Republican Jewish Coalition
September 10, 2001It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Embassy of Israel, and my honor to speak with you today regarding the current state of events in the Middle East.
Before I begin, I wish to thank the RJC for its unprecedented work on behalf of American Jewry. For sixteen years, your organization has provided a voice in the political arena for Jewish Republicans, advocated pro-Israel policy, and strengthened the unique partnership between our two great nations.
I thank you for your dedication to the Jewish people and the Jewish state. Now, more than ever, we need your ongoing support.
With Rosh Hashanah just one week away, one naturally reflects upon the events of the past year. While we began this year with high hopes, we have endured great hardships and pain. Despite our overwhelming desire for peace, the past twelve months have been characterized by disappointment, violence, and fear.
This is not the first time we have faced challenges. Throughout history, the Jewish nation has struggled for its right to exist in peace. Despite overwhelming odds, we have emerged from the shadows of exodus and exile into the light of possibilities, and fulfilled the dreams of our ancestors in the land of Israel.
Amidst nearly fifty-three years of hostility and conflict, Israel has flourished, and developed into one of the strongest societies in the world due to the unity, perseverance, and strength of the Jewish people. As we enter a new year, we must remember these lessons of the past and stand together as partners, family, and friends.
Unity is one of the most prominent lessons of Jewish history. Now we must make it an inevitable aspect of our future.
We must work together to strengthen the Jewish state, and we each have a specific role to play in fulfilling this dream.
As leaders in the Jewish community and activists in the political arena, I urge you to educate Americans about the situation facing Israel, and advocate Jewish solidarity.
We have all been victims of the past year's violence, and therefore, we can all serve as defenders. Though Israelis stand on the front lines, you are our soldiers in the Diaspora. Your message of support is a strategic asset to Israel, and serves as our second line of defense.
As members of the Republican Jewish Coalition, you can also play a vital role in ensuring the support of the United States government for Israel. It is my hope that you will continue the long-standing tradition the American Jewish community has set, and work to enhance U.S.-Israel ties.
We deeply appreciate the abiding support of the United States, including the recent efforts of the Bush Administration to end the conflict in the region. Our relationship is the cornerstone of stability in the Middle East, and a safeguard for the future of Israelis and Americans alike.
Now that we have reached a dangerous moment in our history, the United States and Israel must continue to work together to restore calm in the region.
Since last September, we have endured a sustained campaign of violence that has included more than seven thousand armed attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians. These attacks have included suicide bombings, mortar shellings, drive-by-shootings, and car bombs aimed at inflicting mass civilian casualties, and damaging the heart of our nation.
This past summer we were victims of two large-scale suicide bombings- one in a Tel Aviv nightclub and another in a Jerusalem pizzeria. These two incidents alone resulted in the death of thirty-six civilians, including two Americans and twenty-three children eighteen or younger.
In fact, just yesterday five Israelis were killed and more than 100 wounded, in three terror attacks that rocked the nation. Two suicide bombers struck Nahariya and the Beit Lid junction near Netanya, in deadly acts of terror that killed three people. This followed a fatal drive-by shooting aimed at a van carrying young teachers in the Jordan Valley.
Yesterday's bombing at the Nahariya train station raises a new and severely dangerous threat, and changes the dynamic of the nearly twelve months of violence. For the first time, an Arab Israeli citizen perpetrated the attack, after being recruited by Hamas in the West Bank.
Though misrepresented as such, this is not a popular uprising, or "intifadah." Very simply, this is organized terror.
The Government of Israel holds the Palestinian leadership fully responsible for all acts of violence. Instead of heeding our calls for peace, they continue to encourage, incite, and participate in the conflict.
In fact, approximately half of the nearly 170 Israeli victims have died in attacks carried out by members of the Palestinian Authority itself.
Despite reports to the contrary, Arafat has the ability to rein in terror, and put a stop to the ongoing violence. Let me give you one example.
At the end of August- when faced with Israeli and international pressure- Arafat finally gave orders to cease shooting from the West Bank town of Beit Jalla into the Israeli community of Gilo. Within less than a day, calm was brought to this community for the first time in many months.
Since then, this cease-fire has been sustained, and the violence in Gilo has subsided. Clearly, the continuation of this conflict is not a matter of Arafat's ability. It is a matter of will.
The Palestinian leadership has the power to curb the conflict, yet they have made the strategic decision to promote it continuation. This is most evident in their refusal to re-arrest known terrorists, including the masterminds of the Tel Aviv and Jerusalem bombings this summer.
