[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book II)]
[September 28, 1995]
[Pages 1510-1511]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



[[Page 1510]]


Remarks at the Signing Ceremony for the Israeli-Palestinian West Bank 
Accord
September 28, 1995

    The President. Prime Minister Rabin; Chairman Arafat; Your Majesty 
King Hussein; President Mubarak; Foreign Minister Peres; Mr. Abu Mazin; 
Prime Ministers Gonzalez, Filali, Bin Shakir; Foreign Minister Kozyrev, 
our cosponsor of the Middle East peace negotiations; distinguished 
Foreign Ministers and members of the Diplomatic Corps; and honored 
guests:
    I welcome you to the White House for this milestone on the path to 
reconciliation. Today we make a great stride toward the fulfillment of a 
vision toward the day when two peoples divided by generations, by 
conflict, are bound now by peace. Finally, the time is approaching when 
there will be safety in Israel's house, when the Palestinian people will 
write their own destiny, when the clash of arms will be banished from 
God's Holy Land.
    Two years ago, on another brilliant September day here at the White 
House, two men reached across one of history's widest chasms with a 
simple handshake. That moment is etched forever in our memory. With the 
eyes of the world upon you, Mr. Prime Minister, you declared your wish 
to live side by side with the Palestinian people in dignity, in empathy, 
as human beings, as free men. And you, Mr. Chairman, vowed to wage what 
you called the most difficult battle of our lives, the battle for peace.
    In the days of labor that have followed, you have both shown 
profound courage in bringing us to this moment, and you have kept your 
word.
    The enemies of peace have fought the tide of history with terror and 
violence. We grieve for their victims, and we renew our vow to redeem 
the sacrifice of those victims. We will defeat those who will resort to 
terror. And we revere the determination of these leaders who chose 
peace, who rejected the old habits of hatred and revenge. Because they 
broke so bravely with the past, the bridges have multiplied, bridges of 
communication, of commerce, of understanding. Today, the landscape 
changes and the chasm narrows.
    The agreement that now will be signed means that Israel's mothers 
and fathers need no longer worry that their sons will face the dangers 
of patrolling Nablus or confronting the hostile streets of Ramallah. And 
it means that Palestinians will be able to decide for themselves what 
their schools teach, how their houses should be built, and who they 
choose to govern.
    You, the children of Abraham, have made a peace worthy of your great 
forebear. Abraham, patriarch of both Arabs and Jews, sacrificed power 
for peace when he said to his nephew, Lot, ``Let there be no strife 
between thee and me. If thou will take the left hand, then I will go to 
the right.'' Patience and persistence, courage and sacrifice: These are 
the virtues, then as now, that set peacemakers apart.
    Mr. Prime Minister and Mr. Chairman, you are showing that it is not 
by weapons but by will and by word that dreams best become reality. Your 
achievement shines as an inspiration to others all around this world who 
seek to overcome their own conflicts and to secure for themselves the 
blessings of peace.
    Chapter by chapter, Jews and Arabs are writing a new history for 
their ancient lands. Camp David; the Declaration of Principles, signed 
here 2 years ago; the peace of the Arava last year between Jordan and 
Israel: With each of these, the truth of this book has become clear to 
the world. As courageous leaders stepped beyond the bounds of 
convention, they build for their peoples a new world of hope and peace.
    Now, as this new chapter begins, it is fitting that we are joined by 
so many from the camp of peace. Egypt's President Mubarak has carried 
forth the commitment to peace that began with Anwar el-Sadat and the 
miracle at Camp David. Before there was a glimpse of a breakthrough, 
President Mubarak stood for reconciliation. And he added his strength, 
his personal strength, time and time again in the days of the 
negotiations.
    Almost a year ago, on the border that had known only barbed wire and 
armed patrols, King Hussein and Prime Minister Rabin brought their 
nations together in peace. Already that border has been transformed, as 
have the lives of Israelis and Jordanians, after 46 years as enemies. 
King Hussein stands a rock on which peace can be built. In only a few 
weeks, he

[[Page 1511]]

will host the economic summit in Amman that will bring together Israelis 
and Arabs from throughout the region, business and government leaders 
from throughout the world, to map the promise of tomorrow.
    Today we are also joined by the largest group of Arab Foreign 
Ministers ever assembled to support the growth of peace. Prime Minister 
Filali of Morocco has traveled here to represent King Hassan, who has 
done so much to advance progress in the region. With us as well are 
representatives of nations that have provided vital support for peace, 
including the countries of the European Union, Japan, Canada, and of 
course, Norway, whose assistance 2 years ago opened the way to this 
moment.
    All those who doubt the spirit of peace should remember this day and 
this extraordinary array of leaders who have joined together to bring a 
new era of hope to the Middle East. The United States is proud to stand 
with all of them.
    Much remains to be done. But we will continue to walk each step of 
the way with those who work and risk for peace. We will press forward 
with our efforts until the circle of peace is closed, a circle which 
must include Syria and Lebanon if peace is to be complete. We will not 
rest until Muslims and Jews can turn their backs to pray without any 
fear, until all the region's children can grow up untouched by conflict, 
until the shadow of violence is lifted from the land of light and gold.
    Thank you very much.

[At this point, the Israeli-Palestinian West Bank Accord was signed. 
Following the signing, King Hussein of Jordan, President Hosni Mubarak 
of Egypt, Chairman Yasser Arafat of the PLO, and Prime Minister Yitzhak 
Rabin of Israel made remarks.]

    The President. As we adjourn, let me once again thank all of our 
guests from across the world who have come here to be a part of this and 
to wish all the parties well. Let me thank those who spoke today for 
their contributions to the peace process.
    Let me say a special word of thanks to the Members of Congress who 
have come here from both parties, including both Jewish-Americans and 
Arab-Americans represented in our United States Congress, for their 
support of the United States effort.
    And let me close with this simple thought. As the cold war has given 
way to a global village in which the enemies of peace are many and 
dispersed all across the world, the United States is honored and 
obligated to be a force for peace, from Northern Ireland to Southern 
Africa, from Bosnia to Haiti, to reducing the nuclear threat and the 
threat of biological and chemical weapons to fighting against terrorism 
and organized crime.
    But this is special, for it is in this place that those of us who 
believe that the world was created by, is looked over by, and ultimately 
will be accountable to one great God. All of us came from there, whether 
we find that wisdom in the Torah or the Koran or the Christian Holy 
Bible. If we could all learn in that place to find the secret of peace, 
then perhaps the dream of peace on Earth can truly be realized.
    Thank you, and God bless you all.

Note: The President spoke at 12:23 p.m. in the East Room at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Foreign Minister Shimon Peres of 
Israel; Mahmud Abbas (Abu Mazin), head of the PLO committee on 
negotiations; Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez of Spain, representing the 
European Union; Prime Minister Abdellatif Filali of Morocco; Prime 
Minister Zayd Bin Shakir of Jordan; and Foreign Minister Andrey Kozyrev 
of Russia.