Thursday, September 15, 2005
PM SHARON'S SPEECH TO THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Link: http://www.pmo.gov.il/PMOEng/Communication/PMSpeaks/speech150905.htm

My friends and colleagues, heads and representatives of the UN member
states,

I arrived here from Jerusalem, the capital of the Jewish people for over
3,000 years, and the undivided and eternal capital of the State of Israel.

At the outset, I would like to express the profound feelings of empathy of
the people of Israel for the American nation, and our sincere condolences to
the families who lost their loved ones. I wish to encourage my friend,
President George Bush, and the American people, in their determined efforts
to assist the victims of the hurricane and rebuild the ruins after the
destruction. The State of Israel, which the United States stood beside at
times of trial, is ready to extend any assistance at its disposal in this
immense humanitarian mission.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I stand before you at the gate of nations as a Jew and as a citizen of the
democratic, free and sovereign State of Israel, a proud representative of an
ancient people, whose numbers are few, but whose contribution to
civilization and to the values of ethics, justice and faith, surrounds the
world and encompasses history. The Jewish people have a long memory, the
memory which united the exiles of Israel for thousands of years: a memory
which has its origin in G-d's commandment to our forefather Abraham: "Go
forth!" and continued with the receiving of the Torah at the foot of Mount
Sinai and the wanderings of the children of Israel in the desert, led by
Moses on their journey to the promised land, the land of Israel.

I was born in the Land of Israel, the son of pioneers - people who tilled
the land and sought no fights - who did not come to Israel to dispossess its
residents. If the circumstances had not demanded it, I would not have become
a soldier, but rather a farmer and agriculturist. My first love was, and
remains, manual labor; sowing and harvesting, the pastures, the flock and
the cattle.

I, as someone whose path of life led him to be a fighter and commander in
all Israel's wars, reaches out today to our Palestinian neighbors in a call
for reconciliation and compromise to end the bloody conflict, and embark on
the path which leads to peace and understanding between our peoples. I view
this as my calling and my primary mission for the coming years.

The land of Israel is precious to me, precious to us, the Jewish people,
more than anything. Relinquishing any part of our forefathers' legacy is
heartbreaking, as difficult as the parting of the Red Sea. Every inch of
land, every hill and valley, every stream and rock, is saturated with Jewish
history, replete with memories. The continuity of Jewish presence in the
Land of Israel never ceased. Even those of us who were exiled from our land,
against their will, to the ends of the earth - their souls, for all
generations, remained connected to their homeland, by thousands of hidden
threads of yearning and love, expressed three times a day in prayer and
songs of longing.

The Land of Israel is the open Bible, the written testimony, the identity
and right of the Jewish people. Under its skies, the prophets of Israel
expressed their claims for social justice, and their eternal vision for
alliances between peoples, in a world which would know no more war. Its
cities, villages, vistas, ridges, deserts and plains preserve as loyal
witnesses its ancient Hebrew names. Page after page, our unique land is
unfurled, and at its heart is united Jerusalem, the city of the Temple upon
Mount Moriah, the axis of the life of the Jewish people throughout all
generations, and the seat of its yearnings and prayers for 3,000 years. The
city to which we pledged an eternal vow of faithfulness, which forever beats
in every Jewish heart: "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, may my right hand
forget its cunning!"

I say these things to you because they are the essence of my Jewish
consciousness, and of my belief in the eternal and unimpeachable right of
the people of Israel to the Land of Israel. However, I say this here also to
emphasize the immensity of the pain I feel deep in my heart at the
recognition that we have to make concessions for the sake of peace between
us and our Palestinian neighbors.

The right of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel does not mean
disregarding the rights of others in the land. The Palestinians will always
be our neighbors. We respect them, and have no aspirations to rule over
them. They are also entitled to freedom and to a national, sovereign
existence in a state of their own.

