All language subtitles for The 50 Years War - Israel and the Arabs (1999) part2_eng

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FUNDINFORTHE 50 YEARS WAR:
ISRAEL AND THE ARABS

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AND PBS VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

Announcer:
VICTORY IN THE WAR HAS NOT
BROUGHT THE HOPED-FOR SOLUTION

TO ALL THE PROBLEMS IN THIS PART
OF THE MIDDLE EAST.

EGYPT, FOR EXAMPLE, DECLARES

THAT SHE WILL NOT REOPEN
THE SUEZ CANAL

UNTIL ISRAEL GIVES UP
ARAB TERRITORY SHE HAS CONQUERED

WHICH THE ISRAELIS ARE
NOT PREPARED TO DO.

Announcer:
ISRAEL'S NEW PRIME MINISTER,
MRS. GOLDA MEIR, VISITED TROOPS

L
IN THE SINAI DESERT
NOT FAR FROM THE SUEZ CANA

WHERE THE SHELLS
CONTINUE TO FLY.

SHE WANTED A CHANCE TO INSPECT
AND TALK TO THE MEN

WHO WERE LIVING FACE-TO-FACE

.
WITH THE REALITIES
OF THE MIDDLE-EAST SITUATION

[Captioning sponsored

by THE CORPORATION
FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING

and VIEWERS LIKE YOU]

Narrator:
THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT
GAMAL ABDEL NASSER

AFTER 18 YEARS IN POWER

DEVASTATED EGYPT
AND THE ENTIRE ARAB WORLD.

HIS SUCCESSOR,
VICE-PRESIDENT ANWAR SADAT

WAS CONSIDERED LITTLE MORE
THAN A FIGUREHEAD.

(man speaking Russian)

Translator:
THOSE IN NASSER'S INNER CIRCLE

THOUGHT THEY COULD STEER POLICY
ON THE COURSE SET BY NASSER

AND THEY WERE CONFIDENT

THAT SADAT WOULD FOLLOW
THE PARTY LINE.

Narrator:
THE FUNERAL WAS A GRAND OCCASION

FOR THE LEADERS
OF THE ARAB STATES

.
AND NASSER'S SOVIET ALLIES

NASSER HAD SEVERED RELATIONS
WITH AMERICA

SO THE REPRESENTATIVE
FROM WASHINGTON ASSUMED

HE WOULD BE IGNORED.

THEN A SOLDIER
CAME INTO THE ROOM

WEAVING HIS WAY
THROUGH THE CROWD

APPARENTLY, IT TURNED OUT,
HEADING FOR ME.

Narrator:
THE SOLDIER LED RICHARDSON AWAY

OUT OF THE SIGHT
OF THE WORLD'S PRESS

AND THE WATCHFUL EYE
OF THE K.G.B.

(speaking Russian)

Translator:
I WAS TRAINED TO SPOT ANYTHING
THAT WAS GOING ON

BUT IT WAS DIFFICULT
IN THAT CHAOS.

WE WENT DOWN THE STAIRS.

THE LOWER FLOOR WAS DARKENED

AND PROPPED UP IN A HOSPITAL BED
WAS THE MAN

WHO HAD JUST INHERITED
THE PRESIDENCY OF EGYPT.

Narrator:
PRESIDENT SADAT WAS RESTIN
G AWAY FROM THE CROWDS

AFTER APPARENTLY SUFFERING
FROM HEATSTROKE.

Richardson:
HE SAID THAT HE WANTED

TO TAKE ADVANTAGE

OF THEN A NEW PAGE

IN THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN OUR COUNTRIES.

Narrator:
??E NEXT DAY, SADAT PUT ON
A SHOW FOR THE AMERICAN MEDIA.

EGYPT WAS A SOVIET CLIENT STATE.

SADAT CONSIDERED ISRAEL
TO BE AN AMERICAN ONE.

Sadat:
THE UNITED STATES PROVIDE ISRAEL

FROM THE LOAF OF BREAD
TO THE PHANTOM TO THE...

TO THE EVEN DEFICIT
IN THE BUDGET ITSELF

SO IT IS THE VEIN OF LIFE.

VEIN OF LIFE FOR ISRAEL
GOES FROM THE UNITED STATES.

Narrator:
SADAT DIDN'T WANT TO NEGOTIATE
WITH ISRAEL HIMSELF.

ANS
TO INTERVENE

.
TO DELIVER TO EGYPT
THE TERRITORIES LOST IN 1967

IN THE THREE YEARS SINCE THE WAR

ISRAEL HAD ESTABLISHED
A FORMIDABLE DEFENSE LINE

ALONG THE SUEZ CANAL,
70 MILES FROM CAIRO.

(whistles)

Translator:
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

WHY

BECAUSE YOU ISRAELIS
OCCUPY OUR LAND.

Narrator:
THE SUEZ CANAL HAD BEEN
CLOSED SINCE 1967.

SADAT NOW TOLD THE AMERICANS

THAT IF ISRAEL MOVED BACK
A FEW MILES FROM THE CANAL

HE WOULD REOPEN IT

EVEN TO SHIPS TRADING
WITH ISRAEL.

SADAT'S PROPOSAL FOLLOWED
STATEMENTS MADE BY MOSHE DAYAN

ISRAEL'S DEFENSE MINISTER.

DAYAN SAID THAT THE SINAI SHOULD
EVENTUALLY BE RETURNED TO EGYPT.

Dayan:
WHAT WE SAY

JUST BECAUSE THE WAR
IS GOING ON.

BUT ONCE YOU AGREE
TO MAKE PEACE AGREEMENT

WE DON'T THINK WE SHOULD SIT
ON YOUR SUEZ CANAL.

Narrator:
GOLDA MEIR DIDN'T WANT TO
NEGOTIATE THROUGH THE AMERICANS.

SHE WANTED DIRECT TALKS
WITH SADAT.

I'M PREPARED TO GO TO CAIRO,
I'M PREPARED TO GO TO DAMASCUS

I AM PREPARED TO GO TO AMMAN

I AM PREPARED TO GO
TO BEIRUT, ANYWHERE.

Interviewer:
YOU WOULD GO
TO THESE PLACES?

YES, HAPPILY...

TO NEGOTIATE PEACE, OF COURSE.

N
IN WASHINGTON, PRESIDENT NIXON
LOOKED FOR THE RIGHT PERSO

NTO URGE SADAT'S PROPOSAL
IN WASHINGTON, PRESIDENT NIXON
LOOKON GOLDA MEIR.HT PERSO

HE CHOSE JOE SISCO.

Sisco:
I CAN RECALL THE WORDS
TO THIS DAY.

HE SAID, "JOE, PRESS GOLDA
, PRESS HER HARD

"BUT DON'T CAUSE
A MAJOR DONNYBROOK

BETWEEN ISRAEL
AND THE UNITED STATES."

Narrator:
SISCO MET WITH THE ENTIRE
ISRAELI CABINET

BUT ONLY GOLDA MEIR NEGOTIATED.

Sisco:
GOLDA MEIR TOOK IT UPON HERSELF
TO DO ALL OF THE TALKING.

IT WAS INTERESTING
TO SEE EVERYONE HERE

.
ALL THE MINISTERS,
NOBODY OPENING THEIR MOUTH

WHAT THEY DID
TO RELEASE THEIR TENSION

WAS SENDING LITTLE NOTES
TO EACH OTHER.

Eban:
I SENT DAYAN A CHIT

SAYING, "LISTEN, MOSHE, I THINK
WE CAN GET YOU SOME SUPPORT."

HE SENT BACK A VERY ABRUPT REPLY

SAYING SARCASTICERY MUCH

BUT IF GOLDA IS NOT THEN I
'M NOT FOR IT EITHER."

SISCO SAW THAT SOMETHING
WAS HAPPENING

THAT NOBODY WAS SUPPOSED
TO SPEAK THERE

AND SO-- HE WAS
A VERY SMART NEGOTIATOR--

HE ASKED THE PRIME MINISTE
R WHETHER HE'S PERMITTED

TO ASK T ONE QUESTION

A PROFESSIONAL QUESTION.

SO WHAT COULD SHE SAY?

I SAID TO HIM, "MR. MINISTER
, IF WE DON'T DO ANYTHING

WHAT DO YOU THINK
IS GOING TO HAPPEN?"

DAYAN SAID,
"WELL, I CANNOT IMAGINE

"THAT ANY GOVERNMENT WILL
TOLERATE INDEFINITELY

"A SITUATION WHERE
A STRONG ARMY IS POISED

AT THE GATES OF HIS CAPITAL"--
HE WAS EXAGGERATING

AFTER ALL, OUR FORCES WERE
AT A DISTANCE

OF MORE THAN A HUNDRED
KILOMETERS FROM CAIRO--

"AND THIS WILL LEAD TO WAR."

Narrator:
GOLDA MEIR STILL INSISTED
ON DIRECT TALKS.

Sisco:
THE NEXT DAY

I WALKED UP WITH THESE FLORATHER
GINGERLY

AND SHE SAID TO ME

"OH, JOE, NOW YOU'RE SAYING IT
WITH FLOWERS.

IT WON'T DO YOU ANY GOOD."

Narrator:
IN CAIRO, ISRAEL'S REBUFF

ALMOST BROUGHT ABOUT
THE DOWNFALL OF THE MAN

WHO HAD PROPOSED THE INITIATIVE,
ANWAR SADAT.

SO HE REVERSED COURSE

AND TRIED A TACTIC
MORE LIKELY TO WIN ARAB SUPPORT.

(Sadat speaking Arabic)

Translator:WAR IS
NOW INEVITABLE.

WHATEVER THE PRICE,
WHATEVER THE SACRIFICE

WE WILL NOT BACK DOWN.

WE WILL NOT GIVE UPARA
B LAND.

(applause)

I THOUGHT OF SADAT
AS A CHARACTER OUT OFAIDA.

I DIDN'T TAKE HIM SERIOUSLY.

HE KEPT MAKING
GRANDILOQUENT PRONOUNCEMENTS

AND HE NEVER ACTED ON THEM

SO I FRANKLY THOUGHT
HE WAS BLUFFING.

Narrator:
KISSINGER WAS TOO PREOCCUPIE
D WITH THE VIETNAM WAR

TO GIVE THE MIDDLE EAST
MUCH ATTENTION...

EVEN WHEN SADAT MADE
ANOTHER OFFER.

HE WANTED ISRAEL TO RETURN
TO THE '67 BORDERS

IN RETURN FOR WHICH EGYPT
WOULD BE WILLING TO MAKE PEACE

WHICH WAS A BIG STEP,
BECAUSE NOT...

NO ARAB STATE HAD AS YET
EVER FLATLY SAID

.
THAT THEY WOULD MAKE PEACE

WE WERE IN NO POSITION
TO HANDLE THAT.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
SADAT TOLD ME
THAT KISSINGER HAD SAID

"IF ALL YOU HAVE IS A PROBLEM,
I CANNOT DEAL WITH IT

BUT IF IT BECOMES A CRISIS
, THEN I CAN INTERVENE."

Narrator:
DISAPPOINTED WITH
AMERICAN DIPLOMACY

AND STILL UNWILLING TO TAL
K TO ISRAEL DIRECTLY

SADAT SET OUT
TO PREPARE FOR WAR.

(man speaking Arabic)

Translator:
THE HIGH COMMAND MET
AT SADAT'S HOUSE IN GIZA.

SADAT TOLD US, "THERE IS NO HOPE
OF A PEACEFUL SOLUTION

"AND I WILL NOT
SURRENDER TO ISRAEL

"
SO OUR ONLY OPTION IS WAR.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
HE SAID, "GET ME BACK JUST
TEN CENTIMETERS OF THE SINAI

AND I WILL NEGOTIATE A MIRACLE."

Narrator:
SADAT THEN PROPOSED

A SECRET ALLIANCE
WITH PRESIDENT ASSAD OF SYRIA.

THEY AGREED TO PLAN
A JOINT ATTACK ON ISRAEL.

SYRIA'S TOP GENERALS SAILE
D TO ALEXANDRIA

TO MEET THEIR
EGYPTIAN COUNTERPARTS.

(Tlas speaking Arabic)

Translator:
I WENT ON A RUSSIAN SHIP
DRESSED IN CIVILIAN CLOTHES.

I HAD A FAKE EGYPTIAN PASSPORT

AND WAS USING AN ALIAS--
JAMAL HASSAN.

Narrator:
ONCE THEY ARRIVED,
THEY KEPT UP THE SUBTERFUGE.

.l (translated):
Narrator:
IN THE EVENINGS, WE WENT
TO A NIGHT CLUB, THE MUMTAZA

WE WERE DRINKING AND HAVING FUN.

WE WANTED PEOPLE TO THINK
WE WERE JUST ENJOYING OURSELVES

AND THAT WE DID NOT HAVE
A CARE IN THE WORLD.

Narrator:
AT THE HOTEL, THE GENERALS
DISCUSSED THE PLANS

FOR THEIR JOINT ATTACK
AND DECIDED ON A SPECIAL DATE.

FOR THE JEWS IT IS A HOLY DAY,
A DAY OF REST.

Narrator:
THE SYRIANS HOPED AT LEAST
TO RECAPTURE THE GOLAN HEIGHTS

TAKEN FROM THEM IN 1967.

TO KEEP ISRAEL'S TROOPS
TIED DOWN

THEY NEEDED EGYPTIAN FORCES
TO ADVANCE ACROSS THE SINAI.

BUT THE EGYPTIANS HAD
THEIR OWN PLAN.

THEY INTENDED TO LIMIT
THEIR ADVANCE

TO TERRITORY PROTECTED BY THEIR
ANTI-AIRCRAFT MISSILES IN EGYPT.

Translator:
OUR MISSILES COULD PROTECT U
S FOR UP TO 12 KILOMETERS.

.
THAT WOULD COMPENSATE FOR TH
E INFERIORITY OF OUR AIR FORCE

Narrator:
EGYPT'S CHIEF OF STAFF
URGED SADAT

.
TO STICK TO THEIR OWN PLAN

THIS SECOND PLAN HAD US
ADVANCING TO THE SINAI PASSE
S

BUT IT WAS DONE JUST
FOR THE SYRIANS.

Translator:
SO IT WAS AGREED

THAT THE EGYPTIANS WOULD ADVANCE
TO THE PASSES.

THEY WOULD PAUSE TO REORGANIZE
AND THEN GO FORWARD AGAIN.

MEANWHILE, WE WOULD OCCUPY
THE GOLAN HEIGHTS.

Narrator:
WHATEVER PLANS
THE EGYPTIANS ADOPTED

FIRST THEY WOULD HAVE TO CROSS
THE SUEZ CANAL

AND DO IT UNDER THE GAZE
OF ISRAELI TROOPS.

Translator:
THE ENEMY ARE JUST
200 METERS AWAY.

I CA SEE ME.

HOW CAN I CATCH THEM
BYURPRISE?

I MUST HIDE MY INTENTIONS.

Gamasy (translated):
WE CARRIED OUT MANY
MILITARY EXERCISES.

THE AIM WAS TO DECEIVE
ISRAELI INTELLIGENCE.

WE WANTED THEM TO THINK

WE WERE EXPECTING AN ATTAC
K FROM ISRAEL.

Narrator:
NOW THE PRESIDENTS OF EGYPT AND
SYRIA ALSO SET OUT TO DECEIVE

THEIR FELLOW ARAB,
JORDAN'S KING HUSSEIN.

THEY CLAIMED ISRAEL WAS
ABOUT TO ATTACK THEM.

King Hussein:
SADAT AND ASSAD WERE WORRIED
ABOUT AN ATTACK ON SYRIA

THAT COULD HAVE ONE OF ITS HOOKS
COME THROUGH NORTHERN JORDAN
.

IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS,
I ASSURED THEM

THAT AS FAR AS WE WERE CONCERNED

NO ONE IS GOING TO USE OUR
COUNTRY TO ATTACK ANYONE.

.
Narrator:
KING HUSSEIN SMELLED A RAT

THE LAST TIME EGYPT AND SYRI
A HAD MANEUVERED HIM

HE HAD ENDED UP LOSING
A LARGE SLICE OF HIS KING

SO HE FLEW OFF ALONE

TELLING NO ONE HE WAS GOIN
G TO MEET GOLDA MEIR.

I WAS VERY CONCERNED AND WORRIED

P
THAT A STATE OF NO PEACE AND
NO WAR WAS GOING TO END US U

IN A SERIOUS DIFFICULTY.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
KING HUSSEIN TALKED
ABOUT ONLY ONE THING.

HE WARNED US TO EXPECT AN ATTACK
FROM SYRIA AND EGYPT.

:
THE PRIME MINISTER RECEIVE
D THE KING ALONE

BUT THE HEAD OF ISRAELI MILITARY
INTELLIGENCE WAS LISTENING

AS HUSSEIN WARNED OF THE SYRIAN-
EGYPTIAN PREPARATIONS FOR WAR.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
SHE WAS NOT CONVINCED
THIS INFORMATION WAS RELIABLE.

YOU SEE, KING HUSSEIN HIMSEL
F WAS NOT 100% SURE.

Narrator:
ING
THE ISRAELI RESERVES

GOLDA MEIR KEPT IN PLACE

THE USUAL 450 TROOPS
ALONG THE CANAL.

(Shazli speaking Arabic)

Translator:
THE ATTACK WAS DUE
ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6.

ON THE FRIDAY, I WENT DOWN
AND LOOKED ACROSS THE CANAL.

ON THE OTHER SIDE
NOTHING WAS MOVING.

I WENT BACK AND TOLD SADAT
, "THEY CAN FIND OUT NOW.

I DON'T CARE."

(many voices over radio)

Narrator:
IT WAS NOT TILL DAWN
THE NEXT DAY

E PREPARING TO
GO TO SYNAGOGUE FOR YOM KIPPUR

THAT EGYPT AND SYRIA WOULD
ATTACK WITHIN HOURS.

O
Narrator:
THE ISRAELIS HEARD
THE CALL TO ARMS ON THE RADI

AND FROM RABBIS
IN THEIR SYNAGOGUES.

AT 2:00 P.M., AS CIVILIANS
WERE REPORTING FOR DUTY

EGYPT OPENED FIRE.

.
Gamasy (translated):
OUR TROOPS CROSSED THE CANAL

THEY WERE SHOUTING,
"GOD IS GREAT, GOD IS GREAT"

AND THEY PLANTED THE EGYPTIA
N FLAG ON THE SINAI ITSELF.

Sadat:
ABOUT 6:00 I TOLD
MY PEOPLE, MY FORCES

FELICITATIONS.

THE ISRAELIS HAS
LOST THEIR BALANCE.

.
Narrator:
SADAT'S ARMIES DROVE THE
ISRAELIS FROM THE SUEZ CANAL

ISRAEL'S AIR FORCE
TRIED TO RETALIATE

BUT FAILED TO BREAK THROUG
H EGYPT'S MISSILE COVER.

(explosion)

THE EGYPTIANS ADVANCED
EIGHT MILES INTO THE SINAI

AND THEN STOPPED AS PLANNED.

IN THE NORTH, SYRIA'S ATTACK
ALSO CAUGHT ISRAEL OFF BALANCE.

600 SYRIAN TANKS ROLLED
OVER ISRAEL'S DEFENSES

.
AND ACROSS THE GOLAN HEIGHTS

Man:
WE WEREN'T READY TODAY.

WE CAME FROM, UH, THE HOME IN
THE MIDDLE OF, UH, YOM KIPPUR.

Reporter:
SO WHO WAS HERE?

THAT WAS REGULAR
SOLDIERS?

YES, ONLY THE REGULAR.

SO THEY
MUST HAVE HAD
A HARD TIME.

OH, YEAH, VERY HARD.

DID YOU HAVE
MANY CASUALTIES?

WELL, WITH SUCH THINGS,
WE DON'T ALWAYS...

