WILLIAM J. CLINTON ADDRESSES THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL

Washington Transcript Service

PRESIDENT CLINTON ADDRESSES THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL

DECEMBER 13, 1998

SPEAKERS: WILLIAM J. CLINTON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL
[*]

PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU: With all of you, the Minister
of Education, the American Secretary of State, with members of the legations,
and beyond anything else, with you, youth of Israel...

(APPLAUSE)

... and with our friend, the American president, a friend of
Israel, Bill Clinton. I extend my wishes also to Mrs. Hillary Clinton,
who, together with my wife Sarah, visited a few institutions, very important
ones for youth in Israel. And I wish also from a young lady who joined
us from the United States, Chelsea Clinton...

(APPLAUSE)

... to extend our wish to you, and we all tell you welcome to
Jerusalem. I have to say that I highly appreciate the fact that President
Clinton asked me that, although with a visit, he has really a fully packed
schedule-wise, rather brief, the president asked particularly to come to
meet you, and I know why. Because you, you youth are the hope, you are
the future of this country.

(APPLAUSE)

Tonight we are celebrating the feast of Hannakah, first candle.
This year is a very special holiday. It is the Hannakah feast on the year
of Jubilee, and we are celebrating the victory of the Maccabeans, with
special appreciation for their heroism and achievements. Were they not
there on their guard to protect the people and its heritage, it's quite
doubtful as to whether we would be here today.

Fifty years ago, we realized the dream of the Maccabeans, and in
the spirit of the Maccabeans, we fought against armies much, much larger
than ours and we actually defeated them. And just like the Maccabeans,
we established Jewish sovereignty once again in the land of Israel. Throughout
these 50 years, we have aspired for one thing. We wanted to have peace.

In the charter declaration, we extended a hand to peace to our
neighbors, and this hand is still extended and present to all our neighbors.

(APPLAUSE)

I said last night that there's no people that suffered more from
war and violence than the Jewish people, and there's no state that wishes
to have peace more than Israel. But one has to say that we weren't the
only ones to have suffered. Also our neighbors, the Palestinians, have
suffered. And they, too, like us, continue suffering from wars and terrorism
imposed on them.

I believe that the time has come to put an end to this mutual
suffering, and it is my intention, with your help...

(APPLAUSE)

... to make this very, very difficult and vital deed to complete
the circle of peace between us and all the neighbors, with Lebanon as well,
and bring about a final peace, quiet up there, with the dawn of the idea
from Lebanon, with Syria and obviously, first and foremost, to complete
the peace process with our Palestinian neighbors.

This is what we are doing now. This is what we've been actually
discussing in the Wye encounter. We have spent hours today, and we should
yet spend many more hours to do it, and there's no more important mission
than that.

But today, one question must be posed. In order for our
endeavors not only to yield fruit, but in order for peace to be sustainable,
to be a lasting one, not to be fragmented, so it won't be broken, were
you to ask me what is the most important element, what do you think I would
tell you?

Education, education for peace, education for peace.

(APPLAUSE)

And I'd like to explain why I'm saying these words. Let me say
to you, children are even maybe taken for granted, it is not so taken for
granted, I'm not sure that this is exactly what you're thinking. When you
learned Bible, studied the Bible, you studied about the division of the
law (ph), and Ben (ph) just read out the Isaiah vision, when they will
wage war no more, no sword against the other, part of our culture goes
through our literature, our prayers, our aspiration, an enormous aspiration
among this people that has suffered so much from wars.

Isn't someone here who, or a relative of his or hers or friend,
has ever been in a course of wars, or any act of terrorism? Can we have
hands up in the air? Practically everybody.

NETANYAHU (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): There is no people that want it
more and therefore in our text books, in our curricular, in encounters,
Jewish and Arabic, we express this enormous aspiration within a people
to think peace for us and for our neighbors.

And I'd like to explain to you why this is so true. I'll give
you proof. It is not always very effective, one can always find some exception,
but usually as a rule, it does function and that's actually the proof of
the test.

