Address by PM Sharon At the Annual Israel Management Conference
September 29, 2005

Good morning,

The title of your conference is "Decisions Can Change the Course of History." As one who witnessed the decision making during several significant events in our short history, I would like to tell you that it is true. We could discuss this topic of decision making - it is very interesting. However, we will need a different conference for that.

There are two kinds of executives, two kinds of leaders. There are those who seek to preserve the existing situation, make minor decisions and tread the path which is already paved. In many cases, this is what an organization needs.

And there is, of course, the other kind. There are situations in which our basic assumptions should be questioned, and one needs to be bold and make decisions which completely change the face of the organization. It is not easy - many people are used to the existing situation, even when it is problematic, and they fear change. It takes an ability to define priorities and relinquish that which is important for that which is more important. It takes patience, because the price is paid immediately, while it takes time before the positive results can be seen. It takes courage to take chances and make decisions - and more importantly, an ability to implement. It takes leadership - and today the State of Israel needs such leadership.

My Government received an "organization" in a serious condition. A few years ago, the State of Israel suffered a security crisis, an economic recession and a political impasse. We did not despair, and, with courage and determination, dealt with each of these three aspects. In the field of security we waged an all-out war on terror, and achieved significant successes. In the economic field, we implemented a series of comprehensive reforms in almost all fields of economic activity, among which also fields which no one dared touch since the establishment of the State. In the political field, I initiated the Disengagement Plan - a plan to secure Israel's most essential interests.

The implementation of the Disengagement Plan, in addition to our determined struggle against terror, yielded fruit in all fields. Israel's international standing improved immensely since the implementation of the plan. We brought about a significant reduction in the level of terror, and increased the personal security of the citizens of Israel. The international markets view the Disengagement Plan as a step which will lead to security and economic stability, which creates movement of capital to the Israeli economy and a sharp increase in foreign investment. As a result of the political and economic steps, we renewed and increased foreign investment in Israel, achieved an increase in export and tourism, and a decrease in unemployment. Every one million additional tourists who visit Israel (and you know this as well as I do) provides employment for 40,000 people.

Despite these successes, we still face many difficult and important challenges - in the field of security, our relations with our neighbors, economy and society.

Today, thanks to the Disengagement, we have an opportunity which we never had in the past. The world has accepted our position that without security for Israel, there will be no political progress. This is what is outlined by the Roadmap, which was adopted by the Government.

According to the Roadmap, the Palestinians must eradicate the terrorist infrastructures, disarm the terror organizations, carry out comprehensive reforms, and cease incitement.

In the last few days we saw what happened in Ireland. It transpires that they insisted on the collection and dismantling of illegal weapons and they insisted on it as I intend to insist on it here. We see progress and the possibility of the resolution of a difficult situation which has lasted for decades.

Only after they do this can we embark on the path of negotiations and proceed to the next phases outlined in the Roadmap. The Roadmap is the only political plan. We will not advance any other plan.

I need not tell you this - Israel is a land of rumors, one rumor following another. Yesterday there was a rumor, as a result of baseless remarks, that Israel will examine other plans. I tell you here, Israel will not examine any other plans. We have one plan - the Roadmap - on which we agreed and behind which the United States stands like a besieged wall. I do not see any change in their position and this is the only plan. We, who have invested much thought on this subject, have no better plan than this one for Israel's future. And I am emphasizing this because of the rumors and I am sure there are already articles in this regard - I have not yet seen the newspapers.

I want you to know that yesterday was an exciting day in the international community. One ambassador after another came to the Prime Minister's Office to inquire about it. There are probably those who were pleased that there might be a different plan, which would be easier for the Arabs. But we made this clear. There was also a firm approach by the United States, wondering why Israel was about to change the plan on which we agreed and on which the political solution and the agreement between Israel and the United States is based. We needed to assure them in this regard. And therefore I repeat, there is no other plan, even if people speak on their own accord. There is only one plan and that is the Roadmap.

And let us move on to discussing the issues on which I intend to invest a special effort in the coming years. Economic inequality has increased here for many years and we are obligated to attend to that. The Government will invest great efforts in fighting poverty and narrowing social gaps. We allocated vast funds for that purpose in the 2006 Budget. I established a ministerial committee, which I head, and which includes Ministers Peres and Olmert, to formulate a comprehensive plan and outline policies to deal with poverty. The professional committee, headed by the Director General of the Ministry of Finance, which oversees the team, has commenced its work and will shortly present its findings and recommendations.

The accelerated development of transportation over the past few years, which should bring the periphery closer to the center of the country, and the reforms in the education system, which should provide better and more equal opportunities for all children in Israel - are also strategic steps in the framework of the struggle against poverty.

In recent years, we have witnessed a serious escalation in the level of violence in Israeli society which has turned into a significant threat to the personal security of Israeli citizens. In some ways, tackling the affliction of violence is more difficult than tackling terror, because the enemy comes from within. Therefore, tackling violence is achieved through various steps in many fields.

