Shalom to everyone, I am pleased to be here again.

Over the years, I have had the privilege to fill various roles in the Galilee.  I served here at the end of the War of Independence as a company commander.  Later, I served as commander of a reconnaissance company and intelligence officer in the Northern Command.  I served here during the retaliatory raids, and I had the privilege of serving as Chief of Staff of the Northern Command during the struggle for water.

Of all these things, which were interesting and important in and of themselves, I would like to say: in my opinion, the most important thing I succeeded in accomplishing here in the Galilee was establishing communities and outposts between 1978 and 1981, when I served as Minister of Agriculture.  I see this as perhaps the most important thing, and the greatest privilege I have had.

I wish to say in one sentence: there was much less talk and many more activities, and this is also the direction that, I feel, we should be going in now.  It is true that we must consider and examine and estimate and compare everything.  However, first we must act – this is the main thing and the most important one.  Perhaps there are sometimes things that do not succeed, but in most cases, when one acts, one succeeds.

The Galilee, the Negev and the Greater Jerusalem area are at the top of the Government’s list of priorities.  It is a list of priorities which the Government determined, and it is what the Government will do – developing the Galilee for the benefit of all its inhabitants: Jews, Druze and Arabs.

I instructed that a multi-year strategic plan for developing the Galilee be implemented.  This plan is meant to strongly increase the population of the Galilee, which will, in turn, with its quality, contribute to the development in the region.  The goal is to compare the Galilee standards to the center of the country in all the important measures of per capita national product, percentage of employment and percentage of students among the population.

I attribute special importance to the matter of education – children remain children.  Children in a big city and children in a development town are exactly the same children, with the same potential.  What we must do is provide them with the tools, the same tools, and they will achieve the same accomplishments.  This, too, I consider central to the actions of the Government.  I am pleased to see the Minister of Education here, and I wish to thank you for your activity in each of the spheres to which we attribute great importance, and empathize with all the struggles and difficulties you face.  I thank you for not retreating from anything.  You truly continue to struggle for those things in which we believe – which are Government Resolutions.

Usually, we face the claim that we do not act, or that we do not do enough, that nothing happens, and the darkest picture is always presented.  There are various reasons for this, and there is no point in detailing them here and now.  However, there are many things which are being done, and I would like to touch upon a few things which we are currently doing in the Galilee.

Let me say a few words on the matter of transportation: after a number of years of discussions and struggles, the continuation of the trans-Israel road, 18 from Iron to Yokneam, will be opened in 2007.  At the same time, the Cross-Israel Company and the Public Works Department have been charged with beginning to plan the two northern extensions: Yokneam – Kabri and Yokneam – Amiad – Kiryat Shmona.  I can tell you with certainty that the continuation of the trans-Israel route will be completed, and we view this as an important goal.

Roads:  it was decided to accelerate the completion of the paving of 4 roads to become bi-directional roads, at a cost of NIS one billion.  This is the Kiryat Shmona – Amiad road, which has been under construction for a long time, and progress must be a bit faster there, as well as the Amiad – Nahal Amud road, the Nahal Amud – Golani Junction road and Route 77 – Golani Junction, HaMovil Junction, Ramat Ishai and Yokneam.  I will not go into detail about all the roads, since many roads are being constructed and improved.  I mentioned a number of roads linked to the lives and development of each of the towns and villages in the region.

Hospitals: investments of tens of millions of NIS have been made towards construction of departments, wings, emergency rooms and labs in hospitals in the region, in Safed, Poriah, Emek, Afula, Nahariah and Rambam Hospital in Haifa.  A lot of work is being carried out there.  I must say that the work at Rambam in Haifa was the result of a visit I had there, and my conversations with employees.  We sat outside and I spoke with the employees.  I heard what they had to say, and decided not to wait for anything, not to bring it or have discussions and consultations and committees and so forth.  Right then and there, I decided to do it.  And these things are being done, and I believe that this is how we must approach things, how we must act – less discussion, less examination, less consultation with every expert (every expert or self-proclaimed expert).  I am very pleased with this development in the hospitals. 

Drain water reservoirs: two months ago, the KKL completed establishing a drain water reservoir near Kabri to absorb runoff from Naharia.  And last week, another reservoir was established near Kibbutz Ha Solelim, with an investment of NIS 4.7 million.

Agriculture: I do not wish to cover every topic related to agriculture here.  As one who is connected to this topic and loves it, I will be pleased if you were to invite me to lecture on this subject specifically.  It could be a fascinating discussion.  However, in the field of agriculture, I would like to emphasize something, which is an interesting development: a large investment in vineyards in the Galilee and the Golan, in which hundreds of dunams of wine grapes were planted, as a result of which, in the past few years, more than 10 new wineries were established.  To date, there are over 20 commercial wineries in Israel.

New communities: between 1992 and 2000, nine years, only one new settlement in the Galilee was established – Shimshit.  I am pleased to have had the privilege to act to establish the community.  Over the past four years, we have been in the process of establishing three more: Nachal Iron, Nurit and Michal, and our hand remains extended.

On Sunday, I will present the Government with a temporary order which will considerably reduce in the cost of land in the Galilee.  I am certain this step will provide a large push for settlement in the Galilee.  Shortly thereafter, I will present a Resolution to the Government to significantly reduce land prices to industry.  Israel made a strategic decision.  It was one of priorities.  I wish to say that the Disengagement Plan is not only a decision to withdraw from Gaza, it is a decision to invest increased efforts in developing the Negev, developing the Galilee and the Greater Jerusalem area.  It is a decision to withdraw from a region with little security importance, in order to ensure the areas which we view as having high strategic importance. 

Therefore, I am completely unwilling to accept the false claims which are made implying that leaving Gaza is the destruction of Zionism.  Leaving Gaza is the key to ensuring the future of Zionism.  Also here in the Galilee, Zionism must expand its activities, and I am certain that it will do so.  I also wish to say here that leaving Gaza will be implemented exactly as decided by the Government and Knesset.  I emphasize this to refute the spread of intentionally false rumors.  There is no change in the Government Resolution, there will be no deviation from Government decisions and Knesset decisions, and since we attribute great importance to the withdrawal from Gaza, this will be implemented exactly as the Knesset decided and the Government decided, and in accordance with the schedule determined by them.

This is not an easy thing.  It is difficult, certainly difficult for the residents.  It is definitely not an easy thing, but it is important for the State of Israel, and we must do today what is important for the State of Israel, and what ensures and strengthens its future.  This is how I intend to act.  I have no intention of changing it, I have said it is not easy, it is difficult, but these things will be implemented in accordance with the decisions of the Government and the Knesset.

And to you, I once again wish you every good decision which can be.  I saw the things we started here, these were steps that people here did not think it was possible to maintain a community of 7 families (or 15 residents), and today they have already become hundreds.  I hope that they too can expand and the cities will be strengthened, and there will be successes in all spheres of life.

Thank you.