IS NOT A SUBTERFUGE FOR THE DOMINANCE OF THE POWERFUL
AND IN WHICH PEACE IS BASED ON TRUE TRUST AND
RECONCILIATION.

ALL OF US HERE KNOW THAT HISTORY WILL RECORD THAT
HER TERM AS PRIME MINISTER WAS A TURNING POINT. WITH
SUBLIME COURAGE SHE LED HER PEOPLE THROUGH A PERIOD OF
TRAGIC WAR, AND WITH EQUAL COURAGE THROUGH TWO CRUCIAL
NEGOTIATIONS WITH EGYPT AND SYRIA THAT WILL BE SEEN, I
AM CONFIDENT, AS THE BEGINNING OF THE JOURNEY TOWARD
REAL PEACE.

I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH GOLDA DURING
SOME PHASES OF THAT PROCESS. I WILL NOT INSULT YOUR
INTELLIGENCE BY PRETENDING THAT GOLDA WAS ALWAYS EASY TO
DEAL WITH. SHE DID NOTHING TO DISPROVE ABBA EBAN'S
STATEMENT THAT ISRAELIS DEFINE OBJECTIVITY AS 100%
AGREEMENT WITH THEIR POINT OF VIEW. AND ON THE OCCASIONS
WHEN I DID NOT IMMEDIATELY EMBRACE THE TOTAL VALIDITY OF

HER CONSIDERATIONS SHE SHOWERED ON ME THE OUTRAGE
RESERVED FOR THE OBTUSENESS OF A SPECIALLY FAVORED
NEPHEW. MY WIFE IS FOND OF SAYING THAT SOME OF THE
BEST DRAMATIC PERFORMANCES SHE EVER WITNESSED
OCCURRED DURING DEBATES BETWEEN GOLDA AND ME.

BUT I AM PROUD THAT WE ALWAYS CAME TO AN AGREEMENT --
NOT RELUCTANTLY, NOT BASED ON TESTS OF STRENGTH BUT ON
A SHARED KNOWLEDGE THAT THE SECURITY OF ISRAEL IS A
MORAL IMPERATIVE FOR ALL FREE PEOPLES. WE NEVER
DIFFERED IN OUR CONVICTION THAT A JUST PEACE CANNOT
BE AN IMPOSED PEACE: A JUST PEACE MUST BE A PEACE WHICH
THE PARTICIPANTS ACCEPT AND THEREFORE FEEL A STAKE IN
MAINTAINING AND PRESERVING. AND THEREFORE THE PROCESS BY
WHICH PEACE IS MADE IS ALMOST AS IMPORTANT AS THE FINAL
OUTCOME. AT EACH STAGE THE PARTIES MUST FEEL THAT IT WAS
THEIR DECISION AND NOT SOMEBODY ELSE'S THAT BROUGHT ABOUT
THE RESULT.

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WE MEET IN THE MIDST OF ANOTHER DEBATE ABOUT PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST. GIVEN MY OWN INVOLVEMENT IN THE CONDUCT OF FOREIGN POLICY OVER EIGHT YEARS, I HAVE THOUGHT IT INAPPROPRIATE SINCE JANUARY TO PARTICIPATE IN A DISCUSSION OF DAY-TO-DAY TACTICS. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO USE THIS OCCASION TO ARTICULATE A FEW GENERAL PRINCIPLES.

FIRST, THE DESIRABILITY OF PEACE CAN NEVER BE AT ISSUE. NO PEOPLE HAS SUFFERED MORE FROM THE ABSENCE OF PEACE THAN THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL EVERY SQUARE MILE OF WHOSE COUNTRY IS DRENCHED WITH THE BLOOD OF ITS PIONEERS AND WHOSE EXISTENCE HAS NEVER BEEN RECOGNIZED BY ANY OF ITS NEIGHBORS. NO PEOPLE CAN BE MORE AWARE OF HOW FRAGILE, AND HOW PRECIOUS, ARE THE RESTRAINTS THAT MAKE MEN AND NATIONS CIVILIZED.

