The Knesset held a special session on the Road Map today, at the conclusion of which Prime Minister Sharon made a diplomatic announcement in which he responded to those who attacked him from the left.
He spoke of Israel's desire and need for peace, and the great economic, social, scientific and other benefits that it will certainly bring. He said that to reach peace, however, "we need security. Israel will never give up its right to live here in peace and security." He noted that he is "constantly being analyzed and attributed with secret intentions," but that in truth, "I have served much of my life on the battlefield. I have seen the terrible aspects of war, and have felt the fears of war, and I have lost my good friends. I was seriously wounded twice... I have made life-and-death decisions for others and for myself. Therefore I believe that I want peace at least as much as some politicians here who have never felt war. But for me, peace means absolutely total security - total war by the new PA government against terrorism and the dismantling of its infrastructures..."
Sharon emphasized that at the Aqaba Summit, he said that in exchange for true peace, Israel would have to make painful concessions - "but I emphasized over and over that we would not accept terrorism and that we would respond heavily to attacks against us - and that's what we did." Answering his left-wing critics who objected to the timing of the strike against Rantisi, the Prime Minister said,
"After Aqaba, the terrorist organizations [gave us] three days of quiet - but then perpetrated terrible terrorism. A 17-year-old girl and her friend were hacked to death with axes and knives; four soldiers in Gaza were killed while protecting both Jews and Arabs in Gaza; a soldier was killed in Hevron; and 17 people in the massacre in Jerusalem. Many suicide attacks by Palestinian terrorists were prevented, and terrorists and their dispatchers were arrested. We acted resolutely against Hamas - unfortunately, civilians were also hit; this was not our intention, and this is not our way. [Heavy pressure] then pushed the PA to do what they long were not prepared to do, and that is to take control over certain areas - [because] they saw that we were serious about not accepting terrorism. Our intentions were not to push off peace, but to bring it closer. At this point, we're dealing with only one thing: security. There will be no compromise. Only after that is achieved will we start with our painful concessions."
Prime Minister Sharon concluded by saying that the Road Map is not an agreement, but just a framework. He said the Knesset will be asked in the future to vote on agreements connected with the Road Map, but that for now, "I [merely] ask the Knesset to vote on this announcement of mine." The Knesset did so, approving it by a 57-42 vote.
He spoke of Israel's desire and need for peace, and the great economic, social, scientific and other benefits that it will certainly bring. He said that to reach peace, however, "we need security. Israel will never give up its right to live here in peace and security." He noted that he is "constantly being analyzed and attributed with secret intentions," but that in truth, "I have served much of my life on the battlefield. I have seen the terrible aspects of war, and have felt the fears of war, and I have lost my good friends. I was seriously wounded twice... I have made life-and-death decisions for others and for myself. Therefore I believe that I want peace at least as much as some politicians here who have never felt war. But for me, peace means absolutely total security - total war by the new PA government against terrorism and the dismantling of its infrastructures..."
Sharon emphasized that at the Aqaba Summit, he said that in exchange for true peace, Israel would have to make painful concessions - "but I emphasized over and over that we would not accept terrorism and that we would respond heavily to attacks against us - and that's what we did." Answering his left-wing critics who objected to the timing of the strike against Rantisi, the Prime Minister said,
"After Aqaba, the terrorist organizations [gave us] three days of quiet - but then perpetrated terrible terrorism. A 17-year-old girl and her friend were hacked to death with axes and knives; four soldiers in Gaza were killed while protecting both Jews and Arabs in Gaza; a soldier was killed in Hevron; and 17 people in the massacre in Jerusalem. Many suicide attacks by Palestinian terrorists were prevented, and terrorists and their dispatchers were arrested. We acted resolutely against Hamas - unfortunately, civilians were also hit; this was not our intention, and this is not our way. [Heavy pressure] then pushed the PA to do what they long were not prepared to do, and that is to take control over certain areas - [because] they saw that we were serious about not accepting terrorism. Our intentions were not to push off peace, but to bring it closer. At this point, we're dealing with only one thing: security. There will be no compromise. Only after that is achieved will we start with our painful concessions."
Prime Minister Sharon concluded by saying that the Road Map is not an agreement, but just a framework. He said the Knesset will be asked in the future to vote on agreements connected with the Road Map, but that for now, "I [merely] ask the Knesset to vote on this announcement of mine." The Knesset did so, approving it by a 57-42 vote.