    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1994, Book II)]
    [October 27, 1994]
    [Pages 1893-1897]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's News Conference With Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin of
    Israel in Jerusalem
    October 27, 1994

        Prime Minister Rabin. Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, I believe
    that we experienced during the visit of President Clinton in the region
    a real move towards peace. No doubt that the visit of President Clinton
    was crowned yesterday by the second peace treaty between an Arab country
    and Israel, the first one after the convening of the Madrid peace
    conference.
        We look, from Israel's point of view, to President Clinton as a
    friend of Israel and a President that works very hard to bring about
    what we dream for, aspire to: to achieve comprehensive peace, that is to
    say, peace with our four neighboring Arab countries. With two, it has
    been accomplished. And no doubt, the visit of the President in Damascus,
    I believe that will bring about, through certain changes, a movement
    toward better negotiations, better possibilities to overcome the gaps
    between the positions of Israel and Syria.
        No doubt in my mind that during the term of you, Mr. President, as
    the President of the United States, we have seen dramatic change in the
    relations between those Arab partners with whom we negotiate. We signed
    the Declaration of Principles between us and the PLO on the lawns of the
    White House. It was followed by the negotiations to bring about the
    first phase of its implementation in the Gaza-Jericho first. We are
    engaged today in continuation of our negotiations with the Palestinians
    about early empowerment, elections. And no doubt, yesterday we signed a
    peace treaty that the President helped to bring about and witnessed.
        For 2 years, to reach two agreements, one with the Palestinians,
    with which we have a long story of suspicion, hatred, prejudice,
    bloodshed, and with the Jordanians, that I remember over 46 years ago
    that in this city I fought them and they fought me. And we look forward
    to make it possible to overcome yet the differences between Syria and
    Lebanon and us.
        It might take time. One has to be patient. One has to understand
    that there are problems. And I believe that it will not take long, and
    hopefully, we'll find ways and means by which to overcome these gaps.
        I hope, Mr. President, that you will continue sending Secretary
    Christopher, that worked very hard and tried in your name to move
    between Damascus and Jerusalem with the purpose to find ways to overcome
    the differences.
        Allow me also to add that the Government of Israel of today is
    determined, on one hand, to continue all our efforts to bring about
    comprehensive peace. But at the same time, we are fully aware that there
    are enemies of peace. For us, the enemies of peace are the extreme
    Islamic radical terror movements. Among the Palestinians, they are the
    Hamas and the Islamic Jihad. Ninety percent of the terror activities
    against us are carried by them. And there is a tendency for
    oversimplification, to identify those part of the Palestinians with whom
    we reach an agreement and we try to implement it and the extreme radical
    Islamic elements that are enemies of peace and enemies of the
    Palestinians that reach agreement with us. From Lebanon, Hezbollah,
    which is a part of the ugly wave of Khomeinism without Khomeini that is
    all over the Arab world and the Islamic world. Whatever happens in
    Algeria is not related whatsoever to the Arab-Israeli conflict, or in
    Sudan, or in fighting within Egypt. It's an ugly wave that threatens not
    only the peace. They are the infrastructure of the international
    terrorism. And behind it, to a certain extent there are certain parties,
    to a larger extent is Iran. And therefore, Mr. President, we support
    your policy of dual containment. We believe it's vital to the peace in
    the Middle East, to stability among the Arab and the Muslim world, and
    to prevent international terrorism.
        We thank you very much. You heard today in our Knesset the
    government and the opposi-