NO PEOPLE KNOWS MORE VIVIDLY THAT MORALITY MUST BE MORE THAN A THEORY -- IT MUST BE A CONSTANT IN HUMAN

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CONDUCT. AND NO GROUP OF MEN AND WOMEN UNDERSTANDS MORE ACUTELY THAT PEACE DEPENDS ULTIMATELY NOT ON POLITICAL ARRANGEMENTS BUT ON THE CONSCIENCE OF MANKIND. HISTORY IS OFTEN CRUEL, AND RARELY LOGICAL AND YET THE WISEST OF REALISTS ARE THOSE WHO RECOGNIZE THAT FATE CAN INDEED BE SHAPED BY HUMAN FAITH AND COURAGE. THESE QUALITIES ARE WHAT BROUGHT THE STATE OF ISRAEL INTO BEING; THEY WILL GUARANTEE ISRAEL'S FUTURE.

BUT FAITH AND COURAGE ARE NOT ENOUGH. THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL HAVE SEEN TOO MUCH OF THE TRANSITORINESS OF HUMAN INTENTIONS TO ENTRUST THE DESTINY OF THEIR NATION ENTIRELY TO PROFESSIONS AND REASSURANCES HOWEVER SINCERE AND HONESTLY INTENDED. A PEACE TO BE LASTING MUST BE FOUNDED ON THE SELF-INTEREST OF ALL THE PARTIES AND FOR PEACE TO BE SECURE IT MUST LEAVE ISRAEL STRONG ENOUGH TO PROTECT ITS FUTURE BY ITS OWN EFFORTS.

SECOND, THE INTENTIONS OF PURPOSES OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES CANNOT BE AT ISSUE.

NO PRESIDENT WOULD KNOWINGLY RISK THE FUTURE OF ISRAEL. NOR WOULD HE MAKE A DEAL TO UNDERMINE ISRAEL'S FUTURE FOR SOME GLOBAL CONSIDERATIONS. MY OWN ACQUAINTANCE WITH PRESIDENT CARTER, SECRETARY VANCE AND THEIR SENIOR ADVISORS CONVINCES ME THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION WOULD NO MORE KNOWINGLY PUT ISRAEL'S SECURITY AT RISK THAN ITS PREDECESSORS. BUT THERE IS ALWAYS THE DANGER THAT ACTIONS UNDERTAKEN IN GOOD FAITH MAY INADVERTENTLY PRODUCE UNFORESEEN CONSEQUENCES. IF SUCH A MISCALCULATION TOOK PLACE EITHER ISRAEL WOULD BECOME TOTALLY ISOLATED, OR ELSE DIPLOMACY WOULD BECOME ABRUPTLY DEADLOCKED. THE ART OF DIPLOMACY IS TO MOVE EVENTS CAREFULLY AND SHAPE THEM TOWARD ACHIEVABLE ENDS SO THAT NEITHER THE UNITED STATES NOR ISRAEL EVER FACE SUCH A STARK, IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE.

-8-

THIRD, THE PERSPECTIVE OF A SUPERPOWER AND THOSE
OF A SMALL COUNTRY MAY OCCASSIONALLY DIFFER. THE
UNITED STATES HAS ENORMOUS POWER, ISRAEL HAS A MUCH
NARROWER MARGIN OF SAFETY. THE UNITED STATES CAN
SURVIVE TRIAL-AND-ERROR DIPLOMACY, BECAUSE WE CAN ALWAYS
RECTIFY MISTAKES BY REDOUBLING OUR EFFORTS. BUT ISRAELI
LEADERS CANNOT EXPERIMENT; THEY HAVE ONLY ONE TRY. IF
THEY GUESS WRONG THEY RISK THE SURVIVAL OF THE NATION.
WE THEREFORE OWE THE PEOPLE OF ISREAL AN UNDERSTANDING OF
ITS SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES -- ALL THE MORE SO AS THE
COUNTRY HAS KNOWN ONLY WAR OR THE THREAT OF WAR SINCE ITS
FOUNDING. AT THE SAME TIME, ISRAELIS MUST UNDERSTAND THE
IMPORTANCE OF MIDDLE EAST PEACE TO THE GLOBAL CONCERNS OF
THE UNITED STATES AND THE WESTERN WORLD, WHICH ARE INDEED
THE ESSENTIAL UNDERPINNING OF ISRAEL'S OWN SECURITY.

