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PM Sharon speech at ceremony awarding him honorary doctorate from Ben Gurion University. |
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| 21/11/2001 |
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was today (Wednesday) 21.11.2001, at Ben
Gurion University of the Negev in Beer Sheva, awarded an honorary
Doctorate. Following is the text of his speech at the ceremony:
Minister of Foreign Affairs, President of the University, members of the
academic staff, ladies and gentlemen,
Greetings to my fellow honorees, each one with their own unique
contribution:
Gustav Levin, a man of education and scientific research, a pioneer in
the field of knowledge, a teacher of generations of students,
Avraham Sarusi, who dedicated his life to the establishment of a
deterrent power, one of the basic foundations of the strength of Israeli
society,
Efraim Kishon, whose writings, plays and rich Hebrew language, portrayed
the profile of the proud and just Israeli,
I feel humble as I stand before you today, to receive this honorary
degree. Such an honor is usually bestowed upon those whose work is
close to completion and they are now able to survey it in full. My
government is only at the beginning of its path. The impact of its
actions can only be judged in a few years time.
When I formed my government - the National Unity Government - I knew
that we were facing numerous battles on several fronts, each one
difficult and urgent. I knew then that the government would not be able
to raise only one banner and postpone all other problems for a later
date, as did previous governments.
The threat of terrorism is on our doorstep and we are expected to devise
a new solution. Terrorism is attempting to instill fear in our hearts.
In this, it has failed.
While we are willing to make painful compromises for peace, we will not
make even the slightest compromise that will endanger Israel's security.
This is a long and painful battle. It did not start yesterday and it
will not end tomorrow. We, unfortunately, will continue to pay a heavy
price for our desire to live in peace. Eventually we will triumph. We
will triumph because we have justice on our side, because we will
continue to seek and pursue peace, and at the same time we will continue
to defend our lives, the lives of our children, and the safety of our
homes. We will take chances, persevere and triumph.
The United States, our greatest friend and ally, and its courageous and
determined leader, George W. Bush, is currently spearheading the war of
the free world against terrorism. We share America's commitment to the
Tenet and Mitchell understandings, which specifically outline the
roadmap toward our sought-after goal: peace and tranquility. The
Secretary of State defined the one test of success: deeds and not
words. And we will indeed insist upon complete quiet without any threat
or harm to the people of Israel, as a pre-requisite for any
negotiations, particularly any concessions.
Aside from the security problems, Israel is currently in an economic
situation that can only be defined as a crisis situation. These are not
merely hollow words. The global economic storms, simultaneously with the
security difficulties, threaten to overturn the Israeli economic ship.
The economic results are not merely theoretical formulas. Economy is
not only about numbers, it is about people - their lives, livelihood,
hopes, however humble, for a better future for them and their children.
These people must always be foremost in our thoughts: the workers who
earn no more than the price of a loaf of bread and are terrified of
losing their jobs, the unemployed who have lost all hope, those in need
of a helping, comforting hand. These phenomena can no longer be
accepted as part of the daily routine.
Salary demands, strikes and sanctions are the legitimate right of every
employee, but we have no way to accommodate their demands - not because
we do not wish to give them, but because the coffers are empty.
Salary increases for high-level earners must stop. It is the leaders
who must show the way. We, the State officials, must lead the process
of freezing salaries for the high-level earners. Political legislation
must stop, or at least be postponed to better times.
The bureaucratic delays in the implementation of projects must stop
immediately. This is the time to take action, or to let the doers,
primarily those of the private sector - take action.
These are trying times. One must admit however, that we have known even
more difficult times in this country, and we have triumphed. Today
especially, here in Be'er Sheva, the capital of the Negev, we remember
the first leader, who was greater than all of us, David Ben Gurion.
Both I and my friend and partner Shimon Peres had the privilege of
working directly with Ben Gurion. We watched closely how in times of
fear and doubt, when trouble rocked the shaky boat of Independence, Ben
Gurion had a solution to every problem - the establishment of Israel's
security forces, immigrant absorption and the great economic crisis, the
coming into being of Israeli Statehood, and encouragement of Hebrew
culture and creation. Ben Gurion was the embodiment of active and
involved leadership, which looked beyond the obstacles of today, into
the future.