NOT ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT THEM.

Narrator:
THE SYRIANS WERE EXPECTED
TO PRESS THEIR ADVANTAGE.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
WE MUST KEEP ON FIGHTING

WITH ALL OUR COURAGE,
FAITH AND TRUST

AS A NATION THAT KNOWS
WE'RE FIGHTING FOR OUR LIVES

AND WEAREFIGHTING
FOR OUR LIVES.

Narrator:
ISRAEL'S DEFEAT
APPEARED IMMINENT

BUT ON THE FOURTH DAY

.
THE SYRIANS RAN
INTO A LARGE ISRAELI FORCE

ISRAEL HAD BEEN ABLE TO DIVERT
TROOPS TO THE SYRIAN FRONT

SYRIA'S PRESIDENT ASSAD
DEMANDED TO KNOW

WHY THE EGYPTIANS
WERE NOT ADVANCING

THROUGH THE SINAI AS AGREED.

Translator:
THE PRESIDENT KEPT PHONING SADAT

AND INSISTING,
"THIS IS NOT WHAT WE AGREED.
"

SADAT NEVER GAVE HIM
A STRAIGHT ANSWER.

Narrator:
SYRIA APPEALED OVER SADAT'S HEAD
TO THE SOVIET UNION--

STILL EGYPT'S PATRON.

THE SOVIET PRIME MINISTER CAME
TO CAIRO TO SORT THINGS OUT.

(Kirpichenko
speaking Russian)

Translator:
PRIME MINISTER KOSYGIN
KEPT ASKING SADAT

WHY HIS FORCES HAD STOPPED
WITHOUT TAKING THE SINAI.

HE WAS INFURIATED
BY SADAT'S ANSWERS.

Narrator:
PRESIDENT SADAT YIELDED
TO SOVIET PRESSURE

E
AND GAVE THE ORDER TO ADVANC

MUCH TO THE DISMAY
OF HIS CHIEF OF STAFF.

c)
rabi

Translator:
IT WAS DOOMED TO FAILURE
FROM THE START.

ISRAEL'S AIR FORCE WAS
MUCH STRONGER THAN OURS.

Narrator:
NOW THE WAR BEGAN
TO SWING ISRAEL'S WAY.

IN THREE HOURS, 250 EGYPTIAN
TANKS WERE DESTROYED

BUT EGYPT STILL HAD
TWO ARMIES IN THE SINAI.

THE ISRAELIS PLANNED
A DARING COUP.

S
THEY SET OUT TO CUT THROUG
H THE GAP IN THE EGYPTIAN LINE

CREATE A BRIDGEHEAD
OVER THE CANAL

AND SWEEP AROUND TO ISOLAT
E THE EGYPTIAN THIRD ARMY.

THE ARCHITECT OF THE PLAN
WAS GENERAL ARIEL SHARON.

(Sharon speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
WE SLIPPED THROUGH THE EGYPTIAN
LINES WITHOUT MAJOR PROBLEMS.

BUT WHEN WE REACHED THE CANAL,
THERE WAS A FEROCIOUS BATTLE.

BUT WHEN WE REACHED THE CANAL,
THERE WAS A FEROCIOUS BATTLE.
EVENTUALLY,
AT 1:00 IN THE MORNING

THE PARATROOPERS CROSSED
TO THE OTHER SIDE IN DINGHIES.

Narrator:
THE NEXT DAY, ISRAELI FORCES
RACED ACROSS THE CANAL

.
TO SECURE THEIR BRIDGEHEAD

Sharon (translated):
I WAS AT THE CANAL.

I COULD SEE THE TANKS CROSSING
AND THE TREES ON THE OTHER SIDE.

IT WAS A GREAT FEELING.

Narrator:
ISRAEL'S TROOPS WERE
NOW ONLY HOURS FROM CAIRO.

PRESIDENT SADAT BEGGED THE
SOVIETS TO ARRANGE A CEASE-FIRE.

THE ISRAELIS CROSSED THE CANAL

AND ABOUT 24 HOURS LATER,
WE GOT A MESSAGE FROM BREZHNEV

INVITING ME TO COME TO MOSCOW.

(speaking Russian)

Translator:
WE THOUGHT KISSINGER'S VISIT
TO MOSCOW WOULD BE USEFUL.

HE COULD HELP US
STOP THE CONFLICT.

WE THOUGHT IT WOULD GIVE
THE ISRAELIS MORE TIME

IF I WENT TO MOSCOW

BECAUSE NOTHING COULD HAPPEN
UNTIL I GOT THERE.

WHILE I WAS IN THE AIR

NIXON SENT A MESSAGE
DIRECTLY TO BREZHNEV

SAYING THAT I WAS FULLY
AUTHORIZED TO CONCLUDE

BUT I FRANKLY WANTED TO STALL.

Narrator:
THE SOVIETS WERE IN SUCH A HURRY
TO END THE FIGHTING

THAT GENERAL
SECRETARY BREZHNEV

LED THE TALKS WITH KISSINGER
HIMSELF.

Translator:
HE INSISTED THAT THE ADVANCE
BE STOPPED.

IN RETURN,
KISSINGER WANTED THE ARABS

?? TO RECOGNIZE
ISRAEL'S RIGHT TO EXIST.

Kissinger:
WHAT WE SAID WAS

THAT THERE SHOULD BE DIREC
T NEGOTIATIONS AT SOME POINT

.
BETWEEN THE ARABS AND ISRAEL

I TOLD BREZHNEV

I WOULD CAREFULLY COMMUNICAT
EVERYTHING HE SAID TO WASHINGTON

BUT THAT THERE HAD TO BE
SOME TIME INTERVAL

SO THAT I COULD GET
THE PRESIDENT'S VIEWS.

AND HE SAID,
"NO, HERE'S A MESSAGE."

AND HE GAVE ME
POWER OF ATTORNEY THAT...

IN EFFECT, POWER OF ATTORNEY

THAT THE PRESIDENT HAD GIVEN ME,
WHICH DID NOT THRILL ME.

Narrator:
THE SECRETARY OF STATE REALIZED
HE COULD STALL NO LONGER.

WHILE STILL IN MOSCOW, HE AGREED
TO TERMS FOR A CEASE-FIRE.

ANOTHER FIVE DAYS
BEFORE THE WAR ENDED.

DURING THAT TIME

THE ISRAELIS ENCED
THE EGYPTIAN THIRD ARMY.

A DAY LATERPPOSING
GENERALS MET IN THE DESERT

TO WORK OUT
HOW TO DISENTANGLE THEIR FORCES.

IT WAS THE FIRST FORMAL MEETING

OF EGYPTIAN AND ISRAELI OFFICERS
IN 25 YEARS.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
HE OFFERED ME COFFEE.

I SAID, "NO, THANK YOU."

HE ASKED, "CAN I GET YOU
ANYTHING ELSE?"

I SAID NO.

HE SAID, "IT'S COLD.

CAN I GET YOU A COAT?"

I SAID, "NO, THANK YOU."

THAT WAS THE END
OF THE FIRST MEETING.

Narrator:
IT WAS A WEEK BEFORE THE
EGYPTIAN GENERAL BEGAN TO RELAX.

(Gamasy speaking Arabic)

Translator:
WE WENT OUT AND SAT ON THE SAND.

WE PUT A MAP DOWN IN FRONT OF US
AND WE PUT STONES ON IT.

WE STARTED TO TALK ABOUT
HOW TO DISENGAGE OUR FORCES.

(Tal speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
I SAID, "LOOK, WE HAVE TO EN
D

"THE FRICTION
BETWEEN OUR FORCES.

L
"THE ANSWER IS YOU GO BACK
TO THE WEST SIDE OF THE CANA

AND WE WILL PULL BACK
TO THE EAST SIDE."

Translator:
I WENT AND TOLD SADAT
WE HAD REACHED AN AGREEMENT.

HE WAS PLEASED
WITH WHAT WE HAD ACHIEVED.

(calls out "God is great")

(men repeat call)

(repeats call)

Narrator:
EACH SIDE'S DEAD WERE RETURNED.

AND ISRAEL ALLOWED
SUPPLIES THROUGH

TO THE TRAPPED EGYPTIANS.

BUT SADAT WANTED MORE THAN A
CEASE-FIRE AND A DISENGAGEMENT.

HE WANTED THE SINAI BACK

BUT ONCE AGAIN, HE WOULD TAL
K ONLY TO THE AMERICANS.

Kissinger:
HE MILITARY UNIFORM

AND SAID,
I NEED A KISSINGER PLAN.

I AGREED TO DO A SHUTTLE
AND SETTLE IT FAST

AND HE SAID HE WOULD MAKE MAJOR
CONCESSIONS TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE.

Narrator:
KISSINGER DECIDED
THE WAY FORWARD

WAS TO BRING ALL THE PARTIES
TO A PEACE CONFERENCE IN GENEVA.

I NEVER THOUGHT
YOU WOULD KISS
A WOMAN.

(laughter)

Man:
HE'S KISSINGER.

AFTER ALL,
HE'S KISSINGER.

I WONDER WHO
'S "KISSING HER
" NOW.

(laughter)

Narrator:
THE EGYPTIANS AND ISRAELIS
AGREED TO ATTEND THE CONFERENCE.

AND THEN THERE WAS
PRESIDENT ASSAD OF SYRIA.

Kissinger:
I HAD HEARD HE WAS IMPOSSIBLE,
BUT HE GREETED ME

WITH EXTRAORDINARY POLITENES
S AND COURTESY

AND I SAID,
"YOU KNOW, IT'S AMAZING.

THEY ALL ACCUSE YOU
OF BEING SO DIFFICULT."

Translator:
WHENEVER KISSINGER WANTED
TO CHANGE THE DATE OR VENU
E

PRESIDENT ASSAD AGREED.

"
KISSINGER TOLD HIM,
"YOU ARE SO ACCOMMODATING.

Kissinger:
I GOT OVERCONFIDENT AND I SAID

"IS THERE ANYTHING I SHOULD HAVE
ASKED YOU THAT I DIDN'T?"

HE SAID, "YES.

YOU DIDN'T ASK ME WHETHER
I AM GOING TO THE CONFERENCE."

I SAID, "ARE YOU?"

HE SAID, "NO."

Narrator:
ASSAD DID NOT WANT
TO NEGOTIATE WITH ISRAEL.

BUT KISSINGER WAS ABLE TO GET
THE RIVAL ARMIES TO DISENGAGE.

(crowd cheering)

SADAT THEN ATTEMPTED
TO STRENGTHEN HIS HAND

.
BY EMB SYRIAN
AND PALESTINIAN OBJECTIVES

ISRAEL MUST MOVE
ON ALL THE FRONTS:

THE EGYPTIAN FRONT,
THE SYRIAN FRONT

THE JORDANIAN FRONT,
THE PALESTINIAN FRONT.

Narrator:
AT A TIME WHEN ARAFAT
WANTED TO REPLACE

ISRAEL WITH A PALESTINIAN STATE,
SADAT PLEDGED UNITY.

YOU SEE,
WE ARE COOPERATING TOGETHE
R

AND AS WE HAVE MENTIONED

EGYPTIANS, SYRIANS
AND THE PALESTINIANS.

Narrator:
TWO RESTLESS YEARS PASSED.

THEN ISRAELI ELECTIONS
BROUGHT FORTH A LEADER

DETERMINED TO HOLD ON
TO THE WEST BANK AND GAZA.

WHAT OCCUPIED TERRITORIES?

IF YOU MEAN JUDEA, SAMARIA
AND THE GAZA STRIP

THEY ARE LIBERATED TERRITORIES.

EY ARE PART, AN INTEGRAL PART,
OF THE LAND OF ISRAEL.

S
Narrator:
THE NEW PRIME MINISTER MAD
E THE BUILDING OF SETTLEMENT

HIS FIRST PRIORITY-- SETTLEMENTS
LIKE THE NEW TOWN OF YAMIT

BEGIN WAS HIGHLY
SUSPICIOUS OF SADAT.

SADAT IS AN IMPLACABLE
ENEMY OF ISRAEL.

THIS IS ALSO THE TRUTH.

HE IS NO FOOL,
BUT HE IS AN ENEMY.

Narrator:
SADAT'S RESPONSE WOULD WRITE
HIS NAME INDELIBLY

INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS.

HE ANNOUNCED
HE WOULD MAKE A KEYNOTE SPEECH

.
TO THE EGYPTIAN PARLIAMENT

HE INVITED THE LEADER
OF THE P.L.O. TO ATTEND.

Man:
ARAFAT WAS HAPPY
TO BE IN THE PARLIAMENT

AND HE WAS HAPPY

THAT SADAT IS PAYING ATTENTION

TO THE PALESTINIAN PROBLEM
.

(Gamasy speaking Arabic)

.
Translator:
SADAT PUT HIS TEXT ASIDE
BUT HE CARRIED ON SPEAKING

R
I TOLD THE FOREIGN MINISTE

"HE IS ABOUT TO THROW
A POLITICAL GRENADE."

G
Narrator:
AFTER SEVEN YEARS OF TRYIN

EVERYTHING ELSE
BUT TALKING TO ISRAEL

SADARAB TABOO.

Sadat (translated):
I AM WILLING TO GO ANYWHERE.

M
ISRAEL WILL BE SURPRISED TO HEAR
THAT I AM READY TO GO TO THE

EVEN TO THE KNESSET ITSELF
AND NEGOTIATE WITH THEM.

Narrator:
THE IDEA THAT SADAT WOULD
NEGOTIATE DIRECTLY WITH ISRAEL

WAS SO UNTHINKABLE

.
THE AUDIENCE APPLAUDED WITHOUT
REALIZING WHAT HE HAD SAID

(man speaking Arabic)

Translator:
EVERYONE WAS APPLAUDING SADAT.

EVEN YASSER ARAFAT WAS CLAPPING.

I KNOW, BECAUSE HE WAS
SITTING NEXT TO ME.

Narrator:
IN TEL AVIV, NO ONE WAS SURE
IF SADAT REALLY MEANT IT.

(man speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
SADAT THEN SAID

IF BEGIN INVITED HIM,
HE WOULD COME NEXT WEEK.

AT THE HILTON HOTE

Pattir (translated):
THE HEAD OF CBS IN ISRAEL

WANTED BEGIN'S REAION.

BEGIN WAS EATING
AT THE HEAD TABLE.

I WENT UP AND GAVE HIM
THMESSAGE.

HE SAID, "SURE, I'LL INVIT
E SADAT FROM HERE."

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I HEREBY
INVITE PRESIDENT SADAT

ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMEN
T OF ISRAEL

TO COME TO JERUSALEM
AND TO START NEGOTIATIONS

TO ESTABLISH PERMANENT PEACE
BETWEEN ISRAEL AND EGYPT.

NarratEPTING THE INV
ITATION,
SADAT FLEW TO SYRIA

TO PERSUADE PRESIDENT ASSA
D THAT THE TRIP TO JERUSALEM

WOULD NOT BE A BETRAYAL
OF THE ARAB CAUSE.

WE ASKED THE PRESIDENTL
TO ARREST SADATSE.or:

.
TO STOP HIM GOING ANYWHERE

Narrator:
BUT ASSAD CONSIDERED SADAT
HIS GUEST

AND PREFERRED TO HEAR HIM OUT.

Khalil (translated):
PRESIDENT ASSAD WAS TRYING

TO MAKE SADAT CHANGE HIS MIND.

Sadat:
HE TOLD ME IT WILL BE PROVED

THAT YOU ARE WRONG.

I SAID, "VERY WELL, ASSAD.

"THIS IS A SACRED MISSION FOR ME

"AND IF THIS IS GOING TO BE
THE LAST MISSION AS A PRESIDENT

I SHALL BE VERY HAPPY
TO FULFILL IT."

Translator:
PRESIDENT ASSAD WAS
NOT IMPRESSED.

THEY TALKED FOR SEVEN HOURS.

Narrator:
ASSAD'S MINISTERS
URGED HIM TO ACT.

THE PRESIDENTIAL GUARD
WAS STANDING BY.

Translator:
PRESIDENT ASSAD REFUSED.

HE SAID, "IT IS AGAINST
THE ARAB TRADITION

FOR A MAN TO ARREST HIS GUEST."

Narrator:
PRESIDENT SADAT RETURNED
SAFELY TO EGYPT.

THREE DAYS LATER,
HE SET OFF FOR JERUSALEM.

Gamasy (translated):
I FEARED FOR HIS SAFETY.

WE HAD BEEN ENEMIES
FOR 40 YEARS.

HE WAS PUTTING HIMSELF
AT THEIR MERCY.

HE WOUHERE
THAT NIGHT.

S VERY ANXIOUS.

(band playing)

Pattir (translated):
SADAT'S PLANE WAS LATE.

I OVERHEARD A SENIOR
SECURITY OFFICER TALKING.

HE WAS SAYING, "HOLD ON.

"MAYBE INSTEAD OF SADAT

"THERE IS A SUICIDE SQUAD
ON THE PLANE

AND THEY WILL JUMP OUT AND KILL
THE ASSEMBLED ISRAELI LEADERS."

(fanfare playing)

(applause)

WHEN WE ARRIVED IN TEL AVI
V

IT WAS LIKE I WAS COMING
TO OUT OF SPACE.

IT WAS SOMETHING COMPLETELY NEW.

I FIND MYSELF IN A CAR,
SITTING NEAR MOSHE DAYAN

AND WE HAVE TO FIND
HOW TO BEGIN A CONVERSATION.

K
AND I HAVE READ IN THE BOO

THAT HE WAS INTERESTED
IN ARCHAEOLOGY

S
INTERESTED IN ARCHAEOLOGY WA

AND WE BEGIN TO TALK
ARCHAEOLOGY.

Narrator:
THE ISRAELI PEOPLE GREETED
SADAT'S ARRIVAL FROM EGYPT

AS THOUGH HE WERE MOSES
COME AGAIN.

(applause)

Translator:
I COME TO YOU TODAY WITH
A FIRM DESIRE TO MAKE PEACE.

Narrator:
SADAT OFFERED PEACE, BUT HE WAS
CAREFUL NOT TO ABANDON

THE OTHER ARAB STATES
OR THE PALESTINIANS.

Translator:
THERE ARE ARAB LANDS STILL
UNDER ISRAELI OCCUPATION.

WE INSIST ON COMPLETE WITHDRAWAL
FROM THESE TERRITORIES

INCLUDING ARAB JERUSALEM.

Translator
IT WAS QUITE A SPEECH,
QUITE DISTURBING.

I PASSED A NOTE TO BEGIN SAYING,
"WE MUST BE ON OUR GUARD."

Translator:
EZER WEIZMAN,
THE DEFENSE MINISTER

WHO WAS A GREAT ADVOCATE
FOR PEACE

SAID WHEN HE HEARD THE SPEEC
H

THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD MOBILIZ
E THE RESERVES.

Narrator:
THE VISITORS WENT
FROM THE KNESSET

.
TO A DINNER IN THEIR HONOR

IT WAS A KIND OF DINNER
WHERE THERE WAS NOT MUCH TALK.

THE ATMOSPHERE WAS COOL.

Khalil (translated):
PRESIDENT SADAT AND MR. BEGI
WERE NOT SPEAKING TO EACH OTHER.

THEY WERE SITTING
WITH THEIR BACKS TO EACH OTHER.

I DECIDED TO INVITE EZER WEIZMAN
AND ANOTHER MINISTER

UP TO MY SUITE AFTER DINNER.

MUSTAFA KHALIL TOLD ME,
WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING

OTHERWISE THE WHOLE TRIP WILL BE
WITHOUT ANY FOLLOW-UP.

WHAT ABOUT HAVING
A MEETING TOGETHER?

I SAID, NO OBJECTION.

Translator:
SO NOW I FOUND MYSELF SITTIN
G WITH OUR WORST ENEMY

AT THE KING DAVID HOTEL
DRINKING BLACK LABEL.

