WASHINGTON | “We will succeed, we will find a way to peace” in the Middle East, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright assured Arab and Israeli youth who visited the State Department August 20 after a month-long stay at a summer camp in Maine, where they learned about coexistence.
The 175 youth included Palestinians and Israelis as well as others from Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan and, for the first time, Qatar, which is scheduled to host the fourth Middle East Economic Summit in November.
The teenagers were part of the fifth annual “Seeds of Peace” program, a coexistence and conflict-resolution initiative that was started by John Wallach, an American author and journalist. The students were to attend a fund-raising concert later tonight in Washington. The program does not receive government funds.
Repeating that she will “soon” be traveling to the Middle East, Albright told the 13-to-15 year-olds that “perhaps the most important” part of peace-making is that the parties must remember that “peace is not just one option among many, it is the only path that offers security and the hope of prosperity; the only path that holds out the promise of a future better than the past.”
“The United States has worked for many years to help the Middle East peace process succeed. Diplomatically, politically and financially, we have supported those who have been willing to take risks for peace,” Albright reminded the teens.
She told the youngsters:
“Making the decision to build peace matters not because building peace is easy, but because it is hard. In any such effort there will be highs and lows, good times and bad. And I suspect that was the way it was at camp in Maine. It must have been hard, coping with the terrible bombing in Jerusalem. But I understand you all came together—that Palestinians, regardless of their own grievances, were there to comfort and console their Israeli friends, and that the Palestinian flag was lowered to half-mast, out of sorrow and respect. Upon this lesson, a common future may be built, that pain experienced by one is pain shared by all. An action that eases the burden of one will lighten the load for all.”
Albright was referring to the July 30 bombing in Jerusalem in which 14 Israelis were killed as well as the two suicide bombers.
The program, which was documented by various film crews and covered by the international press, started with four youngsters—two Palestinians and two Israelis—telling the secretary about their feelings during their various encounters and their hopes at the summer camp in Maine. The youngsters later sang their theme song—”I am a seed of peace”—and Secretary Albright joined them in the rendition.
Albright added:
“The time has come for neighbors to live as neighbors, and for all to understand that no one’s blood is less or more precious than another’s. President Clinton and I have pledged to do everything we can to help the parties revive and keep alive the momentum towards peace. Let me assure you now, we will keep that pledge.
“And as I look around the room, I have faith that we will succeed. Not overnight, not without additional setbacks; but we will succeed. We will find the way to peace. Those made free by the vision of a world in which historic enemies have joined hands will not allow themselves to be dragged back by those still paralyzed by prejudice.”
Albright’s Remarks to Middle East Seeds
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Thank you all. Thank you very much, John. I really am very pleased to be here with all of you on this afternoon. Welcome to the Department of State. I wish that all our guests could sing as well, and that I could join them.
I hope you all had a very good time in Maine. A lot of people have now heard about this program, thanks to some TV and a lot of wonderful things that you all have done.
I know that you had a hard time with the mosquitoes. I have been to Maine, myself, so I know they’re pretty hard to put up with. You could start wearing T-shirts that also said, “I Survived the Mosquitoes.”
I also understand that during your camp talent show, you had Prime Minister Netanyahu and Chairman Arafat settle their differences. Not only did they trade land for peace, but they exchanged wives and mothers-in-law.
Maybe I’ll try that out when I go there.
I’m not quite sure how I feel about all that, but I’m glad I wasn’t there. And I might have been part of the bargain, so …
Let me say how deeply I was moved by what Roy and Hani and Sarah and Noah said. Those were very moving statements. Don’t be surprised if some of them show up in my speeches. I think lighting a spark in your heart is terrific. And if I may steal that from you, I will.
I just gave my first, as Secretary of State, serious speech on the Middle East. And as people in the State Department know, it was a pretty tough speech and had a lot of hard parts in it. But I insisted that it have a spark of hope, and that was when I discussed your program because I believe that what you are doing is so important to what we’re all trying to achieve in the Middle East.
John—and I will call you John—as you know, I’m a great fan and a great fan of what you have done. I think you deserve all our thanks from all over. It’s a remarkable program.