The Government decided on a policy of zero tolerance towards violence and is engaged in building a comprehensive perennial agreement which will comprise education, prevention, enforcement and rehabilitation. It should also be mentioned that we intend to give special attention to fighting the affliction of drugs, which is also spreading among us. As I mentioned before, we have already begun implementing some of the steps which should make the State of Israel a safer place.

A violence-free society is a crucial factor in ensuring quality of life for all citizens of the State. The struggle against violence is a struggle for the shape of Israeli society in the coming years. We are all determined to ensure that our children and grandchildren will be raised in a safer environment.

It will take many years before the State of Israel can afford to have a leader which preserves the existing situation. In the foreseeable future, the State of Israel will still need leadership which does not fear changes and is also willing to implement them. I promise you that my Government will continue to lead reforms in all fields and do everything necessary to ensure security and hope for a better future for the citizens of Israel.

I should perhaps apologize for my last sentence, because there are people from all political parties here, etc. However, I do not refer to a specific political body, because I feel that the necessary changes apply to everyone. I wish you all shana tova - a year of prosperity and growth, a year of tranquility and peace.

Shana tova and hatima tova.

Thank you

________________________________________

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Rosh Hashana Greeting

09-28-05

Dear Friends,

As we stand at the dawn of a New Year, I send you my best wishes for a happy New Year from Jerusalem, the eternal and united capital of the State of Israel and the Jewish people.

The Jewish people have a long and unique history.  We have overcome long periods of persecution and suffering, while at the same time achieving many magnificent and important accomplishments, the modern and vibrant State of Israel being the greatest of those.

In its short history, the State of Israel has faced many challenges.  Through the good times and the bad, our brothers and sisters in the Diaspora have always stood beside us and sustained us.  My Government firmly believes in strengthening the ties between the Diaspora and the State of Israel, and is working to achieve that goal.  We consider your support and commitment to be an invaluable asset in our efforts to safeguard Israel's vital interests.

The past few months have not been easy for the citizens of Israel.  However, I believe that we will emerge from this experience united, and that Israel's identity as a Jewish and democratic state will be strengthened. 

Together with you, we look forward with hope and optimism.
I wish us all a New Year of peace and quiet, health, prosperity and happiness.  I hope that you will celebrate the coming year with us here in Israel, the homeland of the Jewish people. 

Shana Tova, and hatima tova.

______________________________________  

PM Sharon's speech before the UN General Assembly 9-15-05

My friends and colleagues, heads and representatives of the UN member
states,

I arrived here from Jerusalem, the capital of the Jewish people for over
3,000 years, and the undivided and eternal capital of the State of Israel.

At the outset, I would like to express the profound feelings of empathy of
the people of Israel for the American nation, and our sincere condolences to
the families who lost their loved ones. I wish to encourage my friend,
President George Bush, and the American people, in their determined efforts
to assist the victims of the hurricane and rebuild the ruins after the
destruction. The State of Israel, which the United States stood beside at
times of trial, is ready to extend any assistance at its disposal in this
immense humanitarian mission.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I stand before you at the gate of nations as a Jew and as a citizen of the
democratic, free and sovereign State of Israel, a proud representative of an
ancient people, whose numbers are few, but whose contribution to
civilization and to the values of ethics, justice and faith, surrounds the
world and encompasses history. The Jewish people have a long memory, the
memory which united the exiles of Israel for thousands of years: a memory
which has its origin in G-d’s commandment to our forefather Abraham: “Go
forth!” and continued with the receiving of the Torah at the foot of Mount
Sinai and the wanderings of the children of Israel in the desert, led by
Moses on their journey to the promised land, the land of Israel.

I was born in the Land of Israel, the son of pioneers - people who tilled
the land and sought no fights - who did not come to Israel to dispossess its
residents. If the circumstances had not demanded it, I would not have become
a soldier, but rather a farmer and agriculturist. My first love was, and
remains, manual labor; sowing and harvesting, the pastures, the flock and
the cattle.

I, as someone whose path of life led him to be a fighter and commander in
all Israel’s wars, reaches out today to our Palestinian neighbors in a call
for reconciliation and compromise to end the bloody conflict, and embark on
the path which leads to peace and understanding between our peoples. I view
this as my calling and my primary mission for the coming years.

The land of Israel is precious to me, precious to us, the Jewish people,
more than anything. Relinquishing any part of our forefathers’ legacy is
heartbreaking, as difficult as the parting of the Red Sea. Every inch of
land, every hill and valley, every stream and rock, is saturated with Jewish
history, replete with memories. The continuity of Jewish presence in the
Land of Israel never ceased. Even those of us who were exiled from our land,
against their will, to the ends of the earth - their souls, for all
generations, remained connected to their homeland, by thousands of hidden
threads of yearning and love, expressed three times a day in prayer and
songs of longing.

The Land of Israel is the open Bible, the written testimony, the identity
and right of the Jewish people. Under its skies, the prophets of Israel
expressed their claims for social justice, and their eternal vision for
alliances between peoples, in a world which would know no more war. Its
cities, villages, vistas, ridges, deserts and plains preserve as loyal
witnesses its ancient Hebrew names. Page after page, our unique land is
unfurled, and at its heart is united Jerusalem, the city of the Temple upon
Mount Moriah, the axis of the life of the Jewish people throughout all
generations, and the seat of its yearnings and prayers for 3,000 years. The
city to which we pledged an eternal vow of faithfulness, which forever beats
in every Jewish heart: “If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, may my right hand
forget its cunning!”