Palestinian can visit to Tel Aviv. They go freely. They go to
the beach, in Netania (ph). They go to every city, restaurants, cinemas,
because usually they encounter the same indication versus peace which is
almost our second nature and it should never, ever be, God forbid be sought
for anything else.

And now the other side of the test. You know to demonstrate the
problem that I'm to illustrate to you so that we can really deeply understand
it, what happens amongst the counterpart.

Can one of you enter Gaza. Yes you may. As you reacted, yes one
may enter Gaza undoubtedly but the outcome, well that's another story.

(APPLAUSE)

I would like to see a situation whereby each one of you can go
out the back (ph) and go to (OFF-MIKE). (OFF-MIKE). Leave, go to a kosher,
obviously a fish restaurant in Gaza. This I would like to see. That's
peace. This is what we want to obtain. That's my dream. That's your dream.

(APPLAUSE)

That we have to be counted I say sincerely that this is not the
situation today. And the question is what happens amongst the counterpart.
I can tell you that we examined the (OFF-MIKE) part of the Wye agreements
and the Oslo agreements. We actually allocated special attention, part
of the agreements are intended to test one thing. What happens there in
their text books? What happens there in their schools? What happens there
with their study curricula?

And when we examine matters, we regretfully discover that in the
textbooks Israel does not yet exist and that Israel does not appear. You
know it's very difficult to make peace with a state that does not exist
and (OFF-MIKE) curricula where we open the Palestinian education TV as
you probably have seen over the past few months and we see children, girls,
three, four-year-old say, I'm going to be a shahid (ph). You know what's
a shahid (ph). I'm going to be a living bomb. This is reflected, this
is projected to children.

And I'm saying these words and I know that you don't really
applaud this, I do say those things in order to speak the truth. Our aspiration
of peace is not enough. We must insist for education (OFF- MIKE), reconciliation,
end the violence, end of this terrible bloodshed to be also amongst the
counterpart and that's actually one of the fundamental elements that we
have set at Wye. Education versus peace and not for hatred. Education
for co-existence and not war.

And this is a condition within the agreement. I believe that
such an education is possible. I know that there are those here in (OFF-MIKE)
that say this will never happen -- ever happen. Had I thought about it,
I would have never really signed the document.

NETANYAHU (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): I'm not acquiring Israel's
systems and perseverance. There will always been attempts to try to evade
it or to announce or say that the Palestinians are not going to abide by
comply with -- wrong.

For five years we've asked them insisting on keeping on their
commitments to allow the Palestinian charter. Somebody was born here prior
to 1917. Who was born after 1917? According to that Palestinian charter...

(APPLAUSE)

... whoever was born here after 1917 should be expelled from the
country according to the charter. The state of Israel will have no right
to exist (ph). Obviously, this does not tally with peace and the declaration
for peace because if this is the document determining for the Palestinian
public at large, that's their chart of declaration, a declaration of independence
or their charter, negation of our existence.

Obviously, there was no way of making progress in the route of
education versus peace; therefore, we insist that the promise made to the
Israeli government five years ago, yet it is not working, have kept --
bring in such hole (ph) to see tomorrow. This gathering of the entire
Palestinian leadership, those that ratified are approved in your document
and they should speak up openly and make integration to their people.
Every Palestinian boy and girl, "Ladies and gentlemen, this document is
null and void. It exists no more. Israel has a right to existence not
because it has the strength to protect itself, that's obvious. But because
it has the right to exist.

(APPLAUSE)

And without declare null and void in the presence of the United
States, we declare null and void publicly this charter.

I believe, I hope, that this will be told, had been taught, no
need, it won't happen, stop dreaming. But I said, "This is the certain
vital steps went to the Summit, the United States and President Clinton
insisted on it, and I wished and hoped that tomorrow we're going to see
this first step an indication for peace.

