An Insight into the Violence in the Middle East
by Yossi Amrani,
Consul General of Israel to the Pacific Northwest Region

Israel grieves the loss of life and human suffering following almost a week of rioting and violence. The haunting images of death and pain are excruciating for all.

This unnecessary bloodshed was not and has never been our choice. For Israel, making peace has always been preferable to fighting. The Israeli people crave peace and hold life as a core value.

The situation is all the more agonizing as the parties have reached such a critical point in their negotiations. During the trilateral summit hosted by President Clinton in Camp David and the few subsequent rounds of talks in New York, Washington and in the region, Israelis and Palestinians, with the help of the US administration, the Egyptian government and other countries, reached a stage in which both parties had a full understanding of the other's positions. It is regrettable that as we advance toward peace, children are being used to promote a political agenda.

It must be remembered that this period had been considered a target date to reach an accord. We must not let that opportunity slip away; we must not give up our yearning for a comprehensive peace.

It is now our hope, especially after the meeting yesterday in Paris, that the recent confrontations will only constitute a temporary set-back, that Chairman Arafat will issue a call for restraint to his people, and that our Palestinian partners will join us back at the negotiating table and respond to the peace initiatives and proposals put forward by the Israeli government.

In the last few months, Prime Minister Barak and his government have made several bold political decisions, underscoring Israel's efforts to progress on the peace track. These steps required both daring leadership and political risks.

It is unfortunate that instead of responding to Israel's determination to find creative solutions and resolve core issues of the conflict - on borders, settlements, refugees and Jerusalem - the Palestinians decided to resort to rioting and inciting to violence, disturbingly through the means of the official Palestinian Radio.

There should be no misunderstanding: Under no circumstances can violence be used as a negotiating tool. As the parties get closer to an agreement, it is expected that disputes and points of contention should be worked out around the negotiating table and not in street battles.

At Camp David, Prime Minister Barak went the extra mile in raising and offering unprecedented compromises on the issue of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. Our partners in peace should realize that to finally resolve the conflict between Jews and Arabs there is a need for substantive compromise on both sides. Throwing grenades, rocks and Molotov cocktails cannot replace dialogue, cannot replace compromise.

Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Israel, the place where Jews have prayed for over 3000 years and where we finally succeeded in building our independent homeland. Israel has always recognized it is a holy city for Muslims, Christians and Jews. With the reunification of the city in 1967, Israel has honored and upheld its commitment to guaranteeing freedom of access to the holy sites for people of all faiths. In any future agreement this right will be maintained.

When the hostilities cease and the dust finally settles, the time will come to clear the air and resume the process leading to a comprehensive peace for Jews and Arabs in the Holy Land.

Israel's public opinion will endorse a peace accord only if convinced that our Palestinian neighbors are true partners in peace. The events of recent weeks date back to well before the Temple Mount disturbances. They have shaken the trust and confidence of many Israelis as regards the Palestinians' commitment to reach what Chairman Arafat has repeatedly called "the peace of the braves". The active involvement in the riots of certain sectors among Israeli Arabs aggravates the concerns of Israelis as to the degree of cooperation we can reach with our neighbors. As much as we are willing to sacrifice for peace, there can hardly be anyone in Israel ready to sacrifice the country itself.

We cherish the same land, this unique place which is sacred to so many people around the world. We understand the Palestinian people's desires and expectations. It is incumbent upon all to relinquish violence, to show pragmatism and to resume negotiations. We must accept each other's existence and rights as the reality of life - our lives - in the Middle East and hope that there will be no more bloodshed in the region.