I WANT TO ENTER DIRECTLY
IN THE PROCESS

Y
HAT ARE
THE PROBLEMS OF CAIRO TODA

AND THE PROBLEMS OF EGYPT

AND THIS IS WHY WE NEED PEACE.

Translator:
I SAID, "LET ME
SHOW YOU SOMETHING."

I TOOK HIM TO THE WINDOW.

I SAID, "TAKE A GOOD LOOK.

DO YOU REALLY THINK
YOU CAN DIVIDE THIS CITY?"

Boutros-Ghali:
I SAY THE SOLUTION IS

DIRECT TALK WITH THE LEADERSHIP
OF ISRAEL

AND THROUGH THIS DIRECT TALK
, DIRECT CONTACT

(camera shutters clicking)

Narrator:
IT WASN'T THAT SIMPLE.

M
AFTER THE TRIP TO JERUSALE

THE TWO SIDES CONTINUED
TO TALK FOR SEVEN MONTHS.

I'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK
OR IN TWO WEEKS' TIME.

Narrator:
BUT BEGIN WOULD NOT
GIVE AN INCH.

SADAT CONFIDED IN THE NEW
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

SADAT FELT THAT
THE PEACE PROCESS

INSTEAD OF HAVING
BEEN MOVED FORWARD

HAD ACTUALLY BEEN
ALMOST TERMINATED

BY A FRUITLESS GESTURE
TO GO TO JERUSALEM.

SO HE WAS QUITE DISCOURAGED.

I ASK PRESIDENT CARTER,
THE SENATE, THE CONGRESS

TO TAKE THEIR SHARE
AS FULL PARTNERS

.
IN THE DISPUTE
THAT'S BETWEEN US AND ISRAEL

I'M WAITING FOR THIS MOMENT.

I FOUND MYSELF ISOLATED
FROM ALL MY ADVISORS.

ALL OF THEM THOUGHT
THAT IT WAS A BAD IDEA.

Narrator:
PRESIDENT CARTER THEN SET OUT
TO RESOLVE 30 YEARS OF CONFLICT

IN A WEEK OF TALKS

AT THE PRESIDENTIAL RETREA
T AT CAMP DAVID.

Boutros-Ghali:
WE ARRIVED BY HELICOPTERS

AND WE FIND THIS KIND OF
SMALL BUNGALOWS IN THE FOREST--

PEOPLE QUITE RELAXED,
PEOPLE USING BICYCLES.

IT WAS QUITE STRANGE FOR US.

Narrator:
SOME OF THE AMERICANS
EVEN BROUGHT THEIR CHILDREN.

R
THE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISO

S
CHALLENGED ISRAEL'S PRIME
MINISTER TO A GAME OF CHES

AND GOT A PREVIEW OF
HIS NEGOTIATING TECHNIQUE.

I WAS ABOUT TO MAKE
MY FIRST MOVE

WHEN HE DRAMATICALLY S
MY HAND IN MIDAIR

AND LOOKED ME STRAIGHT
IN THE EYE AND SAID--

AND HE'S ALWAYS
VERY SERIOUS AND FORMAL--

BRZEZINSKI, DO YOU KNOW
AND HE'S ALWAYS
VERY SERIOUS AND FORMAL--R.

WHEN I PLAYED
MY LAST CHESS GAME?"

AND QUITE FRANKLY,
I WAS A LITTLE DISMAYED

.
BECAUSE I COULDN'T CARE LESS

AND HE SAYS TO ME,
"SEPTEMBER 1940

"WHEN THE N.K.V.DING PLACE I
N VILNA

EST ME."

SO I SAID TO MYSELF,
"OH, MY GOD."

AND IN THE MIDST OF THE GAME
, MRS. BEGIN APPEARS.

SHE LOOKS AT US

AND SAYS, "OH, THE TWO OF YO
U ARE PLAYING CHESS.

"YOU KNOW, MR. BRZEZINSKI,
MENACHEM JUST LOVES TO PLAY.

HE JUST LOVES TO PLAY,
HE PLAYS ALL THE TIME."

Narrator:
WHEN PRESIDENT CARTER BROUGH
T THE TWO LEADERS TOGETHER

SADAT LISTED THE DEMANDS:

THE RETURN OF THE SINAI TO EGYPT

AND A PALESTINIAN STATE
IN THE WEST BANK

E
SADAT AND I BOTH KNEW
THAT THIS WAS NOT GOING TO B

AT ALL ACCEPTABLE TO ME
OR THE ISRAELIS.

Translator:
WE ALL HIT THE ROOF,
NOT JUST BEGIN.

THEY WERE TAKING A HARD LINE
.

WE ALL SAID,
"THIS SIMPLY WON'T WORK."

THEY WANTED TO STORM OUT,
TO TERMINATE THE TALKS

AND I JUMPED UP FROM THE DESK
WHERE I WAS SITTING AND WRITING

AND GOT IN THE DOOR
IN FRONT OF THEM

AND I WOULDN'T LET THEM
GET OUT OF THE ROOM

UNTIL THEY BOTH AGREED
TO LET ME TRY TO CONTINUE.

AND AFTER THAT

THE TWO MEN NEVER SAW EACH OTHER
FOR THE NEXT TEN DAYS.

Brzezinski:
THE INCOMPATIBILITIES
BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES

WERE SO INTENSE

THAT SOME SORT OF AN AMERICA
N DOCUMENT BRIDGING THE GAP

S
AND EXTRACTING FROM EACH SID
E THOSE RELATIVELY FEW ELEMENT

ON THE PART OF EACH SIDE
THAT WERE OF A COMPROMISE NATURE

SEEMED TO US TO BE
THE ONLY WAY TO PROCEED.

Carter:
SO I CARRIED THE SAME TEXT
BACK AND FORTH.

BEGIN AND SADAT AGREED TO GO
WITH THE SAME TEXT

WITH BRACKETS AND MODIFICATIONS
AND MARGINAL NOTES.

Narrator:
CARTER FOCUSED THEIR ATTENTION
ON A CLAUSE

THAT WOULD REQUIRE ISRAEL TO
GIVE UP GAZA AND THE WEST BANK

TO THE PALESTINIANS.

S
BEGIN SIMPLY DUG IN HIS HEEL

AND SAYS, "THIS IS
TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE."

AS FAR AS HE WAS CONCERNED

THIS WAS GREATER ISRAEL
ERISRAEL

AND THEY HADN'T ACQUIRED
TERRITORY BY FORCE.

IT HAD ALWAYS BEEN ORDAINE
D AS PART OF ISRAEL.

T
Narrator:
BEGIN REMAINED INTRANSIGEN

SO CARTER PERSUADED SADAT
TO GIVE UP HIS DEMAND

FOR A PALESTINIAN STATE

TO THE OUTRAGE OF HIS ADVISORS.

.
Boutros-Ghali:
IT WAS A REAL SHOCK FOR US

OUR MAIN PREOCCUPATION WAS
TO AVOID A BILATERAL AGREEMENT

BETWEEN ISRAEL AND EGYPT

AT THE EXPENSE
ESTINIANS.

Narrator:
BUT THAT WASN'T ENOUGH
FOR THE ISRAELIS.

"
Boutros-Ghali:
THEY SAY, "NO, NO, NO, NO.

THEY ARE REFUSING TO WITHDRA
W FROM THE SINAI

THAT THEY WANT TO MAINTAIN
THE THREE AIRPORTS

THAT THEY WANT TO MAINTAIN
THE SETTLEMENTS.

T
Narrator:
THE ISRAELIS DELEGATED
MOSHE DAYAN TO CONVINCE SADA

DAYAN TOLD HIM, "MR. PRESIDENT,
IF ANYBODY

"THAT ISRAEL CAN LEAVE
THE SINAI SETTLEMENTS

THEY ARE DELUDING YOU."

PRESIDENT SADAT WAS SO UPSET
THAT HE ASKED ME FOR AIRPLANES.

HE SAID, "I'M LEAVING.

"IF I CANNOT EVEN GET SINAI BACK

THEN WHAT IS THE USE OF MY
CONTINUING THIS PEACE PROCESS?"

Carter:
I ASKED SADAT

IF HE WOULD GO BACK IN HIS CABIN
AND TALK TO ME.

ALL OF HIS BAGS WERE
ON THE FRONT PORCH.

I TOLD SADAT HE HAD BETRAYED
OUR FRIENDSHIP

HE HAD VIOLATED A COMMITMENT
THAT HE MADE TO ME

THAT HE WOULD GIVE ME
FULL OPPORTUNITY

TO RESOLVE
ANY DIFFERENCES THAT AROSE

AND THAT I THOUGHT
THAT HIS PREEMPTORY ACTION

IN LEAVING
WITHOUT GIVING ME ANOTHER CHANCE

WOULD ALSO SERIOUSLY
AND ADVERSELY AFFECT

THE RELATIONSHIPS
BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES.

Narrator:
SADAT UNPACKED HIS BAGS.

CARTER WOULD NOW HAVE TO GET THE
ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER TO YIELD.

.
Brzezinski:
I WAS ABOUT TO PLAY TENNIS

I WAS DRESSED IN WHITES.

BEGIN WAS ALWAYS DRESSED AS IF
HE WAS ABOUT TO GO TO A FUNERAL

AND WE WENT FOR A WALK
IN THE CAMP DAVID WOODS.

AND HE SAYS TO ME
VERY DRAMATICALLY

"I WANT YOU TO UNDERIGHT EYE W
ILL FALL OUT

"MY RIGHT HAND WILL FALL OFF

PERMITTING THE DISMANTLING
OF A SINGLE JEWISH SETTLEMENT.

PRIME MINISTER BEGIN
HAD TAKEN A SOLEMN OATH

BEFORE GOD
AND THE ISRAELI PEOPLE

THAT HE WOULD NOT DISMANTL
E ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS

SO I HAD TO DEVISE
AN ALTERNATIVE TO THAT

.
SO THAT HE WOULD NOT DO IT

S
Narrator:
CARTER URGED BEGIN'S ADVISOR

.
TO FIND A WAY AROUND THEIR
PRIME MINISTER'S SOLEMN OATH

Carter:
THE ONLY WAY WAS

TO LET THE KNESSET MAKE
THE DECISION AND NOT HIM.

DAYAN AND WEIZMAN STARTED
SPEAKING UP TO BEGIN

IN HEBREW RATHER THAN IN ENGLISH
AS THEY DID IN THE PAST.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
I SAID, "WE CANNOT GO BACK
EMPTY-HANDED.

"
WE MUST FIND A COMPROMISE.

Narrator:
BEGIN'S COLLEAGUES CONCLUDED

THAT THE ONLY WAY
TO PERSUADE HIM

THAT DISMANTLING THE SETTLEMENTS
WOULD NOT DAMAGE HIM POLITICALLY

WAS TO GET THE SETTLERS'
CHAMPION ON THE PHONE.

(Sharon speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
PRIME MINISTER BEGIN,
GOD REST HIS SOUL, TOLD ME

"THERE ARE PROBLEMS

OVER THE JEWISH SETTLEMENT
S IN THE SINAI."

HE WANTED TO KNOW WHERE I STOOD.

:
I ANSWERED IN ONE SENTENCE

"I WILL SUPPORT
ANY DECISION YOU TAKE."

Narrator:
PRIME MINISTER BEGIN'S
PHONE CALL OPENED THE WAY

FOR A WHITE HOUSE CEREMONY
.

THE KNESSET VOTED TO DISMANTLE
THE SINAI SETTLEMENTS.

EGYPT BECAME
THE FIRST ARAB STATE

TO RECOGNIZE
ISRAEL'S RIGHT TO EXIST.

.
ISRAEL GAVE BACK THE SINAI

LET'S HAVE
A HANDSHAKE BEFORE...

Narrator:
SADAT AND BEGIN WERE AWARDED
THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE.

Carter:
I'M SO PROUD OF BOTH OF YOU.

GOD BLESS YOU BOTH.

Boutros-Ghali:
WHILE WE HAVE THE CEREMONY

AND THE DIFFERENT SPEECHES
AND THE DIFFERENT SIGNATUR
E

WE WERE LISTENING TO THE
PALESTINIANS WHICH WERE OUTSIDE

AND WAS JUST SHOUTING
TO REMIND US

THAT THE PALESTINIAN PROBLEM
HAVE NOT BEEN SOLVED.

(crowd chanting and yelling)

Narrator:
THE PEACE WITH ISRAEL
THAT SADAT CONCLUDED

HAS LASTED TO THIS DAY.

BUT MANY ARABS WERE ENRAGED.

TWO YEARS LATER,
AT A MILITARY DISPLAY IN CAIRO

ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS ASSASSINATED
ANWAR SADAT.

(multiple gunshots)

(yelling and gunshots)

Newscaster:
THE ISRAELIS CAME 1,500 MILES,
SCORED A DIRECT HIT

ON T BASED IN TUNIS

.
AND ONLY JUST MISSED THE
P.L.O. LEADER, YASSER ARAFAT

IT WAS A REVENGE RAID
BY THE ISRAELIS

FOLLOWING LAST WEEK'S ATTACK
ON AN ISRAELI YACHT IN CYPRUS.

.
THREE PEOPLE WERE KILLED B
Y A P.L.O. UNIT FROM TUNISIA

AS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE,
IT IS OUR VIEW

THAT IT IS LEGITIMATE SELF
DEFENSE TO RESPOND APPROPRIATELY

TO ACTS OF TERRORISM.

Narrator:
AS TERRORIST WARFARE CONTINUED

A PLANELOAD OF ISRAELIS
ARRIVED AT HEATHROW AIRPORT.

THE PASSENGERS HAD NO IDEA
THAT AMONG THEM

WAS THEIR FOREIGN MINISTER
ON A TOP-SECRET MISSION.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
I CAME DISGUISED
IN A WIG AND GLASSES.

WHEN I GOT TO PASSPORT CONTROL

HE ASKED, "ON HOLIDAY
OR BUSINESS?"

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.

FINALLY I SAID, "ON BUSINESS."

Narrator:
SHIMON PERES WANTED TO EXTEN
D THE PEACE WITH

TO JNS.

THAT SAME DAY

KING HUSSEIN OF JORDAN PILOTED
HIS OWN PLANE TO LONDON.

HE HAD BEEN INVITED TO MEE
T PERES BY A MUTUAL FRIEND.

King Hussein:
I HAD MANY QUESTIONS
IN MY MIND ABOUT IT

BUT HE DIDN'T GIVE ME
ANY DETAIL.

HE JUST TOLD ME THAT
HE HAD CONTACTS WITH PERES

WHICH WERE A BEGINNING OF TALK
ABOUT WHAT COULD BE DONE.

Narrator:
THE BRITISH LAWYER, LORD MISHCON

HAD PROVIDED THE MEETING PLACE
AND GIVEN HIS STAFF THE DAY OFF.

(speaking Hebrew)

"
Translator:
KING HUSSEIN SAID,
"WE'LL WASH UP THE DISHES.

I IMMEDIATELY AGREED.

BUT MRS. MISHCON SAID, "NO."

SHE WOULDN'T DREAM OF LETTIN
G A KING DO HER DISHES.

Narrator:
THEY NOW SETTLED DOWN
TO WORK OUT

HOW TO BEGIN THE PROCESS
OF NEGOTIATIONS.

ISRAEL STILL DIDN'T WANT
TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE P.L.O.

N
WHICH IT SAW
AS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATIO

.
DEDICATED TO ITS DESTRUCTION

King Hussein:
WE DISCUSSED THE IMPASSE.

S
THE PROBLEM WAS
HOW TO GET THE PALESTINIAN

TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE

AGAINST ISRAELI OPPOSITION,
AGAINST AMERICAN OPPOSITION.

Translator:
HUSSEIN SAID,
"IF YOU WERE CLEVER

"YOU WOULD RECOGNIZE THE P.L.O.

"THAT WOULD SHOW EVERYONE
THE TRUTH--

THE P.L.O. IS JUST UNWILLING
TO NEGOTIATE."

Narrator:
ISRAEL WAS WILLING TO NEGOTIATE
ONLY WITH THOSE PALESTINIANS

RECOGNIZING THE RIGHT OF ISRAEL
TO EXIST.

S
Translator:
PEACE TALKS WITH PALESTINIAN

WHO ACCEPTED ISRAEL'S RIGHT TO
EXIST WOULD EXCLUDE THE P.L.O.

I TOOK A BIT OF TIME
TO THINK ABOUT IT

SAME TIME TO, UH...
I TOOK A BIT OF TIME
TO THINK ABOUT ITAT THE

TO SEE IF I HAD
ANY LAST THOUGHTS

BEFORE SUCH A MONUMENTAL
DECISION WAS TAKEN.

AND THEN I DECIDED,
ALL RIGHT, FINE, WE'LL GO.

Narrator:
THE IDEA THEY CAME UP WITH

WAS A PEACE CONFERENCE
THAT EXCLUDED THE P.L.O.

BACK IN ISRAEL, SHIMON PERES
FACED A DIFFICULT MEETING

WITH HIS PRIME MINISTER,
YITZHAK SHAMIR.

WAS PART OF A COALITION
PERES'S MODERATE LABOR PARTY

THAT STRADDLED THE DIVIDE
OF ISRAELI POLITICS.

SHAMIR, A HARD-LINER,
OPPOSED THE CONFERENCE.

HE WANTED TO NEGOTIATE
SEPARATELY

WITH EACH ARAB COUNTRY

.
AND DIDN'T WANT TO DEAL
WITH THE PALESTINIANS AT ALL

Translator:
HE SAID HE'D AGREED
WITH KING

TO HOLD AN INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE.

AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE?

FOR ME, THAT WOULD BE AS BAD
AS A PIG IN THE TEMPLE.

Narrator:
SHAMIR MISTRUSTED PERES.

HE FEARED ISRAEL WOULD BE
OUTNUMBERED BY THE ARAB STATES

AT THE CONFERENCE.

PERES ASSURED HIM THE CONFERENCE
WOULD QUICKLY ADJOURN

INTO INDIVIDUAL TALKS
WITH EACH ARAB STATE.

AND THE P.L.O.
WOULD NOT BE INVITED.

Translator:
I SAID, "LEAVE THE TEXT,
I'LL READ IT LATER."

Translator:
I SAID, "NO, I CAN'T

"YOUR STAFF MIGHT LEAK IT
AND SPOIL MY PLAN.

IT HAS TO LOOK LIKE IT COMES
FROM THE AMERICANS."

D
Narrator:
PERES AND KING HUSSEIN AGREE

THAT ONLY AMERICA HAD THE CLOUT
TO GET EVERYONE TO ATTEND.

SO PERES THEN CONTACTED
THE AMERICAN SECRETARY OF STATE.

WHAT HE PROPOSED NOW WAS

THAT I TAKE THIS ON BOARD
ASMYPROPOSAL

AND THEN PRESENT IT
TO THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
I SAW DANGER EVEN IN A VISIT
FROM SHULTZ.

I DECIDED TO SEND AN ENVOY
TO AMERICA.

.
I SENT OUR FORMER AMBASSADOR

AND I TOLD SHULTZ VERY PLAINLY

OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

WAS A SUBJECT OF
DIVIDED OPINION IN ISRAEL

MAINLY BETWEEN THE LIKUD
AND THE LABOR PARTY

AND THAT IF HE WERE
TO COME TO ISRAEL

TO PROVIDE HIS SUPPORT
FOR THE AGREEMENT

THAT PERES HAD ARRIVED AT

HE WOULD BE ENTERING
ISRAELI DOMESTIC POLITICS.

AND HE SAID, "I'M NOT
GOING TO MAKE THE TRIP."

Narrator:
TRYING TO KEEP
THE PROCESS GOING

.
PERES PERSUADED SHAMIR TO MEET
WITH JORDAN'S KING HUSSEIN

THE KING INVITED SHAMIR
TO HIS HOUSE IN LONDON.

