Sep. 25, 2005 Netanyahu’s speech to the Likud central committee
Twelve years ago, this country was overwhelmed with the euphoria of the Oslo Accords. Those accords were intended to end 100 years of violence and bring peace in its place. Most of the public cheered this course; the leaders celebrated and were granted Nobel Peace prizes.
But I, and everyone sitting here, did not participate in the celebrations. We warned of the dangers inherent in the process. We knew that the Oslo Accords were the beginning of terrorism that would strike at us all. It was a process that would obstruct peace. However, public opinion — both here in Israel and abroad — was against us.
Still, we presented our views reliably, and little by little public opinion moved back in our direction. They saw our predictions coming true. This change in the nation’s view brought us victory in 1996.
The lesson is: If the Likud loses its way, it will lose power; if it retains its way, it will retain power. I say this not only as a member of the Likud, but as an Israeli citizen.
Are we Likud, or left of Meretz? I say this because [Labor’s Amram] Mitzna promised to remove settlements individually, while [Yahad’s] Yossi Beilin planned on pulling out of the West Bank and Gaza only in exchange for a peace agreement.
Sharon said explicitly: "Netzarim’s fate is the same as the fate of Tel Aviv." What we did is move entire communities from their homes. The dead were transported from their graves; synagogues were burned. And I ask: What have we gotten in return?
Unfortunately, the answer is clear. Just as predicted by our security forces, Hamas overtook the [Gaza] Strip, the Palestinian Authority lost its power, and the Rafah border was breached, allowing terrorists and ammunition to flow into the [Gaza] Strip. Additionally, our agreement of disarming Egypt in Sinai was also breached. The ones with whom we may have been able to make peace have been weakened. This move pushed the potential for peace farther away.
"Gentlemen, there is another way; one that can bring peace. This is the Likud’s way. Likud always insisted on retaining the responsibility for our security in our own hands. We are not uncompromising, but we are willing to make concessions only if we get something in return — stopping incitement, disarming terrorist organizations. This is the right way, this is the path that can bring peace.
We will support every action on which the government decides to cease the fire, but we must ask what lessons we have learned. We are told that we will continue with the painful concessions. Have we not had enough of the Hamas state? Are we going to look after our own security, or will we continue with the concessions? I know the answer; it will be given tomorrow night. We must decide now so that we do not continue with the infighting for seven more months.
There is someone here who is threatening with his departure. We all remember what happened to Yitzik Mordechai’s Center Party. The question we must ask ourselves is not only "Who are we?‘, but also ’What are we?" Are we a democratic movement, or are we a movement headed by one person making all the decisions?
Democracy is not about the winner accepting the majority opinion, but the loser accepting it. But here, we have someone who refused to state clearly that he would accept the vote. When I lost, I left. The Likud does not belong to me nor to you, Arik — we belong to it. We must look over it so that it will look over us.
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