This is a transcript of the speech by the Prime Minister of Israel on Peace Through Tourism:
Greetings to all who have come from so many countries all over the world to attend this congress, which is at this time in Israel. And I speak in the name of the government of Israel; I really appreciate your decision to come over to be here, to see the changes that have taken place, which hopefully are only the beginning of greater changes in the life of the countries and the people of the Middle East.
Nothing will happen quickly. But determination, single-mindedness, and the continuation of the efforts to bring about peace. For me, bringing about peace means achieving peaceful coexistence. I believe you can coexist in peace with someone you don’t love.
Love is not needed as the basis for peaceful coexistence, and in the context of the Arab-Israel conflict, we can’t change interrelationships in a short time in a very dramatic way. It’s a prolonged process, once the partners to the peace on the Arab and Israeli sides are really determined to continue to build structural peace instead of the realities of war, violence, and terror.
I believe in tourism. I believe in its combined aspects of industry and opportunity for many people to enjoy themselves and to learn. I believe that tourism can be one of the major instruments people can use to learn about each other, their history, and their roots. Tourism will create better understanding all over the world – and no doubt in the Middle East as long as the peace process will continue.
I believe the future of tourism is one of the best of all industries in the world. Since the standard of living in considerable parts of the word is in the process of rising, hundreds of millions have a very high standard of living, and I’m sure have a tendency to use their private income and company income to give individuals the opportunity to make tourist trips.
Some estimate that hundreds of billions of dollars will be invested very soon in tourism, and that it will become, if not the major industry, one of the most important and huge.
As an Israeli, I look at it as an industry that the government has to assist because it’s coupled with its very existence. First, it is the industry with the most added value in terms of foreign currency spending, which is greater than that of the hi-tech industry. Secondly, it employs many people, whereas the hi-tech industry relies on automation and the reduction of the number of workers to compete with international markets.
Tourism brings knowledge, enjoyment, added value and understanding – of the meaning of Israel, the roots of Israel, our efforts in building peace and security, an advanced progressive society.
The Amman economic Conference addressed the issue of tourism and tourism packages, building new hotels, cooperating in making tourism more safe wherever they go.
I believe we are at the threshold of new realities in the Middle East. I am sure that with your help and your participation, we will see that tourism promotes peace and peace assists tourism.
The Prime Minister of Israel Believed in Tourism, Peace without Love
This speech reflected the vision of the Prime Minister of Israel, Yitzhak Rabin, on November 2nd, 1995, at the International Congress of the International Hotel Association in Tel Aviv. Two days later, on November 4th, 1995, the PM was assassinated, and with him also his dream of peace through tourism.
Today, the Middle East is burning. The long-time eTN correspondent in Teheran sent his family to safety in Turkey. He said all airlines canceled flights, and airlines are not refunding expensive tickets for canceled flights. The situation is bad and hard. No one should travel here at this time.
Former executives for Lebanon’s prominent trade show AWTEE told eTurboNews: “We’re hiding with family in the mountains, too scared to go to Beirut right now. We hear the planes from Israel every night.”
eTN Readers in Haifa told eTN they moved to Tel Aviv to escape the dangers of living in the northern part of the country.
In Gaza, no place is safe anymore; a genocide has been in full swing with the world watching.
It’s not a crime to be a journalist; attacking one is. This is the message by Qatar-funded Al Jazeera Media. This global media company lost more journalists in the Gaza conflict than any media ever in any conflict. Al Jazeera lost its license to report from Israel and its occupied territories. The world can no longer learn about the horrors this war region is going through.
In the meantime, tourism against all odds is continuing in Israel, Iran, and Jordan, but of course, it came to a stillstand in Palestine and Syria.
Perhaps the current Prime Minister of Israel, Netanyahu, could learn a lot from his late colleague Yitzhak Rabin.