HAT HE COULD
REPRESENT THE PALESTINI D T

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
THE KING WAS VERY CRITICAL
OF THE AMERICANS.

HE SAID, "THEY MADE PROMISES
THEY DIDN'T HONOR.

"THEY PROMISED JORDAN
WOULD GET BACK THE LAND

ISRAEL HAD OCCUPIED,
BUT THIS HASN'T HAPPENED."

"
I THOUGHT TO MYSELF,
"I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.

HE WAS VERY BLUNT.

THERE WAS NOT VERY MUCH ROOM
FOR PUTTING ANY OF THE IDEAS

OR HOPES OR ASPIRATIONS
THAT I HAD IN MIND.

Translator:
I REFUSED POINT BLANK TO DISCUSS
AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE.

T
SO THERE WASN'T MUCH THAT
WE COULD REALLY SPEAK ABOU

OR AGREE ABOUT.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
THE NEXT MORNING,
I FLEW BACK TO JERUSALEM.

NONE OF MY COLLEAGUES
KNEW WHERE I'D BEEN

OR WHO I'D BEEN MEETING.

R
WE GOT A REPORT
FROM THAT MEETING FROM SHAMI

WHO WAS VERY HAPPY ABOUT IT.

THE KING WAS SO COURTEOUS.

HE SERVED A KOSHER MEAL.

HE WAS... LISTENED TO ME,
AND WE HAD...

HE WAS WARM AND SO ON.

WE GOT A REPORT FROM
KING HUSSEIN WHO SAID

"WELL, WE HAD THE MEETING,
IT WAS TERRIBLY DISCOURAGING

"BECAUSE IT'S OBVIOUS TO M
E THAT THE PRIME MINISTER

IS NOT WILLING TO GIVE
ANY GROUND AT ALL."

Narrator:
SHAMIR REJECTED HUSSEIN

AS A REPRESENTATIVE
OF THE PALESTINIANS

AND REPEATED HIS UNWILLINGNESS
TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE P.L.O.

MEANWHILE, THE PALESTINIANS,
SQUEEZED INTO THE GAZA STRIP

FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS
UNDER ISRAELI RULE

.
GREW INCREASINGLY FRUSTRATED

ON DECEMBER 8, 1987, AN ISRAELI
TRUCK ACCIDENTALLY HIT A CAR

CARRYING FOUR PALESTINIAN
LABORERS.

(horn honking)

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE CAR
WERE KILLED.

WE THOUGHT,
"THIS WAS NO ACCIDENT.

IT WAS DONE ON PURPOSE
BY THE ISRAELIS."

.
Narrator:
ANGRY CROWDS SOON GATHERED

AN 18-YEAR-OLD PALESTINIAN

THREW A STONE
AT SOME ISRAELI SOLDIERS.

(gunshots)

WHEN THEY FIRED BACK,
THE BOY WAS KILLED.

(crowds yelling)

THE ISRAELI SECURITY FORCE
S THEN STEPPED UP THEIR PRESENCE

IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES.

A GROUP OF YOUNG ACTIVISTS
SEIZED THE OPPORTUNITY

TO PREPARE A LEAFLET
CALLING FOR AN UPRISING.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
EARLY IN THE MORNING,
OUR LEAFLET WAS READY.

WE HAD CARS STANDING BY.

.
WE ASKED CHILDREN
AND PREGNANT WOMEN TO HELP

THEY COULD SLIP PAST
THE ISRAELIS AT THE CHECKPOINT.

Narrator:
PALESTINIAN WORKERS WERE URGED
TO GO ON STRIKE.

SHOPKEEPERS WERE TOLD
TO SHUT THEIR BUSINESSES.

THE INTIFADA HAD BEGUN.

(men yelling,
pottery shattering)

STILL IN EXILE IN TUNIS

LEARNED ABOUT THE INTIFADA
FROM A NEWSCAST.

Arafat:
IT IS THE RESISTANCE
AND REVOLUTION

OF ALL OUR CHILDREN,
ALL OUR WOMEN

ALL OUR PEOPMEN.

THIS IS THE ACCUMULATION
OF THE REVOLUTION.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
IN FACT, WE DIDN'T KNOW
WHO ISSUED THE LEAFLETS.

WE WERE WORRIED.

WE WANTED TO KNOW
WHO WAS BEHIND ALL THIS.

THE P.L.O. COULD PROVIDE
LITTLE DAY-TO-DAY GUIDA

TO THE INTIFADA ORGANIZERS
.

THE DEMONSTRATIONS,
WHICH BEGAN IN GAZA

NOW SPREAD TO EAST JERUSALEM
AND THE WEST BANK.

NOW SPREAD TO EAST JERUSALEM
AND THE WEST BANK.nsho
ts, people yelling)

THE PALESTINIAN FLAG, AN ILLEGAL
SYMBOL UNDER ISRAELI RULE

BEGAN TO APPEAR ALL OVER
THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES.

(speaking Arabic)

.
Translator:
NOW EVEN THE BOURGEOISIE,
EVERYONE JOINED THE INTIFADA

THIS REALLY ENCOURAGED US.

Narrator:
THE INTIFADA GOING

I
ONE YOUNG ACTIVIST SOUGHT
GUIDANCE FROM FAISAL HUSSEIN

THE HEAD OF ONE OF THE OLDES
T PALESTINIAN FAMILIES.

HUSSEINI HAD SPENT
THE LAST FEW YEARS

.
IN AND OUT OF ISRAELI JAIL
S FOR HIS POLITICAL ACTIVITIES

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
I TOLD HIM, "THE INTIFADA
MUST NOT CHANGE TACTICS.

"DON'T USE WEAPONS OR GUNS
.

"DON'T GIVE THE ISRAELIS AN
EXCUSE TO USE THEIR TECHNOLOGY.

WE WANT TO TIE DOWN
AS MANY SOLDIERS AS WE CAN."

Narrator:
THE STRATEGY OF MINIMUM FORC
E CAUGHT THE ISRAELIS OFF-GUARD.

Shamir:
WE ARE FACING NOW A NEW FORM
OF WARFARE AGAINST US.

IT MEANS THE ATTEMPT
TO DESTROY OUR EXISTENCE

BY VIOLENT DEMONSTRATIONS.

Narrator:
THE ISRAELIS TRIED TO BREA
K THE MORALE OF THE PROTESTERS

WITH MASS ARRESTS.

THEY BLEW UP THE HOMES
OF CONVICTED TERRORISTS.

IT IS NOT A NICE PICTURE
TO WITNESS BLOWING A HOUSE
.

I FORCED MYSELF
TO BE WITH THE SOLDIERS

UNDERSTANDING
THAT THEY FEEL AS I FEEL.

Narrator:
WHEN THE ISRAELI CABINET MET

MEMBERS OF THE COALITION ARGUED

ABOUT HOW BEST
TO END THE INTIFADA.

(man speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
ARIEL SHARON SPOKE UP.

IN ESSENCE HE SAID,
"MR. PRIME MINISTER

"WE MUST ORDER THE ARMY
TO SUPPRESS THE INTIFADA.

THE ARMY WILL FIND A WAY."

(man speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
SOME OF THE MINISTERS MADE
HORRIFYING SUGGESTIONS.

THEY SUGGESTED,
"SEND IN THE TANKS.

"KILL A THOUSAND
AND IT WILL COLLAPSE.

ORDER WILL BE RESTORED
TO ISRAEL."

WE KNEW IF WE KILLED A THOUSAND
IT WOULD GET WORSE

AND WE WOULD BE BRANDED
WAR CRIMINALS.

Narrator:
THE CABINET REJECTED
ALL OF THIS

BUT TOLD THE DEFENSE MINISTER,
YITZHAK RABIN

TO FIND A WAY
TO END THE INTIFADA.

Mitzna (translated):
RABIN STOOD IN FRONT OF
THE SOLDIERS AND SAID

"GENTLEMEN,
ST STAND THERE.

"USE YOUR HANDS, USE YOUR CLUBS.

"BEAT THE DEMONSTRATORS.

RESTORE ORDER."

Narrator:
TRYING TO RESTORE ORDER WITHOUT
SHOOTING THE DEMONSTRATORS

RABIN TOLD HIS SOLDI
TO CLUB THEM INSTEAD.

SCENES LIKE THIS WERE BROADCAST
AROUND THE WORLD.

Man:
THEY ARE FACING THE PUNISHMENT
OF THE ISRAELIS

TILL NOW, IN ALL OVER
THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

IN EVERY TOWN AND VILLAGE
OR REFUGEE CAMP

IN ALL THE DEMONSTRATIONS

NO ONE HAD USED A GUN
OR A HAND GRENADE.

Narrator:
ABU JIHAD, THE P.L.O.'s
MILITARY LEADER IN TUNIS

HAD GAINED CONTROL
OF THE INTIFADA.

HE P.L.O.'s
TERRORIST OPERATIONS.D T

A
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTIFAD

S
ABU JIHAD ORDERED
AN ATTACK ON AN ISRAELI BU

CARRYING PEOPLE HOME FROM WORK.

THREE WERE KILLED
AND SIX WOUNDED.

.
Reporter:
ALL WERE IN A STATE OF SHOCK

Y
THOSE WOMEN WHO HAD BEEN
ON THE BUS AND HAD GOT AWA

HAD NOT ESCAPED
THE EMOTIONAL TRAUMA.

(woman screams)

Narrator:
A MONTH LATER

.
AN ELITE ISRAELI COMMANDO UNIT
LANDED ON A BEACH IN TUNIS

MOSSAD AGENTS GUIDED
THE COMMANDOS

TO THE HOME OF ABU JIHAD.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
I WAS WOKEN BY THE SOUND OF
PEOPLE BREAKING INTO THE HOUSE.

THEN I HEARD SCREAMS.

I WAS TERRIFIED.

I HEARD ABU JIHAD MOVING

RUNNING FROM THE DESK
TO THE CUPBOARD

WHERE HE TOOK HIS PISTOL.

I SAW THREE MASKED MEN
WITH MACHINE GUNS.

ONE OF THE MEN OPENED FIRE
ON ABU JIHAD.

HIS ARM...
HIM IN

AND HIS HEART.

Translator:
ABU JIHAD WAS A LEADER
OF THE INTIFADA.

ALTHOUGH HE WAS
OUT OF THE COUNTRY

.
HE WAS FIGHTING AGAINST US

HE WAS ONE OF THEIR MOST
POPULAR COMMANDERS.

HE FELL JUST LIKE MANY OTHERS--
LIKE PEOPLE ON OUR SIDE.

or:
HE FELL BUT IN THE INTENSITYS--
LIKEOF THE CONFLICTSIDE.at

.
BOTH SIDES WERE LEARNING
SOMETHING ABOUT EACH OTHER

Translator:
FOR THE 40th ANNIVERSARY
OF ISRAEL

WE HAD A HUGE MILITARY PARADE.

A FEW DAYS LATER,
I WAS IN THE WEST BANK.

THEY KNEW ME FROM TV...

AND ONE OF THEM SAID

"YESTERDAY, I SAW ALL
YOUR FIGHTER AIRCRAFT.

"YOU'RE SO STRONG UP THERE

BUT WHAT CAN YOU DO AGAINS
T STONE-THROWERS DOWN HERE?"

.
THIS WAS OUR PROBLEM
AND THE YOUNG PEOPLE'S POWER

YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU BEAT THEM
AND SHOOT THEM

AND DO WHATEVER YOU WANT
TO THEM, THEY WON'T STOP.

WE TRAIN TO FIGHT
AGAINST OTHER SOLDIERS.

NOW WE FIGHT AGAINST PEOPLE.

IT'S DIFFICULT.

Narrator:
INCREASINGLY, ISRAELIS
ASKED THEMSELVES

S
WHETHER THEY COULD RULE MORE
THAN A MILLION PALESTINIAN

IN THE OCCUPIED
TERRITORIES FOREVER.

Soldier 1:
WE CAN'T SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.

IT'S THE GOVERNMENT

IT'S THE POLITICIAN HAVE TO
SOLVE THIS PROBLEM, NOT WE ARE.

Narrator:
E INTIFADA VENTED
PALESTINIAN FRUSTRATION

BUT IT ALSO DEMONSTRATED

THAT NEITHER TERRORISM NOR
STREET REVOLT WOULD SOLVE

THEIR POLITICAL PROBLEMS.

IN TUNISONE P.L.O. LEADER
DISCUSSED WHAT TO DO NEXT

WITH A COLLEAGUE.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
WE SAT THERE ALONE.

I SAID, "I WANT TO TALK
ABOUT SOMETHING

.
"I'VE NEVER MENTIONED BEFORE

"
CAN I RAISE A TABOO SUBJECT?

HE SAID, "BE MY GUEST."

Narrator:
THE P.L.O. HAD BEEN CREATE
D TO RECLA OF ISRAEL

FOR THE PALESTINIANS.

D
THAT THEY BE REALISTIC

THAT THE ONLY WAY TO GET BAC
K GAZA AND THE WEST BANK

WAS TO ACCEPT WHAT THEY
REJECTED 40 YEARS AGO--

THE PARTITION
OF PALESTINE.

Translator:
I ASKED HIM, "SHOULD WE CONSIDER
RECOGNIZING ISRAEL?"

HE SAID YES.

Narrator:
YASSER ARAFAT WAS
EVENTUALLY CONVINCED

THAT THE P.L.O.
WOULD HAVE TO COMPROMISE.

BUT THE OTHER P.L.O. LEADERS
WERE HARDER TO PERSUADE.

LIKE SADAT, THE P.L.O.
PREFERRED TO NEGOTIATE

THROUGH THE AMERICANS.

BUT THE AMERICANS
LAID DOWN A CONDITION:

YASSER ARAFAT, THE WORLD'S MOST
FAMOUS GUERRILLA LEADER

WOULD HAVE
TO ROUNCE TERRORISM.

HE'S GOT TO GET UP
IN FRONT OF A TELEVISION CAMERA

IN SOME PUBLIC WAY AND SAY FOR
INEVERYBODY TO SEE HIM SAYING IT

OUT OF HIS OWN MOUTH
THESE THINGS.

Narrator:
THE U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY
GATHERED IN GENEVA

FOR A SPECIAL
SESSION TO HEAR ARAFAT.

BUT NOT ALL THE FACTIONS
OF THE P.L.O.

WERE WILLING TO NEGOTIATE.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
WE DID NOT ACCEPT THE DECISION
TO RECOGNIZE ISRAEL.

WE WOULD ACCEPT
NO FURTHER COMPROMISE.

Narrator:
ARAFAT'S U.N. SPEECH WOULD B
E A DIFFICULT BALANCING ACT.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
I HEREBY ONCE MORE DECLARE

.
Narrator:
THAT WAS FOR THE AMERICANS

H
AND IN A PATTERN THAT WAS TO
CHARACTERIZE THE WHOLE SPEEC

THE NEXT PHRASE WAS
FOR THE P.L.O. RADICALS.

E
Translator:
AND AT THE SAME TIME SALUT

THOSE SITTING BEFORE ME
IN THIS HALL

WHO IN THE DAYS WHEN THEY FOUGHT
TO FREE THEIR COUNTRIES

FROM THE YOKE OF COLONIALISM
, WERE ACCUSED OF TERRORISM.

(applause)

Narrator:
HE CONCLUDED HIS SPEECH

CONVINCED HE HAD
PLEASED EVERYONE.

I REVIEWED IT
WITH PRESIDENT REAGAN

WHO WAS FOLLOWING THIS CLOSELY

AND I SAID,
"WELL, MR. PRESIDENT

"IN ONE PART OF HIS STATEMEN
T HE SAID 'UNC, UNC, UNC'

"AND THE OTHER PART
OF HIS STATEMENT

"HE SAID 'CLE, CLE, CLE,'
BUT NOWHERE DID HE SAY 'UNCLE'

SO, NO, IT'S NOT SATISFACTORY."

Narrator:
WORD SOON CAME

THAT THE AMERICANS HAD REJECTED
THE BALANCING ACT.

ARAFAT'S CLOSEST ADVISERS
IMPLORED HIM

TO SAY EXACTLY
WHAT SHULTZ DEMANDED.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
I SAW THAT ARAFAT HAD A DILEMMA:
WHETHER TO SAY IT OR NOT.

SHOULD HE SIT TIGHT
OR SHOULD HE TRY AGAIN?

Narrator:
THE NEXT MORNING, ARAFAT CALLED
A PRESS CONFERENCE.

Arafat:
I REPEAT

FOR THE RECORD THAT WE TOTALLY
AND ABSOLUTELY RENOUNCE

ALL FORMS OF TERRORISM.

Shultz:
I VIEW THIS DEVELOPMENT
AS ONE MORE STEP

TOWARD THE BEGINNING

OF DIRECT NEGOTIATIONS
BETWEEN THE PARTIES

WHICH ALONE CAN LEAD
TO S

Narrator:
BUT ISRAEL'S PRIME MINISTE
R WAS UNIMPRESSED.

Translator:
SHAMIR MADE A G

IT MEANT, "THIS ISN'T IMPORTANT.

LET'S NOT WASTE TIME
ANALYZING WHAT ARAFAT SAID."

WE CANNOT TRUST.

THEY ARE CRIMINALS,
THEY ARE LIARS

THEY ARE ENEMIES OF OUR PEOPLE.

(applause)

.
Narrator:
SHAMIR'S VIEW OF ARAFAT WA
S REINFORCED 18 MONTHS LATER

ON AUGUST 2, 1990

IRAQ'S SADDAM HUSSEIN SENT
HIS ARMY INTO KUWAIT.

HE BOASTED THAT IN A WAR,
ISRAEL WOULD END UP IN FLAMES.

SADDAM'S ONLY SUPPORT CAME

FROM LIBYA,
SUDAN AND THE P.L.O.

Arafat:
YOU KNOW THE WAR WILL NOT BE
ONLY IN BAGHDAD.

THIS WAR, IF IT STARTED,
WILL BE IN THE WHOLE AREA.

FOR THIS IT WILL B??
A REAL CATASTROPHE.

Narrator:
ISRAEL PREPARED FOR AN ATTACK.

AS PRESIDENT BUSH
SET OUT TO BUILD A COALITION

T
TO FORCE SADDAM OUT OF KUWAI

.
HE TRAVELED TO DAMASCUS
TO BRING SYRIA INTO THE FOLD

(crowd chanting)

BUT PRESIDENT ASSAD,
A FIRM ARAB NATIONALIST

WAS NOT EASY TO CONVINCE.

PRESIDENT ASSAD MADE
VERY CLEAR TO ME

THAT HE BLAMED ISRAEL
FOR EVERYTHING.

I'M NOT SURE HE BLAMED THE
M FOR IRAQ GOING INTO KUWAIT

BUT HE GOT ALMOST EVERYTHING--
EVERYTHING WAS ALL ABOUT ISRAEL.

I MADE CLEAR TO HIM
BUT HE GOT ALMOST EVERYTHING--
EVERYTHING WAS ALL ABOUT ISRAEL.

THAT WE DIDN'T WANT TO LINK ANY
MIDDLE

.
TO WHIPPING SADDAM HUSSEIN

BUT I MADE CLEAR TO HIM ALSO

THAT WE WOULD BE INVOLVED
IN TRYING TO BE A CATALYST

FOR PEACE FOR ARABS
AND ISRAELIS.

Narrator:
AS THE WAR STARTED

.
SADDAM ORDERED AN ATTACK
ON ISRAEL WITH SCUD MISSILES

SADDAM HOPED
THAT BY ATTACKING ISRAEL

HE WOULD GET THE SUPPORT
OF OTHER ARAB COUNTRIES.

IF ISRAEL RETALIATED

HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO UNDERMIN
E THE COALITION AGAINST HIM.