(APPLAUSE)

Further steps were required but some sections provided we were
actually honest about keeping this part of the agreement. We have to see
also sometimes with other sections, war against terrorism, stop the violence,
(OFF-MIKE), all the sections that are so important for us because all we
really want, all I want, all what you want is to live in this country,
truly in peace, namely no violence, no terrorism, no war.

(APPLAUSE)

I think that is the only way to attain real peace, not to patch
up, not to cover up and not to despair. We don't despair. We know and
are willing to struggle for those vital things in order to attain this
turning point.

NETANYAHU (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): Our friend, President Clinton,
you understand. Your eyes see. Your ears hear. You have really represented
cross section of youth in Israel and this youth in its entirety just like
the people in Israel all of them want peace.

(APPLAUSE)

And I believe that the vast majority of the Palestinian public
wants also peace.

(APPLAUSE)

And I believe that what is plainly really requested eight after
commencement of the struggle between us and the Palestinians in this country
we need courageous leadership on the Palestinian counterpart to cross the
river to tell the people things as they are. To tell them Israel here
is a permanent factor. It's a fact not only because it has such a strong
army that could always defend it, but because this is the way it is slated
to be and thus it is going to be.

And I would like to say not in the course of grandchildren's
lives or not even in the adulthood of my children time, but in the foreseeable
future I would like to see you all going on a hike to this kosher restaurant,
I'll give you the address, there in Gaza.

King David ends one of his psalms in a prayer calling to the Lord
to give strength to the people and bless its people -- his people for peace.

(APPLAUSE)

We also carried a prayer to go together to have the courage to
insist on the right and protect our security -- defend our security and
thus that we and our neighbors should have peace and security. This I'm
saying here in Jerusalem the city of the very same King David, the city
that was joined to cast (ph) together and that should never, ever be divided
again.

(APPLAUSE)

A city of hope, a city of peace.

NETANYAHU: Mr. President, I'm not going to translate all that
speech for you. You've just heard it yourself. But I do want to say here,
in the city of David, in our eternal capital Jerusalem, which will always
remain undivided, that I give you the undivided attention of the children
of Israel. Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

CLINTON: Thank you, thank you. Thank you very much. Let me
begin by thanking the prime minister for his leadership for peace and his
leadership of Israel. And the members of the...

(APPLAUSE)

... Mrs. Netanyahu, members of the Israeli government, to the
distinguished American delegation here. I want to say a special word of
appreciation to the young man who spoke first, Ben Maios (ph). Didn't he
do a good job?

(APPLAUSE)

This is my third trip to Jerusalem as president, and my third
time in this magnificent hall. And the young woman who was with me here
last time on the stage, Leah Ludrich (ph), is also here. Thank you, glad
to see you.

(APPLAUSE)

I'd like to also thank this magnificent choir, the Angkor (ph)
Choir, didn't they do, they left, but they were great.

(APPLAUSE)

I understand we have students here from Jerusalem, Tel Aviv,
Haifa, Beersheba, Acca (ph), and other cities. Welcome to you all.

(APPLAUSE)

We come here today to speak about the future of Israel and the
Middle East, your future.

CLINTON: Six weeks ago, Prime Minister Netaynahu came to the
United States to seek a new understanding with the Palestinian Authority
on the best way to achieve peace with security.

Today I come to Israel to fulfill a pledge I made to the prime
minister and to Chairman Arafat at Wye River, to speak to Israelis and
Palestinians about the benefits of peace, and to reaffirm Americans' determination
to stand with you as you take risks for peace.

(APPLAUSE)

The United States will always stand with Israel. Always remember
that only a strong Israel can make peace. That is why...

(APPLAUSE)

... we are, after all, your partners in security before we were
partners for peace. Our commitment to your security is ironclad. It will
not ever change.

(APPLAUSE)

The United States stood with Israel at the birth of your nation,
at your darkest hour in 1973, through the the long battle against terror,
against Saddam Hussein's Scuds in 1991, and today, American Marines And
Patriot missiles are here in Israel exercising with the IDF.

