Toasts of the President and Prime Minister Yitzhak
Rabin
(June 11, 1975)
Mr. Prime Minister:
I am very delighted to have you here and to welcome
you back to Washington. You have been here a number of times, plus your
long service as a member of the diplomatic corps, and we are delighted
to have you here on this occasion. I think it also gives to all of us
an opportunity to thank you for your very generous hospitality on behalf
of many Members of the Congress and others, as well as many Americans,
who have visited Israel. I thank you on their behalf.
I think your visit comes at a very important moment
in the history of both of our countries. As Americans, we face our Nation's
200th anniversary, and in the process, of course, we are reviewing the
past in search of some of the fundamental human values which characterize,
as I see it, the very best in America.
The most basic of this, of course, is the desire for
freedom and the desire for independence and the right of each individual
to live in peace. Fortunately, Israel shares this view with us. It is
this sharing which is the basis of our fundamental relationship--of
the United States strong and continuing support of the State of Israel
and Israel's understanding of the essential interests of the United
States.
Mr. Prime Minister, when we met in Washington 9 months
ago, at the very outset of my Administration, we jointly reaffirmed
the need to continue our intensive efforts for peace. We then recognized
the importance of maintaining the momentum of negotiations toward this
end.
Having admired you as an Ambassador, we found it easy,
I think, to establish a good working relationship. We agreed that it
was in our mutual interest that these efforts succeed, and it would
be a tragedy if they failed. I think we recognize that stagnation would
be most unfortunate in our work for peace.
We met today to insure that this does not occur, to
seek progress toward a truly just and durable peace, a settlement that
is in the best interest of all of us, in the Middle East. I consider
the meeting this morning very constructive and our conversations here
tonight equally so. I think with perseverance we can be successful.
Gentlemen, let me ask that you join me in a toast to
the success in these efforts to obtain a just and durable peace in the
Middle East, to the close relationship between our two countries, and
to an individual of dedication and courage in the service of his country,
the Prime Minister of Israel.
Mr. Prime Minister.
NOTE: The President spoke at 9:07 p.m. in the State
Dining Room at the White House. Prime Minister Rabin responded as follows:
Mr. President, Members of the Congress, members of
the Administration:
Mr. President, I would like to thank you very much
for inviting me to Washington in the efforts to do whatever is possible
to move towards peace in the Middle East. I believe that your interest,
your determination to do whatever is possible and to explore all the
possibilities that will lead these complex conflicts in the area towards
peace are a sign of the great leadership of you and a few great countries
in the free world.
I would like to assure you in the name of my country
and my people that if there is something that we are really eager to
achieve, it is a real peace in the area. We have tried for 27 years
to do whatever is possible, or was possible, to achieve peace. Unfortunately,
peace has not been achieved. But we believe that peace must be reached
in the area. It is in the interests of all the people who live there
and will serve to their interests. And therefore, whatever is done to
move towards peace is more than appreciated by us, by the people of
Israel.
I am sure that in the course of the talks that we have
had and we will have, we will try to find what are the best ways in
which we can cooperate with you, Mr. President, with the United States
Government, to move towards peace. But allow me to say that peace, a
real one, can achieve only by understanding---can be achieved by compromise,
but must be achieved when the two sides that are involved in the conflict
would decide to put an end to it and to establish the structure of peace.
The United States has served--and I am very pleased
and grateful to you that you are determined to continue to play--a major
role in the achievement of peace. Israel has learned to admire, to appreciate
the United States and American people. In the last 27 years, we have
gained the support, the understanding of the American people, and we
are more than thankful for what has been done by the United States in
supporting Israel and helping the cause of peace.
I would like to thank you, Mr. President, very much
for your understanding of the problems of Israel and the need, the urgency
to move towards peace. And I hope that through your efforts, we would
achieve what has not been achieved by now, a real move towards a real
peace.
Therefore, allow me to raise my glass to you, to the
President of the United States and to the friendship between our two
people.
Sources: Public Papers of the President |