Wye Plantation, Maryland
October 21, 1998
We are now at the point where we'll find out whether we can move to
an agreement or fail to secure it.
We came here intending to live up to a laborious and difficult
negotiating process. We agreed to give up 10 percent + 3 percent of
territory. It is all in the area of mountains and the coastal plain
- something of immense implications to Israel's security.
The only way to offset these security risks is through Palestinian
obligations in words and deeds. "Deeds" means arresting terrorists,
collecting weapons, and extraditing murderers of women and children
who are now walking free. There must be a specific plan to crack
down on the terrorist infrastructure - with concrete steps and a
time table.
"Words" means incitement, public pronouncements by Palestinian
leaders, TV children's programs and school textbooks. The capping of
this must be the change of the catechism - the Palestinian Charter
still on the books calling for Israel's destruction. This is the
only way we can risk giving additional territory.
We are now on the 7th day here. I can't say that we see a reciprocal
decision on the Palestinian side. We can take hard decisions but not
security risks if the Palestinians are unwilling to reciprocate. If
there is movement we'll stay. If not, we'll go.
"Security" means the incarceration of terrorists - the arrest of
killers now serving on the Palestinian police, including killers of
Americans. The commitments from us, the territory we give is
concrete and irreversible. We have to have in return minimum
assurances, so that we know we are getting compliance. President
Clinton has wisely said "commitments are not compliance". We want to
see an implementation plan.
What's acceptable to me is simply the fulfillment of the contract.
But the Palestinians have not fulfilled Oslo 1, Oslo 2 or the Hebron
agreement. It's time to have commitments fulfilled. No runaround. I
was elected to make a secure peace. We have every right to demand
that they fight terrorism.
Some of the people whose families were murdered by terrorists are
here. They are not allowed to the enter the Wye Plantation. So my
wife and I saw them outside. It was heart-breaking. We can't accept
peace with an entity which allows killers to go free. They are
unwilling to put them in jail, let alone extradite them.
I prefer to think it will work out. Otherwise we'll explain our
position to the public. We are not suckers. We are asked to forfeit
our defenses for peace partners, but they must be true peace
partners. We can't be satisfied by declarations. We must have
actions with timetables - a real change, long overdue. They must
jail murderers. Why don't they annul the Covenant by PNC? This is
what they promised to do. How can we make peace with an organization
still calling for the liquidation of Israel, whose basic commitments
are still unfulfilled? They committed to it, but they haven't done
it.
We have made some progress on the airport issue. It is close to
completion. The Industrial Park agreement is done. The Hebron
agreement only stipulates that we talk about these issues. But they
are almost done. The Palestinians get territory, airport, prisoners.
What is Israel getting, words? Hot air? We want concrete things.
I'll move forward on peace if they move on obligations. If you ask
any American if he is willing to give the PLO a piece of territory
in his country, I am sure he will say it must be a reasonable risk.
These terrorists have also killed Americans. There is an FBI team in
the area right now, investigating the possibility of extraditing
these killers.
The President has wisely said that nothing is agreed until
everything is agreed. What we expect is concrete compliance. If we
get it, we'll do the deal. If we don't, we'll have to find another
way.