|
Minister of the Interior, Mr. Meir Sheetrit,
Minister Ruhama Avraham-Balila,
The Honorable Slovakian Minister of the Interior and Infrastructures, Mr. Marian Janusek,
Chairman of the Union of Local Authorities, Mr. Adi Eldar,
Distinguished Guests, Mayors from Across the World,
Heads of Organizations and Jewish Communities,
Heads of Local Authorities in Israel,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good morning.
Exactly ten years ago, I stood here before you as Mayor of Jerusalem, and I opened the Conference organized by the Union of Local Authorities as Israel celebrated 50 years since its establishment. And now a decade has passed, and this morning I am pleased to be here again, this time marking two important dates: sixty years since the establishment of the State of Israel and seventy years of activity of the Union of Local Authorities in Israel.
Here in this auditorium, hundreds of people are gathered, most of whom have at least one thing in common: they are privileged to fulfill one of the most complex and challenging jobs in the life of a public official: that of head of a local authority.
For ten years, I served as Mayor of Jerusalem. Ten years without a moment of rest; ten years of unceasing work, of unprecedented investment in infrastructure, education, welfare, culture, of laying the proper foundations for administration and organization – and all this in a difficult security reality of dozens of murderous terror attacks in the streets of the city.
Last Thursday Jerusalem was witness to an additional murderous act. A terrorist penetrated the Mercaz Harav Yeshiva and fired indiscriminately with an automatic weapon. This took place at a time when the students were making the final preparations for a party celebrating the new month of Adar, a month during which we are ordered to celebrate and be happy.
Unfortunately, he succeeded in realizing his malicious intentions and murdered eight Torah students in cold blood, in the heart of the Yeshiva, in the heart of Jerusalem, in a place where we thought nothing bad would happen to any Jew who studies Torah.
My colleagues, mayors from around the world,
Imagine for a moment what would happen in your cities if, G-d forbid, a similar terror attack took place. Ask yourselves, if eight young men, students in your cities had been brutally murdered in the name of religious extremism – how would you react? How would you feel? What would you say to your residents?
Imagine that your cities were, for years, under daily missile attack. Even if these missiles do not always kill, they injure, they threaten, they frighten those whom they land near. Who would not be afraid in such a situation? Who would not want to respond given such a threat?
During the sixty years of Israel’s independence, we never ceased fighting for our existence. Even today, terrorist organizations are aiming Kassam missile launchers with the goal of harming citizens of Israel who live in the south of the country, and it was the exact same intention of the murderer in the attack on Thursday night – to make our lives here intolerable. Their intention is to dissuade us from the path of peace and harm our security. There is no chance that they will succeed. The path is difficult, the circumstances are painful, but I have no doubt as to the results. The people of Israel will be triumphant.
Distinguished Guests,
I am pleased to be here today as Prime Minister of Israel and as former Mayor of Jerusalem. During the ten years I served as Mayor I felt – day after day, hour after hour – the significance of the phrase “public servant”. There is no job in the world which more strongly demonstrates the obligation of an elected official to his constituents than the position of head of a local authority.
There are few public positions which demand high accessibility at all hours of the day and night, or in which one must answer to those in whose name one acts – as they find expression every day and every hour in the daily routine of a mayor or head of a local council.
Despite the difficulties, despite the uncompromising importunities, despite the absolute blurring of boundaries between private and public life which exists in this position – I loved the years during which I fulfilled my calling in the Jerusalem Municipality.
I have no doubt in my heart that you too, Mayors from across the oceans, just like my friends who serve in Israel, feel the ability to make a difference on a daily basis which is part of your positions, the power in the hands of each and every one of you to lead real change in the immediate environment in which you live, the possibility to make your mark for many years in numerous and changing fields of activity.
My friends, heads of local authorities from around the world,
It is our pleasure and our honor to see you here on the occasion of the State of Israel’s celebration, its imminent 60th Independence Day. Your presence here is an expression of your solidarity with the entire country, and with the activities of the local authorities in particular, and for us it is a source of pride and encouragement which has no equal.