We have also stood with you as you reached out to your neighbors,
always recognizing that only Israelis can make final decisions about your
own future.

(APPLAUSE)

And as the prime minister said in his remarks about education for
peace, we agree that peace must begin with a genuine transformation in
attitudes. Despite all the difficulties, I believe that transformation
has begun. Palestinians are recognizing that rejection of Israel will
not bring them freedom, just as Israelis recognize that control over Palestinians
will not bring you security.

(APPLAUSE)

As a result, in just the last few years, you have achieved peace
with Jordan and the Arab world has accepted the idea of peace with Israel.
The boycotts of the past are giving way to a future in which goods move
across frontiers while soldiers are able to stay at home.

The pursuit of peace has withstood the gravest doubts. It has
survived terrorist bombs and assassins' bullets. Just a short while ago
this afternoon, Hillary and I visited the graveside of Prime Minister Rabin,
with Mrs. Rabin, her daughter and granddaughter.

CLINTON: He was killed by one who hoped to kill the peace he
worked so hard to advance. But the Wye memorandum is proof that peace
is still alive, and it will live as long as the parties believe in it and
work for it.

Of course, there have been setbacks, more misunderstandings, more
disagreements, more provocations, more acts of violence. You feel Palestinians
should prove in word and deed that their intentions have actually changed,
as you redeploy from land on which tears and blood have been shed. And
you are right to feel that.

Palestinians feel you should acknowledge they, too, have
suffered, and they, too have legitimate expectations that should be met,
and like, Israel, internal political pressure that must be overcome. And
they are right, too.

Because of all that has happened...

(APPLAUSE)

... because of all that has happened and the mountain of memories
that has not yet been washed away, the road ahead will be hard. Already,
every step forward has been tempered with pain. Each time the forces of
reconciliation on each side have reached out, the forces of destruction
have lashed out. The leaders at Wye knew that. The people of Israel know
that.

Israel is full of good people today who do not hate, but have
experienced too much sorrow and too much loss to embrace with joy each
new agreement the peace process brings. As always, we must approach the
task ahead without illusions, but not without hope, for hope is not an
illusion.

(APPLAUSE)

Every advance in human history, every victory for the human
spirit, every victory in your own individual lives begins with hope, the
capacity to imagine a better future, and the conviction that it can be
achieved. The people of Israel, after all, have beaten the most impossible
odds, overcome the most terrible evils on the way to the promised land.

The idea of the promised land kept home alive. In the remaining
work to be done, the idea of peace and security in the promised land must
keep hope alive.

(APPLAUSE)

CLINTON: For all you young people today, under all the
complexities and frustrations of this moment, there lies a simple question.
What is you vision for your future? There can be only two ways to answer
that question. You could say that the only possible future for Israel
is one of permanent siege in which the ramparts hold and people stay alive,
but the nation remains preoccupied with its very survival, subject to gnawing
anxiety, limited in future achievements by the absence of real partnerships
with your neighbors. Perhaps you can live with that kind of future. But
you should not accept it. Unless you are willing to say, and I will try
to say it properly. In vera (ph), there is no alternative.

(APPLAUSE)

But if you are not willing to say that, not willing to give up on
hope with no real gain in security, you must say, yes vera (ph), there
is an alternative.

(APPLAUSE)

If you are to build a future together, hard realities cannot be
ignored. Reconciliation, after all this trouble, is not natural. The
differences among you are not trivial. There is a history of heartbreak
and loss. But the violent past and the difficult present do not have to
be repeated forever.

(APPLAUSE)

In the historical relationship between Israelis and Palestinians,
one thing and only one thing is predestined. You are bound to be neighbors.
The question is not whether you will live side-by-side, but how you will
live side-by-side.

