Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said the assassination of Rehavam Zeevi has created a new situation, just as the terrorist attacks on the US did. Sharon placed the responsibility for Zeevi’s assassination solely on Palestinian Authority chairman Yasser Arafat. He said Arafat has not taken any meaningful measures against terrorism, even though he knew that not taking such measures would lead to additional murders.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Shimon Peres said the assassination constitutes a change in magnitude. “We must know how to deal with it. We had better examine each step, but we won't remain indifferent, nor will we let the matter drop,” Peres said, adding, “If Arafat doesn’t take care of things, everything will go up in flames.”
President Moshe Katsav issued the following statement: "The late Rehavam Zeevi was a reflection of his homeland, one of the Israeli people's great patriots, a fighter, and an outstanding military man, possessed unsurpassed knowledge of his country, and was a great leader. We all grieve over his death. I am certain that together we will overcome. Terror will not change our path or affect our faith.”
The Knesset chair of Rehavam Zeevi, between MK Uzi Landau and Tzippi Livni, was draped in black during a special memorial Knesset session this afternoon. The day’s agenda was postponed in the wake of the assassination.
The session opened with a minute of silence and lasted 25 minutes. Former President Ezer Weizman and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu both attended the session.
“We want peace with the Palestinian people, but we will not compromise with terror. We will fight to the finish against terrorists and their helpers,” said Sharon, adding that Zeevi’s assassination was a personal loss. “He was a comrade in arms and in the belief of the right of the Jewish people to its homeland,” Sharon said. The prime minister then summarized the two men's experiences while serving together in the army and fighting wars together . Sharon promised to execute Zeevi’s will.
Head of the opposition, MK Yossi Sarid (Meretz) said, “I am devastated by the murder.” He said that he and Zeevi had shared moments of genuine affection, despite being political opponents who often had vastly different positions on various issues.
“You will be missed, because you were a friend who was an opponent, and an opponent who was a friend,” said Sarid. Sarid also spoke about the political significance of the crime. “The blood on the murderers’ heads will not be cleaned. They want to drown us in blood, even as all of us must strive not to become drowned in blood.”
On this point, Sarid was even sharper than Sharon, “The assassination put the Palestinian Authority to a severe test. It must take strong action, with no evasions, to catch the murderers, because if they fail the test, the country will burn and the fire will destroy all.”
Sarid also took care to warn the government to carefully weigh the issues before launching a war against the monstrous terrorism. “Learn the lesson of an earlier government which went to war (in Lebanon) after the assassination attempt on an Israeli ambassador. Remember its impetuous beginning and its bitter end. We must remember everything,” said Sarid.
In other reactions to the assassination, Minister of Communications Reuven Rivlin said, "The terrorism leveled against us has reached a new level, in which organizations that Arafat fully cooperates with, have begun targeting our politicians. We cannot accept the Palestinian comparison that every terrorist in the Palestinian Authority is a politician, while every Israeli politician is a terrorist that must be hit."
"We target men with blood on their hands, men responsible for terrible terrorist attacks. We liquidate murderers.”
Deputy Minister of Public Security and former General Security Services head Gideon Ezra said, "This was a very painful attack against a very brave man, who always acted out of principle. The PFLP, which took responsibility for the attack, will pay a heavy price.
Shinui chairman MK Tomy Lapid said, “First I feel sorrow about an old friend and Israeli hero. Second, this opens a new chapter in the war against Palestinian terrorism. Third, despite all the regret and pain, I hope we will not lose our heads and we will act with wisdom and cool-heads.”
MK Azmi Bishara (Balad) condemned the assassination, but with reservations, “I oppose all political assassinations, but Israel must understand that its assassination policy in the territories, including what Palestinians perceive to be political assassinations, such as Abu Ali Mustapha, is what led to this cycle, which will now only continue. The failure was not in the security that was or was not around the minister, but in the decision to carry out assassinations.”
The Forum of Druze and Circassians today halted all public protests planned for the coming days. Yesterday, the forum set up a protest tent in the Jerusalem’s Rose Garden, across from the Knesset. Zeevi visited the tent yesterday to meet forum leaders, with whom he has had longstanding professional relations. The forum leaders said that Zeevi was the only minister who visited the tent, and had told them that he would hold his next party convention with them in the tent.
Sharon will convene a special session of the security-political cabinet this evening, to discuss responses to the Zeevi assassination. Minister of Housing and Construction Natan Sharansky called for an uncompromising war against terrorism and a suspension of all diplomatic talks. Sharon has in fact suspended all diplomatic contacts with the Palestinians.
Published by Israel's Business Arena on 17 October 2001