For Immediate Release		May 1, 1998

PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU: It is a great pleasure for me to welcome you with my wife Sara, to welcome you to a lunch -- a farewell lunch which will soon be a farewell dinner -- to Vice President and Mrs. Gore. You have here, Mr. Vice President, the leaders of Israel, beginning with the most important authority, which is our Chief Rabbi, very important. He tells us what to pray, as does the gentleman sitting next to him, who is our Chief Justice. We have to pray there too, often, Justice Barak. We have, when we talk about prayers, I have to include the next two personages. We have the State Comptroller and we have the Director of the Central Bank. I am just going through seating order. The Director of the Central Bank is Alan Greenspan -- well, this is the Israeli version of Allan Greenspan. And maybe we can exchange some thoughts on that some time. You have here the ministers of the Israeli government, the mayor of Jerusalem that I see, the Knesset members, people in academia, people in business and industry, people in the press, sitting at the tables -- I'm not talking in the back. You really have a cross-section of every part of Israeli society.

Last night, at the jubilee celebration of Israel, I was struck by the fact that thousands upon thousands of Israelis welcomed Al and Tipper Gore with a complete spontaneity, that I think expressed a direct warmth and a direct feeling of, a natural feeling of partnership, I think it was. It wasn't just an expression of our gratitude to our great friend and ally, the United States. It was also a tribute to Al Gore, the statesman, whose friendship for the people of Israel and the Jewish people worldwide, I think, transcends all mundane or political considerations. I believe that in his relationship with Israel, Al truly represents the United States. Earlier this week we were all privy to a poll that appeared in the New York Times showing that American public support, not just the support of Jewish Americans, but American public support for Israel is at an all-time high. (applause)

But when I read that article, what struck me most were the quotes of individual Americans, who expressed the most natural, the most direct empathy and identification with Israel. And I think Al captured this feeling yesterday in his speech, when he said that American hearts were beating with Israeli hearts in this celebration. I think this is a unique phenomenon, that feeling of a personal connection that ordinary Americans have for this country, and I believe that they feel what has happened here and what is happening here now, is a special moment in history. It's an historical imperative. You don't have to be religious, or orthodox -- and many Americans are religious, some of them are not -- but you don't have to be religious to feel as we do: That the establishment of the State of Israel is the fulfillment of a prophetic dream, that it a realization of an aspiration that is two thousand years old, which all the people on this earth share, all those who have faith, that the rebirth of the Jewish people in the State of Israel in the land of Israel, somehow reaffirms our faith in God and our faith in human justice. There is no parallel in history for the bond between the Jewish people and their land, the bond they have felt for this country throughout the 1,900 years of exile. We came back here after enormous, enormous trials and tribulations and enormous efforts and we sought from day one peace with our neighbors. We weren't always successful in achieving that peace, but we were willing to stretch ourselves to make that peace from day one. That was rejected out of hand. The reason for the absence of peace -- then as now -- remains a basic rejection that still lingers in parts of the Arab world for Israel's existence in any border, in any configuration. The initial rejection created a terrible war in which we lost one percent of our population. That is tantamount to 2.5 million Americans today. It was a grievous blow, but we recovered from it. It also was a grievous blow to the Palestinians who have suffered misery and suffered loss as a result of that same Arab rejection of Israel.

We have been making strides over the years to try to close that gap of hostility and of bereavement, and to try to make peace around us. We have succeeded so far with the easier peace treaties. The peace treaty with Egypt was difficult, but it involved a large tract of empty land which, although is a piece of land that we have historical associations with, it does not bear the same historical import or security considerations as does of course the land of Judea and Samaria -- the heartland of the Jewish people. The peace that we have with Jordan involved no territorial concessions. It was even easier than the peace we had with Egypt.

The initial arrangement with the Palestinians involved ceding Jericho and Gaza -- I can tell you at least about Gaza that there wasn't actually a public outcry about leaving Gaza. But when we are faced as we are faced as we are now with decisions about land that is very precious to us, that defines a whole historical odyssey, that we have yearned to come back to and that happens to coincide absolutely with the defense needs of this tiny country of Israel, then naturally the peace is much more difficult and thereby one can understand the many, many hours that we are spending with our American colleagues, with our Palestinian interlocutors, and on occasion --even on this visit -- with Vice President Gore. I say even because he has said correctly that he has not come here to negotiate. But he has come here to express the friendship and support of the United States, first for our Jubilee celebration, and also for our quest for peace.

We had today, I think, an important discussion with his delegation, and with Ministers Mordechai, Sharon and Sharansky -- a very important discussion -- trying to define what are the right directions that would lead us to peace and security. The main thing that I think we agree on is that peace and security are inseparable. At least in our part of the world it is impossible to base a peace which is insecure. It is impossible to ask Israel -- I don't think anyone would -- to sign a peace treaty in which we sacrifice our security because we know that the peace will not hold-- not hold for a year, not hold for two days. Peace and security are intertwined and what we seek is a peace based on security. We know that in the larger equation of security the friendship of the United States is a very important asset to our future direction and to our present efforts. We value it. We appreciate the effort that the United States has given. We appreciate the friendship expressed in this visit by Vice President Gore.