I say these things to you because they are the essence of my Jewish
consciousness, and of my belief in the eternal and unimpeachable right of
the people of Israel to the Land of Israel. However, I say this here also to
emphasize the immensity of the pain I feel deep in my heart at the
recognition that we have to make concessions for the sake of peace between
us and our Palestinian neighbors.

The right of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel does not mean
disregarding the rights of others in the land. The Palestinians will always
be our neighbors. We respect them, and have no aspirations to rule over
them. They are also entitled to freedom and to a national, sovereign
existence in a state of their own.

This week, the last Israeli soldier left the Gaza Strip, and military law
there was ended. The State of Israel proved that it is ready to make painful
concessions in order to resolve the conflict with the Palestinians. The
decision to disengage was very difficult for me, and involves a heavy
personal price. However, it is the absolute recognition that it is the right
path for the future of Israel that guided me. Israeli society is undergoing
a difficult crisis as a result of the Disengagement, and now needs to heal
the rifts.

Now it is the Palestinians’ turn to prove their desire for peace. The end of
Israeli control over and responsibility for the Gaza Strip allows the
Palestinians, if they so wish, to develop their economy and build a
peace-seeking society, which is developed, free, law-abiding, transparent,
and which adheres to democratic principles. The most important test the
Palestinian leadership will face is in fulfilling their commitment to put an
end to terror and its infrastructures, eliminate the anarchic regime of
armed gangs, and cease the incitement and indoctrination of hatred towards
Israel and the Jews.

Until they do so - Israel will know how to defend itself from the horrors of
terrorism. This is why we built the Security Fence, and we will continue to
build it until it is completed, as would any other country defending its
citizens. The Security Fence prevents terrorists and murderers from arriving
in city centers on a daily basis and targeting citizens on their way to
work, children on their way to school and families sitting together in
restaurants. This Fence is vitally indispensable. This Fence saves lives!

The successful implementation of the Disengagement Plan opens up a window of
opportunity for advancing towards peace, in accordance with the sequence of
the Roadmap. The State of Israel is committed to the Roadmap and to the
implementation of the Sharm El-Sheikh understandings. And I hope that it
will be possible, through them, to renew the political process.

I am among those who believe that it is possible to reach a fair compromise
and coexistence in good neighborly relations between Jews and Arabs.
However, I must emphasize one fact: there will be no compromise on the right
of the State of Israel to exist as a Jewish state, with defensible borders,
in full security and without threats and terror.

I call on the Palestinian leadership to show determination and leadership,
and to eliminate terror, violence and the culture of hatred from our
relations. I am certain that it is in our power to present our peoples with
a new and promising horizon, a horizon of hope.

Distinguished representatives,

As I mentioned, the Jewish people have a long memory. We remember events
which took place thousands of years ago, and certainly remember events which
took place in this hall during the last 60 years. The Jewish people remember
the dramatic vote in the UN Assembly on November 29, 1947, when
representatives of the nations recognized our right to national revival in
our historic homeland. However, we also remember dozens of harsh and unjust
decisions made by United Nations over the years. And we know that, even
today, there are those who sit here as representatives of a country whose
leadership calls to wipe Israel off the face of the earth, and no one speaks
out.

The attempts of that country to arm itself with nuclear weapons must disturb
the sleep of anyone who desires peace and stability in the Middle East and
the entire world. The combination of murky fundamentalism and support of
terrorist organizations creates a serious threat that every member nation in
the UN must stand against.

I hope that the comprehensive reforms which the United Nations is undergoing
in its 60th anniversary year will include a fundamental change and
improvement in the approach of the United Nations, its organizations and
institutions, towards the State of Israel.

My fellow colleagues and representatives,

Peace is a supreme value in the Jewish legacy, and is the desired goal of
our policy. After the long journey of wanderings and the hardships of the
Jewish people; after the Holocaust which obliterated one third of our
people; after the long and arduous struggle for revival; after more than 57
consecutive years of war and terror which did not stop the development of
the State of Israel; after all this - our heart’s desire was and remains to
achieve peace with our neighbors. Our desire for peace is strong enough to
ensure that we will achieve it, only if our neighbors are genuine partners
in this longed-for goal. If we succeed in working together, we can transform
our plot of land, which is dear to both peoples, from a land of contention
to a land of peace - for our children and grandchildren.

In a few days time on the Hebrew calendar, the New Year will begin, the
5,766th year since the Creation. According to Jewish belief, the fates of
people and nations are determined at the New Year by the Creator - to be
spared or to be doomed. May the Holy One, blessed be He, determine that this
year, our fate and the fate of our neighbors is peace, mutual respect and
good neighborly relations.

From this distinguished podium, on behalf of the people of Israel, I wish
all the people of the world a happy New Year.

Shana Tova!
                  ________________________________________

(Courtesy of the Prime Minister's Office and the GPO)