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FOURTH, AN OVER-ALL SOLUTION IS OF COURSE THE ULTIMATE
PRIZE. BUT REALISM FORCES US TO RECOGNIZE THAT TO ACHIEVE
IT INVOLVES ISSUES OF ENORMOUS COMPLEXITY AND PARTIES WITH
AN UNEQUAL COMMITMENT TO PEACE. IT ALSO REQUIRES A PROCESS
THAT IS BOUND TO BE PROTRACTED. THUS WHILE STRIVING FOR AN
OVERALL SETTLEMENT WE MUST TAKE CARE NOT TO FORECLOSE OTHER
OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY ARISE TO EASE TENSIONS AND TO ENABLE
THE PEOPLE'S OF THE AREA TO BUILD CONFIDENCE. WE MUST TAKE
CARE NOT TO GIVE A VETO TO THE MOST INTRANSIGENT ELEMENTS
WITHIN THE AREA. WE MUST NOT PERMIT OUTSIDE POWERS TO
EMERGE AS THE ADVOCATES FOR A POINT OF VIEW THAT PENALIZES
MODERATION. WE MUST NURTURE HOPEFUL HUMAN UNDERSTANDING
EVIDENT IN THE EXCHANGE OF THIS PAST WEEK BETWEEN THE
PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL AND THE PRESIDENT OF EGYPT AND
ENCOURAGE ITS SPREAD TO OTHER PARTIES.

FIFTH, SOME STRUCTURES DEVELOP THEIR OWN MOMENTUM
THAT CANNOT BE JUDGED BY FORMAL DECLARATIONS OR ABSTRACT

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BLUEPRINTS. A PALESTINIAN STATE ON THE WEST BANK IS BOUND
TO BE AN ELEMENT OF INSTABILITY BOTH FOR JORDAN AND FOR
ISRAEL; IT WILL COMPOUND THE CRISIS NOT SOLVE IT. SUCH A
STATE - WHATEVER THE PROFESSIONS OR GUARANTEES - MUST HAVE
OBJECTIVES THAT CANNOT BE COMPATIBLE WITH THE TRANQUILITY OF
THE MIDDLE EAST. IT CANNOT BE AN ACCIDENT THAT NO ATTEMPT TO
CREATE SUCH A STATE WAS EVER MADE DURING THE TWENTY YEARS OF
ARAB RULE IN THAT TERRITORY.

SIXTH, ANY PEACE SETTLEMENT MUST OF NECESSITY INVOLVE
GUARANTEES. BUT THEY MUST BE WORKED OUT WITH GREAT CARE AND
WITH A SENSE FOR THEIR LIMITS. HISTORY SHOULD TEACH US THAT
GUARANTEES BY THEMSELVES ARE *NOT* A SUBSTITUTE FOR SECURITY.
NO NATION SHOULD BE ASKED TO ABDICATE ITS JUDGMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS OF ITS SURVIVAL. CARE MUST BE TAKEN THAT
GUARANTEES DO NOT ENABLE OUTSIDE POWER TO INTERVENE CON-
STANTLY IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE AREA. WITH RESPECT TO
BILATERAL U.S.-ISRAELI TREATY ARRANGEMENTS THERE IS THE
DANGER THAT THE RATIFICATION PROCESS MAY PRODUCE A DEBATE

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THAT PARADOXICALLY HAZARDS THE FRIENDSHIP BASED ON SHARED ASPIRATIONS WHICH HAS SERVED SO WELL FOR A GENERATION. IN SHORT GUARANTEES REQUIRE THE MOST CAREFUL REFLECTION AND STUDY; AT BEST THEY REINFORCE -- THEY DO NOT BRING ABOUT SECURITY.