Israel has developed and thrived in the past 50 years despite all the efforts to extinguish our national life. It is time, I think, that this whole region benefitted from such progress and prosperity by choosing the path of compromise, by shunning violence, by throwing aside those who advocate terrorism, by fighting those who practice it, and by accepting a hand that is stretched in direction -- not only the Palestinians -- but all our neighbors -- in the direction of peace. And I, for one, would hope that the spirit of compromise will permeate all the discussions that you will have, Mr. Vice President, in this region, on this visit, and on many others. I hope that it will be reciprocated by our Palestinian and and other neighbors. I want to say that we are delighted with your visit here. We hope that there will be many more, and we know that on the next visit, Tipper Gore who went with my wife Sara, to the Western Wall, will bring back extraordinary photographs -- she is a consummate photographer. She has, I think, captured the spirit of this land in what she saw today. And I think the next time you will not escape a visit to the Wall, I guarantee that I'll take there. And to that Wall, and to that rock of friendship between us, I now raise my glass to the United States and Israel, and to peace. L'Chaim!

I have to say that this is the first time since I have become Prime Minister, and Foreign Minister, that the protocol had a glass here ready, usually I raise my hand, and it's empty. When we talk about the glass is half empty, or half full, I can say at this point first of all, we have a glass, and it's full! L'Chaim. Thank you. (Applause).

VICE PRESIDENT GORE: Thank you very much. Thank you very much Prime Minister and Mrs. Netanyahu, Sara, thank you for your kindnesses to Tipper. To Speaker and Mrs. Dan Tichon, to the Chief Rabbi, to Mayor Olmert, Chief Justice Barak, leaders of the diplomatic community, Dennis Ross and Martin Indyk, and Leon Furth in my delegation, Ned Walker- our Ambassador, and to leaders of the American Jewish community who are here. I look around this room and I see many wonderful friends. And Mr. Prime Minister, I was thinking of them immediately after you made your comments about the public opinion polls showing the depth and strength of support for Israel in the United States and making reference to the fact that our hearts beat with yours, and our support for you is unshakable.

One of the principal reasons in addition to our shared heritage, values and culture, is the fact that in almost every community in the United States, members of the American Jewish community are regarded as outstanding leaders in positions of the highest respect, and esteem. The generosity that they have shown to their ties with this country in honoring their heritage and the love of Israel, is matched by the tremendous leadership that they have shown in communities throughout America. So it is an honor for Tipper and me to be here with them, as well. And Mr. Prime Minister, thank your for your friendship to me, and for the very interesting and productive discussions we have had here. As you have said -- and as I have emphasized -- I'm not here as a negotiator -- I'm here as a celebrant. And in all the discussion of obstacles that I hear from time to time, I stand here at this podium, acutely aware that I am now the last remaining obstacle between you and lunch. (Laughter).

And so I will be brief, even though my heart is full, because the celebration last evening filled me with pride -- pride in the friendship of the United States and Israel, pride in the accomplishments of this great young nation. Pride in the values that we share. Your words last night at the "Jubilee Bells" extravaganza were moving and profound, Mr. Prime Minister, and you reminded all peoples everywhere that Israelis have given the world many gifts, among them a sense of history, and the idea that we can make the world a better place and the idea of hope itself. Like you, we declared independence against what many believed were long odds, and we are very proud of the fact that a courageous Harry S. Truman then recognized your new state almost immediately after its declaration. Like you, we gathered in people from the four corners of the world. Like you, we celebrate our diversity and our oneness in diversity. Like us, you have nurtured democracy and tolerance, and we, like you, have taken great strength from the biblical ideals of justice and peace.

Let me add, in response to your comments, peace and security are intertwined. There is no lasting peace without security, and in the long run there is no real security without peace. We have celebrated your first fifty years of independence. May we and you never forget to hope that in our day the words of the prophet will be fulfilled and that justice will well up as the waters and righteousness come down as a mighty stream. May you and we never forget to hope that in our day all the inhabitants of the world will truly beat their swords into plowshares and that nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war any more. May you and we never forget to hope that God who makes peace in the heavens will grant peace here on earth among us and among all the people of the world. And now, having celebrated your fifty years of independence, I would like to raise my glass to your next half century and beyond. May it be blessed with real peace, security and prosperity. Mazel tov.(applause)

I just realized that Governor George Pataki is here and I wanted to recognize him among the distinguished guests who are present.(applause)

PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU: Excuse me, I just recognized Governor George Pataki is here, and I want to recognize him. And I ommited, of course, those seated at our table which includes the Speaker of the Knesset Dan Tichon and his wife, and those seated at your table, which include Malcolm Honlein, our new ambassador to the United States, Zalman Shoval, shortly to be approved, and sundry other gentlemen and ladies who are here. We have not mentioned their names. I apologize. You are all very very welcome here. Let's have lunch. Thank you.