“The longer the conflict with the Palestinians, the lesser the time for Israel”

Kadima is at the centre of the Israeli consensus. Israel is a national home for the Jewish people and it must be democratic. This combination should lead us to give up a part of the Eretz Israel and accept the existence of two nation-states. The Likud has known this for a long time but it refuses to admit it in its discourse. The Likud was a victim of historical slogans. But, just as Israel put an end to the modern Jewish problem, the Palestinian state must find a definitive answer to the Palestinian problem with regard to refugees and the territorial issue. To keep demanding the return of the refugees is unacceptable. The process that will lead to the creation of the Palestinian state must guarantee Israel’s security.
We must go back to the “route plan”, but this plan states duties the Palestinians must undertake, such as ending acts of violence. The Palestinian Authority does not fight terrorism. I regret seeing an international community showing indulgence with regard to the participation of Hamas in the Palestinian elections. Its results and those of Abu Mazen will be crucial for our policy. At the present time, we don’t believe Abu Mazen can solve the situation, beginning with terrorism, although this may change. Situations can change quickly, but minds can’t. The Palestinians have a different way of living and their children constantly see on TV how Israel is denigrated and how armed bands are highlighted. It will take many generations to change their way of seeing things. In an ideal way, we’d like to put an end to unilateralism. However, we must be realistic. Up to now, the gap between us is so large that if we want progress we must act alone.
Globalization has an impact on the peace process too for it gives rise to the problem of balance between national values and those it creates. We’re witnessing a process of an increasing counter-legitimization of Israel and some wonder if the creation of a bi-national state in Israel is not necessary. Globalization brings about strong pressures contrary to the nation-state as well as national self-preservation movements. In view of this, I have concluded that at the international level, the longer the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is, the less time will be on our side. On the one hand, waiting for the moment in which the Palestinians recognize us as a Jewish state is necessary but, on the other hand, time is against us.