The cooperation which has become institutionalized over the course of the years between many cities in Israel and their sister cities beyond the sea, which find expression also in the framework of the “Sister Cities” enterprise, is an important source of mutual development, the exchange of knowledge and experience, prosperity and growth.
I am certain that we will continue to advance together, to enrich and deepen the strong foundations of that same inter-continental dialogue, with the goal of ensuring that we all continue to enjoy its important results in the future.
I hope that we will continue to see you here with us in Israel every year, and that we will succeed in working together to realize new ideas and economic, cultural and other initiatives.
My friends, heads of local authorities in Israel,
During the two years I have served as Prime Minister, I toured the entire country and got to know many of you personally, heads of authorities from all sectors and from across the country. I know that you have many expectations of the local authorities, and some of you also have quite a few contentions regarding the difficulties strewn in your path as you try to advance various initiatives, as part of the fabric of daily life in your cities.
I hear from you often regarding complicated bureaucracy, complex processes and primarily regarding your legitimate aspirations for more independence, (economic and otherwise), more administrative flexibility and more responsibility for a range of systems operating in your jurisdictions.
To you – mayors and heads of local councils – I wish to say today: as one who sat in your chairs for many years, it is easy for me to identify with you, understand and also accept your aspirations. As one who took on the labyrinthine processes which frequently accompany the realization of a new initiative, the transformation of an idea from theory into practice, I admit that frustration may ensue when faced with that which may be viewed as obtuseness or lack of sufficient understanding.
I believe in providing greater flexibility to the heads of authorities and the gradual and controlled expansion of the areas of your responsibilities – of course as long as things are done with consideration, caution and with the clear understanding that authority is also responsibility, and in many cases – great and heavy responsibility. In the spirit of this perception we will act in cooperation with the Union of Local Authorities and heads of authorities, and we will ensure that the tools available to the elected public officials of cities and councils will be more diverse and even more significant.
In this context, I would like to say that there is no doubt that the Government has the duty to make its bureaucracy and the decision-making processes in various ministries more efficient. However, this duty is yours as well. Bureaucracy is not just a governmental disease. It is also a municipal shortcoming. I am familiar with it – you know this – and sometimes, its is easier for you to correct some of the municipal bureaucratic shortcomings compared to those in the Government.
Distinguished Guests,
For thirty years, the International Relations Department of the Union of Local Authorities has advanced the idea that this important Conference takes place in Jerusalem, and in my opinion, it is fitting that this initiative which has become tradition continues thus in the future as well.
I thank you, distinguished guests who are with us here today from so many countries, so many important mayors who serve as a focus of activity, development, cooperation in the countries from which you come and in the relations between those same countries and the State of Israel.
I hope you will be able to travel inside the country. I know the organizers from the Union of Local Authorities; they are wonderful hosts who allow you unlimited time to do what you want every day between midnight and 6 a.m. I would like to suggest to you that you take advantage of several hours during the day to visit in Jerusalem, see the fabric of life here – which includes Jews, Muslims and Christians, and members of various religions from around the world. It has – despite all the contrasts, the hardships and the hurts – a common life, one lived in tolerance and mutual respect. Jerusalem has many other things, but it has this as well.
Travel the country, see the vistas and the developments. See how some marvelous organizations have invested unceasing efforts in creating a life with zest, and people who arrived here without anything, and who are today proud Israelis and citizens of the State of Israel. See how much will be possible if there is only peace. If our neighbors would be prepared to take one more small step – a step which is small perhaps in historic and global terms, but is a giant step between us and the Palestinians.
Despite the pain, the difficulties, the terror which threatens many citizens of the State of Israel, we are not giving up the tremendous effort to make one more small, significant, important, dramatic step which could move us forward towards a chance of real reconciliation with our Palestinian neighbors and build the foundations for genuine peace between us. We are not giving up this effort; we will not abandon this hope; we will continue to extend a hand in order to achieve it, and I am certain that the entire international community will back our effort with support, happiness and appreciation.
Thank you and good luck.
|