Friday, July 14, 2006

 

Peace for Israel and Palestine

Instead of ranting and lecturing on the situation, which most readers of this will find in abundance, I wish to draw your attention to the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize acceptance speach of Yitzhak Rabin in 1993.

For over a hundred years, we have fought over the same strip of land: the country in which we, the sons of Abraham, have been fated to live together. Both peoples, Israelis and Palestinians, have known suffering, pain, and bereavement.

I further call your attention to the co-recipients of the award.

Yassir Arafat:

The historical achievement represented by the Declaration of Principles between the PLO and the Israeli Government, has required a great deal of courage and firmness from both parties. It also needed vision and foresight in order to explore the future and to assimilate the lessons of history.

Shimon Peres:

Morally, we have returned to the values of the history of our people. For almost four millennia the Jewish people never ruled, were never tempted to rule, another people. An inclination to dominate the Palestinian people is not just a violation of Palestinian rights, but a contradiction to the Jewish moral heritage. Whoever chooses peace can not ignore the dictum of Isaiah, ‘Never shall a nation lift a sword against another’, – a resounding call which has never been surpassed.

Weep, o my friends. Weep for the peace that died aborning. Weep for the price now being paid daily for the failure of the world to support these men when they most desparately needed it.

Weep.

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