SEVENTH, WHATEVER THE VIEWS ABOUT THE DESIRABILITY OF BEGINNING THE PROCESS OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH A GENEVA CONFERENCE, SO MUCH EFFORT HAS BEEN LAVISHED ON IT THAT IT HAS BECOME THE TOUCHSTONE OF THE PROSPECTS OF PEACE. ALL PARTIES MUST THEREFORE RENEW THEIR EFFORTS TO BRING SUCH A CONFERENCE INTO BEING. AT THE SAME TIME WE MUST RECOGNIZE THAT WHEN IT IS FINALLY ASSEMBLED GENEVA WILL BE AN IMPORTANT ACHIEVEMENT. BUT ITS PRIMARY SIGNIFICANCE WILL BE PROCEDURAL. AHEAD OF US WILL BE COMPLEX NEGOTIATIONS ABOUT FRONTEIRS, COMMITMENTS TO PEACE, SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS, AND OTHER ISSUES WHICH WILL TEST THE WISDOM AND COMMITMENT OF THE PARTIES.

THESE ISSUES CANNOT BE LEFT TO THE PRESSURES OF A CONFERENCE; IT IS NOT TOO SOON TO EXPLORE THEM ACTIVELY WITH THE PARTIES. WE CANNOT WAIT FOR GENEVA TO RESOLVE ALL THE COMPLEXITIES

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FROM THE RELATIONS OF SUBGROUPS TO THE MAIN CONFERENCE TO THE CONCRETE OUTLINES OF A DEFINITION OF PEACE. ESPECIALLY AS FAR AS ISRAEL IS CONCERNED IT IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH OUR HISTORIC RELATIONSHIP TO DEAL WITH ALL ISSUES IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF SELF-IMPOSED DEADLINES. AND IT DOES NOT HELP THOSE ARAB LEADERS WHO HAVE HAD THE WISDOM AND THE COURAGE TO BEGIN THE JOURNEY TOWARDS PEACE TO RAISE EXPECTATIONS THAT CANNOT BE FULFILLED.

GENEVA WILL BE SUCCESSFUL TO THE EXTENT THAT ISRAEL AND THE UNITED STATES END THE CYCLE OF FEAR AND REASSURANCE, OF OUTRAGED PROTEST AND SOOTHING GENERALITIES AND TURN TO THE ELABORATION OF A COMMON CONCRETE APPROACH. THIS REQUIRES A WILLINGNESS ON ONE SIDE TO GIVE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT AND A READINESS ON THE OTHER TO UNDERSTAND THE ANGUISH OF A PEOPLE WHOSE HISTORIC SUFFERING PRECLUDES THE ABDICATION OF ITS OWN JUDGMENT, BUT WHOSE MARTYRS GUARANTEE THAT THE SEARCH FOR PEACE, WHILE PAINFUL, WILL BE DEDICATED AND COMMITTED.

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THE PROBLEMS THAT FORM THE HEADLINES OF THE DAY ARE SOLUBLE. IN ALL MY EFFORTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST, WHATEVER THE TEMPORARY DISAGREEMENTS, WE NEVER FAILED TO DEVELOP A COMMON POSITION WITH OUR FRIENDS IN ISRAEL. IT WAS DURING GOLDA'S TERM AS PRIME MINISTER AND THAT OF HER DISTINGUISHED SUCCESSOR, THAT THE STEPS WERE TAKEN THAT GIVE US HOPE FOR EVEN GREATER PROGRESS NOW. THE PRESENT ISRAELI GOVERNMENT WILL DO NO LESS. AND IN MY EXPERIENCE, AT THE END OF THE DAY, ISRAEL HAS NEVER REJECTED A CHANCE TO MAKE PROGRESS TOWARDS A SETTLEMENT, OR TO RUN RISKS FOR PEACE. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT WE WILL FIND A WILLING -- IF COMPLICATED -- PARTNER IN A DIALOGUE THAT EMPHASIZES SUBSTANCE NOT PROCEDURE AND IN A QUEST THAT DEFINES SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES, NOT THEORETICAL APPROACHES. THE JEWISH PEOPLE HAS NOT SURVIVED THROUGH THE MILLENNIA BY BEING FOUND WANTING OF VISION IN ITS HOURS OF NEED. AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE NOT BEEN THE HOPE OF MANKIND THROUGH ITS HISTORY BY SUBORDINATING MORAL VALUES TO TACTICAL EXPEDIENCE.