(APPLAUSE)

Will both sides recognize there can be security for either until
both have security, but there will be no peace for either until both have
peace? Will both sides seize this opportunity to build a future in which
preoccupation with security, struggle, and survival can finally give way
to a common commitment to keep all our young minds strong and unleash all
your human potential? Surely the answer must be yes. Israelis and Palestinians
can reach that conclusion sooner, reducing the pain and violence they endure.

CLINTON: Or they can wait until later. More and more victims
suffer more loss and ultimately the conclusion must be the same. Your
leaders came to an agreement at Wye because a majority of people on both
sides have already said now is the time to change.

(APPLAUSE)

I want to talk just a little bit about this agreement at Wye. It
does not by itself resolve the fundamental problems that divide Israelis
and Palestinians. It is a means to an end not the end itself. But it
does restore life to a process that was stalled for 18 months and it will
bring benefits that meet the requirements of both sides if both sides meet
their obligations.

Wye is an opportunity for both that must not be lost. Let me try
to explain why. Prime Minister Netanyahu went to Wye rightly determined
to insure that the security of Israeli citizens is protected as the peace
process moves forward.

He fought hard not to kill the peace, but to make it real for all
those Israelis who only want to live normal lives in their own country
and he succeeded in obtaining a set of systematic Palestinian security
commitments and a structure for carrying them out.

The Palestinian authority agreed to a comprehensive and
continuous battle against terror. It pledged to combat terrorist organizations.
To crack down on unlicensed weapons. To take action against incitement
to terror. U.S. Palestinian committees will be set up to review specific
actions the Palestinians are taking in each of these areas and to recommend
further steps.

We also will submit to our Congress a $1.2 billion package to
help Israel meet its future security needs including those growing out
of the redeployments agreed to at Wye.

(APPLAUSE)

CLINTON: The agreement can benefit Israel in another way. It
offers the prospect of continuing a process that is changing how most Palestinians
define their interest and their relationship with you.

More and more Palestinians have begun to see that they have done
more to realize their aspirations in five years of making peace than of
45 years of making war.

CLINTON: They are beginning to see that Israel's mortal enemies
are in fact their enemies too. And that it is in their interests to help
defeat the forces of terror.

This transformation, however, is clearly unfinished. It will not
happen overnight. There will be bumps in the road, and there have been
some already.

The Palestinian leaders must work harder to keep the agreement
and avoid the impression that unilateral actions can replace agreed upon
negotiations.

But it is vital that you too recognize the validity of this
agreement and work to sustain it and all other aspects of the peace process.

Tomorrow I go to Gaza to address the members of the Palestinian
National Council and other Palestinian organizations. I will witness the
reaffirmation of their commitment to four square (ph), Fully, finally and
forever. All the provisions in their charter that call for the destruction
of Israel.

(APPLAUSE)

I'll also make it clear that with rights come responsibilities
reminding people there that violence never was and never can be a legitimate
tool. That it would be wrong and utterly self defeating to resume a struggle
that has taken Palestinians from one tragedy to another.

I'll ask the Palestinian leaders to join me in reaffirming that
the vast majority of Muslims the world all believe, that tolerance is an
article of faith and terrorism a travesty of faith.

(APPLAUSE)

And I will emphasize that this conviction should echo from every
Palestinian school house and mosque and television tower. I will point
out, of course, all the ways in which this Wye agreement benefits Palestinians.
It provides for the transfer of more territory; the redeployment of more
Israeli troops; safe passage between Gaza and the West Bank; the opening
of the airport in Gaza; other initiatives to lift their economic condition
and new commitments of international assistance to improve the lives of
the Palestinian people.
In doing these things, this agreement benefits Israeli's as well
for it is in Israel's interest to give the Palestinian economy space to
breath and the Palestinian people a chance to defeat the hopelessness that
extremist exploit to unleash their terror.

CLINTON: And it is surely in Israel's interest to deal with
Palestinian's in a way that permits them to feel a sense of dignity instead
of despair.

