We lost the battle but we will win the war. The path we trod is the path of truth

I promised Ariel Sharon that upon the establishment of the new government headed by him and its acceptance by the Knesset, power would be handed over in an orderly and honourable fashion in accordance with the law, as is customary in a free and normal democratic regime.

My friends, we lost the battle but we will win the war. Acceptance of the voter's verdict has not undermined our confidence in the justice of our path.

Path of truth

The path we trod is the path of truth, the one and only one. It is the path that will ultimately lead the state of Israel to peace and security, through the strength to decide to separate from our Palestinian neighbours and set up a border between us and them.

Dismay among supporters

Only a border will bring calm. Only a border will bring personal safety. Only a border will bring deterrence, and only a border will bring honour and mutual respect.

Maturity

This path of truth calls for courage and it demands sacrifices and the willingness to pay a heart-rending price, and perhaps not all the public is yet ready for the painful truth to which we exposed it.

On the other side as well, on the Palestinian side, maturity and the ability to make decisions have not yet been found to deal with the truth that is also painful to them. Violence was a bad and futile outlet.

On the other side as well, on the Palestinian side, maturity and the ability to make decisions have not yet been found to deal with the truth that is also painful to them

My friends, in a certain sense we were ahead of our time, but this time will yet come. I have no doubt about it. The truth will win, both on our side and on their side, because there is no other way.

I bear the collective responsibility for the path taken by my government and its policy, and I am proud of both of them.

Lebanon pullout

I am also responsible for this election campaign and its results, and although I regret the outcome I respect it. During our 18 months in government we did a lot to advance the state of Israel. We pulled the IDF [Israeli military] out of Lebanon.

We had the strength to decide to pull out of Lebanon and we had the strength to decide to pull the country out of a recession.

Barak: Palestinian partners less than hoped

The government made four achievements in tackling the foundations of the conflict with the Palestinians: First, we determined once and for all, in a way that is irreversible by nature, the boundaries within which the peace arrangements with both the Palestinians and the Syrians will eventually be formulated.

Veils of illusion

Second, we removed all the masks from the neighbour-partner-rival without ceding anything, amid willingness to discuss far-reaching issues which no other government had ever touched on in the past to ascertain once and for all whether an arrangement was achievable or not.

We had the strength to decide to pull out of Lebanon

Not only did we remove the masks from our rivals, but also the veils of illusion from ourselves, on the right wing, about the nature of an arrangement with the Palestinians, which will ultimately be painful and smaller than our dreams.

We also removed the veils of illusion regarding the nature of the neighbour-partner-rival, and it turned out that the Palestinian partner was less than what we, on the left, had dreamed of.

Fourth, we prevented the possible historic tragedy of going into yet another bloody struggle with the Palestinians with a large part of our people not being sure that the other side was responsible for such a course.

Far-reaching ideas

We did all these things while displaying responsibility regarding the handling and use of force.

I repeat here that more than once I hear the claim that the violence we encounter today stems, as it were, from the concessions of the Barak government.

I tell you: the opposite is true. This violence stems from the fact that beside the willingness to discuss far-reaching ideas, we did not make concessions before it was clear with whom and what exactly we were discussing.

Participation in a unity government should not be ruled out

In the telephone conversation this evening, Prime Minister-designate Ariel Sharon proposed setting up a unity government.

If it will be possible to formulate a joint and realistic plan of action for a true promotion of the political process, a responsible security policy, mutually-acceptable economic, social, and civil principles, then participation in a unity government should not be ruled out.

Resignation

If this is not possible, the Labour Party will be a fighting opposition and will struggle for its belief with all the parliamentary and democratic means to convince the people of the justice of its path and to replace the government that will be established in the coming weeks as soon as possible.

Perhaps when the time comes, we will also return, because our path is the only path; it is the path of truth and the truth is ultimately bound to triumph

Following the formation of the new government, it is my intention to resign from the Knesset and from my position as Labour Party chairman; to remain a member of the Labour Party and its institutions, but to leave for some time diplomatic and political activity.

That is why I know that perhaps when the time comes, we will also return because our path is the only path; it is the path of truth and the truth is ultimately bound to triumph. Thank you very much.