Peace in the Middle East is Becoming Less Remote

There are signs that peace in the Middle East is becoming less remote, Premier Golda Meir said today in a New Year’s message to Jews around the world. She noted that the cease-fire had been substantially maintained throughout the year and that “some of our neighbors” have realized “that they have no wars to win.” This realization, Mrs. Meir stated, “has given rise to occasional voices in some Arab capitals recognizing the futility of a renewed war.”

Continuing, the Premier stated: “The fact that the cease-fire along our frontiers has been substantially maintained is a direct consequence of two factors: the ever-growing deterrent strength of the Israel defense forces and the constantly increasing inner strength of our national enterprise.”

Just as these constitute the “basic conditions for muting the enemies’ guns, so too do they serve as instruments for the forging of eventual peace. Nobody can foretell when that blessed day will dawn, yet there are factors operative in our region today that make its coming less remote than before,” the Premier stated.

YEAR OF UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH

Mrs. Meir said that this year has been one of unprecedented growth for Israel: a year of continuing immigration, of social advancement, of educational expansion, of economic progress and of scientific and technical achievements.

This was also a year in which Israel moved “from strength to strength dedicated to its task of national rebirth and to an ingathering that has brought to our welcoming shores almost a quarter of a million immigrants since 1967. Many of them as you know come from the Soviet Union and their courageous national resurgence represents one of the proudest chapters of our history,” the Premier said.

She urged her fellow countrymen and Jews all over the world “Never to tire in demanding the widening of that door so that every Jew who wishes to join us may do so freely and without intimidation. Likewise we shall continue to raise our voice in the name of the remnant of Jewish communities in certain Arab countries who are still hostage to persecution and who seek freedom in their ancient homeland.”

Focussing on the growth of aliya from the West and the growing involvement of the younger generation of the diaspora in Jewish life and their interest in Israel, Mrs. Meir said that “much remains to be done in promoting aliya and bolstering Jewish education.” She praised the aid diaspora Jewry provided to help the Jewish State to grapple with the many challenges it still faces and urged rededication “to the values and to the heritage that are the core of Judaism and which serve as the inspiration of Israel.”