IRAQ'S MISSILES WERE AIMED
INDISCRIMINATELY

.
AT ISRAEL'S LARGEST CITIES

.
THE REPEATED ATTACKS OVER MANY
NIGHTS WERE NERVE-WRACKING

THE ISRAELI PRESS REPORTED
THAT PALESTINIANS CELEBRATED

AS THE MISSILES FLEW
OVER THE WEST BANK

ON THE WAY TO TEL AVIV.

CHEMICAL TRACES IN ONE
OF T RAISED

THE POSSIBILITY
OF A DEADLY CHEMICAL ATTACK.

WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE
THAT THREAT REMOVED

AND WE WILL TAKE THE PROTECTIONS
THAT ARE NECESSARY TO REMOVE IT.

I CANNOT TELL YOU WHEN,
I CANNOT TELL YOU WHERE.

Narrator:
IN THE END,
ISRAEL DID NOT RETALIATE

D
BUT ITS LEADERS HAD LEARNE

A HARD LESSON
ABOUT THEIR VULNERABILITY.

SHAMIR WAS ALSO
ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED

THAT GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY

ISRAEL'S ARAB ENEMIES
WOULD TRY TO DESTROY IT.

WHEN THE WAR WITH IRAQ ENDED

PRESIDENT BUSH LOOKED
TOWARDS THE FUTURE.

Man:
MR. SPEAKER, THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES!

(rhythmic clapping)

WE MUST DO ALL THAT WE CAN

TO CLOSE THE GAP BETWEEN ISRAEL
AND THE ARAB STATES

AND BETWEEN ISRAELIS
AND PALESTINIANS.

THERE CAN BE
NO SUBSTITUTE FOR DIPLOMACY.

THE TIME HAS COME TO PUT AN END
TO ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT.

SENDING THE SECRETARY
OF THE STATE

AT THE HEIGHT OF HIS PRESTIGE,
TO THE MIDDLE EAST.

AND WHAT WE BASICALLY HOPE
D

WAS THAT NO ONE
WOULD HAVE THE NERVE

TO SAY NO TO THE UNITED STATES
AT THAT MOMENT.

Narrator:
BUSH INSTRUCTED
SECRETARY OF STATE JAMES BAKER

TO PERSUADE THE ARABS
AND ISRAELIS

TO ATTEND
A NEW PEACE CONFERENCE.

Baker:
WELL THE WHOLE IDEA

THAT WE CAME UP WITH

WAS TO GIVE THE ARABS
WHAT THEY NEEDED

AND GIVE THE ISRAELIS
WHAT THEY NEEDED.

Narrator:
THE BONE OF CONTENTION
BETWEEN ISRAEL AND SYRIA

S
WAS STILL THE GOLAN HEIGHT

CAPTURED BY ISRAEL
20 YEARS EARLIER.

IN DAMASCUS, BAKER SUGGESTED
TO PRESIDENT ASSAD

THAT IF HE CAME
TO THE CONFERENCE

ISRAEL MIGHT NEGOTIATE

A WITHDRAWAL
FROM THE GOLAN HEIGHTS.

WE ARE NOT NEGOTIATING

WHETHER THE GOLAN
WOULD COME BACK OR NOT--

WHETHER A PART OF IT

WOULD STAY UNDER
THE ISRAELI CONTROL OR NOT
.

THE WHOLE OF THE SYRIAN GOLA
N SHOULD COME BACK TO SYRIA.

Narrator:
HAVING GOTTEN NOWHERE
WITH THE SYRIANS

BAKER THEN TRIED
TO TEMPT YITZHAK SHAMIR

TO THE PEACE CONFERENCE.

Baker:
I REMEMBER SAYING

IT'S GOING TO BE ONE BIG MEETING

THAT IS GOING TO LEAD, THEN,
TO BILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS

SO THAT THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT
COULD SAY

"
"WELL, THIS IS REALLY NOT
AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
I WOULDN'T EVEN CONSIDER IT.

IT MEANT NEGOTIATING
WITH P.L.O. TERRORISTS.

Narrator:
BAKER PROMISED SHAMIR

.
HE WOULD NOT INVITE
THE P.L.O. TO THE CONFERENCE

BAKER THEN WENT TO MEET

PALESTINIAN LEADERS
FROM THE WEST BANK AND GAZA.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
WE IN THE P.L.O. LEADERSHI
P OPPOSED THEM MEETING BAKER
.

FOR US,
THIS MEETING WAS POINTLESS
.

WE THOUGHT IT WOULD NOT ADVANCE
THE PALESTINIAN CAUSE.

Translator:
SOME COMRADES ARGUED THAT

THE AMERICANS WANTED TO CREATE
AN ALTERNATIVE LEADERSHIP

TO REPLACE THE P.L.O.

P
Narrator:
FOR FIVE NIGHTS, ABU MAZEN
URGED THE P.L.O. LEADERSHI

S
TO LET PALESTINIANS
FROM THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIE

MEET WITH BAKER.

FINALLY, YASSER ARAFAT
DECIDED HE HAD NOTHING TO LOSE.

ONLY IT IS A MEETING...

(asks question in Arabic)

Man:
EXPLORATORY?

EXPLORATORY MEETING,

IF THINGS
WOULD PROCEED POSITIVELY

THEN THE LEADERSHIP
WOULD TAKE THE CREDIT.

IF THINGS DID NOT WORK OUT

THEN WE AS INDIVIDUALS
WOULD TAKE THE BLAME.

Narrator:
WHEN THE PALESTINIANS
MET BAKER IN JERUSALEM

THE P.L.O. INSISTED THAT
EACH PALESTINIAN DELEGATE

BE APPROVED
IN WRITING BY ARAFAT.

I SAID TO HIM

"MR. SECRETARY, THIS MEETING
COULD NOT HAVE TAKEN PLACE

"WITHOUT THE AUTHORIZATION
OF PRESIDENT ARAFAT PERSONALLY."

AND I TOOK THE LETTER OUT
OF MY POCKET, SHOWED IT TO HIM.

I REMINDED THEM
THAT THE P.L.O.--

THEIR ORGANIZATION
AND THEIR CHAIRMAN--

HAD MADE A SERIOUS MISTAKE

IN BACKING SADDAM HUSSEIN

(eaking Arabic)

Translator:
HE SAT LIKE THIS.

I PULLED MY CHAIR ROUND
AND FACED HIM.

.
WE CONFRONTED EACH OTHER
JUST LIKE TWO FIGHTING COCKS

HE WAS SO ANGRY AND, UH...

?
SAID, "WE FEEL IF WE MAKE
YOU ANGRY, WHAT CAN YOU DO

"WE DON'T HAVE ASSETS IN BAN
K TO BE FROZEN BY YOU.

"WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING
IN THE WORLD

"THAT YOU CAN THREATEN US WITH.

"SO COURT US, AND WE'RE
WILLING TO PLAY POSITIVELY

BUT AS A MAJOR PLAYER."

Narrator:
THE PALESTINIANS REFUSED
TO REPUDIATE THE P.L.O.

AND BAKER KNEW THIS WOULD BE
UNACCEPTABLE TO SHAMIR.

.
AFTER 12 WEEKS OF SHUTTLE
DIPLOMACY, BAKER WAS STUCK

THE ONLY LEVERAGE
A SECRETARY OF STATE HAS

IN THIS KIND OF SITUATION

IS THE ABILITY TO BLAME
ONE PARTY OR THE OTHER

FOR THE COLLAPSE
OF THESS.

Al-Shar'a:
BAKER CAME AND TOLD
PRESIDENT ASSAD

IT IS-- YOUR POSITION
IS VERY IMPORTANT.

I MEAN, IF YOU ACCEPT

IF YOU FEEL THAT
THIS IS GOOD FOR YOU

AND YOU ACCEPT
THE AMERICAN INITIATIVE

TH THE WHOLE WORLD
WILL STAND BY SYRIA

AND WILL PUT THE BLAME
ON ISRAEL.

Narrator:
ASSAD DECIDED TO GO ALONG.

AND I AM PLEASED TO REPORT

THAT SYRIA HAS AGREED TO THE
PROPOSALS THAT WE HAVE MADE

INCLUDING COMING
TO A PEACE CONFERENCE.

Narrator:
FULL OF CONFIDENCE,
BAKER RETURNED TO ISRAEL.

Haass:
THERE WAS NO WAY

THAT AN ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER

COULD APPEAR TO BE
LESS INTERESTED IN PEACE

THAN A SYRIAN PRESIDENT

ESPECIALLY WHEN
THE SYRIAN PRESIDENT

ACCEPTED COMING
TO THIS CONFERENCE

MS THAT WERE ESSENTIALLY
DEFINED BY ISRAEL.

Narrator:
BUT SHAMIR PUT MORE OBSTACLE
S IN BAKER'S PATH.

EVERY TIME THE AMERICAN TEAM
ARRIVED IN THE MIDDLE EAST

ISRAEL ANNOUNCED
THE CONSTRUCTION

-
OF A NEW JEWISH SETTLEMENT
IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES-

LAND THE ARABS
CLAIMED WAS THEIRS.

HOME

MADE ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL
MORE DIFFICULT.

.
FURIOUS, BAKER WENT PUBLIC

IT IS EASIER TO OBSTRUCT PEACE
THAN IT IS TO PROMOTE IT.

AND THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT
, UH... OF THESE SETTLEMENTS

CERTAINLY DOES NOT HELP
THE EFFORTS OF THOSE OF US

O ARE INTERESTED IN PEACE.
CERTAINLY DOES NOT HELP
THE EFFORTS OF THOSE OF US

Narrator:
THE PALESTINIAN REACTION
WAS PREDICTABLE.

I REMEMBER FAISAL HUSSEINI

.
AT ALMOST EVERY MEETING,
HE WOULD PULL OUT THIS MAP

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
I BROUGHT HIM MAPS
OF THE WEST BANK AND GAZA.

THE FIRST MAP SHOWED
THE SITUATION BEFORE 1967.

THE SECOND ONE SHOWED
THE SITUATION TODAY

WITH THE SETTLEMENTS
ALL MARKED IN ORANGE.

Baker:
AND, UH...

I FINALLY SAID,
"FAISAL, LET'S GET...

"LET'S TALK ABOUT
WHAT'S IMPORTANT HERE.

"LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW WE'R
GOING TO GET A NEGOTIATION GOING

"BECAUSE IF WE DON'T, WE'RE
GOING TO KEEP MEETING LIKE THIS

"AND PRETTY SOON
YOU'RE GOING TO BRING ME A MAP

THAT'S TOTALLY ORANGE."

HE ACTUALLY TOLD US,
YOU HAVE NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE.

HE SAID, "NAME ANY WAY IN
WHICH YOU CAN STOP SETTLEMENTS

OTHER THAN THROUGH
THE PEACE PROCESS."

Narrator:
THE LOCAL PALESTINIANS WER
E AFRAID TO TALK TO ISRAELIS

WITHOUT PERMISSION
FROM THE P.L.O. IN TUNIS.

A MEETING OF THE PALESTINE
NATIONAL COUNCIL W

eaking Arabic)

Translator:
OUR DELEGATION ASKED BAKER
, COULD THE REFUGEES RETURN?

HE SAID NO.

WILL THERE BE
A PALESTINIAN STATE?

HE SAID NO.

?
WILL THE P.L.O. BE ON THE
DELEGATION TO SPEAK FOR US

HE SAID NO.

.
CHAIRMAN ARAFAT KNOWS THAT
THESE ANSWERS ARE ACCURATE

THEY ARE "NO," "NO," AND "NO."

(Husseini speaking Arabic)

Translator:
I TOLD THE CONFERENCE

IF WE DON'T GET
ON THE PEACE TRAIN

IT WILL PASS
THROUGH OUR STATION.

WE WILL NEVER HAVE
ANOTHER CHANCE.

I SAID, "WE DON'T WANT TO BE
PASSIVE VICTIMS OF HISTORY.

"WE WANT TO CHALLENGE,
TO INTERVENE, TO INTRUDE

"TO PARTICIPATE AND TO
PRESENT OUR OWN NARRATIVE

TOOR OURSELVES,
AND THIS IS A FORUM."

Narrator:
IT WAS A FORUM ARAFAT HIMSEL
F HAD WANTED TOATTEND.

RELUCTANTLY HE AGREED

THAT THE TEAM FROM
THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES--

NOT THE P.L.O.-- WOULD REPRESENT
THE PALESTINIANS.

(man speaking
Arabic over P.A. system)

BUT SHAMIR HAD ANOTHER DEMAND.

HE ASKED THE AMERICANS

TO GUARANTEE A LOAN
OF TEN BILLION DOLLARS

TO HELP ABSORB
THE SOVIET IMMIGRANTS

WHO WERE NOW
POURING INTO ISRAEL.

I DON'T WANT TO INTERFERE
IN THE AMERICAN INTERIOR AFFAIR

BUT I WOULD LIKE, UH...
TO INFORM EVERYBODY

THAT NOT TO FORGET THAT THEY
ARE USING THESE BILLIONS, UH...

IN BUILDING MORE ILLEGAL
SETTLEMENTS ON OUR LAND.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
THIS WAS OUR WAY
TO BUILD UP OUR COUNTRY.

WHAT IS THEEAL?

IT IS TO GATHER THE JEWISH
PEOPLE INTO THIS SMALL COUNTRY.

SO WE MUST SET UP
MORE AND MORE HOMES

LARGE AND SMALL COMMUNITIES.

WHAT ARE THE SETTLEMENTS?

THEY ARE JUST COMMUNITIES.

NO ARABS LIVED ON THAT LAND.

IT IS NOT ON THEIR PROPERTY.

Narrator:
THE AMERICANS WERE UNABLE
TO STOP THE ISRAELIS

FROM BUILDING SETTLEMENTS.

TO SAVE THE CONFERENCE,
PRESIDENT BUSH DELAYED THE LOAN.

AMERICAN JEWISH LEADERS
URGED HIM TO RECONSIDER.

I WAS APPROACHED BY THE LEADERS

OF SOME OF THE BIGGEST
JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS.

A REPUBLICAN WAS HEAD OF AIPAC

WHICH IS A VERY STRONG
AMERICAN/ISRAEL

POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE

.
AND HE TOLD ME THAT I WAS MAKING
A HUGE MISTAKE POLITICALLY

Narrator:
PRESIDENT BUSH WOULDN'T GIVE IN.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY
THE VISION OF ISRAELIS
Narrator:
PRESIDENT BUSH WOULDN'T GIVE IN.

SITTING WITH THEIR ARAB
NEIGHBORS TO TALK PEACE

IS A REAL PROSPECT.

NOTHING SHOULD BE DONE

THAT MIGHT INTERFERE
WITH THIS PROSPECT

AND IF NECESSARY
I WILL USE MY VETO POWER.

Translator:
WE SAW THE PRESIDENT
ON TELEVISION.

HE TOOK A STAND AGAINST
THE AMERICAN JEWS.

I GOT REALLY ANGRY.

THIS HURT ME
JUST AS IT HURT MANY OTHERS.

.
Narrator:
BUSH HAD FACED DOWN SHAMIR

(sirens blaring)

S
A FEW WEEKS LATER, ISRAELIS,
ARABS, AMERICANS AND RUSSIAN

ASSEMBLED IN MADRID.

FOR THE FIRST TIME, PALESTINIANS
WERE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE.

(light applause)

TODAY WE HAVE MADE
A MAJOR STEP FORWARD.

THERE IS A RECOGNITION OF THE
PALESTINIAN NATIONAL IDENTITY.

THE PALESTINIANS ARE SPEAKIN
G OUT FOR THEMSELVES

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY.

.
Narrator:
THE DELEGATES
GATHERED AT THE ROYAL PALACE

I WILL NEVER FORGET
THE EMOTION I FELT

WHEN, WITH GORBACHEV
NEXT TO ME

WE WALKED INTO THIS ROOM
IN MADRID

AND THERE ACROSS THE TABLE
SAT ARABS AND ISRAELIS.

WE COME TO MADRID
ON A MISSION OF HOPE.

N
Narrator:
EVERYONE EXPECTED
EACH MIDDLE EAST DELEGATIO

TO BE LED BY
ITS FOREIGN MINISTER.

.
BUT SHAMIR HAD A BETTER IDEA

Translator:
I THOUGHT, "MAYBE I SHOULD G
O TO MADRID MYSELF."

Narrator:
SHAMIR HAD DEVOTED HIS LIF
E TO FIGHTING FOR ISRAEL

DOING WHATEVER
HE THOUGHT NECESSARY

TO ESTABLISH, MAINTAIN
AND DEFEND THE STATE.

R
AS HE GOT UP TO SPEAK,
THE CONFERENCE WAITED TO HEA

IF HE WAS NOW READY
TO MAKE PEACE.

I COULD GO ON AND RECITE

A LITANY OF FACTS THAT
DEMONSTRATE THE EXTENT

TO WHICH SYRIA MERITS
THE DUBIOUS HONOR

OF BEING ONE OF THE MOST
OPPRESSIVE, TYRANNICAL REGIMES

IN THE WORLD

.
BUT THIS IS NOT
WHAT WE HAVE COME HERE FOR

HE ATTACKED SYRIA BITTERLY

AND ACCUSED SYRIA OF BEING
ON THE LIST OF TERRORISM

AND I WAS VERY ANGRY.

I LOOKED OVER AND I SAW
FAROUK SHAR'A'S FACE.

HE JUST FROZE

AND HE CALLED
ONE OF HIS AIDES OVER.

SO IMMEDIATELY HIS FACE CHANGED
AND HE SMILED.

HE SAID, "OKAY, GO BACK,
I WILL WRITE MY SPEECH."

I TOLD HIM, "MR. MINISTER,
IT'S 15 MINUTES LEFT.

YESTERDAY WE SPENT SEVEN HOURS
TO PREPARE YOUR SPEECH."

HE SAID, "DON'T WORRY,
I WILL WRITE HEADLINES."

SO I LAY ASIDE MY PREPARED
SPEECH AND SAID OPENLY

"HE IS THE LAST ONE TO HAVE THE
RIGHT TO SPEAK ABOUT TERRORISM

BECAUSE HE HIMSELF
WAS A WANTED TERRORIST."

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
I SHALL JUST SHOW YOU
IF I MAY A PHOTOGRAPH

AN OLD PHOTOGRAPH
OF MR. SHAMIR.

WHY WAS THIS PICTURE
DISTRIBUTED?

IT WAS DISTRIBUTED
BECAUSE HE WAS WANTED.

HE HELPED IN THE ASSASSINATION
OF COUNT BERNADOTTE

THE U.N. MEDIATOR IN PALESTINE,
AS I RECALL, IN 1948.

HE KILLS PEACE MEDIATORS.

I REMEMBER THE FACES
OF THE ISRAELI DELEGATION.

THEY WERE COLORLESS.

Narrator:
ONE PALESTINIAN DELEGATE
THEN TRIED TO DEMONSTRATE

THAT NO MATTER
WHAT SHAMIR THOUGHT

HE WAS REALLY NEGOTIATING
WITH THE P.L.O.

SO I SAID, THE ONLY THING
THAT SYMBOLIZES PALESTINIANS

IS THE BLACK-AND-WHITE
KEFFIYEH

WHICH PRESIDENT ARAFAT WEARS
ALL THE TIME

SO I DECIDED TO PUT IT
ON MY SHOULDERS.

AND THE ANGLE E

DIRECTLY LOOKING SHAMIR
ON THE EYE.

IT WAS ENGINEERED BY GOD.

IT WAS JUST PERFECT.

AND I LOOKED AT HIM
AND I SAID TO HIM

.
I NODDED MY HEAD, I SAID..

HE SHOOK HIS HEAD LIKE THIS.

I SMILED.

REALLY HE MOVED
HIS HEAD THIS WAY.

SO I WINKED TO HIM

AND HE JUST DO THIS.