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    tion together joined in the support of the peace treaty with Jordan, in
    expressing thanks to you, Mr. President, for the way that you have stood
    and stand in support of Israel's security while trying your best to
    bring about advancement, which was successful so far in bringing about
    peace to the region.
        Therefore, today here in Jerusalem, the united city, the capital of
    Israel, and, no doubt, the heart of the Jewish people, we thank you.
        Thank you very much.
        The President. Thank you, Prime Minister.
        Ladies and gentlemen, because I had the opportunity to speak at
    length at Knesset this evening and to outline my position on a number of
    matters, I will be very brief. I would like to make just a couple of
    points.
        First of all, at my first meeting with Prime Minister Rabin shortly
    after I became President, he told me he was prepared to take risks for
    peace. And I told him that that being the case, the job of the United
    States was to minimize those risks. For 20 months now, we have both done
    our best to do our jobs, and I think it's fair to say that we have had a
    reasonable amount of success in which the people of Israel can be proud
    and in which they can feel secure and one in which I hope the American
    people take pride.
        Secondly, I would like to congratulate him and the people of Israel
    again on the peace treaty with Jordan. We have responsibilities there
    that relate to the security of both Israel and Jordan, and I have been
    working on that even since the peace treaty has been signed. I was in
    conversations with the King well past midnight last night. We are
    attempting to do our part to make sure this peace is as wildly
    successful as everyone believes that it can be.
        Thirdly, I thank the Prime Minister for his comments about terrorism
    and his support for our policies. Especially I think I should mention
    something I did not mention in my speech tonight, which is the steadfast
    support of Israel for our policies in the Gulf and for our recent action
    in the Gulf. I will be going to Kuwait tomorrow to see our troops and on
    to Saudi Arabia. I appreciate the support of Israel.
        Finally, with regard to what the Prime Minister said about Syria and
    my trip there today, I went there because I was convinced we needed to
    add new energy to the talks. And I come away from Syria convinced that
    we have, that some significant progress has been at least made possible,
    that there has been some change in positions that offer the hope of more
    progress. And I have instructed the Secretary of State to return to the
    region within a few weeks to continue. Meanwhile, other discussions
    continue at other levels. And I am confident that we can be successful
    by simply pushing ahead.
        So on all these fronts, I feel better tonight than I did when I came
    here. And again, I thank the Prime Minister for this welcome and for the
    opportunity to address the Knesset.

    Middle East Peace Process

        Q. Mr. President and Prime Minister Rabin, you are talking about
    significant developments coming from Damascus. From what we heard
    publicly until now, your visit to Damascus seems a disappointment for
    the Israelis. I mean, you gave the Syrians maybe one of the biggest
    gestures America has, a personal visit of the President of the United
    States. And President Asad responded publicly in his general words of
    peace which we heard in the past. So what else is new, Mr. President?
    And Mr. Rabin, what did you hear maybe privately from the President
    about this visit?
        The President. Well, I would like to make three points if I might.
    First of all, I don't think it's accurate to say that he had ever said
    to me and to the rest of the world and to the people of Israel that he
    wanted to make peace with Israel and wanted to have normal, peaceful,
    constructive relations with Israel.
        Secondly, he made some statements in our private conversations about
    the details of this process which I would be wrong to discuss because
    the essence of these negotiations is that they can proceed in some
    confidence. But they did show some forward movement in ways that I
    believe are not insignificant.
        Thirdly, there's one thing I do regret about the press conference
    today. I regret that President Asad did not take the opportunity to say
    in public what he said to me in private about his deep regret about the
    loss of innocent lives and, particularly, the bus bombing. He said to
    me, ``You know, we have to end the killing of innocents wherever it
    occurs, whether it was on that bus or in Hebron. I deplore it all. And I
    am convinced that only by making peace can we end it. And when we do
    make peace, it will end.'' That is what he said to me.
        I think the way the question was posed to him, I think, led him to
    give an answer which

