both from the viewpoint of the large number of Arab residents who took part in some
of the events, the scope of events throughout the area, and the extent of the continu-
ity and duration of these events, which indeed have yet to end.
The tension and intense alertness in the field have not yet faded away: the atmo-
sphere still enables the small number of extremists to incite and to draw the masses
into additional riots. This is not the time or the place to enter into an analysis and
assessment of the general circumstances and the specific reasons which formed the
background to the outburst of the violent and unusual series of events such as we
have not seen for many years. We must face this phenomenon with our eyes wide
open—to recognize the fact of its existence and to find the suitable ways to end it
now and prevent its recurrence in the future, with the goal of providing security for
all residents.
All Israeli governments, without exception, have determined that the legal and
political status of the area of Judea, Samaria and the Gaza District will not be subject
to a unilateral and decisive Israeli act. This is in order to prove our desire for peace
on our eastern border as well: peace that will be obtained through direct bilateral nego-
tiations with Jordan and the Palestinian residents in the territories who are not iden-
tified as PLO [Palestine Liberation Organization] personnel. We will not hold nego-
tiations with the PLO terrorist organization.
Since the end of the Six Day War, the territories have been under military rule
through a Military Government and a Civil Administration. The policies which are
carried out by the government are interwoven: an all-out war against PLO terrorism
on the one hand, while maintaining public law and order for all residents, and, on the
other hand, providing assistance to improve the quality of life for all those who want
to live in peace.
The violent public disorders during the past two weeks broke out against a back-
drop of local events, and were the fruits of spontaneous organization. The PLO ter-
rorist organizations and activists in the territories seized on this wave of events and
did everything they could, both inside and outside the territories, in order to heighten
and intensify the events. The Arab media, particularly those of the extremist Arab
states, were filled with calls to residents of the territories to violate law and order vio-
lently and acutely. The Arab press in East Jerusalem was full of incitement, direct and
indirect, to continue the demonstrations.
The standing of the Palestinian terrorist organizations were badly damaged in the
Arab world and the international community as a result of the resolutions passed at
the Arab summit conference in Amman. These resolutions signalled the Arab world,
and the entire world, that the priorities of the majority in the Arab world are pre-
venting the spread of Islamic extremism of a Khomeinist stripe, and the continua-
tion of the Iran-Iraq war. Based on the resolutions made at the Amman summit con-
ference, handling of a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict was downgraded on the
scale of priorities.
One can add to the failure of the PLO terrorist organizations and their goal of
increasing terrorist activity against Israel prior to the summit and during its meeting.
For the terrorist organizations and their leaders, the events that took place in the
past two weeks were like a life line for their pan-Arab and international standing. The
PLO therefore made exceptional efforts to incite and organize continued violent pub-
lic disorders.
194 ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS