|
Hello to all of you.
I came to say thank you for all your tremendous efforts. For several years you have been at the forefront of the defense of the State of Israel. I often call the Minister of Public Security and the Deputy Minister, and I ask the Police Commissioner to convey to you my best wishes and gratitude for all your efforts, which are very difficult and often very unpleasant. Mr. Police Commissioner, I hope that despite all your work and the heavy burden which you shoulder every day, you forward these messages to the commanders of the Israel Police.
I look at all the things you do and all your shifts in times of terror, the issue of violence (which will become a central issue to deal with following the disengagement), organized crime, violations and, of course, the most difficult and complex task ahead of us – the actual implementation of the disengagement.
They ask me – what will you do the day after? And I always tell them that the day after, we will continue to address this issue of Israel’s security and begin to address two tasks which I believe I will find more time to address and deal with, two issues which we must deal with: eradicating all forms of civil violence – this is a task of supreme importance. I believe that, following the disengagement, this will be the major task which you will need to address. We must deal with this phenomenon, in all its manifestations. It is not possible to run an orderly society with the violence that exists here.
The other issue that I will most likely address, which also concerns you, though not primarily, is the educational reform. This is apart from the subject of security and the other issues which the Prime Minister is responsible for. These are the two subjects that I intend to address once we complete this complicated and difficult task ahead of us. The answer to violence is, first and foremost, you. I do not think that there is anybody else that can provide the answer to this subject. We rely on you; I rely on you. We will most likely meet more than once to discuss these issues, and I consider this to be a major and important thing.
Implementation of the disengagement is a complicated task. This is the challenge facing the police. The police is spearheading the mission of evacuating and maintaining order. I know that there are often claims that the disengagement is not a one-time event and that there will be another disengagement. I want to clarify this point: there is only one disengagement, the one that we are carrying out, and I hope that we will be able to do it in as quiet and orderly manner as possible. There will be no other disengagement.
If, following our disengagement, calm prevails, there is full cessation of terror, violence and incitement, the terror organizations are dismantled and their weapons collected, and those necessary reforms in the Palestinian Authority, particularly with regard to that issue which is of interest to us – the Palestinian security organizations – are carried out, then we can proceed to the Roadmap (today, I can still say that it is a situation of security organizations/terror, they are all involved in terror). There is no other disengagement. There is only a one-time disengagement, which you know. The rest is only in the Roadmap.
The Roadmap can only begin on condition that the Palestinians fulfil their commitments. I am willing to make painful compromises. These compromises are painful because it is the cradle of the Jewish people.
I have clarified to the Americans, the Europeans, the Russians, the Turks and the Indians – and there is a long list of states with which we have special relations – that there will be no compromise on security. No compromise. We will continue to insist that in the field of security, only Israel has the right to determine the level of security necessary for its citizens and for its very existence. We are not entering a series of consecutive disengagement acts.
I wish to emphasize that only if the Palestinians carry out their obligations (in the meantime we have seen no effort on their part to advance the Roadmap), can we move forward. The issue of borders and the future of the settlement is the final stage after all agreements in all areas have been achieved. I say this to you so that you do not think that you are going to be dealing with the disengagement for years. There is only one disengagement.
And of course, the population centers will remain under Israel’s control forever – territorially connected to the State of Israel. Let it be clear – this is an inseparable part of the agreement between me and President Bush, which was authorized and reaffirmed by an unprecedented majority in both houses of the American Congress.
The disengagement clearly generates harsh and painful opposition, part of which is legitimate and I respect and understand it. I know that you can make the distinction between your own personal views and your commitment to fulfil your mission and obey orders. Today, the implementation of the disengagement plan is the most important thing to the State of Israel.
You, who are at the forefront of the confrontation with the settlers and the protesters, must respond with restraint and respect for their legitimate right to protest. No one will be silenced. But the mission must be carried out.
Unfortunately, there are radical elements which exploit this legitimate opposition for other and most extreme purposes. You encounter this also. They do not constitute the majority of the dissidents; they are merely a small and radical minority among the national religious public which is a wonderful, pioneering public who is loyal to the State, the land and the people. The actions by these radical circles could severely undermine the character of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. And this is the goal of this small minority, which is, unfortunately, headed by a group of radical rabbis.
They are willing to disrupt our daily lives and the normal routine in this country, through an attempt to generate massive disobedience. And I am certain that there will be no massive disobedience in the State of Israel, but there is an intention to undermine the legitimacy of government institutions, disrupt the daily routine by blocking roads, sabotaging telecommunication systems, throwing “ninjas”, oil, burning cars. You know it better than I do. I view this as radical and extremely severe violence against citizens, policemen and soldiers.
To me, disobedience is the gravest thing. I rely on this nation to not follow this severe incitement. It is the worst thing that can happen. The State of Israel has not completed its missions. Contrary to all the incitement, it is not collapsing, Zionism has not been destroyed and the settlements have not been destroyed. True, it is a difficult step, these are painful steps. They are important to the agreement – which I consider to be vital – between us and the United States. There are allegations against me that we did not make an agreement with the Arabs, we made an agreement with the Americans. Without offending the Palestinians or other Arab countries, I still rely more on an agreement with the Americans than I do on one with the Arabs.
I believe that disobedience is the worst thing that can happen. It is an attempt to bring about the destruction of the State of Israel, and it must be prevented in any way. My instruction in these instances is clear: political protest – yes! Political violence – not under any circumstances!
I expect you to show tolerance towards the protesters, particularly those settlers who mourn the loss of their homes and lifestyles, but to show zero tolerance towards the radical, violent and disobeying elements. Here there must be no tolerance.
I say to you, and it is important that everyone understands – violence will not stop the disengagement. The disengagement will be carried out in the timetable set, and perhaps what I say to you now is unnecessary: do not be deterred by any threat or intimidation.
I say it also to the leaders of the wide public, the rabbis, the intellectuals: you must speak up. Silence equals consent that your legitimate battle will assume the character of a rebellion against the government. And this is what I say to them when I talk to them: it depends on you and you must disassociate yourselves from these gangs.
The police now stands at the front line of the battle to preserve the character of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. Defending the democratic regime and the rule of law is the traditional duty of the police.
In fulfilling this task, as in other tasks, I stand behind you. I stand with you. I and the government have full confidence in you and give you full backing. Do your jobs. Thank you again.
Good luck.
I would like to say – I know that this whole thing is very difficult, but we must carry it out in the best way we can, without being deterred. I know this issue concerns you; you can also see the great danger. I see this mission that we must all undertake, first and foremost addressing the violence. We must confront this violence with all our might [maybe after that you will get a day off].
I wish to thank you again for all your efforts throughout the years. The police truly stands at the front line. I wish for us all that the coming period will go by as quietly as possible, but it must be carried out and it will be carried out in accordance with the decisions of the Government and the Knesset.
Good luck and thank you again for everything that you are doing.
|