Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Tuesday that Israel had in the past, and would continue in the future, to leave "no stone unturned" in its quest for peace. But, he added, in the Middle East, peace could only come with strength. "You must be strong and sure of yourself, with two feet on the ground, eyes wide open, with the left hand seeking peace in all ways, and the right hand on the trigger, ready to act if necessary. Only this is it possible to make peace in Israel," Barak said.

Barak was speaking at a ceremony in Katzrin, honoring soldiers who liberated the Golan Heights.