Press Conference with King Hussein of Jordan and Prime Minister Netanyahu

In an unprecedented act, King Hussein traveled to Israel and visited all the families of the Israeli junior high school students who were killed on 13 March, during the period of mourning in their homes in Beit Shemesh. Following a meeting in Jerusalem, the two leaders addressed a press conference. The King was asked about a letter he had written to the Prime Minister complaining about Israeli actions. That letter was leaked to the press. The Prime Minister referred in his answers to the ongoing negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority on various issues, including the Gaza Airport. He discussed with both Arafat and King Hussein new ideas to advance peace. Text:

Spokesman: Ladies and gentlemen, the Prime Minister and his Majesty will say a few words and after that they will take your questions.

Prime Minister Netanyahu: Your Majesty, its an honor for me to welcome you in Jerusalem on a mission of peace. You have demonstrated great courage and bold determination to take the timely step of visiting the bereaved families and the wounded after the terrible tragedy that happened just a few days ago. I think you expressed in this not only your profound concerns for maintaining the historic peace between our nations, but also to restore in doubtful minds the general belief in the possibility of peace and friendship based on the deep-assuming sentiments that we all seek to see between us and all our neighbors.

I have to say that I was deeply moved, not only by visiting the families but of seeing you, and the way that you opened your heart, and how your family opened its heart to these people in their hour of greatest travail and greatest sorrow.

I think that today was a day that moved peace forward. We have no illusions about the difficulty of the road ahead, of the obstacles before us, but I have greater confidence tonight that with vision, courage and wisdom, the kind that you showed today, the kind that we all are asked to show in coming days and months, that we can achieve the peace that has eluded us.

I think that no one should doubt the commitment of this government and of this people, to achieve peace between us and the Palestinians, to cement the peace between Israel and Jordan, and to give our children, Israeli children, Jordanian children, Palestinian children, a future without sorrow, and a future without grief. I thank you on behalf of the children of Israel for all that you did today, and the many other kindnesses that you have shown our people yesterday, and Im sure tomorrow as well. Thank you.

H.M. King Hussein: Prime Minister, Id like to thank you for your warm words, and Id like to thank the people of Israel, and in particular the bereaved families who received me and members of my family and Jordanian colleagues today in their homes. We have passed through many difficult moments, and we have faced many tragedies, but I cannot recall an occasion when Jordanians, members of our armed forces, all of us in Jordan, have felt as angry, ashamed, stained, puzzled, shocked, by what happened to these young children visiting the island of peace a few days ago.

I can only assure you all that I genuinely express my feelings and those of so many when I say that every single loss of life is one that we feel as a personal loss to us. We abhor violence, we have suffered from violence, and we will continue to do our utmost together to fight violence, and beyond that, we will continue to do whatever we can to fulfill a goal and realize a dream, to which we have committed ourselves for as long as we live. To give the children, Israelis, Palestinians, Jordanians all the descendants of the children of Abraham, through reconciliation and peace with dignity, the kind of life that they deserve and merit, the kind of life that is their right. We will not waiver at any point, but go forward with absolute commitment to this noble goal, seeking only to be able to live with ourselves, and for Gods blessings, and for times to come beyond our times when those children and their grandchildren can remember us well for having done our best to provide them with what we were denied for far too long.

I would like to thank the Prime Minister, the bereaved families, and the people of Israel, for giving me the opportunity to be amongst you today, with members of my family and colleagues, to share with you in this moment of sorrow and loss, determined to ensure that everything about what happened will be discovered in the minutest detail. No sane person could have committed such a crime, yet we are determined to continue to ensure that justice is done, and on the other hand, we have talked together about an original plan which we had spoken of in the past to create something very, very special in that particular location for the children of our two countries, and for the children in this region to enjoy in the future in memory of those dear ones, the victims of yesterday.

Beyond that, we had an opportunity to be together probably for a longer period of time than we have ever had, and we have talked frankly and openly, and I can assure you that we will continue to work together for peace in this region and to see it as a reality. Between us, to see it grow as we have always sought it to be, a peace between people, a warm peace, a real peace, and to encourage others and help them to arrive at the same goal, particularly as regards Palestinians and Israelis.