I think it’s hard to believe that anybody who is 60 was ever young. But I was and the impressions that one forms when one is young stay with you forever. So I know that the feelings that you all expressed today and have lived through in the last weeks will stay with you.
I also believe deeply in the central premise of Seeds of Peace, which is that differences in outlook and culture and creed can be bridged by knowledge and understanding.
Seeds of Peace helps you learn enough about history to understand that there is more than one side to it; enough about your neighbors to know them as individuals; and enough about yourselves to know that your own happiness can never rest on the misery of others.
That is not only knowledge, but wisdom. And by applying that wisdom, each of you may become a true builder of peace.
So I thank you for the hope you strengthen in me, especially now. For one of the reasons I’m pleased to welcome you here—to my official home, that is—is because soon I will be traveling to the Middle East for the first time as Secretary of State.
While there, I will be talking to your leaders—Roy, I will—about the need to get the peace process back on track. I hope to have a chance to meet with students and non-governmental organizations, as well. If we can arrange it, I would love to meet with as many of you there as we can put together.
The United States has worked for many years to help the Middle East peace process succeed. Diplomatically, politically and financially, we have supported those who have been willing to take risks for peace. And we have endorsed the vision of a future in which Israelis, Arabs and Palestinians would live and work together without terror or violence and with an end to hatred and distrust. And much progress has been made. I fully do believe that the people that live in the region do want peace.
Unfortunately, in recent months, that progress has stalled. A crisis of confidence has arisen between Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Israelis say that the Palestinians are not doing enough to stop terror. Palestinians object to unilateral Israeli measures that seem to prejudge the outcome of negotiations. The United States cannot impose peace. But we are encouraging the two sides to resume their partnership for peace.
Security must be seen not simply as a goal to be achieved once the journey to a final peace has been completed. There must be security every step of the way. There must also be a true commitment to peace. Differences should be settled at the bargaining table, and unilateral steps that sow suspicion should be avoided.
Perhaps most important, the parties must remember why they came together to pursue peace in the first place. For peace is not just one option among many. It is the only path that offers security and the hope of prosperity; the only path that holds out the promise of a future better than the past.
There have been too many wars, too many acts of violence, too many dead, too much suffering, uncertainty and fear. The time has come for neighbors to live as neighbors and for all to understand that no one’s blood is less or more precious than another’s.
President Clinton and I have pledged to do everything we can to help the parties revive and keep alive the momentum towards peace. Let me assure you now, we will keep that pledge.
As I look around the room, I have faith that we will succeed—not overnight, not without additional setbacks. But we will succeed. We will find the way to peace.
Those made free by the vision of a world in which historic enemies have joined hands will not allow themselves to be dragged back by those still paralyzed by prejudice.
Making the decision to build peace matters not because building peace is easy, but because it is hard. In any such effort, there will be highs and lows, good times and bad. And I suspect that was the way it was at camp in Maine. It must have been hard coping with the terrible bombing in Jerusalem. But I understand you all came together; that Palestinians, regardless of their own grievances, were there to comfort and console their Israeli friends; and that the Palestinian flag was lowered to half-mast out of sorrow and respect.
Upon this lesson, a common future may be built—that pain experienced by one is pain shared by all. An action that eased the burden of one will lighten the load for all.
No one has a greater stake in the future of the Middle East than you, for you are the region’s future. It will be your actions and your aspirations, your choices and your bravery that will determine whether and how the next half-century will differ from the last.
As Seeds of Peace, know that you are on the right path. Look around at your new friends in this room and know that you are not alone. And look to the United States of America and know that the builders of peace have an unshakable ally.
It has been said that all work that is worth anything is done in faith. This afternoon, as you prepare to return home, let us each embrace the faith that your courage and your actions can make a difference. And that every mind opened by your insights, every friend touched by your affection, every soul inspired by your passion, every injustice prevented by your integrity, and every barrier to peace brought down by your determination will ennoble your own life, inspire others, and expand outward the boundaries of what is achievable in your region and on Earth.
Thank you all very much, and keep it up.