AND THEN AFTER
THE SESSION WAS OVER

.
EVERYONE IS SURROUNDING ME

SO I SAID,
"WHY THE SENSITIVITIES?

WE ARE THE KEY TO PEACE--

TO YOUR PEACE PROCESS--
AS PALESTINIANS

AND YOU MUST REALIZE
THE NEW FACTS OF LIFE.

Narrator:
AMID MUTUAL RECRIMINATIONS
, THE CONFERENCE BROKE

.
INTO ONE-TO-ONE TALKS BETWEE
N ISRAEL AND THE ARAB STATES

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
WE AND THE SYRIANS MOVED
TO OPPOSITE SIDES

OF THIS BIG TABLE.

WE SAT FROZEN LIKE ROBOTS.

THE AMERICANS AND RUSSIANS GOT
OUT AS QUICKLY AS THEY COULD.

THEY WERE GLAD TO ESCAPE.

IT WAS DIFFICULT HALF AN HOUR.

FOR ME, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS WILL
BE THE FIRST TIME I SIT

FACE-TO-FACE WITH THE ISRAELIS.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
THE SYRIANS WANTED US TO COMMIT

TO A WITHDRAWAL
FROM THE GOLAN HEIGHTS.

WE DIDN'T WANT TO GET
INTO ALL THAT.

THE WITHDRAWAL SHOULD NOT BE
A QUESTION FOR NEGOTIATION.

THE WITHDRAWAL IS-- EITHER
THERE WILL BE A WITHDRAWAL

FULL WITHDRAWAL,
OR THERE WILL BE NO PEACE.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
THE MOMENT WE WOULD HAVE SAI
D THAT WE WERE READY TO WITHDRAW

THIS MIGHT HAVE ENDED
THE WHOLE THING

AND THE SYRIANS
WOULD HAVE AVOIDED

THE MAIN QUESTION FOR US.

-
THAT WAS THE CHARACTER OF
PEACE, THE END OF TERRORISM-

S
THE TERRORIST ORGANIZATION

WITH THEIR HEADQUARTERS
IN DAMASCUS.

AND WHAT ABOUT HEZBOLLAH AND
LEBANON UNDER SYRIAN OCCUPATION?

ALL THESE TOPICS WERE RAISED

AND EVERY TIME WE TRIED TO BREAK
THIS DOGMA OF THE SYRIANS.

Reporter:
WHEN THEY FINISHED

THE ISRAELI'S RETURNED
TO THEIR HOTEL

TELLING THE WAITING PRESS

THAT ALL THEIR SUGGESTIONS
TO TRY TO BUILD TRUST

HAD BEEN FLATLY REJECTED.

THERE HAD BEEN NO HANDSHAKES, NO
SMILES, LITTLE PERSONAL CONTACT.

I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT THE
Y WERE A COMPLETE FAILURE

G
BECAUSE THE VERY FACT THAT
WE WERE SITTING AND TALKIN

IS IN ITSELF
ALREADY AN ACHIEVEMENT

BUT THE SUBSTANCE WAS,
AS I SAID, FUTILE.

.
BBC reporter:
THE SYRIANS, TOO, WERE
UNIMPRESSED BY THEIR MEETING

I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS
OUR REGRET

FOR LEAVING... THIS CITY, MADRID

WITHOUT HAVING TANGIBLE RESULTS
FROM THE BILATERAL TALKS

THAT OUR DELEGATION
HELD YESTERDAY

WITH THE ISRAELI DELEGATION.

BBC reporter:
ISRAELI TALKS WITH
THE PALESTINIAN

AND JORDANIAN DELEGATION
WERE SO POSITIVE

THAT THEY COULD BE CROWNED WITH
PUBLIC HANDSHAKES AFTERWARDS

BOTH SIDES HERE, AT LEAST,
CONFIDENT OF MEETING AGAIN SOON.

(reporters all talking
at once)

T
Narrator:
AMERICA HAD FINALLY BROUGH

THE WARRING PARTIES
TO THE CONFERENCE TABLE.

BUT IT WOULD TAKE
ANOTHER BREAKTHROUGH

TO CONVERT FIGHTERS
INTO PEACEMAKERS.

(people singing and clapping)

Narrator:
YITZHAK RABIN'S STUNNING
ELECTION VICTORY

BROUGHT THE LABOR PARTY
BACK INTO POWER.

.
RABIN HAD PROMISED TO ACCELERATE
PEACE TALKS WITH THE ARABS

I BELIEVE THAT AGREEMENT
WILL BE REACHED

WITHIN LESS THAN ONE YEAR.

YOU CAN SAY NINE MONTHS,
LESS OR BETWEEN NINE AND 12.

Narrator:
ISRAEL'S OLD ENEMY,

STILL CLAIMED TO LEAD
THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.

D
BUT EXILED IN TUNIS
AND CUT OFF FROM HIS HOMELAN

ARAFAT WAS MORE WILLING
TO COMPROMISE

WITH THE ISRAELIS.

.
A P.L.O. REPRESENTATIVE
FROM TUNIS WAS ON ASSIGNMENT

(man speaking Arabic)

Translator:
I HAD NEVER MET
AN ISRAELI BEFORE...

NOT ONE.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
ALL THE WAY TO THE MEETING

I WAS LOOKING LEFT AND RIGHT
AND BEHIND ME.

I WAS AFRAID OF BEING SEEN
.

Narrator:
THE ISRAELI WHO INITIATED
THE MEETING

WAS WAITING FOR HIM.

HE WAS AN ACADEMIC

WITH UNOFFICIAL CONNECTIONS TO
ISRAEL'S NEW LABOR GOVERNMENT.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
IT WAS A MOMENT OF TRUTH.

MEETING A P.L.O. MAN
WAS AGAINST THE LAW.

Narrator:
THE ISRAELI'S COVER FOR MEETING
A MEMBER OF THE P.L.O.

WAS PROVIDED BY A FELLOW
SOCIAL SCIENTIST FROM

Man:
I SIMPLY SUGGESTED

THAT HIRSCHFELD AND MYSELF
HAD BREAKFAST

AND THEN THAT WHEN ABU ALA
ARRIVED IN THE LOBBY

I SHOULD SIMPLY, DISCREETL
Y SLIP AWAY FROM THE TABLE

AND ABU ALA
SHOULD TAKE MY PLACE.

Translator:
WE SPOKE ABOUT THE CONFLICT,
WHICH HAD NO END IN SIGHT.

IT HAD BEEN RAGING
FOR THE WHOLE CENTURY

SO HOW COULDWEEND IT?

Narrator:
P.L.O. HEADQUARTERS IN TUNIS
AWAITED HIS REPORT.

(Mazen speaking Arabic)

Translator:
ABU ALA TOLD US
WHAT HAD HAPPENED.

I SAID, "IF THEY ASK YOU
TO GO AGAIN, GO."

HE ASKED, "WHAT'S THE POINT
OF TALKING TO THESE PEOPLE?"

I SAID, "WELL, THERE MUST BE
SOMETHING BEHIND IT."

Narrator:
AT THE SAME TIME, OFFICIAL PEACE
NEGOTIATIONS BEGUN IN MADRID

CONTINUED IN WASHINGTON

WHERE A DELEGATION
OF WEST-BANK PALESTINIANS

WERE GETTING NOWHERE.

BYPASSING THE DELEGATION
TO TALK DIRECTLY TO THE P.L.O.

WAS THOUGHT BY SOME ISRAELIS

AS A BETTER WAY
AROUND THE IMPASSE.

.
BUT EVEN THE P.L.O. DID NO
T SPEAK FOR ALL PALESTINIANS

(people chanting)

(man shouting
over loudspeaker)

(yelling a chant)

(people repeating chant)

(yelling)

Narrator:
THE FUNDAMENTALIST GROUP HAMAS
HAD JUST KIDNAPPED

AN ISRAELI POLICE OFFICER
AND MURDERED HIM.

WE HAVE TO TAKE A MEASURE

THAT WILL SPEAK
NOT BY WORDS, BUT BY DEEDS
.

Narrator:
RABIN ORDERED ISRAELI
SECURITY FORCES

TO ROUND UP AND DEPORT
415 HAMAS ACTIVISTS.

THE EXPULSION FROM THE WEST BANK
CREATED A CRISIS IN WASHINGTON.

IF THEY DO DEPORT THE
PALESTINIANS THIS MORNING

THEN I DON'T THINK THE ISRAELI
DELEGATION TOMORROW MORNIN
G

WILL FIND A PALESTINIAN
DELEGATION TO NEGOTIATE WITH
.

THE PUBLIC OPION AT HOME
WAS, YOU KNOW... BOILING.

IT WAS SO VOLATILE

THAT WE KNEW WE COULDN'T
PROCEED WITH THE DISCUSSIONS

WITH THE NEGOTIATIONS.

Narrator:
THE PALESTINIAN DELEGATION

WALKED OUT
OF THE WASHINGTON TALKS.

ARAFAT NOW HAD NO LINKS
TO THE ISRAELIS.

HE SENT FOR THE NORWEGIAN
SOCIAL SCIENTIST

WHO HAD SET UP THE SECRET
BREAKFAST IN LONDON.

ARAFAT TOLD ME

THAT THE TALKS IN WASHINGTON
WERE COMPLETELY STUCK

AND THAT WAS WHY HE FELT THERE
WAS A NEED OF A BACK CHANNEL

AND THOUGHT THAT THE RESEARC
H INSTITUT OSLO

WHICH I WAS HEADING

SHOULD BE THE SORT OF FRON
T ORGANIZATION FOR THE TALKS

Y
BECAUSE BOTH THE P.L.O.
AND ISRAEL NEEDED DENIABILIT

FOR HAVING SUCH TALKS.

Translator:
THE FISH WAS HOOKED,
AND THEY WERE OFF TO OSLO.

(Ala speaking Arabic)

Translator:
WE WERE NEARLY ARRESTED
WHEN WE LANDED.

WE DIDN'T HAVE VISAS.

NOBODY MET US.

INSTEAD OF BEING TREATED
AS V.I.P.s

WE WERE GRILLED FOR TWO
HOURS BY THE NORWEGIANS.

WE HAD TO BE SO CAREFUL

THAT WE DID NOT EVEN INFOR
M TH POLICE

ABOUT THEIR ARRIVAL.

Narrator:
ABU ALA, WITH TWO FELLOW
PALESTINIANS

WAS DRIVEN THROUGH THE SNOW
TO A COUNTRY MANSION NEAR OSLO.

HERE HE AND THE ISRAELI
PROFESSOR GOT DOWN TO BUSINESS.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
I SAID TO ABU ALA

"WE MUST FOCUS ON TOPICS
WHERE AGREEMENT IS POSSIBLE.

"WE MUST PUT TO ONE SIDE

SUBJECTS WE KNOW
WE CAN'T RESOLVE."

Narrator:
IN DISPUTE WERE THE PALESTINIAN
TERRITORIES RULED BY ISRAEL--

GAZA AND THE WEST BANK--

AND MOST DISPUTED OF ALL,
JERUSALEM.

Translator:
I SAID, "WE WON'T AGREE
ABOUT JERUSALEM."

HE TALKED ABOUT
PALESTINIAN CONTROL

OF THE ENTIRE WEST BANK.

I SAID, "LISTEN,
WE WON'T AGREE TO THAT.

"
LET'S FOCUS ON GAZA FIRST.

Translator:
EVERY PALESTINIAN WAS SUSPICIOUS
ABOUT "GAZA FIRST."

THE ISRAELIS WANTED
TO GET RID OF GAZA.

FOR THEM, GAZA WAS JUST
A FACTORY OF PROBLEMS

AND THE INTIFADA.

Narrator:
BACK IN TUNIS
AFTER THE FIRST OSLO MEETING

ABU ALA VOICED HIS CONCERN
ABOUT THE IDEA OF "GAZA FIRST."

(Ala speaking Arabic)

D
Translator:
ABU MAZEN SAID, "IF ANY
PALESTINIAN LAND IS OFFERE

"WE SHOULD TAKE IT.

WHY REJECT GAZA?"

Translator:
THEN ARAFAT SAID,
"I WANT JERICHO AS WELL."

"
I ASKED HIM, "WHY JERICHO?

HE SAID, "TO GET A FOOTHOL
D IN THE WEST BANK.

"
GAZA IS A DEAD END,
BUT JERICHO LEADS SOMEWHERE.

Narrator:
JERUSALEM, THE ISRAELI'S CAPITAL

HAD ALWAYS BEEN CLAIMED
BY THE PALESTINIANS

AS THEIR CAPITAL, TOO.

THE P.L.O. INDICED
THAT THEY NOW SAW

THE WISDOM OF
DEFERRING THEIR DEMAND.

R
BUT ISRAEL'S PRIME MINISTE

HAD NOT YET BEEN TOLD
ABOUT THE OSLO TALKS.

Translator:
IT'S POINTLESS TALKING TO ARAFAT
AND THE P.L.O.

THE ONLY PALESTINIANS
WE DEAL WITH

ARE THE DELEGATION
IN WASHINGTON.

Narrator:
THE FOREIGN MINISTRY DECIDED
IT WAS TIME TO TELL RABIN

ABOUT THE SECRET BACK CHANNEL.

THOUGH SKEPTICAL, RABIN THOUGHT
IT COULD BE USEFUL.

THE PALESTINIAN DELEGATION

WAS STILL BOYCOTTING
THE WASHINGTON TALKS

AND HE WAS DETERMINED

TO FORCE THEM BACK
TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE.

Translator:
WE HAD ORDERS FOR
THE NEXT SESSION IN MARCH.

AS WE LEFT OSLO, WE TOLD ABU ALA
WE WOULDN'T BE COMING BACK

UNLESS THE WASHINGTON TALK
S WERE RESUMED.

IT WAS AN ULTIMATUM.

Narrator:
ARAFAT NOW HAD TO RESUSCITAT
E THE WASHINGTON NEGOTIATIONS.

HE SUMMONED HANAN ASHRAWI
AND HER COLLEAGUES

TO TELL THEM THEY MUST GO BACK.

HE SAID, "WE CANNOT AFFORD TO
PAY THE PRICE OF WALKING OUT."

Erakat:
"DON'T LIVE IN YOUR
SMALL WORLDS.

.
"YOU WANT TO BE THE HEROES

"YOU ARE CONSIDERING
ONLY YOURSELVES.

"YOU DON'T CONSIDER
SIX MILLION PALESTINIANS.

"YOU DON'T CONSIDER
THE PEACE PROCESS.

"IF YOU DON'T GO,
YOU BREAK THE PEACE PROCESS.

"YOU'LL BREAK YOUR PEOPLE.

COME ON, GET DOWN TO EARTH!"

AND HE STOOD UP AND HE LEFT US.

HE WALKED ON US.

SO WE FOLLOWED HIM
TO THE OTHER ROOM.

HE WAS SO FURIOUS.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
ABU ALA TOLD ME LATER

"YOU REALLY SET THE CAT
AMONG THE PIGEONS.

"
ARAFAT AND I HAD TO TALK THE
WHOLE WASHINGTON TEAM ROUND.

HE SAID, "THEY WERE
ALL AGAINST GOING BACK.

"WE COULDN'T TELL THEM
WHY THEY HAD TO.

"
WE GAVE THEM LOTS OF REASONS
, ALL COMPLETELY FICTITIOUS.

WE CAME BACK BY CLEAR-CUT ORDERS
FROM YASSER ARAFAT: "GO!"

Narrator:
SOON AFTERWARDS, ISRAEL'S
OSLO TEAM BROUGHT H

WHICH THE TWO SIDES CALLED
"A DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES."

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
THEY CAME BACK VERY EXCITE
D AND SAID, "WE HAVE A DRAFT."

IT WAS OBVIOUSLY STILL ROUGH
, BUT THEY SAID

"LOOK, THE P.L.O.
ARE WILLING TO PLAY BALL."

Narrator:
BUT WITH THE
WASHINGTON TALKS RESUMED

RABIN HAD NO FURTH USE
FOR THE OSLO TALKS

.
AND ORDERED THEM SUSPENDED

THE FOREIGN MINISTRY,
DESPERATE TO KEEP THEM GOING

PLACED THE OSLO DECLARATIO
N BEFORE A LAWYER RABIN TRUSTED.

I THOUGHT THAT
THE DOCUMENT WAS LOUSY

AND NEEDED TO
BE STARTED FROM SCRATCH.

Translator:
I SAID TO HIM, "LOOK,
THE REAL BREAKTHROUGH IN OSL
O

"IS THAT THE P.L.O. HAVE AGREED
TO GO ONE STEP AT A TIME.

THIS MEANS THAT WE RETAIN
ISRAELI CONTROL."

THIS MEANarrator:E RETAIN
YOSSI BEILIN DROVE WITH HIS BOSS

FOREIGN MINISTER SHIMON PERES,
TO SEE RABIN.

Singer:
I WAS SQUEEZED

BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM,
AND AS WE WERE DRIVING

YOSSI BEILIN WHISPERED
INTO MY EAR.

HE SAID, "WELL, I DON'T WANT TO
PUT YOU UNDER TOO MUCH PRESSURE

"BUT YOU SHOULD KNOW

"THAT THE ENTIRE FATE

NOW IS ON YOUR SHOULDERS."

AND WITH THIS STATEMENT
RINGING IN MY EAR

WE ENTERED RABIN'S OFFICE.

AT THE BEGINNING, THE DRAFTS
WERE VERY, VERY BAD TO ISRAEL.

HE WAS SUSPICIOUS THAT THE
P.L.O. WAS USING THE OSLO TRACK

IN ORDER TO SOMEHOW TRICK ISRAEL
INTO CONCESSIONS

AND THEN USING WHAT WAS SAID
IN OSLO AGAINST ISRAEL

IN WASHINGTON.

Translator:
I SAID, "YITZHAK,
FORGET WASHINGTON."

MAYBE THE P.L.O.
WAS TRYING TO TELL US

AT THEY WERE PREPARED
TO BE MORE FLEXIBLE

THAN THE OFFICIAL POSITION
S EXPRESSED IN WASHINGTON.

I HAD MY DOUBTS,
BUT I SAID, "GO AHEAD, TRY."

Narrator:
RABIN ASKED THE LAWYER
TO JOIN THE TALKS IN OSLO

ALONGSIDE
A TOP GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL

APPOINTED TO SHOW THE P.L.O.
THAT ISRAEL NOW MEANT BUSINESS.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
JOEL ARRIVES AND STARTS
TO CROSS-EXAMINE ABU ALA.

.
I ASKED THEM,
"THERE ARE THE SETTLEMENTS

"I MEAN, IN THE AGREEMENT
YOU WROTE

"THAT YOU WILL HAVE JURISDICTION
ALL OVER THE WEST BANK.

"THIS IS WHAT IS WRITTEN HERE.

"NOW, WHAT ABOUT
THE SETTLEMENTS?

"DO YOU INTEND TO GO
INTO THE SETTLEMENTS

"TO SEND YOUR TAX COLLECTORS
INTO THE SETTLEMENT

AND COLLECT TAXES?"

THEY SAID, "NO, WE WOULDN'T...
WE WOULDN'T DO THAT."

S
I SAID, "DO YOU INTEND
TO USE PALESTINIAN TEACHER

"TO TEACH THE ISRAELI KIDS
IN THE SETTLEMENT SCHOOLS

"
UNDER PALESTINIAN CURRICULA?

THEY SAID, "NO, NO, NO, NO."

SO I SAID, "SO YOU MEAN

"
THAT THE SETTLEMENTS WILL
NOT BE UNDER YOUR AUTHORITY?

"
THEY SAID, "CERTAINLY NOT.

I SAID, "OKAY,
NOT THE SETTLEMENTS.

"NOW, AS TO JERUSALEM

WILL ISRAEL CONTINUE
TO GOVERN JERUSALEM?"

THEY SAID, "YES."

