Widow of Yitzhak Rabin speaks at UCLA

Tuesday, February 23, 1999

Widow of Yitzhak Rabin speaks at UCLA

SPEECH: Prime minister sought peace for Israel, partnership with
U.S.

By Andy Shah

Daily Bruin Staff

Leah Rabin, widow of assassinated Israeli prime minister Yitzhak
Rabin, addressed the UCLA community on Monday at the Macgowan Freud
Playhouse.

After an introduction by Chancellor Albert Carnesale and Rabbi
Chaim Seidler-Feller, director of the Hillel Jewish Student Center,
Rabin described the history of the conflict between Israel and
surrounding Arab nations, and how her husband attempted to bring
peace to that region of the world.

Rabin said that a major victory for Israel came in 1947 when the
majority of countries represented in the United Nations (UN)
affirmed that the Jewish population in the region needed a
homeland.

But she said that Yitzhak was concerned with the implications of
the UN’s decision.

"It was absolutely clear that the day after the UN resolution we
were bleeding because the Arab citizens in the country started
rioting. One road wasn’t safe," she said.

The day after Israel was declared an independent nation in May
1948, seven Arab nations invaded the country.

"They had a hard time believing that among them there would be a
Jewish state," she said.

Despite a small army and few weapons, Israel was able to defeat
Arab forces by the end of 1948.

After 1948, she said, Yitzhak worked on strengthening Israel’s
military in an effort to gain peace in the region.

"It was Yitzhak’s philosophy that if we shall be strong enough
to deter away our enemies, then we can aspire for peace," she
said.

In 1979, Israel agreed to a peace accord with Egypt and gave up
the Sinai Desert in return.

"We finally realized that peace was possible if you are ready to
compromise land for peace," she said.

"We thought that if we had peace with Egypt, it was the
beginning of the breaking of the cycle of animosity and hatred
toward Israel," she continued.

She said that after 27 years of being a soldier, Yitzhak wanted
to move to Washington, D.C., and become a diplomat because he
believed that the United States would help Israel obtain its
goals.

For years, Yitzhak believed that peace with Palestine was not
possible because of Yasser Arafat’s leadership and the presence of
the Palestine Liberation Organization, Rabin said, but he finally
changed his mind in 1992 and pursued a peace agreement with
Arafat.

The famous handshake between Yitzhak and Arafat on the White
House lawn symbolized the start of a new peace, she said.

"We know now how important that handshake was," she said.
"Yitzhak said that now was the time to respect and reconcile with
Palestine. He said that Arafat was not his enemy."

But she said that Yitzhak’s attempt at reconciliation had many
opponents, such as Hamas, a Palestinian terrorist group, and some
right-wing Jewish settlers in the West Bank.

"They tried hard to discredit the agreement, and they dared call
him a traitor and a murderer," Rabin said. "One extremist called
him a murderer of Zionism."

She said the backlash against her husband didn’t affect him.

"Yitzhak was not afraid of them," she said. "He didn’t believe
that any of his people wanted to murder him."

But in 1995, Yitzhak was killed by an Israeli extremist at a
rally in support of the peace process.

"It was a horrible, tragic point in the history of the Jewish
people," Rabin said. "He was a man who was there for his people,
and he was dedicated to the cause of building and defending peace
for Israel."

She said that Likud, the current ruling party in Israel led by
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has made very little progress in
the peace process after Rabin’s assassination.

"The current leaders in Israel don’t want peace," she said.
"They want to go back to the complex of isolationism and believing
that people hate us."

Rabin said that many Israelis do not want a conflict with
Palestine.

"We don’t want to occupy their land and rule their lives," she
said. "They need peace and a sense of independence as much as we
wanted it in 1948."

But Rabin said that she was hopeful of a peaceful future for
Israel.

"The train will get to the destination of peace, and when that
day comes, we will be overjoyed," she said. "We want to live in our
Jewish homeland in peace with our neighbors."

Seidler-Feller said that Rabin’s speech had a strong impact on
young Jews.

"The younger generation is removed from the reality of Israel,"
he said. "They were confused because of the political events that
occurred after the assassination, but her speech rekindled the
ability to believe in reconciliation and coexistence."

Elena Lempel, president of the Jewish Student Union, said that
Rabin’s speech was inspiring.

"She is a witness that peace can happen, and she sent the
message back to students that if you believe in something, try
hard, and work together, the last war can be won," she said.

The speech was sponsored by the Jewish Student Union, Hillel
Jewish Student Center, the Center for Jewish Studies and the Center
for Near Eastern Studies.NICOLE MILLER

Leah Rabin, wife of the late Israeli prime minister Yitzhak
Rabin, speaks at Macgowan’s Freud Playhouse on Monday
afternoon.

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