Thank you so much and may God bless our efforts that they be continuously successful in the times ahead. Thank you, Prime Minister.

Emanuel Rosen, Israeli T.V. Channel 2: Your Majesty, I would like to ask you what caused you to write those very detailed and uncommon words in the letter that you sent to Mr. Netanyahu a few days ago. What happened that caused you to do it?

H.M. King Hussein: To begin with, we are brethren and we are partners seeking to fulfill a common dream, and objective. Maybe we are not diplomatic, either of us, and that only happens occasionally. But it is our concern for the goal for which we work, and for which we are dedicating our lives, that compels us to keep in touch. That letter was never meant for publication. It was a personal letter which unfortunately leaked in some mysterious way. And was distorted in a way that made me feel that it was important to release it. No offense intended, but a genuine concern for the process of peace in this region and for the future, and the Prime Minister responded in the same way.

Miss Caroline Fahrage: from Avia, Jordanian newspaper: [Question regarding terror and terrorism]

H.M. King Hussein: Well, I can only say here that regarding terror and terrorism, that is alien to us and to everything we believe in. And regarding the very threat of terrorism, we place ourselves, the overwhelming majority of people, in Jordan, in Israel, and I believe in this entire region, in the defense of our right to seek a secure peace. We are determined to ensure that a minority, no matter where they are no matter where they belong, will not dictate to us and force on us their will to go back into darkness, despair, and disaster. And such a meeting as Ive had with the Prime Minister today gives me great courage and great hope in terms of the future.

Prime Minister Netanyahu: Thank you, your Majesty. I want to say that driving around today on some of the high roads and some of the back roads of Israel, and meeting the people of Israel in their homes, and listening to their heartfelt desire for peace has reaffirmed for me what is the basis of our policy. And that is the quest for peace that will endure, a peace we can live with, a peace that we will seek with all our neighbors.

Im sure that his Majesty, Im sure, your Majesty, that you had the same sentiment exactly.

It is true that in this quest for peace we have disagreements, and they are not likely to be solved in one afternoon, or in one week, and certainly the issue of Jerusalem is one of them. But I have to say that I believe that the principle that our disagreements have to be ironed out in direct conversations, in contacts, a human contact, as we spoke together today, may not resolve all the differences, but it can make a huge difference, and the great difference is that whatever disagreement we have, we do not allow the process to descend to violence. Violence can destroy the entire process.

I think the Palestinians and we have an enormous amount to gain from continuing the process, Jordan obviously as well. I think that the things that divide us are surely there, but the things which can unite us in a solution, in the quest for a solution, and in its achievement, of no lesser value and in many ways can offer us a hope that none of us imagine at this time.

Now, we discussed these ideas, at great length, I must say. Not only in our session today, a formal session, but in the many hours that we spent together. We cannot solve all the problems right now, but what I think we can do is create a different basis of a dialogue between us and the Palestinians, and a dialogue that is based on peace, and this is something that we will seek to do. I can also tell you that in the course of our conversation we spoke to Chairman Arafat. First his Majesty spoke to him, then I spoke to him. And I think this was a general spirit of this conversation. We have much to gain, both of us, all three of us, from moving the process forward, and we cannot let our disagreements, which are as yet unresolved, destroy the process. And I think if we can agree on this, then we can offer these children that we saw today, and the memory of those children that we honor today, a monument that is truly worthy of their memory. And in this regard, we spoke of a project in Baqura, as his Majesty said. By the agreement its a recreational project, but we think it could be a living monument to these seven girls, and something that will offer a different future for all of us.

Morrid Hamad from Jordanian T.V.: Mr. Prime Minister, you just spoke of the need to find ways that unite us rather than divide us, and unfortunately it seems that the issue of Jewish settlements, and particularly in Jerusalem, is a very divisive issue. While Israel and the United States are the only people who have accepted it so far, the entire world is against it, so why look for divisive issues, why now, and why in East Jerusalem?

Prime Minister Netanyahu: We dont look for divisive issues. Some of them are here whether we like them or not. I dont claim that this is something that we have agreement on. I do claim that we can focus on our disagreements, and even escalate our differences, and we will not achieve the progress, the real progress that I believe is achievable if we work in parallel on the other tracks that can change the reality in which we all live. Im committed to continue this process. These are not words, these are not just things that I say to placate Palestinian, or Jordanian or general Arab opinion. I believe we have to get used to the idea that unless Mr. Arafat and I, and our respective delegations, his representatives, ministers, unless we meet on a systemic basis, on a constant basis, we can have many, many other problems come up. Im not going to deny that there is a problem, and a disagreement. But I am saying that the way to resolve it is to work on those other issues that can give hope to all of us, and by that I mean hope to the Palestinians first and foremost.

Eric Siver, from Time Magazine: [Question regarding advancing the cause of peace]

Prime Minister Netanyahu: There are a number of things that could be done to advance the cause of peace, not in a theoretical distant future, but in our time. Those ideas, King Hussein and I discussed at some length, and I think those ideas, some of them, are being implemented as we speak. And I think that its a mistake to try to create an "be all and end all," on one issue. Because the opponents of peace can always find the barricade on which to pit themselves, if you define it as such. I dont want anything to be construed, or to be explained or to be seen as the end of peace. I think its a mistake to speak in those terms. For example, there have been many complaints from the Israeli side about problems in the implementation of the agreement on the Palestinian side. People have said: well, if this particular thing is not done by the Palestinian side, then it means we cannot have peace. It means the peace process will collapse. Some of these complaints touch on things that are very, very dear to us. Some of them even pertain to the very definition of the Jewish state. I have not agreed, at any time, to make these things the impasse. I dont want to say a casus belli, but I was talking about an impasse that if our view and our expectation are not met, even our contractual expectation, that this will end the peace. There are some problems I believe both sides can present. What Im suggesting tonight is that we do away with this mentality. Its not a very good one, to put it mildly. Im suggesting there are many ways we can move this process forward. I believe we can move it forward, and Ill surprise you, I believe we can reach an agreement. It sounds to you sitting here tonight as an impossible dream. I dont think its impossible. I think its difficult, but I think its possible, and I think with the help of my colleagues, with the help of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Defense, and our other ministers who are here, with the help of leaders such as King Hussein, and with an equal attitude by our Palestinian partners, we can surprise the world. Its within our power.

Eric Silver, from Time Magazine: To follow up what youve just been saying, Mr. Prime Minister, after your discussion today, your conversation with Mr. Arafat and with his Majesty, were any arrangements made for resuming the series of meetings between Israel and the Palestinians, and were any new approaches or new initiatives discussed for resolving outstanding issues?

Prime Minister Netanyahu: We had a variety of ideas that we discussed, but let me say that the contacts between Israel and the Palestinians are continuing today. There is intensive work done, for example on the Gaza Airport question. As you know, the agreement stipulates the opening of that airport subject to Israels security control, that is, its an international passageway, and we want to ensure that our security concerns are handled. This has been discussed intensively today, and I hope that we can conclude this agreement at the earliest possible time.

Udi Segal, from Galei Tzahal: Your Majesty, can you elaborate a little bit about when you said there will be a monument for those who were killed in Naharayim, in the Jordan valley. Can you elaborate a little bit? Also comment about your discussion with Yasser Arafat. What is the result of this discussion practically, on the ground?

H.M. King Hussein: Well, regarding the first issue, we had discussed the possibility of a childrens park which could cover many facets and produce many opportunities in the future. I think that it will be a worthwhile idea to look at the possibility of offering the challenge to architects, to see how we can best place our ideas and thoughts into reality in that particular area, in a way that will serve all our children for all times to come, and commemorate the loss of life, the innocent loss of life. With regard to my talks with President Arafat, I cannot elaborate anymore, I thought that it was a constructive conversation, and I really hope that the results will speak for themselves in the future.

Prime Minister Netanyahu: In the near future.

Source: Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs