"We are in the midst of a war against terrorism. This is a harsh and brutal war that has continued for more than 120 years. In the last two years, this war has been organized, planned and financed by a coalition of terrorist organizations led by the Chairman of the Palestinian Authority. This is a war against over very existence, here in our land.
The new government will have to complete the war against terror - by ejecting the leadership of terror and creating conditions in which a new Palestinian leadership can arise, a leadership with which it will be possible to make a genuine peace. The new government will have to promote a diplomatic plan, with responsibility and sagacity…
We are confronted with a harsh economic crisis [brought upon us by] the war on terror's destructive influence on entire sectors of the Israeli economy, the global economic recession, the collapse of the high-tech market and the absence of a diplomatic process…
The new government will have to act immediately in order to get out of the economic crisis... We must enact sharp budget cuts. We must change the national list of priorities, enact reforms in the labor and capital markets, and privatize government companies. The special American assistance can be a lever for getting out of the crisis - but only if we know how to channel the budgetary and foreign resources towards growth and infrastructure, and not towards satisfying extortionate demands; towards job creation, and not towards disbursing additional supports...
Victory over terror, making peace and lifting the Israeli economy out of recession - these are the tasks of the new government. These tasks will require harsh and painful decisions on a national level. These decisions will require broad national agreement and concessions. I know it is difficult for us to make concessions, but the future of the state, the future of our children, depends on it.
No one can be detached from the crisis as if it did not touch him. No one can shirk the obligation to concede [his] immediate petty, political interests for the good of the national interest. In order to meet the dangers, in order to exhaust every chance, in order to realize the hopes - we must go forward together… Whoever says no to unity - rejects the will of the Israeli public.
Therefore, we must, together, formulate a genuine plan based on broad national agreement, on a new set of national priorities, and on how to put a stop to terror and make peace. The moment has arrived - the time is now! No party must be ruled out. All Zionist parties will be invited to be partners in my government and take part in shaping the future of the State of Israel. Let us go forward together, left and right, religious and secular - in order to ensure that the opportunity that we now face will not be missed, that we can finally dwell securely in our land, in tranquility and peace."
The new government will have to complete the war against terror - by ejecting the leadership of terror and creating conditions in which a new Palestinian leadership can arise, a leadership with which it will be possible to make a genuine peace. The new government will have to promote a diplomatic plan, with responsibility and sagacity…
We are confronted with a harsh economic crisis [brought upon us by] the war on terror's destructive influence on entire sectors of the Israeli economy, the global economic recession, the collapse of the high-tech market and the absence of a diplomatic process…
The new government will have to act immediately in order to get out of the economic crisis... We must enact sharp budget cuts. We must change the national list of priorities, enact reforms in the labor and capital markets, and privatize government companies. The special American assistance can be a lever for getting out of the crisis - but only if we know how to channel the budgetary and foreign resources towards growth and infrastructure, and not towards satisfying extortionate demands; towards job creation, and not towards disbursing additional supports...
Victory over terror, making peace and lifting the Israeli economy out of recession - these are the tasks of the new government. These tasks will require harsh and painful decisions on a national level. These decisions will require broad national agreement and concessions. I know it is difficult for us to make concessions, but the future of the state, the future of our children, depends on it.
No one can be detached from the crisis as if it did not touch him. No one can shirk the obligation to concede [his] immediate petty, political interests for the good of the national interest. In order to meet the dangers, in order to exhaust every chance, in order to realize the hopes - we must go forward together… Whoever says no to unity - rejects the will of the Israeli public.
Therefore, we must, together, formulate a genuine plan based on broad national agreement, on a new set of national priorities, and on how to put a stop to terror and make peace. The moment has arrived - the time is now! No party must be ruled out. All Zionist parties will be invited to be partners in my government and take part in shaping the future of the State of Israel. Let us go forward together, left and right, religious and secular - in order to ensure that the opportunity that we now face will not be missed, that we can finally dwell securely in our land, in tranquility and peace."