This week was to have been a time of joy and festivities for Israelis. Many pilgrims will visit Jerusalem, our capital, in the same way that our ancestors did for millenniums. But this year there was to be something special: an ancient aqueduct, today a tunnel, built by the Hasmonean Kings and rediscovered by archeologists some 150 years ago, was recently opened along the Temple Mount. This tunnel was intended not only to connect Jews with their glorious past but to allow four times as many international visitors to visit the area, bringing a much-needed influx of revenue to merchants in the old city's Muslim and Christian sectors. But instead of festivities, a series of tragic confrontations swept Israel and the Palestinian autonomous areas.

It is difficult to fathom the connection between the opening of an archeological site and the loss of so many lives this week. The tunnel is only several hundred yards long and does not pass beneath the Temple Mount; nor does it pass beneath the foundations of any mosque. In fact, it runs adjacent to the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest shrine and the only continuous remnant of ancient Jewish sovereignty. No private property was confiscated or expropriated to open the tunnel, and to avoid any public commotion it was not opened in the regular business hours. In short, the municipality of Jerusalem acted within its rights and its obligations to promote commerce and tourism. Those who object to the opening of this archeological site in fact challenge the right of the State of Israel and municipality of Jerusalem to perform their most basic duties to their citizens, a right which other countries take for granted.

The real reasons for the outbreak of violence last week lie not in an archeological tunnel, but in the depths of a modern political pit. Israel and her Arab neighbors have been negotiating peace for a number of years. The new Israeli Government has repeatedly emphasized its commitment to honor agreements signed by previous governments, including accords with the Palestinians.

Since the new Government took office some 100 days ago, it has maintained a very active outreach, on all levels, with the Palestinian Authority. It would appear, however, that some of our partners in the peace process look upon the change of government as an opportunity to exert pressure on and extract concessions from Israel for political gain at the negotiating table.

This is evident by negative characterizations of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Arab press and by Arab officials, by the movement of troops along our northern borders and the continued terrorist attacks from Lebanon. These tactics will neither bring about Israeli submission in the negotiations nor will they dissuade us from our deep commitment to continuing the peace process.

Today Jewish and Arab families are in mourning for the many lives, Arab and Jewish, that have been lost. The orchestrated campaign of demonstrations triggered a potentially dangerous threat to the cause of peace. As called for in the Interim Agreement, Israel and the Palestinians have jointly undertaken to maintain law and order, provide security and negotiate in good faith.

Negotiating in good faith means that both parties have vowed to forsake violence in favor of dialogue. It also means that both parties have agreed to relinquish the threat of violence even when they fail to achieve all of their goals in the talks. Hence, Yasser Arafat's threats to release the jinn of violence from the bottle whenever the negotiating process becomes too frustrating for him are unacceptable. Likewise, the use of Israeli- approved weapons against Israeli soldiers is intolerable. Palestinian policemen were admitted into the territories to maintain law and order and provide security, not to participate in violent demonstrations.

Mr. Arafat may indeed be in a difficult position, but it is up to him, and him alone, to choose the path for the Palestinian people. The road of violence and bloodshed will lead nowhere and it will endanger all that has already been achieved. The road to peace may be steep and at times frustrating and weary, but it is a journey that all of us in the Mideast embarked on in Madrid five years ago. Israel has already chosen the road to a secure peace. The Palestinian Authority is likewise bound to choose stability, dialogue and peace.