I SAID, "OKAY, IT WAS
NOT CLEAR IN THE DOCUMENT.

Translator:
JOEL SAID, "LET'S SAY
WE LEAVE YOUR TOWNS.

WHAVE TO MOVE
OUR TROOPS SOMEWHERE."

HE SAID, "IS IT CLEAR THAT ONLY
WE CAN DECIDE WHERE THEY GO

AND ONLY WE CAN DEFINE
THE SECURITY ZONES?"

Translator:
ALL THOSE QUESTIONS WERE
REALLY ABOUT THEIR SECURITY.

EVEN WHEN WE DISCUSSED
THE TRANSFER OF POWERS

IT WAS ALWAYS AGAINST
THE BACKGROUND OF SECURITY--

HOW THEY WOULD CONTROL SECURITY.

EVERYTHING WAS ABOUT SECURITY.

Translator:
AND ABU ALA SAYS, "YES,
AS LONG AS YOU DON'T MAKE

THE WHOLE WEST BANK
A SECURITY ZONE."

AND WHEN THEY CAME OUT OF THAT
MEETING, ABU ALA CAME UP TO ME

AND SAID, "THEY TURNED
THE DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLE
S

"COMPLETELY UPSIDE DOWN.

"THIS IS ABSOLUTELY CRAZY.

WE CANNOT CONTINUE LIKE THIS."

BUT THEN ALSO HE SMILEDE
END OF HIS OUTBURST, AND HE SAID

"BUT I LEARNED A HELL OF
A LOT FROM THOSE QUESTIONS."

Narrator:
AT THE NEXT SESSION, THE LAWYER
HANDED BACK TO THE PALESTINIANS

S
THE DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLE

WITH ALL THEIR VERBAL
CONCESSIONS SPELLED OUT

IN COLD PRINT.

(man speaking Arabic)

TranINGER STRAIGHT
OUT:

"YOU SEEM TO HAVE
COME WITH A MISSION.

"YOU ARE HERE TO DESTROY
THE PEACE PROCESS.

"YOU'RE FULL OF HOSTILITY
TO PALESTINIANS.

.
"YOU'RE LIVING IN THE PAST

"YOU HAVE A FEAR COMPLEX.

"YOU'RE STILL LIVING
IN THE GHETTO.

YOU CAN'T MAKE THE BREAK
AND SEE THE WAY FORWARD."

Translator:
HIS EYES WERE SHINING
WITH ANGER.

AND I SAID, "LISTEN,
EVERYTHING THAT I ADDED

"I TOOK FROM YOUR ANSWERS
TO MY QUESTIONS.

"THESE ARE YOUR WORDS.

LOOK AT YOUR NOTES!"

T
Narrator:
NEXT, THE NORWEGIAN
FOREIGN MINISTER, JOHAN HOLS

ACCOMPANIED BY TERJE LARSEN,
FLEW TO TUNIS TO VISIT ARAFAT.

IT WAS NOW ARAFAT'S TURN
TO RAISE THE STAKES.

Larsen:
HE WENT INTO A SIDE ROOM

AND GOT OUT A MAP OF GAZA,
WEST BANK AND ISRAEL

AND STARTED POINTING

AT DIFFERENT BORDERLINES
THAT WE WERE DISCUSSING

AND THEN AT A CERTAIN
POINT IN TIME, HE SAID

"AND I WANT KISSING POINTS."

AND I COULDN'T REALLY...
I THOUGHT, "WHAT DOES HE MEAN?"

AND I TURNED TO HOLST, AND I SAW
THAT HE WAS COMPLETELY PUZZLED.

SO HOLST SAID THEN

"YOU MEAN 'CROSSING POINTS,'
OR 'CHECKPOINTS' MAYBE?"

"NO, NO, NO," SAID ARAFAT

"I MEAN 'KISSING POINTS,'
LIKE..."

(kisses air)

AND WHAT HE REALLY MEANT

WAS THERE SHOULD BE
A KISSING POINT

BETWEEN GAZA AND THE WEST BANK.

BY WAY OF COMMUNICATION.

Translator:
TO MY SURPRISE, ARAFAT NOW
CAME UP WITH A TOUGHER STANCE.

IT DID NOT REFLECT
THE CURRENT COMPROMISE.

.
HE ASKED FOR A ROAD
FROM GAZA TO THE WEST BANK

S
HE REVIVED OLD P.L.O. DEMAND

WHICH REOPENED ISSUES WE HAD
ALREADY AGREED TO IN OSLO.

Narrator:
THE PALESTINIAN-CONTROLLED ROAD

BETWEEN GAZA AND THE WEST BANK
THAT ARAFAT WAS ASKING FOR

WOULD CUT ISRAEL IN TWO.

AND NOW ARAFAT WANTED
NOT JUST JERICHO

BUT THE SURROUNDING
DISTRICT AS WELL.

HE ALSO INSISTED THAT JERUSALEM
BE PUT BACK ON THE AGENDA.

Translator:
ARAFAT ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT
IF HE WAS GETTING SOMETHIN
G

HE MIGHT AS WELL ASK FOR MORE.

Translator:
I TOLD ARAFAT,
AT THE END OF THE MEETING

"ALL RIGHT,
I SHALL DO AS YOU ASK.

"BUT I KNOW THESE PEOPLE.

"THEY WON'T ACCEPT IT.

E
"IF WE PROCEED WITH THIS LIN

THE ISRAELIS
WILL END THE TALKS."

BUT ARAFAT INSISTED
ON HIS STAND.

HE SAID, "THESE ARE
MY INSTRUCTIONS..

THEY CAN TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT."

Narrator:
BACK IN NORWAY, THE PALESTINIAN-
ISRAELI RELATIONSHIP

WAS STRAINED BY THE NEW DEMANDS.

ABU ALA, THE CHIEF
P.L.O. NEGOTIATOR

PRESENTED THE NEW HARD LINE.

THE ISRAELIS WERE STUNNED.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
I SAID, "GENTLEMEN, YOU
ARE PULLING IT ALL APART--

"ALL THAT YOU PROMISED,
ALL WE NEGOTIATED.

"YOU KNOW THE GROUND RULES
WE AGREED TO.

"BUT IF WE TAKE YOUR PROPOSALS
BACK TO JERUSALEM

WE CAN KISS
THE OD-BYE."

AND I WAS ABOUT
TO PUT MY THINGS AWAY.

SUDDENLY, ABU ALA ASKED US
TO REMAIN SEATED AT THE TABLE.

HE WANTED TO MAKE
A PERSONAL ANNOUNCEMENT.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
I INFORMED THEM
THAT I WOULD BE RESIGNING.

I HOPED MY BROTHERS IN TUNIS
WOULD CONTINUE WITH OSLO.

.
IF THEY DID, I WISHED
MY REPLACEMENT EVERY SUCCESS

"GOOD-BYE, MY FRIENDS.

I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU."

(speaking Hebrew)

R
Translator:
WE ALL WONDERED WHETHER
THIS EXPERIENCED NEGOTIATO

WAS PULLING
SOME KIND OF TRICK...

OR WHETHER HE MEANT IT.

.
Narrator:
ABU ALA WALKED OUT
INTO THE SURROUNDING WOODS

Larsen:
HE'D HURT HIS FOOT

SO I GOT A STICK FOR HIM
WITH A SILVER HANDLE.

SO HE WAS WALKING AROUND

WITH AN AIR OF SUPERIORITY
TOWARDS THE ISRAELIS

REFUSING TO TALK TO THEM.

AND THEN HE CAME OVER TO M
E AND SAID, "IT'S ALL OVER."

Translator:
THIS WAS THE MOMENT OF CRISIS--

WHEN YOU EITHER PULL THE PLU
G OR DO SOMETHING DRASTIC.

WE DECIDED TO TRY
SOMETHING DRASTIC.

Narrator:
THE ISRAELIS HAD PREPARED
AN ALTERNATIVE IDEA

FOR JUST SUCH A MOMENT.

Singer:
WE SAID, "LISTEN, THE FACT

"THAT WE ARE TALKING
WITH THE P.L.O.

"WILL EVENTUALLY LEAK OUT.

"I THINK THAT WE SHOU AGRE
EMENT

"IN WHICH THE P.L.O. UNDERTAKES
TO DO A NUMBER OF THINGS

"AND IN RETURN,
ISRAEL RECOGNIZES THE P.L.O.

"
AS THE REPRESENTATIVE
OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
SINGER'S POINT

WAS THAT IF YOU NEGOTIATE
WITH THE P.L.O.

YOU'RE VIRTUALLY
RECOGNIZING THEM.

Translator:
RECOGNITION WAS THE KEY.

IT WOULD PUT THE P.L.O.
ON THE MAP.

Narrator:
NOW IN OSLO

THE MOMENT TO RAISE THE ISSU
E OF RECOGNITION HAD COME.

THE ISRAELI FOUND ABU ALA
IN A SMALL DRAWING ROOM.

(Savir speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
ABU ALA WAS LEANING
ON A STICK, LIKE THIS.

HE RAISED HIS EYES TO ME
AND I ASKED HIM, "HOW ARE YOU?"

AND BAD... VERY BAD.
"

Translator:
I WASN'T ACTING,
I WAS GENUINELY ANGRY.

IF YOU'VE BEEN NEGOTIATING
FOR SIX OR SEVEN MONTHS

AND PEOPLE SUDDENLY START
COMING UP WITH NEW IDEAS

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO GO ON.

I SAID, "LISTEN, ABU ALA, IF WE
CAN'T HAVE OUR MODEST AGREEMENT

LET'S GO FOR
SOMETHING REALLY BIG."

HE LOOKED UP AND SAID,
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?"

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
URI RAISED THE IDEA
OF MUTUAL RECOGNITION

BETWEEN THE P.L.O.
AND THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT
.

HE DICTATED SOME CONDITIONS.

Savir (translated):
THE MAIN POINTS WERE

THAT THE P.L.O. WOULD RECOGNIZE
ISRAEL'S RIGHT TO EXIST

RENOUNCE TERRORISM AND VIOLENCE

.
AND CHANGE THE P.L.O. CHARTE
R TO REFLECT THE NEW REALITY

Translator:
I SAID, "LISTEN.

"IF YOU PERSUADE MR. ARAFA
T TO ACCEPT ALL THESE CONDITIONS

"I PROMISE I'LL TRY TO PERSUADE
OUR PRIME MINISTER

"AND OUR FOREIGN MINISTER
TO RECOGNIZE THE P.L.O."

AND THEN THESE TWO GENTLEMEN
, URI SAVIR AND ABU ALA

CAME SUDDENLY BURSTING OUT
OF THE ROOM, LAUGHING AND JOKING

AND THEY HAD SOLVED
THE BASIC PROBLEM.

Narrator:
IT WAS THE BREAKTHROUGH
THEY WERE LOOKING FOR.

IT SEEMED THE P.L.O.
WOULD NOW BECOME

AN OFFICIAL PARTNER
IN THE PEACE PROCESS.

WHO KNOWS?

IF THEY WILL ELECT ME

I'LL BE THE PRESIDENT AGAI
N OF THIS PALESTINIAN STATE.

IF NOT, I'LL...

I WOULD LIKE TO RETURN BACK
TO WORK AS A CIVIL ENGINEER.

Narrator:
IT WAS N UP
TO PRIME MINISTER RABIN

.
TO DECIDE WHETHER
TO ACCEPT THE OSLO AGREEMENT

HIS CHIEF MILITARY ADVISER
ARGUED INSTEAD

FOR A DEAL WITH SYRIA.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
I ADVISED HIM TO TRY
FOR PEACE WITH SYRIA FIRST

AND THEN GO TO THE PALESTINIANS.

PEACE WITH SYRIA WOULD BRING

THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT
TO AN END.

Narrator:
IF SYRIA COULD BE PERSUADE
D TO SIGN A PEACE TREATY

ITS CLIENT STATE
LEBANON WOULD FOLLOW

AND THE PALESTINIANS AND JORDAN
WOULD HAVE LITTLE CHOICE

BUT TO FALL IN LINE.

Translator:
IT WAS IN THE INTEREST
OF BOTH US AND THE SYRIANS

AND IT WOULD REDUCE
THE PALESTINIANS' SCOPE

FOR HAGGLING.

Translator:
AN AGREEMENT WITH SYRIA
WILL MAKE

A POSITIVE STRATEGIC
DIFFERENCE TO ISRAEL.

AN AGREEMENT
WITH THE PALESTINIANS

WOULD JUST BE PUBLIC RELATIONS.

ISRAEL HAD OCCUPIED
A STRATEGIC CORNER OF SYRIA:

THE GOLAN HEIGHTS,
OVERLOOKING NORTHERN ISRAEL.

SUCCESSIVE ISRAELI LEADERS
HAD REFUSED TO WITHDRAW

WITHOUT PEACE.

L
Man:
WE KNEW THAT SYRIA WOULD
NOT MAKE A DEAL WITH ISRAE

WOULD NOT MAKE PEACE WITH ISRAEL
FOR LESS THAN FULL WITHDRAWAL.

AND, OF COURSE,??
FOR ANY ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER--

FOR RABIN IN PARTICULAR--
TO MAKE THE DECISION

.
TO GO FOR FULL WITHDRAWAL
WAS AGONIZING, WAS WRENCHING

BUT BEFORE MAKING THE DECISION

THAT PRIME MINISTER HAD TO KNOW
WHAT WAS BEING GIVEN IN RETURN

WHAT THE SYRIAN PACKAGE
CONSISTED OF.

Narrator:
AT THIS MOMENT

.
A NEW AMERICAN SECRETARY
OF STATE CAME TO JERUSALEM

Christopher:
WE WERE TRYING TO GIVE

SOME PROPULSION, SOME MOMENTUM

TO THE TRACK
INVOLVING THE SYRIANS.

Narrator:
CHRISTOPHER CAME
TO MEET WITH RABIN.

Rabinovich:
THE FOUR OF US CAME
INTO THE ROOM

AND SAT CLUSTERED AROUND..
. AROUND A SMALL TABLE

AND AFTER SOME GIVE AND TAKE
RABIN SUDDENLY SURPRISED US ALL

WITH... WITH A VERY
DRAMATIC GAMBIT.

Christopher:
HE DID GIVE ME A VERY IMPORTANT
MESSAGE TO TAKE TO SYRIA

TO TAKE TO PRESIDENT ASSAD
AND THAT WAS

HE SAID, "ASK ASSAD, IF I AM
ABLE TO GIVE HIM WHAT HE NEEDS

WILL HE REALLY GO ALL OUT
FOR PEACE?"

Narrator:
IN OTHER WORDS, IF RABIN
WITHDREW FROM THE GOLAN HEIGHTS

WOULD PRESIDENT ASSAD ACCEPT
ALTERNATIVE WAYS

?
TO SAFEGUARD ISRAEL'S BORDER

WOULD SYRIA AGREE TO FULL PEACE

STOP SUPPORT OF TERRORISM
FROM LEBANON

AND ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC
AND TRADE RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL?

CHRISTOPHER LEFT THE ROOM
WITH THE KNOWLEDGE

THAT HE WAS HOLDING
A VERY SIGNIFICANT MANDATE

IN HIS POCKET.

S
Narrator:
WHEN HE ARRIVED IN DAMASCU

CHRISTOPHER PRESENTED
ISRAEL'S OFFER OF WITHDRAWAL

TO PRESIDENT ASSAD.

Christopher:
HIS MISTRUST OF THE ISRAELIS

WAS SUCH THAT HE ALWAYS TOOK
EVERY CONCEPT AND TURNED IT OVER

AND LOOKED AT IT
FROM ALL DIFFERENT SIDES

AND THAT'S WHAT HE WAS DOING
WITH THE CONCEPT OF WITHDRAWAL

AND HE DID IT
BY ASKING ME QUESTIONS

NOT IMPOLITE QUESTIONS,
BUT VERY AGGRESSIVE QUESTIONS.

"NOW, YOU HAVE TO TELL ME,
MR. CHRISTOPHER

"WHAT THE PRIME MINISTER MEANS
BY WITHDRAWAL.

.
"THAT'S JUST AN EMPTY TERM

I REALLY DON'T KNOW
WHAT IT MEANS."

Narrator:
CHRISTOPHER THEN SHUTTLED
BACK TO JERUSALEM.

Christopher:
I MET WITH THE PRIME
MINISTER AGAIN.

HE WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT ASSAD
HAD NOT BEEN MORE FORTHCOMING

HAD NOT SHOWN MORE APPRECIATION

FOR RABIN'S WILLINGNESS
TO CONSIDER FULL WITHDRAWAL.

ON ALMOST EVERY DETAIL THERE WAS
AN ESSENTIALLY NEGATIVE ANSWER

D
OR AN ANSWER THAT SUGGESTE

THAT A VERY PROTRACTED PROCESS
OF BARGAINING

WOULD HAVE TO... TO BEGIN.

Narrator:
RABIN COULD NOT WAIT
FOR PRESIDENT ASSAD.

HE HAD PROMISED HIS VOTERS
A PEACE AGREEMENT WITHIN A YEAR

SO HE NOW SETTLED FOR THE DEAL
THAT WAS AVAILABLE--

WITH THE P.L.O. IN OLS

BUT PREMATURE DISCLOSURE
COULD DITCH THE DEAL

.
AND THE MEDIA WERE
GETTING CLOSE TO THE STORY

(man speaking
Hebrew)

Translator:
IS THE STAGE BEING
SET FOR A MEETING

BETWEEN YOURSELF
AND THE P.L.O.
LEADERSHIP

ARAFAT HIMSELF?

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
NOT IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.

(questions in Hebrew)

Translator:
BEFORE THE NEXT
ELECTION AT LEAST?

Translator:
I HOPE NOT.

Narrator:
RABIN HAD TO ACT FAST.

HE GAVE THE GO-AHEAD TO
FOREIGN MINISTER SHIMON PERES.

Singer:
SHIMON PERES TOLD ME

"JOEL, TAKE ALL YOUR DOCUMENTS,
COME WITH ME.

WE ARE GOING TO CONCLUDE
THE AGREEMENT."

Narrator:
PERES SET OFF FOR SCANDINAVIA.

TO CLINCH THE DEAL,
HE NEEDED A SMOKESCREEN.

HE MET NORWEGIAN
FOREIGN MINISTER JOHAN HOLST

SECRETLY IN STOCKHOLM, AND ASKED
HIM TO BE HIS MOUTHPIECE

IN CASE ANYONE WAS LISTENING IN

AS THEY TELEPHONED ARAFAT
IN TUNIS.

I CALLED ARAFAT AND I GOT HI
M IMMEDIATELY ON THE LINE.

AND I TOLD HIM THAT-- IN THE
CODE WE USED AT THE TIME--

"ABU AMMAR," WHICH IS
ARAFAT'SNOM DE GUERRE

"I HAVE THE TWO FATHERS HERE"--

THAT WAS THE CODE
FOR FOREIGN MINISTERS--

"MY FATHER
AND THE OTHER FATHER."

AND HE IMMEDIATELY UNDERSTOO
D WHAT I MEANT.

AND I SAID, "AND THEY WANT
TO FINISH EVERYTHING TONIGHT."

(speaking Arabic)

.
Translator:
WE WENT THROUGH THE LAST
DISPUTED POINTS ONE BY ONE

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
THE PHONE'S LOUDSPEAKER
WAS TURNED ON

(speaking Hebre

Translator:
I WAS LISTENING IN
FOR PERHAPS FOUR OR FIVE HOURS.

Singer:
AT AROUND MIDNIGHT

.
SHIMON PERES WENT TO SLEEP

AND HE TOLD ME,
"IF YOU NEED MY APPROVAL

TO GO
AND HE TOLD ME,
BEYOND THE GENERAL INSTRUCTIONST

THAT WE HAVE AGREED ON WIT
RABIN BACK AT HOME, WAKE ME UP."

Narrator:
AT ISSUE WERE THE WITHDRAWAL
OF ISRAEL'S MILITARY GOVERNMENT

AND HOW AND WHEN THEY WOUL
D DEAL WITH DIFFICULT ISSUES

LIKE JERUSALEM.

TWICE I HAD
TO WAKE SHIMON PERES UP.

Narrator:
THE SECOND AND LAST TIME
HE WOKE PERES UP

S
WAS OVER THE ISSUE OF
WHO WOULD CONTROL THE BRIDGE

BETWEEN THE WEST BANK
AND JORDAN.

Singer:
WE WANTED TO BE ABLE

TO CONTROL PEOPLE
ENTERING AND EXITING

FROM THE AUTONOMOUS AREAS
TO SEE THAT THEY ARE NOT

YOU KNOW, CONCEALING WEAPONS
AND THE LIKE.

(speaking Arabic)

Translator:
WE WANTED THE CROSSING POINT
S TO BE UNDER OUR CONTROL.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
I SAID TO HOLST

"TELL HIM WE WILL NOT RETREA
T FROM OUR POSITIONS.

"TELL THEM
IF WE DON'T SETTLE IT TONIGH
T

IT MIGHT NEVER GET SETTLED."

(speaking Arabic)

.
Translator:
WE AGREED THAT THE CROSSIN
G POINTS BE JOINTLY CONTROLLED

.
Narrator:
IT WAS 5:00 IN THE MORNING

AFTER SEVEN HOURS
ON THE TELEPHONE

THEY FINALLY HAD AN AGREEMENT.

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
I THINK THE PHONE BILL WAS PAID
BY THE SWEDISH GOVERNMENT.

WE STILL OWE THEM THE MONEY.

.
Narrator:
PRESIDENT CLINTON AGREED
TO HOST A SIGNING CEREMONY

THEN WITH EVERYONE GATHERING
IN WASHINGTON

AND ON THEIR WAY
TO THE WHITE HOUSE

YASSER ARAFAT NOSSING FROM THE D
OCUMENT:

THE NAME "P.L.O."

(man speaking Arabic)

Translator:
HE SAID, "I CANNOT SIGN
THIS DOCUMENT.

"I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF THE P.L.O.

"NOT THE HEAD
OF THE PALESTINIAN DELEGATIO
N

"AND ISRAEL HAS RECOGNIZED
THE P.L.O.

"SO WHAT ARE THE ISRAELIS UP TO?

SORT IT OUT."

(speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
AHMED TIBI RANG ME.

HE SAID, "THERE'S
A SMALL MATTER TO BE SORTED OUT.

IT ISN'T SORTED OUT

THE CEREMONY IS OFF
AND THE CHAIRMAN IS GOING HOME."

I SAW ARAFAT ORDERING
THE PLANE TO BE, TO BE READY

TO LEAVE WASHINGTON
IF THEY DON'T ACCEPT THE P.L.O.

Translator:
I SAID, "LISTEN, ALL THE
DOCUMENTS ARE PRINTED AND READY.

IT'S JUST AN HOUR
BEFORE THE SIGNING."

Y
Narrator:
LESS THAN HALF AN HOUR
BEFORE THE SIGNING CEREMON

PERES CALLED ARAFAT'S
REPRESENTATIVE TO HIS HOTEL.

HE SUGGESTED THAT THE PHRASE
"THE P.L.O. TEAM"

BE ADDED TO THE DOCUMENT.

(Tibi speaking Arabic)

"
Translator:
I SAID, "I'LL RING ARAFAT.

I SAID TO ARAFAT, "PERES SAYS,
'HOW ABOUT THE P.L.O. TEAM?'"

ARAFAT SAID,
"IN ALL OF THE TEXT?"

I SAID, "IN ALL THE TEXT."

HE SAID, "OKAY, TWO KISSES,
ONE FOR YOU AND ONE FOR PERES."

Announcer:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

MR. ARAFAT, CHAIRMAN
OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

OF THE PALESTINE LIBERATIO
N ORGANIZATION;

HIS EXCELLENCY YITZHAK RABIN
, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL;

THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES.

(applause)

Erakat:
THE MOMENT I SAW ARAFAT
WALKING OUT FROM THE WHITE HOUSE

(chuckles):
WITH RABIN NEXT TO HIM
AND CLINTON AND SO ON...

IMAGINE THIS WHITE HOUSE
THAT SAID BYE-BYE TO THE P.L.O.

THAT BRANDED ARAFAT
AS A TERRORIST

RABIN, THE CHIEF OF STAFF

WHO OCCUPIED THE WEST BANK
AND JERUSALEM AND...

IT WAS ELECTRIFYING.

(applause)

(Peres speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
RABIN DIDN'T WANT
TO LOOK AT ARAFAT.

IT WAS TERRIBLE.

THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHIN
G HIS BODY LANGUAGE

AND HE KEEPS MOVING HIS HEAD
NOT TO LOOK AT ARAFAT.

(applause)

.
AND I DID NOT THINK
THAT THEY WILL SHAKE HANDS

Arafat:
HE HESITATED A LITTLE BIT

BUT I INSISTED AND I CONTINUED
STRETCHING MY HAND TO HIM.

(applause)

T
AND THEN THE WAY
PRESIDENT CLINTON PULLED I

IT WAS EVIDENT
THAT IT WASN'T PLANNED.

(applause)

Peres (translated):
ARAFAT JUST WOULDN'T

LET GO OF HIS HAND.

HE'S A GREAT EXPERT
AT SUCH THINGS.

(cheering)

Erakat:
IT WAS A...

A MOMENT THAT WE RECALL
AS LONG AS WE LIVE, I THINK.

Translator:
AFTER HE FINISHED SHAKING
HIS HANDS, RABIN TURNED TO ME.

HE WHISPERED,
"NOW IT'S YOUR TURN."

HE WENT THROUGH THIS HELL,
NOW IT WAS MY TURN.

Narrator:
BUT THE AGREEMBRING PEACE.

S
IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIE

A LARGE NUMBER OF PALESTINIANS
VOWED TO CONTINUE THE FIGHT.

(crowd chanting)

IN ISRAEL, TOO,
THE OPPOSITION WAS FIERCE.

WE THINK THAT
THIS ENDANGERS ISRAEL

AND WHAT I WOULD DO
AS PRIME MINISTER

IS TO DO ANYTHING RESPONSIBLE,
WITHIN THE RULE OF LAW

TO STOP AND NULLIFY THE DANGERS

THAT EMANATE FROM
THIS AGREEMENT WITH THE P.L.O.

TO ISRAEL'S SECURITY.

(masses cheering, music playing
over loudspeaker)

NarratRAFAT LED NOW
WAS NOT QUITE A STATE

NarratRAFAT LED NOW
BUT FOR THE FIRST TIME
WAS NOIN HISTORYSTATE

(applause)

AMONG THE ARAB COUNTRIES

NOW JORDAN WOULD JOIN EGTH THE
ISRAELIS.

E
KING HUSSEIN WAS AT LAST ABL

TO SIGN THE PEACE TREATY
HE HAD WANTED.

Hussein:
WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED

AND WHAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO

IS THE END OF THE STATE OF WAR
BETWEEN JORDAN AND ISRAEL.

(applause)

.
Narrator:
BUT BETWEEN SYRIA AND ISRAEL
, THE STATE OF WAR CONTINUED

IN AN EFFORT TO BROADEN
THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE

PRESIDENT CLINTON CAME
TO DAMASCUS.

Al-Moualem:
PRESIDENT CLINTON TOLD
PRESIDENT ASSAD

THAT, WELL, RABIN PRESENTE
D TO YOU FULL WITHDRAWAL

TO THE LINE OF 4 JUNE

AND WE EXPECT FROM YOU TO NO
W TO MOVE THE NEXT STEP.

Narrator:
CLINTON PRESSED ASSAD TO SEN
D HIS TOP MILITARY COMMANDER

TO MEET HIS ISRAELI COUNTERPART

AND WORK OUT THE PRACTICALITIES
OF ENDING THEIR STATE OF WAR.

IT WAS BIG DECISION FOR SYRI
A TO SEND OUR CHIEF OF STAFF

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY TO
MEET THE ISRAELI CHIEF OF STAFF.

IT'S A VERY HEAVY
AND BIG DECISION.

Narrator:
ASSAD HELD BACK.

FIRST, HE WANTED HIS AMBASSADOR
TO WASHINGTON

TO MEET THE ISRAELI
CHIEF OF STAFF.

Translator:
WE WORE WIGS

SO THAT WE WOULDN'T BE
RECOGNIZED ON THE EL AL FLIGHT.

WE ARRIVED AT THE MEETING PLACE
IN WASHINGTON.

ONLY THEN COULD
WE BREATHE FREELY

TAKE OFF OUR WIGS.

I TOOK A LAST LOOK AT MYSELF
IN THE MIRROR.

WHENEVER I WEAR A WIG,
I LOOK LIKE MY MOTHER.

Narrator:
THE ISRAELI C THE MEE
TING

BY SPEAKING OF
A MILITARY WITHDRAWAL

WITHOUT SPECIFYING
THE PRECISE FRONTIER.

Al-Moualem:
I INSISTED

.
THAT WITHDRAWAL HAS TO BE
TO THE LINE OF 4 JUNE 1967

I REPEAT THIS WORD
MORE THAN 20 TIMES

.
DURING THE TALK WITH BARAK

Translated:
LIKE A PARROT,
HE REPEATED THEIR DEMAND

TO WITHDRAW
TO THE JUNE FOURTH BORDER.

Narrator:
THE ISRAELI WANTED
A MORE INFORMAL EXCHANGE.

Barak:
DURING BREAKS

WE WALKED IN THE GARDEN.

THERE, WE WERE OFF THE RECORD.

Al-Moualem:
AND WE SPOKE FRANKLY

WHETHER THEY ARE COMMITTED
TO SETTLEMENT WITH SYRIA OR NOT

WHETHER THEY UNDERSTAND
WHAT IT REQUIRES.

Barak (translated):
ON THE PATIO, THERE WERE
THESE ARCHED DOORWAYS.

I COMPARED PEACE BETWEEN US
TO THE KEYSTONE OF THE ARCH.

AT THE END, YOU FEEL
THAT HE WANTS TO MAKE IT.

HE WANTS TO FIND A SOLUTION,
HE WANTS TO GIVE HIS BLESSING.

Narrator:
THIS ENCOURAGING START LED ASSAD

TO SEND HIS CHIEF OF SOIN
THE TALKS.

THEY DISCUSSED
MILITARY SAFEGUARDS

FOR EXAMPLE, THE FUTURE OF
ISRAEL'S EARLY WARNING STATION

IN THE GOLAN.

TALKS PROGRESSED
IN FITS AND STARTS.

(crowd cheering)

ON THE NIGHT
SYRIA AND ISRAEL AGREED

TO BEGIN A NEW ROUND OF TALK
S

THE ISRAELI PEACEMAKERS HELD
A RALLY IN TEL AVIV.

(singing in Hebrew)

(Peres speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
WE SANG, THE THREE OF US--

THE SINGER MIRI ALONI,
YITZHAK AND MYSELF.

YITZHAK AND I ARE NOT
SUCH GREAT SINGERS.

HE HAD THE WORDS OF THE
PEACE SONG ON A SHEET OF PAPER.

NG, OUT OF TUNE
A

YITZHAK FOLDED IT AND PUT IT
IN THE POCKET OF HIS JACKET.

Narrator:
ON THE WAY TO HIS CAR

HE WAS SHOT DEAD
BY AN ISRAELI EXTREMIST.

THREE BULLETS WENT
THROUGH HIS HEART

AND THROUGH THE SONG.

(man speaking Hebrew)

Translator:
THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL,
WITH SHOCK AND SORROW

ANNOUNCES THE DEATH
OF PRIME MINISTER YITZHAK RABIN

WHO WAS MURDERED BY AN ASSASSIN
TONIGHT IN TEL AVIV.

(man shouting in Hebrew)

?
Translator:
WHY? WHY HAVE THEY DONE THIS

I AM VERY SAD AND VERY SHOCKED

FOR THIS AWFUL
AND TERRIBLE CRIME

AGAINST ONE OF THE BRAVE LEADERS
OF ISRAEL AND THE PEACEMAKERS.

(speaking slowly in Hebrew)

Translator:
WE WENT TO THE ROOM
WHERE HE WAS LYING ON THE BED.

HIS BODY WAS COVERED
WITH A SHEET UP TO HERE.

ON HIS FACE WAS AN EXPRESSIO
N OF PEACE, AND MAYBE IRONY.

IT WAS HIS TYPICAL RABIN SMILE.

I KISSED HIS FOREHEAD
AND SAID GOOD-BYE.

Narrator:
PERES NOW BECAME PRIME MINISTER.

PRESIDENT CLINTON WAS
DETERMINED TO SEE

A
THAT RABIN'S COMMITMENT
TO SEEKING PEACE WITH SYRI

DIDN'T DIE WITH HIM.

THE AMERICANS STILL WANTED
ISRAEL TO KEEP RABIN'S PROMISE--

TO WITHDRAW
FROM THE GOLAN HEIGHTS.

Christopher:
RABIN HAD HELD THE SYR
RATHER CLOSELY TO HIMSELF

SO WHEN HE WAS ASSASSINATE
D

ALL OF A SUDDEN
IT BECAME VERY IMPORTANT

TO PASS ON TO
NER PERES

WHAT HAD HAPPENED,
BEEN HAPPENING.

PRESIDENT CLINTON SAID, "HERE
ARE THE PROMISES YITZHAK GAVE."

HE ASKED IF THESE PROMISES
COMMITTED ME.

I SAID, "WHATEVER YITZHAK
WAS COMMITTED TO

I AM COMMITTED TO."

Narrator:
PERES ASKED THE AMERICANS

TO ARRANGE A SUMMIT
WITH PRESIDENT ASSAD

SO THAT PERES COULD REPEAT
HIS OSLO TRIUMPH

AND BRING THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH
SYRIA TO A QUICK CONCLUSION.

Translator:
I TOLD HIM TO ASK ASSAD

"DO YOU WANT TO FLY HIGH
AND FAST OR LOW AND SLOW?"

-
WE ARE READY TO FLY HIGH
AND FAST IN ONE CONDITION-

TO KNOW WHEN WE LAND
AND WHERE WE LAND.

Y
PRESIDENT ASSAD, IN MY JUDGMENT,
MISSED A HISTORIC OPPORTUNIT

BECAUSE HE WASN'T PREPARED TO
TAKE A GREATER RISK FOR PEACE.

Narrator:
PERES HAD SET A DATE
FOR THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTION.

S
BUT THEN, FOUR DAYS LATER,
PALESTINIAN TERRORIST ATTACK

CHANGED ISRAEL'S
POLITICAL LANDSCAPE.

Reporter:
IT WAS A FEROCIOUS BLAST.

THE SUICIDE BOMBER DETONATED
TEN KILOS OF EXPLOSIVES

IN THE MIDDLE
OF A CROWDED COMMUTER BUS.

Narrator:
24 ISRAELIS WERE KILLED.

A WEEK LATER

A PALESTINIAN TERRORIST PLANTED
ANOTHER BOMB ON A BUS.

THIS TIME, 19 DIED.

.
THE PROMISES OF PEACE AND
RECONCILIATION SEEMED HOLLOW

D
AS NEW ELECTIONS APPROACHE

MANY VOTERS CARED MORE
ABOUT SECURITY THAN PEACE.

Translator:
THESE TERRORIST ATTACKS
LOST US 20% IN THE POLLS.

IT WAS CATASTROPHIC.

I KNEW ANOTHER BOMB WOULD EN
D THE WHOLE THING.

Narrator:
THE TERRORISTS STRUCK AGAIN.

IN TEL AVIV'S BUSIEST
SHOPPING STREET

14 DIED AND OVER A HUNDRED
WERE INJURED.

(sirens blaring)

(cheering)

TOGETHER, THE ISRAELI ELECTORATE
AND PALESTINIAN EXTREMISTS

HAD BROUGHT FOURTH A NEW,
MORE MISTRUSTFUL ISRAELI LEADER.

THE MAJOR E
BEFORE THE ELECTIONS

WHEN I SAID THAT I WOULD HONOR
THE OSLO ACCORDS

EVEN THOUGH
I THOUGHT THEY WERE...

THEY CONTAINED MANY FLAWS.

Narrator:
NEVERTHELESS, NETANYAHU AGREED

TO PARTIAL PALESTINIAN
CONTROL OF HEBRON

BUT FOR 18 MONTHS AFTERWARDS
THE PEACE PROCESS WAS PARALYZED.

IN OCTOBER 1998, UNDER
NSIDERABLE AMERICAN PRESSURE

ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS MET
IN A HOTEL OUTSIDE WASHINGTON.

ON THE TABLE WAS A PROPOSA
L FOR AN ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL

FROM ADDITIONAL TERRITORY
ON THE WEST BANK

IN RETURN FOR
NEW SECURITY GUARANTEES

AND THE ANNULMENT OF ALL CLAUSES
IN THE PALESTINIAN CHARTER

CALLING FOR THE DESTRUCTIO
N OF ISRAEL.

ONE PEACEMAKER WAS
GENERAL ARIEL SHARON

WHOSE FIERCE REPUTATION
AS A WARRIOR

HELPED PROVIDE CREDIBILITY
TO THE PROCESS.

(applause)

NINE DAYS OF DIPLOMATIC URGING,
CAJOLING, INTERVENING

AND ARM-TWISTING
BY PRESIDENT CLINTON

FINALLY PRODUCED RESULTS.

THIS AGREEMENT IS GOOD
FOR ISRAEL'S SECURITY.

G
THE COMMITMENTS MADE BY TH
E PALESTINIANS WERE VERY STRON

AS STRONG AS ANY
WE HAVE EVER SEEN.

WE ARE MORE SECURE TODAY

BECAUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE
THE SIGNING OF THE OSLO ACCORDS

WE WILL SEE RETE
AND VERIFIABLE COMMITMENTS

CARRIED OUT.

THIS AGREEMENT IS GOOD

.
FOR THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC
WELL-BEING OF PALESTINIANS

Y
IT SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDS AREAS
UNDER PALESTINIAN AUTHORIT

.
TO SOME 40% OF THE WEST BANK

Translator:
WE WILL NEVER GO BACK.

WE WILL NEVER LEAVE
THE PEACE PROCESS

AND WE WILL NEVER GO BACK
TO VIOLENCE AND CONFRONTATION--

NO RETURN TO CONFRONTATION
AND VIOLENCE.

(applause)

Narrator:
TO SUPPORT THE AGREEMENT

KING HUSSEIN LEFT
HIS HOSPITAL BED

WHERE HE WAS BEING TREATED
FOR CANCER.

HE WENT RIGHT TO THE HEART
OF THE MATTER.

WE QUARREL, WE AGREE.

WE ARE FRIENDLY,
WE ARE NOT FRIENDLY.

BUT WE HAVE NO RIGHT

S
TO DICTATE THROUGH IRRESPONSIBLE
ACTION OR NARROW-MINDEDNES

THE FUTURE OF OUR CHILDREN
AND THEIR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN.

THERE HAS BEEN
ENOUGH DESTRUCTION

.
ENOUGH DEATH, ENOUGH WASTE

AND IT'S TIME THAT TOGETHER,
WE OCCUPY A PLACE

S
BEYOND OURSELVES, OUR PEOPLE

THAT IS WORTHY OF THEM
UNDER THE SUN--

THE DESCENDANTS OF THE CHILDREN
OF ABRAHAM.

Narrator:
AFTER 50 YEARS OF WAR
AND SUFFERING

A HALTING, TENTATIVE PARTITION
OF PALESTINE WAS UNDERWAY.

FUNDING FORTHE 50 YEARS WAR:
ISRAEL AND THE ARABS

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