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    may have been somewhat misleading, not intentionally but because he did
    not say that. I also want to reaffirm that there was absolutely no
    discussion in our private meeting, as he said, about the question of the
    United States removing Syria from the terrorist list. He did not ask for
    that; he did not bring it up. And I certainly did not bring it up. There
    has been no mixing of those two issues.
        So, I think that his statement did break some new ground. I know
    that his private conversations broke some new ground. And I was
    particularly encouraged by what he said in private to me about the
    killing of innocent people. I regret that that was not said in public,
    but I can tell you that it was said in private. And what I said in the
    press conference is now, as I understand it, even being rebroadcast on a
    regular basis in Syria tonight to reaffirm that that is in fact what
    happened.
        Prime Minister Rabin. I am accustomed to the prolonged and sometimes
    difficult period of negotiations. If one would have told us 2 years ago
    that we'd make a strategic understanding with Chairman Arafat and the
    PLO, people would not believe.
        In the process towards peace, we have to overcome on both sides
    certain perceptions, certain sometimes prejudices, one about another.
    Therefore, I believe that all the partners to the Madrid peace
    conference--and by now remain the Palestinians with which we reached an
    agreement in principles; Syria and Lebanon would like to have peace--I
    don't know any one of the partners who don't want to have peace. The
    only question is, what is the meaning of peace? What is the price of
    peace? It takes time to overcome differences. And whatever I heard is,
    first, that Syria strategically decided for peace. Second, they are
    ready to continue the negotiations, not in the best way to my opinion,
    but as long as there is any avenue of negotiations, we should follow it.
    Thirdly, I don't believe it will be right on the part of Israel,
    regardless what he said or didn't say on the press conference today in
    Damascus--which I would like that he would say different things, but it
    doesn't discourage me to continue our negotiations.
        And this is the essence of the peacemaking process, to be patient,
    to be determined, and not to be misled by ups and downs of public
    statements. Therefore, we will continue the way that it will be possible
    in negotiations with Syria. I am aware that there are gaps between our
    positions. But I can't recall any negotiations in the past that there
    were no gaps. And whenever we succeeded to reach an agreement, came
    about as a result of the capability to make the compromise that bridged
    the gap.
        Q. Mr. Prime Minister, if you'll forgive us, we're going to keep
    pressing still. The President is speaking of change in positions; you're
    speaking of change in perception. We have the issues tattooed on our
    forehead. The issues have been here for 3 years. We know there are major
    gaps. Are you talking about new atmospherics 3 years after Madrid, or
    have you been told something about Syria's position on Golan, on
    security, on the terms of peace? Have you heard sufficiently for you to
    reverse your election stand and surrender the Golan Heights?
        Prime Minister Rabin. Well first, I believe that whoever sees what
    has taken place in the last over 3 years, he cannot ignore the
    tremendous change as a result of the Declaration of Principles between
    the PLO and us, the signing of the peace treaty, the openness in the
    Arab world that the Foreign Minister of Israel can fly to Bahrain, that
    multilateral negotiations can be taking place in Oman and Qatar and who
    knows where else, the decision of the six members of the Gulf Community
    Council about ignoring, not counseling, the Arab boycott. There is a
    trend, a move that no doubt will have its implications in other Arab
    countries, I hope in the short run or in the long run, even on the
    issues that have not yet been solved between Syria and Israel.
        I believe that the mere fact that there is a continuation of
    negotiations with all the partners, it creates new realities in the
    region. From Maroc tomorrow, our big mission headed by the Foreign
    Minister will go to the Casablanca meeting. When did you expect that
    such a meeting will take place in an Arab country? We have to see,
    beyond technical or tactical or certain important issues between us and
    one of our partners, the changes that have taken place in the whole
    region in the attitude, a change of attitude. This is what realities
    speak about.
        And therefore, don't ask me today about details of this part or that
    part of the negotiations. The fact that we are moving--Palestinians,
    yesterday Jordan, openness in the Arab world, different kind of
    relations, Maroc, Tunisia, and I believe there will be other Arab
    countries--this is the importance. You don't have to look at

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    it on a limited point of view. You have to look at it: Are there changes
    in the region? Are there changes in the attitude of so many Arab
    countries towards relations to Israel, or not? This is the issue. And it
    will continue. And we will continue, regardless to the terrible
    atrocities of the Islamic radical terror groups against us. I believe
    you'll see more changes and more in the right direction.
        Q. Mr. President, the restoration of Israel's exact fulfillment of
    over 300 Bible prophecies proves the Bible is God's true word. Genesis
    17:8 says God gave Israel ``all the land of Canaan for an everlasting
    possession.'' And Leviticus 25:23 forbids her ever to sell it. How can
    it produce real peace to induce Israel to defy God by selling Judea and
    Samaria for Arafat's or Asad's paper promises of peace?
        Prime Minister Rabin. Do you ask the President of the United States
    this question? He is not representing Israel, to the best of my
    knowledge.
        The President. That was the answer I was going to give. [Laughter]
        The people of Israel, through their elected leaders, will decide
    what they are required to do for their own existence, their own
    security, their own future, and for their patience and peace with God.
        Q. Mr. Prime Minister, in the agreements you signed with some of
    your Arab neighbors, the issue of Jerusalem remained unresolved, the
    whole status of east Jerusalem. And that's also true at the U.N. and in
    most of the world, it's unresolved. Why did you assert such absolute
    control? Were you trying to put President Clinton on the spot tonight?
        The President. You mean in his speech to the Knesset?
        Q. Yes.
        Prime Minister Rabin. First, we are independent states. And we have
    our positions, and the United States has got its position. I can speak
    only on the Israeli position. We believe that Jerusalem must remain
    united under Israel's sovereignty. But we did not reject that the
    Palestinians, once we negotiate permanent solution, will raise the
    issue. We know their position; they know ours.
        I believe that in the long run, the Jerusalem problem should be
    solved on two levels, the political one, that is to say, what will be
    the sovereignty over the united Jerusalem--which we have no doubt that
    it must be Israeli sovereignty--and the question of the holiness of
    Jerusalem to the other two religions. And you'll see a sign in the
    Washington Declaration, in the peace treaty that we signed between
    Jordan and Israel, that we distinguished between the holy shrines to the
    Muslims that in the last 27 years we allowed free access, free practice.
    But even beyond that, the administration of the holy shrines to the
    Muslims and the Christians is done by the respective churches. We don't
    intervene. In that way that they run something within the holy shrines
    that derived from their own religion, as long as it doesn't affect the
    security of the area. It works for 27 years. And I believe we have in
    Hebrew an expression, Jerusalem shall maala, Jerusalem shall matta,
    Jerusalem in the heavens, and Jerusalem on the ground.
        I believe this is the key to the real solution in the long run of
    Jerusalem. But we are committed if they want to raise this issue. We
    know our position when we negotiate the permanent status between us and
    the Palestinians. We negotiate the solution to the refugee problems of
    much wider scope not only with one partner, on a regional basis.
    Therefore, from my point of view, it's very clear.