Nothing epitomizes the ideals of our generation's greatest Jew, like the
vision of the Negev.
For me the Negev is home. I love this land - its open spaces, its
wonderful landscapes and the fascinating past embedded in its earth. I
will always return to this place.
However, Ben Gurion built his home in the Negev not only because of his
love for this land. The Negev was, in his mind's eye, the focus of the
realization of our future in the entire Land of Israel.
Today, we still have time restrictions, and Ben Gurion's vision has not
yet been realized. We have traveled a long and difficult journey. The
threats we face today are nothing like those of the past. However, we
are stronger, we are advanced, and we have more resources and
oportunities. We have accomplished much in the country, and in the
Negev. We have built homes for our children and grandchildren. We have
planted trees and we eat the fruits they bear. Still, we have a long
way ahead of us. The vision of the blossoming Negev is still calling us
and waiting for its full realization.
The blossoming Negev will be the land of peace. The Negev has always
been a bridge between cultures - here Israel and the Arab countries can
meet at the shores of the Red Sea, extract the treasures of the Dead
Sea, and develop the Mediterranean coastline in Rafiah, Gaza and
Ashkelon.
The blossoming Negev will be an example of co-existence between the
Jewish and the Bedouin residents. We must take every possible step to
assist the Bedouin, to give them equal rights and duties in our State,
to be part of the splendid mosaic that makes up the State of Israel and
the Negev.
The blossoming Negev will be the home of a rich industry that will be
established along the shores of the Dead Sea and Ramat Hovav and Be'er
Sheva, which will have to expand to further locations, that will offer a
decent livelihood to many, and will be the center of production and
exports of our main natural source, the Jewish mind.
The blossoming Negev will be a center for learning and education, and
its nucleus is this wonderful university, that you head, Avishai;
[Braverman] the colleges and centers of learning, from the College of
Sha'ar Hanegev to the branch of Ben Gurion University in Eilat.
Particularly in this area - the blossoming Negev - we can cast aside all
our daily disagreements, and unite together. All our tribes, our
different sectors and backgrounds - a broad national consensus.
The wild Negev panorama, the dry land and the cliffs, the craters and
sand, the acacia trees, the juniper trees, will continue to be a source
of magical inspiration, a bond between a magnificent past to no less a
magnificent future.
Here in the Negev, a place where every beginning can be a new beginning,
primarily, we can build the core from which inspiration and momentum can
be drawn throughout Israel. Israel will not fertilize the Negev - the
Negev will fertilize us, all of us.
Therefore, we have decided that in order to tackle our present problems,
we must not neglect building a future in the Negev.
We have already reached decisions concerning our infrastructure and we
are beginning to accomplish things. I am working to hasten the paving of
the Trans-Israel Highway - the link between the Negev and other parts of
the country. I have issued instructions to open a rail-line to Dimona,
and when completed, a track will be laid to Be'er Sheva, a project which
was initiated when I was Minister of National Infrastructures. I also
issued instructions to start the planning of another train line for
Ashkelon-Sderot-Netivot-Ofakim-Be'er Sheva. We will allocate other
resources towards the development of the infrastructure to shorten
distances, improve the capabilities of the Negev, and help Israel to
flourish. We have also been active in the field of education. On Monday
I gave instructions to commence this great enterprise to build 5000
classrooms, for Jews and Bedouins in the Negev.
We will continue to breathe new life into the Negev. We will establish
new settlements along the lower part of the Hevron hills, along the
sands of Halutza, in Ramat Hanegev and in the desert. We will continue
to build in the city centers, in Be'er Sheva, Eilat and the surrounding
cities, from Mitzpe Ramon to Kiryat Gat, and from Dimona to Sderot.
I stand before you, as the head of the Ministerial Committee on Negev
Matters. I call on all those seated here, people of the Negev and
guests, not to give in to our trying and stressful daily routine, which
is sown with tears and wrath. We must not judge the future by the
present. Join us in shaping the future of Israeli society here in the
Negev, from which we will eventually see the light.
Thank you
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