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SO LET US END THE CONTROVERSIES AND TURN TO THE FUTURE.
AND GOLDA, WHOM WE HONOR, WATCHFUL, DEEPLY DEVOTED,
INFINITELY CARING, SYMBOLIZES OUR NECESSITY AND GUARANTEES
OUR OPPORTUNITY.

GOLDA IS AN IDEALIST WITHOUT ILLUSIONS. SHE IS STRONG
AND AT THE SAME TIME YEARNS HEART AND SOUL FOR PEACE. GOLDA
WAS A FEROCIOUS NEGOTIATOR AND A WOMAN OF POWERFUL CONVIC-
TIONS. BUT, WHEN SHE GAVE YOU HER WORD,
YOU COULD ABSOLUTELY COUNT ON IT. ONCE SHE MADE UP HER MIND
TO DO SOMETHING, EVEN IF IT WAS DIFFICULT AND PAINFUL, SHE
FOLLOWED THROUGH WITH ENORMOUS COURAGE AND EXTRAORDINARY
ABILITY. SHE WAS A TRUE LEADER AND A GREAT STATESMAN. AND
I AM PROUD TO SAY SHE WAS AND REMAINS A TRUE FRIEND.

TONIGHT IT IS APPROPRIATE THAT SHE IS HONORED BY THE
AMERICAN JEWISH CONGRESS, WHOSE VERY FIRST CONVENTION, IN
1918 IN PHILADELPHIA, SHE ATTENDED AS A 20-YEAR-OLD DELEGATE
FROM MILWAUKEE. NO ONE BETTER REPRESENTS THE INDOMITABLE

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SPIRIT OF HER PEOPLE. NO ONE IS SO UNIVERSALLY ADMIRED AND
LOVED. NO ONE MORE DESERVES THAT WE BUILD A WORLD IN WHICH
MOTHERS NEED NO LONGER FEAR FOR THE FUTURE OF THEIR CHILDREN,
IN WHICH HOLOCAUSTS BECOME ATTRIBUTES OF AN INCOMPREHENSIBLE
PAST, IN WHICH THE STRUGGLES OF GOLDA'S GENERATION WILL BE
VALIDATED BY A WORLD IN WHICH ALL PEOPLE'S WILL AT LAST LIVE
TOGETHER IN GENUINE SECURITY AND TURN THEIR ENERGIES TO THE
TASKS OF CONSTRUCTION.

SO YOU SEE, GOLDA, WHAT YOU HAVE MADE ME DO -- A LONG
SPEECH WITHOUT THE IMPATIENT INTERRUPTION THAT WOULD HAVE
LONG SINCE BEEN MY LOT IN THAT LITTLE STUDY IN YOUR RESIDENCE
WHERE WE SPENT SO MANY HOURS THAT I SHALL ALWAYS TREASURE.

THERE REMAINS ONLY FOR ME TO SAY: GOLDA, YOU HAVE
INSPIRED US. MAY YOU LIVE A LONG TIME, FOR YOUR LIFE IS OUR
GLORY.

IT IS A GREAT PERSONAL HONOR FOR ME TO INVITE GOLDA
MEIR TO THE PODIUM TO GIVE HER THIS SMALL TOKEN OF OUR

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ENORMOUS AFFECTION, THE STEPHEN WISE MEDALLION.

THE MEDALLION READS: "GOLDA MEIR: FOR A LIFETIME OF COURAGEOUS AND INSPIRING LEADERSHIP OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE."