Sinn Fein News, September 6, 2006
Gerry Adams peace mission in the Middle East
"In my view the future security, strategic interests, freedom and rights of
the people of Israel are locked into an acceptance, respect, recognition and
defence by Israel of the rights, freedom and prospects of the people of
Palestine. War is not the only option. ...
The hostile reaction of the Israeli government, of the EU and of the United
States to the election results earlier this year have compounded these
difficulties. ...
What is required is inclusive dialogue based on equality and parity of
esteem. It is patently obvious after decades of conflict that there can be
no military solution to what is essentially a political problem."
Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams held a press conference yesterday evening in
Jerusalem after his arrival on a two day peace mission to the Middle East.
Last night Mr Adams met with members of the 'Palestinian - Israeli Peace NGO
Forum' at the Peres Peace Centre.
Today Mr Adams will visit the Negotiations Affairs HQ and tour various sites
in Ramallah. He will then meet with President Mahmoud Abbas and lay a wreath
at the grave of former Palestinian President Arafat.
Mr Adams will also meet with the Presidents Chief of Staff and advisers and
later today will meet with parliamentarians at the Palestinian Legislative
Council including including Hamas.
Mr Adams will also pay a visit to the Ramallah Hospital, refugee camp and
Red Crescent HQ.
Speaking to a large group of assembled media yesterday Mr Adams said:
My name is Gerry Adams and I represent the Irish Republican Party Sinn Féin.
Our main objective is the establishment of an all-Ireland Republic free from
British rule in a United Independent Ireland.
Sinn Féin are central players in the Irish peace process. That process has
yet to achieve its full potential and there are many difficulties and
frustrations but huge progress has been made. Sinn Féin's commitment and
intention is to continue that progress.
The purpose of this visit is very simple - to encourage the search for a
peaceful resolution to the Israeli - Palestinian conflict. In our view it is
imperative that genuine negotiation and dialogue between the representatives
of the Palestinian and Israeli people commences as quickly as possible.
We are here at the invitation of the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas,
and I want to thank President Abbas and the Palestinian Authority and the
Israeli peace activists we are meeting later this evening for the
opportunity to speak to them.
It has been my intention to come here for some time. Indeed there was a long
standing invitation from Abu Ammar President Arafat which I regret very much
not being able to take up while he was alive. Various arrangements had to be
cancelled because of the demands of the process in Ireland or of the
priorities here. When President Arafat died I resolved that I would wait no
longer. It has taken from then to fulfil that commitment and I am pleased to
be here.
Let me tell you that Irish Republicans are very concerned as are the vast
majority of thinking people about the suffering of people in this region.
Sinn Féin has no special magic formula to resolve the problems here. But we
do believe they can be resolved. The Anglo-Irish conflict was once labelled
as intractable. Talk of peace and of peace processes was dismissed as
nonsense, as fantasy. But we proved the pessimists and cynics wrong.
Irish republicans are internationalists. We take a close interest in events
outside of Ireland and we are always willing to learn and to share our
experience with others seeking to build peaceful alternatives to conflict.
Political will and courage in seeking peaceful alternatives to conflict is
essential.
There is an enormous responsibility on political leaders and especially on
governments to find peaceful alternatives. Governments have a responsibility
to give leadership which is hope and life giving. That is the big challenge
facing the Israeli government.
In my view the future security, strategic interests, freedom and rights of
the people of Israel are locked into an acceptance, respect, recognition and
defence by Israel of the rights, freedom and prospects of the people of
Palestine. War is not the only option.
Building a political alternative, constructing a peace process which can
deal with the causes of a conflict, and which can provide stability, justice
and democracy, is an option also and one which would have the support of
right thinking people world wide.
Of course the difficulties here are enormous. The conflict affects every
aspect of peoples daily lives in Palestine and in Israel.
The hostile reaction of the Israeli government, of the EU and of the United
States to the election results earlier this year have compounded these
difficulties. The withdrawal of financial support to the Palestinian
government and the increase in violence is entirely counter productive.
What is required is inclusive dialogue based on equality and parity of
esteem. It is patently obvious after decades of conflict that there can be
no military solution to what is essentially a political problem.
Irish republicans do not assume that what has worked in Ireland is relevant
to every other situation. But we have learned that there are key principles
which are applicable in any process of conflict resolution. These include;
Inclusive dialogue
Recognising democratic mandates
And upholding human rights
Of course, it is for citizens here to work out and agree your own solutions.
I appeal to all political leaders to make a fresh effort to rebuild the
peace process.
All of us have to have an acceptance and openness toward other cultures. The
notion that western culture or civilisation is better than any other is
bogus. All cultures can learn from each other and change accordingly,
peacefully and democratically. Suppression is not the way.
The role of the International Community and United Nations is crucial in all
of this. So too is the role of the US government. The US, as a strong ally
of Israel, has a key role to play.
In the Irish Peace Process the U.S. played a positive and encouraging role,
recognising all of the democratic mandates of the participants, supporting
dialogue, and dealing with everyone on the basis of equality. I would
strongly urge a similar approach in respect of any efforts to rebuild the
peace process here.
What is clearly required is a comprehensive and inclusive settlement. Such a
settlement must be rooted on the rights of the people of Palestine and the
people of Israel to live in mutual respect, security and peaceful
co-existence and co-operation. Israelis and Palestinians have more to gain
from peace than continuing conflict."