(APPLAUSE)

The peace process will succeed if it comes with a recognition
that the fulfillment of one side's aspiration must come with, not at the
expense of, the fulfillment of the other side's dreams. It will succeed
when we understand that it is not just about mutual obligations but mutual
interests, mutual recognition, mutual respect. When all agree that there
is no sense in a tug of war over common ground. It will succeed when we
all recognize as Prime Minister Netanyahu and Chairman Arafat did at Wye,
that ultimately this can and must be a partnership between Israelis and
Palestinians.

It will succeed if both sides continue the work that Wye makes
possible. If they face the hard decisions ahead so that the future continues
to be shaped at the negotiating table rather than by unilateral acts or
declarations. We cannot, of course, expect everyone to see that. There
are still people in this region, indeed in every region, who believe that
they're unique cultures can thrive only behind walls that keep out those
who are different even if the price is mutual mistrust and hatred.

There are some who still talk openly about the threat of peace
because peace making requires making contact with the other side, recognizing
the legitimacy of different faiths and different points of view, and openness
to a world of competing ideas and values. But I don't think that's the
majority view in the Middle East any longer. What once was a conflict among
mainstreams is evolving into a mainstream seeking peace. We must not let
the conflict invade the mainstream of Israel or of the Palestinians or
of any other group in this region again.

I believe you can not only imagine, you young people, but
actually shape the kind of partnership that will give you the future you
want. I think you can do it while protecting Israel's fundamental interests.
To anyone who thinks that is impossible, I would ask you this. How many
people thought Israel was possible when your grandparents were just people
searching for a land?

CLINTON: Who would have imagined the marvel Israel has become?
For decades, you lived in a neighborhood which rejected you, but you not
only survived and thrived, but held fast to the traditions of tolerance
and openness upon which this nation was founded.

You were forced to become warriors, but yet you never lost the
thirst to make peace. You turned weakness into strength, and along the
way, you built a partnership with the United States that is enduring and
unassailable.

Now Israel enters its second half century. You have nourished an
ancient culture. You have built from the desert a modern nation. You
stand on the edge of a new century prepared to make the very most of it.
You have given your children a chance to grow up and learn who they are,
not just from stories of wandering and martyrdom, but from the happy memories
of people living good lives in a natural way.

You have proven again and again that you are powerful enough to
defeat those who would destroy you, but strong and wise enough to make
peace with those who are ready to accept you. You have given us...

(APPLAUSE)

... every reason to believe that you can build a future on hope
that is different from the past. This morning, the prime minister and
Mrs. Netanyahu and Hillary and I had breakfast together, and he said something
to me I'd like to repeat to you to make this point to all of you young
people.

He said you know, there are three great ancient civilizations in
the world -- the Chinese civilization, the Indian civilization and the
Jewish civilization -- all going back 4,000 years or more. The Chinese
are 1.2 billion people. The Indians are nearly a billion people.

To be sure, they have suffered invasion, loss and war and, in the
Indian case, colonization. But they have always had their land, and they
have grown. There are 12 million Jews in the world, driven from their
homeland, subject to holocausts, subject to centuries of prejudice, and
yet, here you are, here you are. If you can do this...

(APPLAUSE)

... if you can do this after 4,000 years, you can make this
peace. Believe me, you can do this.

(APPLAUSE)

CLINTON: Years ago before the foundation of Israel, Golda Meir
said of her people and I quote "We only want that which is given naturally
to all people of the world, to be masters of our own fate. Only our fate,
not the destiny of others. To live as is right and not on sufferance.
To have the chance to bring the surviving Jewish children of whom not
so many are left in the world now to this country. So that they may grow
up like our youngsters who were born here, free of fear with heads high."

This hope that all of us can live a life of dignity when
respecting the dignity of others is part of the heritage of values Israel
shares with the United States.

On this, the first day of Hannukah, may this hope be the candle
that lights Israel's past into the new century. Into a century of peace
and security with American always at your side.

(APPLAUSE)

CLINTON: Thank you and God bless you.

(APPLAUSE)

END


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