The Israeli government's
'unremitting quest for peace'
By Yossi Amrani,
Consul General of Israel in San Francisco

True to his election campaign pledge, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has formed a national unity government. By bringing together the Likud and Labor parties, the prime minister is entrusting the best of Israel's minds with the task of tackling the challenges ahead of us.

Throughout his political career, Sharon has expressed the belief that Israel could not afford partisan feuds and that differences between the major parties could always be overcome. Convinced of the need for unity, he has consistently striven to achieve the goals common to all Israelis.

A brief glance into the composition of the new government as well as its policy guidelines is enough to establish that Israel's aim will continue to be the unremitting quest for peace. With the same resolve and determination that guided Israel's efforts in the past, the new government will try its utmost to settle once and for all the conflict with its Palestinian neighbors. Its political composition, ranging from the right to the left of the political spectrum, is best suited to achieve that goal.

The events of the past few months have taught us that a final agreement might not be found in the immediate future. In that respect, it is of paramount importance that Israelis and Palestinians understand that such a hypothesis does not imply stopping peace negotiations altogether. The failure to immediately reach a final peace treaty should not deter us from striving for possible interim accords on specific key issues of the peace process. All parties have a stake in resuming talks and finding understandings on what can be agreed upon.

If need be, the final settlement of the conflict will be postponed to a future date. While sensitive matters such as Jerusalem and refugees are temporarily put aside, the parties will agree on other issues that affect both peoples' lives.

When talks are resumed, Israelis and Palestinians should engage in direct, face-to-face dialogue. We hope that the United States will continue its efforts to facilitate negotiations, but it is incumbent upon the parties themselves to make the crucial decisions. The time has come for the Palestinian Authority to realize that unless it agrees to compromise and shows the necessary flexibility, it will once again miss an opportunity to make peace.

Fifty-two years after its creation, Israel is still in search of acceptance and recognition in the Middle East. Israelis stand firm in their willingness to make tough choices, however, no one should misread their unwavering commitment to peace as a sign of weakness or exhaustion with the decades-long struggle for independence and survival. The new government is resolved to draw the appropriate lessons from recent experiences, when Israel's multiple initiatives and historic compromises were only met by violence and terrorism.

Parallel to its efforts to reinvigorate the peace process, Sharon's government will be equally committed to restoring calm and tranquility to Israel's city streets. The landslide victory obtained by Sharon on Feb. 6 is above all an appeal by the Israeli people to guarantee and safeguard their country's national and vital interests. Recent attacks on innocent people have further asserted this need. In establishing a unity coalition, the prime minister and the political leadership answer the calls of the Israeli electorate and send a clear message that Israel's security is of critical importance regardless of political affiliations.

While achieving security and peace, the new unity government will also carry on the task of further integrating Israel into the global community of nations. Bolstering the economy and improving the education system will help accomplish that. It will be the Sharon government's goal to accelerate the pace toward the full liberalization of trade policies, encourage the already outstanding performances of the high-tech industry, create a favorable atmosphere for investments or further develop the country's infrastructure.

It will also be its priority to make sure that the new generation receives the best tools and resources to accompany the country in its march to the future. Engaging in a series of meetings with business and industry leaders in the few weeks that followed his election, Sharon has already begun his undertaking.

The friendship and strategic cooperation between Israel and the United States are unprecedented. Israel is proud of its special relations with the American people. In its difficult journey towards peace, Israel will need the constant support of its historic ally. Meeting Secretary of State Colin Powell during his first official visit to the Middle East in February, Prime Minister Sharon stressed that under his leadership, both countries will continue to strengthen their relationship and further enhance their military and economic cooperation.

Israel has made remarkable accomplishments throughout its short history but still faces significant challenges. Enjoying broad support in the Knesset - the Israeli parliament - as well as in public opinion, this government stands as one of the strongest decision-making bodies Israel has had in more than a decade. This widespread support will be necessary in order to tackle the multiple tests ahead.

In unifying forces, Israel's political leaders have set an example for the whole region itself: Only by working together will the dream of peace, security, stability and prosperity for all the people in the Middle East come true.