Late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was born in Jerusalem on
March 1, 1922 to a socialist family. In his teens he joined the Palmach,
one of Israel's pre-independence undergrounds. At 26, he defended
Jerusalem against Arab troops in the 1948 Independence War. Rabin gained
world glory as a brilliant warrior following Israel's Six Day War in
1967, leading Israel's Defence Forces as Chief of Staff.
Yitzhak Rabin was appointed Israel's ambassador to the U.S. in 1968.
In 1974, Israel's ruling Labor Party designated Rabin, then a political
freshman, to succeed Prime Minister Golda Meir who had to step down
after leading Israel to the brink of disaster in the 1973 Yom Kippur
War. Three years later, Rabin himself had to resign over his wife Leah's
illegal U.S. bank account, and he also lost leadership of the party to
his political archrival, Shimon Peres.
With the 1977 election victory of the right-wing Likud party, headed
by Prime Minister Menachem Begin, Rabin moved to the sidelines for seven
years, but in 1984 was called back and served for six years as a defense
minister in the national unity government.
In Israel's 1992 election, Yitzhak Rabin lead the Labor Party to a
shining victory. He immediately set himself a bold agenda: to make peace
with the Arabs and lead Israel out of its isolation. In many aspects,
Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin achieved both these goals.
Yitzhak Rabin left a legacy of peace and hope to the people of
Israel.
Rabin in Final Speech: "Violence Erodes the Basis of Israeli
Democracy"
Just 90 minutes before the Israeli Prime Minister was shot to death on
Saturday night, he addressed a peace rally condemning violence and
supporting the peace process. The rally was attended by some 100,000
people in Tel Aviv's Malchei Yisrael Square. Rabin, together with
Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, joined in the singing of peace songs.
Following are extracts from his speech:
"This government, which I have the privilege to head with my friend
Shimon Peres, decided to give peace a chance. A peace which will solve
most of the state of Israel's problems.
I was a military man for 27 years. I waged war as long as there was no
chance for peace. I believe there is now a chance for peace, a great
chance, and we must take advantage of it for those standing here, and
for those who are not here - and they are many. I have always believed
that the majority of the people want peace and are ready to take a
chance for peace.
And you, by coming to this rally, prove...that the people truly want
peace and oppose violence. Violence erodes the basis of Israeli
democracy.
It should be condemned and isolated. It is not the
way of the State of Israel. There is democracy. There can be disputes
but the outcome will be settled by democratic elections.
Peace is not only in prayers...but it is the desire of the Jewish
people. There are enemies of the people. They are trying to attack us in
order to torpedo peace. I want to tell you: we found a partner for peace
among the Palestinians, the PLO, which used to be an enemy, but stopped
terrorism.
Without partners for peace, there is no peace. Also with Syria, there
will be an opportunity to achieve peace. This rally must broadcast to
the Israeli public, to the world Jewish public and to many in the
western and outside world that the people of Israel want peace, support
peace. Thank you."