Professors for a Strong Israel

Statement to the Press - 10 July 2002

Re: A State Commission of Inquiry into the Oslo debacle

Professors for a Strong Israel welcomes the rising public pressure for an investigation of the Oslo debacle. Oslo has brought Israel thousands of casualties, immense property loss, and severe erosion of its power of deterrence; it brought it directly into this desperate war for its survival. We see four stages in the coming campaign for a commission of inquiry:
  1. Public and political discussion of the persons and circumstances that brought about the Oslo agreements and of the means by which the vision of "peace" was marketed to the public. This discussion, together with the final rejection of the establishment of a Palestinian state west of the Jordan, must be at the center of the coming election campaign.
  2. Establishment of a state commission of inquiry by the next government, one that will investigate the process of framing the accords, the underlying assumptions, the unacceptable risks that were accepted by the architects, and the results. The commission will recommend the means to prevent a recurrence, and will fix the blame for the debacle.
  3. The passage of appropriate legislation by the next Knesset, and the prosecution of those responsible for Oslo.
  4. The verdict of history.
We are aware that the composition of the current government makes it difficult to advance the investigation and the process of legislation. It is essential, however, that wide public discussion of Oslo and dismissal of the idea of a Palestinian state west of the Jordan be the central issues of the 2003 election.

Dr. Ron Breiman, Chairman of PSI
Tel: 050-518 940