Good Evening.  I am happy to be with you here tonight.

I would like to say that during the difficult time of the massive wave of immigration, I, as Minister of Construction and Housing was faced with a problem.  There were thousands of people around the country who were living in huts and tents, and their number increased steadily.  It was an enormous wave of immigration, and I was wondering who to turn to.  I knew one thing: I could turn only to you, and this I did.  Together, in a great effort, we constructed 1009 sites across the country. 

I know many of you.  You were there with me during that trying period, and you succeeded in providing a solution to the difficult problem we faced.  In the end, no immigrant remained without a roof above his head.  I learned then that I could trust you.  I trusted you and you did not disappoint me – you simply did not disappoint me – you acted, and that was the most important thing.  As you know, the field of construction in Israel is very close to my heart.  I know many of you from our joint activities in the early 1990s, during the time of the large immigration wave.  In the year I took office, less than 20,000 housing units were built.  We built all sorts of units, minimal government construction, a few thousands.  We then faced the danger that tens of thousands of immigrants would arrive in Israel and have no place to live.  You rose to this enormous national task and together we succeeded in building over 70,000 housing units in one year.  In fact, in the two years I worked with you, we built, or started building 140,000 apartments, and 22,000 apartments were renovated.  Overall, I think we worked on 160,000 construction units.  Thus, we ensured that hundreds of thousands of olim would have a roof over their heads.

In recent years, the Israeli economy, and the construction sector, suffered an acute crisis.  The State of Israel was on the verge of economic collapse, and my Government was forced to take serious steps to prevent further deterioration and ensure a renewal of growth.  In 2004 our efforts bore fruit.  We succeeded in bringing the economy to a growth rate of 4.2%, achieved an increase in exports and a decrease in unemployment.  It is still a small decrease, but a decrease nevertheless.  If we continue to pursue this path, within a decade Israel’s GDP will be equal to that of the most developed European countries.

Naturally, there is a close connection between the economic situation in Israel and its political situation.  One of the primary causes of the economic crisis was the difficult security situation which Israel faced.  We took the necessary steps, in the field of security as well as the political arena, in order to minimize terror and improve Israel’s political posture. 

We have been following the recent developments in the Palestinian Authority with great interest, and it is evident that there is a positive approach with regard to fighting terror and advancing the political process.  If the Palestinians take comprehensive action to bring about a cessation of terror, violence and incitement, we will be able to advance in our contacts for implementation of the Roadmap, and will even be able to coordinate with them various activities relating to the Disengagement Plan.

I believe that circumstances were created which will enable the Palestinians and us to achieve an historic breakthrough in our relations – a breakthrough which will lead us to tranquility and security, and in the future, even the peace we strive for.  We deserve it.  We all do.

I would like to say, we are seeing encouraging signs, however, these things must be put to the test.  Today is a historic day.  We participated in ceremonies, yesterday and today, regarding anti-Semitism and the annihilation of Jews, in the ceremonies which are held in Auschwitz today.  And we learnt from that same bitter experience that when it comes to our lives we can only trust ourselves.  That was perhaps the most important lesson, and it is the lesson which must be borne in mind and on which we cannot make even the smallest compromise.  This is our position.  We are willing to go far.  We are willing to make concessions.  However, in one area we will not make any concessions – the security of the citizens of Israel and the State of Israel.

Experience has taught us that the construction field is regaining strength, although with some delay.  I know your situation is not an easy one, but we must build.  We simply must build.  And I will add this, only after the economic growth left its mark in other fields.  Today, we can already see signs of recuperation in this sector.  However, this recuperation is felt mainly in the center of the country, and not yet in the periphery.  The Government is currently making great efforts to promote the Negev and the Galilee.  We are working to connect the periphery to the center of the country through a range of transportation projects, of which you are probably well aware.  We are acting to create new work places by encouraging the opening of new factories in the periphery and by relocating IDF bases to the south.  I attach great importance to the renewal of construction in the Negev and the Galilee as well, and therefore I instructed the staff in my Office to formulate a plan to encourage and assist the construction sector in the periphery, and I expect the plan to be presented to me in the near future.

We must work together in order to increase the positive trends in the Israeli economy in general, and in the construction field in particular.  We acknowledged the troubles facing the sector in the process of transition to local employment.  It is therefore that this year we have, for the first time, reached a perennial agreement with the union, in which we achieved a certain flexibility in employment during the transitional period.  At the same time, we invested 40 million NIS in training Israeli laborers in the field of construction, which will decrease employment and ease the shortage of manpower in the sector.

I believe that, in a joint effort, we will be able to achieve renewed growth in this field.  And I call on you, all of you, to cooperate with us, and I believe that together we will find solutions.

Finally, I wish to thank Sam Ulpiner, for the four years he invested here, in the union, and for the dozens of years he spent in building this country.  For many years, I have known Sam to be “a relentless bulldozer”.  I know how much this country is important and dear to him and how he is always willing to rise to every task he is charged with.  (While he was sitting next to me, he already volunteered for additional missions)  I am confident, Sam, that although you are leaving this office, you will continue to do so in other official and public positions and in business activities.

I also congratulate Aharon Cohen on your election to this office.  I am certain that you will continue the fruitful cooperation between us and the union.

Thank you very much, and success to all of you.