Though these "architects" of terror were identified by the Israeli Security Forces, the Palestinians chose to let them run free. For them, the benefit of appeasing terrorists is greater than the cost of continued violence.
It has become evident that the Palestinians are interested in escalating the conflict, eroding the security of Israel, and destabilizing the entire Middle East.
They have made a strategic decision to use violence as a tool for achieving what they failed to attain through negotiation. For twelve months, we have suffered greatly as a result.
Just last week, Israel was the victim of an unprecedented demonstration of hatred and anti-Semitism at the World Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa.
Both the United States and Israel had hoped that this conference would mobilize the battle against racism. But they left together, severely disappointed with the unfolding of events.
Instead of heeding calls for social action, Durban was primarily focused upon increasing hatred against Jews, and negating Israel's right to exist.
As a prominent Israeli journalist noted, this Conference proved that- ideologically speaking- "the road from Bergen-Belsen to Durban is shorter than we think."
Despite our frustration, Israel is deeply appreciative to the U.S. Administration for its leadership and initiative throughout the Conference. When faced with calls of hatred and intolerance, the U.S. sent a clear message of support for Israel.
Unfortunately, Durban was not the end of this story. The Palestinians are also planning to politicize this fall's Special Session of the UN Conference on the Rights of the Child.
Once again, the Palestinians are hoping to exploit an international forum to push their own political agenda, distracting from the important issues at hand. It is up to all of us to ensure that this does not become a reality.
Despite the enormous challenges that lie ahead, Israel is committed to peace, and hopes to move forward along the outline proposed by the Mitchell Committee last June. The first step, however, is the complete and unconditional cessation of violence.
Thus far, the Palestinian leadership has not facilitated an environment conducive to peace, and has therefore hindered any movement forward in our negotiations.
Though we wish to build the bridges leading to a peaceful future, we are forced to implement an unyielding and focused war against terrorism.
The Security Cabinet has recently announced that Israel will respond immediately to all attacks, while pursuing a policy of active self-defense to safeguard its citizens and soldiers. This has been mistakenly interpreted as provoking a "cycle of violence."
In fact, there is no "cycle of violence." There is only violence, and its measured response.
No nation would sit back and accept to a situation where its citizens are victimized by daily indiscriminate attacks of violence. Israel is no exception.
The counter-terrorist operations undertaken by Israel in recent weeks were designed to prevent terrorist attacks from occurring, and save innocent lives. This is not only a policy decision. It is a humanitarian necessity.
As Prime Minister Sharon stated, "we are ready to make painful compromises for peace, but we will not make any concessions on the security of the people of Israel."
Unfortunately, the threats facing Israel extend beyond our backyard. Saddam Hussein is exploiting the rising tensions to regain regional dominance, while Iran and Iraq continue to acquire and develop weapons of mass destruction, and surface to surface missiles with long-range capabilities.
At the same time, Iran is infiltrating arms to Hezbollah guerillas stationed in Lebanon through Syria, while Iran and Syria continue to encourage provocative attacks on Israel's Northern border. This, in spite of the fact that Syria is a candidate for membership in the UN Security Council.
These developments threaten our relationship with even moderate regimes in the region, and cause great concern for the future. Indeed, we are facing severe challenges, with no easy solutions.
The essential counterbalance to these threats is the continued support of the American Jewish community, a strong U.S.-Israel relationship, and U.S. leadership in the region.
The international community must make it clear to Arafat that he must abandon the use of violence as a political tool. And we are looking to you - Jewish leaders- to initiate a rallying call for our cause.
Over the last decade, Arab leaders have reached historic achievements through peaceful negotiation with Israel. Yet they have gained nothing through violence. Israel has never yielded to intimidation.
When President Sadat came to Israel in November 1977, Abba Eban asked him why he had not come sooner. Sadat answered, "well, I tried to get back what is mine through war. I didn't succeed. Now, I came and declared 'no more war, no more bloodshed', and now I have succeeded."
We now call upon Yasser Arafat to follow in the footsteps of the late President Sadat and King Hussein, end the violence, and embark upon the path of peace.
David Ben-Gurion once said, "In order to be a realist in Israel, you must believe in miracles." Our history is living proof of this, and our future depends on it. We have overcome great challenges in the past, and we will not stop now.
Working together with the United States, Israel will make every effort to promote peace and stability in the Middle East. We are determined to overcome the challenges that lie ahead, and create a genuine peace that will last for generations to come.
Thank you for your continued support.
