the tunnel remains a symbol of the unique and eternal character of Jerusalem. Today the tunnel forms part of the larger tourist fabric of the city. The tunnel holds no political or religious significance whatsoever. The attribution of a religious nature to this issue is manipulative and baseless, and designed purely to arouse emotions. Our sole intention in opening the exit of the tunnel was to provide better comfort and safety to the many local visitors - Jews, Christians and Muslims - and the many tourists and pilgrims who come to the holy city to marvel at its wonders.
The supreme Muslim religious authority on Jerusalem, the Waqf, was informed in advance of our intention to open the tunnel to tourists and visitors.
I wish to remind you that all measures taken by the Israeli authorities in Jerusalem take into account the needs of the entire population, including the Muslim population, in order to preserve the principle of freedom of worship and access to the holy sites to all religions.
At no time in Jerusalem's long history has freedom of worship and free access to the holy sites been so painstakingly safeguarded as it has under Israel's authority.
Great pains were taken to ensure that the opening of the tunnel neither damaged any archeological or religious sites, nor endangered the security or the integrity of any structures in the old city, Islamic or otherwise.
Mr. President,
I wish to emphasize, the western wall tunnel does not run beneath the Temple Mount, nor does it in any way affect the Al-Aqsa mosque or its foundations. What we are facing here is an attempt to exploit an isolated event for the purpose of conducting a general and orchestrated offensive upon Israel.
At this juncture, as we debate the current sensitive and dangerous situation, I call upon the participants here to call upon the various regional actors to display caution, reserve and responsibility in both their words and deeds.
Israel is not on trial. Over the last months we have cautioned more than once that words of violence can turn into actions, and that threats of violence are carried out in the end. To our great regret, our fears have now been realized.
The chairman of the Palestinian Authority must exert the authority vested in him, to exercise his restraining influence and issue clear and unequivocal instructions to his forces and to the residents of the autonomous areas to refrain from violence lest there be any further deterioration.
This is his responsibility.
At this difficult time, I must make it as completely clear that Israel has always been and remains committed to pursuing peace through honoring agreements.
Peace is meant to prevent the spilling of blood, be it that of our sons, or of our neighbor's alike. Violence, and the terrorist to which we were subjected only a few short months ago endanger the peace process and threaten all possibility of bringing about a new reality.
We believe that honoring agreements is an integral element of peace and of the efforts required to achieve it. In the few weeks since assuming the heavy burden of responsibility and the mission of running the weighty matters of state, we have conducted ongoing contacts with the chairman of the Palestinian Authority, Mr. Yassir Arafat, and his colleagues. The Prime Minister, the Defense Minister and myself have held talks with him, and we have agreed together with the Palestinian side upon a clear structure for resuming the negotiations for discussing and resolving the issues in dispute. We have taken steps to ease the closure, while taking upon ourselves security risks, in light of the horrendous terrorist attacks in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and elsewhere which remain fresh in our minds. We have taken decisions to assist and ease the economic hardship in the autonomous areas.
The place for solving differences is the negotiating table, and for this, order, stability and security must be restored.
The recent events are serious and grave. This no one can deny. Nevertheless, we must not lose hope. Now we must make every effort to prevent further deterioration, to restore quiet and to renew negotiations. Continued escalation, violence and expressions of hatred may prevent any possibility of advancing towards peace.
Mr. President,
Once more I call upon the chairman of the Palestinian Authority, Yassir Arafat, to act in accordance with the responsibilities vested in him.
This security council debate must not be allowed to become yet one more phase in the attempt to isolate and impose unacceptable positions on the government of Israel. The council must not lend its hand to the atmosphere of escalation. This will serve no purpose.
Mr. President,
I come from Jerusalem and shall return to it. Jerusalem is a mosaic of many colors towards which countless eyes and prayers are turned from all corners of the earth. Jerusalem has always been and remains the heart and soul of the Jewish people, the eternal and historic capital of Israel. The annals of the Jewish people are embedded in its very essence, its stones, its pathways and hilltops. Jerusalem, as its Hebrew name testifies, is the city of peace. Let us all, Jew and Arab alike, raise a prayer and heed the lessons of recent days, and embark on a new path of dialogue.
We are pained by the bloodshed. The years of struggle, violence, bloodshed and pain have led us nowhere. We must build a new future. Let us not miss the opportunity.
Mr. President,
I would like to congratulate you on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of September and for the very able manner in which you are conducting the affairs of the council. Thank you.