    [The following question was asked and answered in Hebrew and translated
    by an interpreter.]

        Q. Mr. Prime Minister, I should like to take this opportunity to ask
    you a question in Hebrew. President Clinton and the Secretary of State
    have spoken about progress in Damascus. Following your meeting with
    President Clinton, do you share their estimation that, indeed, there is
    progress towards peace? And if so, in what areas?
        Prime Minister Rabin. To begin with, I heard from President Clinton
    about his meeting with President Asad. His impression, whereby on
    certain subjects there has been some progress, is relevant. We must bear
    in mind that we are now negotiating with the Syrians. In fact, this has
    been going on for 3 years, ever since the Madrid convention. And we are
    advancing in tiny steps, inch by inch.
        In the talks between us, we reached an agreement whereby Secretary
    of State Christopher, within a period of 3 or 4 weeks, would examine the
    progress being made in order to implement or to put into practice what
    we hope will be done. In other words, we are interested in reaching
    peace with Syria. We do want a peace

    [[Page 1897]]

    treaty with Syria. In principle, we have agreed to a withdrawal. There
    is no agreement between us and Syria as to the final borders of peace,
    and there are other areas which have not yet been resolved.
        President Clinton did not tell me that there was a historic
    breakthrough. He said that there was some progress on certain areas.
    Therefore, we must pursue these efforts. We must continue along the road
    on which the negotiations have been taking place so far. In other words,
    Secretary of State Christopher will continue shuffling between Damascus
    and Jerusalem. And indeed, we have agreed that this will be taking place
    within 3 or 4 weeks from today, if I'm not mistaken.
        Q. [Inaudible]--have another day yet before the trip is over, and I
    know I'm getting you while you're somewhat tired. But even so, I'd like
    to ask you if you could to reflect a little bit, since this is the last
    press conference before you go home, if you could tell us a little bit
    about what have you learned on the trip the last couple of days? What
    will you take home with you that's different from what you came here
    with? And what do you feel has changed for yourself from the experiences
    that you've had in the last however many hours it's been?
        The President. Well, this has been my first opportunity to see
    first-hand the potential for a new Middle East, the real potential for
    peace, and the yearning that I see everywhere.
        In Damascus today, when I was riding along the road and people would
    stop their working or children would crowd around their buildings, their
    play yards, and wave a greeting, they did it because they see the United
    States as the instrument of peace to bring these two nations together or
    at least to make it possible for them to come together. These are all
    things that you know, but until you see it, it's a very different thing,
    indeed.
        I also come away from this trip profoundly grateful to the leaders
    of Israel and Jordan for setting an example that I think will give
    confidence and conscience to the efforts that others will make now to
    resolve the problems in the Middle East.
        I also came away, frankly, with a much clearer idea of what things
    the United States can do and indeed what we must try to do to help make
    peace successful from a security point of view and from an economic
    point of view.
        So all these things I leave with. But the most important thing is
    the deep yearning for this to work. I saw it in the energy in the
    Knesset tonight. We saw it in the energy and the passion in the
    Jordanian Parliament last night. And I have seen it on the streets of
    every place I have been, in the eyes of the people. I think we are on
    the right historic mission, and we need to redouble our efforts until we
    finish.
        Prime Minister Rabin. May I, Mr. President? [Inaudible]--in the last
    15 years, the President of the United States did help and attended
    signing of the peace treaty between an Arab country and Israel.

    Note: The President's 77th news conference began at 10:44 p.m. in the
    Convention Center.