Based on my personal experience in all of Israel's wars, I am committed to achieving peace. Unfortunately, the situation in the Middle East in 2001 is no longer the same as it was in 1991. The security of the region as whole has eroded. A new wave of international terrorism is on the rise from Afghanistan to Lebanon, some of it state sponsored. Most recently, acts of terror instigated by the Palestinian Authority, coupled with deliberate incitement, have become one of the primary sources of instability in the Middle East.
Terrorism is a form of warfare and a strategic issue in our region.
Most of the past wars in the region were instigated by acts of terrorism. Therefore, on the basis of past experience, even today, international terrorism can still threaten regional and global stability. Terrorism thrives when international norms and principles are ignored, when the peaceful resolution of disputes is displaced by violence and intimidation. Therefore, stretching cooperation among all Western nations, including Israel, and concerted efforts led by the United States are the only ways to contain these dangerous trends. Reduced security is eroding in the wider Middle East.