This week, the last Israeli soldier left the Gaza Strip, and military law
there was ended. The State of Israel proved that it is ready to make painful
concessions in order to resolve the conflict with the Palestinians. The
decision to disengage was very difficult for me, and involves a heavy
personal price. However, it is the absolute recognition that it is the right
path for the future of Israel that guided me. Israeli society is undergoing
a difficult crisis as a result of the Disengagement, and now needs to heal
the rifts.

Now it is the Palestinians' turn to prove their desire for peace. The end of
Israeli control over and responsibility for the Gaza Strip allows the
Palestinians, if they so wish, to develop their economy and build a
peace-seeking society, which is developed, free, law-abiding, transparent,
and which adheres to democratic principles. The most important test the
Palestinian leadership will face is in fulfilling their commitment to put an
end to terror and its infrastructures, eliminate the anarchic regime of
armed gangs, and cease the incitement and indoctrination of hatred towards
Israel and the Jews.

Until they do so - Israel will know how to defend itself from the horrors of
terrorism. This is why we built the Security Fence, and we will continue to
build it until it is completed, as would any other country defending its
citizens. The Security Fence prevents terrorists and murderers from arriving
in city centers on a daily basis and targeting citizens on their way to
work, children on their way to school and families sitting together in
restaurants. This Fence is vitally indispensable. This Fence saves lives!

The successful implementation of the Disengagement Plan opens up a window of
opportunity for advancing towards peace, in accordance with the sequence of
the Roadmap. The State of Israel is committed to the Roadmap and to the
implementation of the Sharm El-Sheikh understandings. And I hope that it
will be possible, through them, to renew the political process.

I am among those who believe that it is possible to reach a fair compromise
and coexistence in good neighborly relations between Jews and Arabs.
However, I must emphasize one fact: there will be no compromise on the right
of the State of Israel to exist as a Jewish state, with defensible borders,
in full security and without threats and terror.

I call on the Palestinian leadership to show determination and leadership,
and to eliminate terror, violence and the culture of hatred from our
relations. I am certain that it is in our power to present our peoples with
a new and promising horizon, a horizon of hope.

Distinguished representatives,

As I mentioned, the Jewish people have a long memory. We remember events
which took place thousands of years ago, and certainly remember events which
took place in this hall during the last 60 years. The Jewish people remember
the dramatic vote in the UN Assembly on November 29, 1947, when
representatives of the nations recognized our right to national revival in
our historic homeland. However, we also remember dozens of harsh and unjust
decisions made by United Nations over the years. And we know that, even
today, there are those who sit here as representatives of a country whose
leadership calls to wipe Israel off the face of the earth, and no one speaks
out.

The attempts of that country to arm itself with nuclear weapons must disturb
the sleep of anyone who desires peace and stability in the Middle East and
the entire world. The combination of murky fundamentalism and support of
terrorist organizations creates a serious threat that every member nation in
the UN must stand against.

I hope that the comprehensive reforms which the United Nations is undergoing
in its 60th anniversary year will include a fundamental change and
improvement in the approach of the United Nations, its organizations and
institutions, towards the State of Israel.

My fellow colleagues and representatives,

Peace is a supreme value in the Jewish legacy, and is the desired goal of
our policy. After the long journey of wanderings and the hardships of the
Jewish people; after the Holocaust which obliterated one third of our
people; after the long and arduous struggle for revival; after more than 57
consecutive years of war and terror which did not stop the development of
the State of Israel; after all this - our heart's desire was and remains to
achieve peace with our neighbors. Our desire for peace is strong enough to
ensure that we will achieve it, only if our neighbors are genuine partners
in this longed-for goal. If we succeed in working together, we can transform
our plot of land, which is dear to both peoples, from a land of contention
to a land of peace - for our children and grandchildren.

In a few days time on the Hebrew calendar, the New Year will begin, the
5,766th year since the Creation. According to Jewish belief, the fates of
people and nations are determined at the New Year by the Creator - to be
spared or to be doomed. May the Holy One, blessed be He, determine that this
year, our fate and the fate of our neighbors is peace, mutual respect and
good neighborly relations.

From this distinguished podium, on behalf of the people of Israel, I wish
all the people of the world a happy New Year.

Shana Tova!