[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 175 (Tuesday, November 7, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S16727-S16728]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                FAREWELL TO PRIME MINISTER YITZHAK RABIN

  Mr. PELL. Mr. President, today I wish to pay my respects to a man who 
will be remembered as one of history's giants.
  I know that all of us in the Senate--indeed, throughout the Nation--
were shocked and saddened by the news of the assassination of Israeli 
Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Having just returned from accompanying 
President Clinton to the Prime Minister's funeral, I can also bear 
witness to the devastating, emotional impact of the assassination on 
the fabric--indeed, on every fiber--of Israel's society.
  Yesterday, the Senate passed a resolution paying tribute to Prime 
Minister Rabin's legacy and expressing support for the people of Israel 
and the government of acting-Prime Minister Shimon Peres. Those are 
fine and appropriate sentiments, and I was pleased to cosponsor the 
resolution. It is indeed proper for the Senate to act quickly to 
reaffirm its unique and unwavering commitment to the State of Israel.
  Yet in a certain sense, the words in the resolution we passed 
yesterday could never do justice to the rich, complicated, and 
ultimately heroic life of Yitzhak Rabin.
  Prime Minister Rabin did not inspire love as much as confidence. Even 
if they disagreed with him, his countrymen could be assured of his 
commitment to their safety and security. To me, the grieving Israelis, 
whose pictures we have seen on television and in the papers, are 
probably not moved entirely by sentiments and emotions--although that 
is surely part of it. But I think the real reason they seem so fragile 
is because they have lost their anchor, and as a result are uncertain 
of their world. It is a measure of Rabin's greatness that his passing 
could have so profound an impact.
  Prime Minister Rabin was the quintessential soldier--his thinking 
strategic, his analysis solid and calculating, his style terse, and his 
authority unquestioned. These qualities, which served him so well on 
the battlefield, were also the distinguishing characteristics of his 
political career. Although the ends he pursued seemed contradictory--
decisive military victory on the one hand, peaceful coexistence on the 
other--the means by which he pursued them never changed. He brought to 
the peace table the same dogged determination, the same self-confidence 
that he possessed in the war room.
  One of the quirks of world politics is that revolutionary change 
often springs from the most unexpected sources. The political pundits 
of the 1970's, for instance, would never have guessed that President 
Nixon would be the first to visit China. A decade later, 

[[Page S 16728]]
no one could have predicted that President Reagan would be the one to 
sign far-reaching arms control agreements with the Evil Empire, the 
Soviet Union. By the same token, it was equally improbable that Rabin, 
who arguably was more concerned with the security of Israel than many 
of his compatriots, would take such unprecedented risks for peace. It 
defies expectation even more that this gruff soldier-turned-statesman 
could speak so ardently and passionately in defense of his decisions.
  I think that many amongst us will always associate Prime Minister 
Rabin with his historic appearance on the White House lawn in September 
1993, when he shook Yasir Arafat's hand in full view of the world. I 
well remember that sun-spilled morning, a day full of hope and promise. 
Some moments in history are so dramatic, so full of vitality, that they 
will never fade. Such was that day. For me, the defining moment came 
when Prime Minister Rabin uttered the unforgettable words I now shall 
quote:

       We are destined to live together on the same soil in the 
     same land. We, the soldiers who have returned from battles 
     stained with blood; we who have seen our relatives and 
     friends killed before our eyes; we who have attended their 
     funerals and cannot look into the eyes of their parents; we 
     who have come from a land where parents bury their children; 
     we who have fought against you, the Palestinians, we say to 
     you today in a loud and a clear voice: Enough of blood and 
     tears. Enough!

  Those, Mr. President, are not the words of a warrior, but of a poet. 
I do not know if there is more unlikely an author for such stirring 
prose than Prime Minister Rabin, but it serves to remind us of the 
depth of his character, the multifaceted nature of his personality.

  The complexities that so were evident in Rabin go to the very heart 
of leadership. In every democracy, there often emerges a struggle 
between the will of the people and the best instincts of their 
representatives. Prime Minister Rabin's decisions on the peace process 
were not always popular or well-received, but he was able to move his 
country in a new direction because of the strength and courage of his 
convictions. He came to believe as relentlessly in peace as he did in 
military strength, and brought a reluctant nation along with him. That, 
Mr. President, is the essence of leadership.
  The United States has lost a trusted and valued friend, and Israel 
has lost one of its fiercest, and most noble lions. While nothing has 
changed that is fundamental between us, our two countries will never 
look at each other quite the same. That will be the result of having 
lost, in such a sudden and unthinkable way, one such as Prime Minister 
Rabin. Our Nation mourns his loss, and grieves with his family and 
friends.
  Soldier, diplomat, leader, a peacemaker, Nobel laureate--to be 
successful at any one of these is more than enough for a rich and 
fulfilling life. Prime Minister Rabin excelled at all of them, and for 
that, history will forever remember and revere him.

                          ____________________