In the 1996 Elections, Meimad neither joined nor
endorsed any party's list for the Knesset. However, we supported Mr.
Peres for Prime Minister because of our long-standing support of the
Oslo Accords and the peace process, as well as evidence of our view that
commitment to Torah does not imply support for one particular political
stance. The monolithic support of the religious parties for Binyamin
Netanyahu, and the nature of the campaign material that implied it was a
religious imperative for every observant Jew to vote for the right wing,
made Meimad's position all the more important as a message to religious
Zionists.
BASIC POSITION:
THE PEACE PROCESS
Meimad, fully aware of the risks involved, and in
spite of the painfully high price to pay, supports and continues to
support the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. We support the peace
process because we feel that in the long run there is no other way to
avoid war and bloodshed, and no better way to assure the viability of
the State of Israel as a Jewish state. At the same time, Meimad is
equally aware of the character of Israel's partner in the peace process,
and we insist that the Government be uncompromising in demanding full
and absolute Palestinian adherence to every detail of the agreement, for
nothing less will assure its successful implementation. In this vein,
Meimad applauds and supports Prime Minister Netanyahu's recent decision
to sign the Hebron agreement and thus to continue the Oslo process.
Three Fundamental Principles
Meimad views with utmost importance the formation of
principles regarding the permanent accord which shall ensure the
security of Israel, enable the Jewish people to realize the majority of
its aspirations and national rights, bring an end to the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and ensure co-existence and a lasting
peace. Meimad's basic principles regarding the peace process are:
- Eretz Israel is the land promised to the Jewish
People by God. The absolute right of the Jewish People to the entire
Land is beyond question. The consciousness and recognition of the
affinity between the people and its homeland is a cornerstone of the
Torah, of the Zionist movement, and the development of the State.
- Peace is one of the fundamental values of Torah.
The aspiration for peace and the prevention of war and bloodshed, both
in the short and long range, must guide the policy of every government
in Israel.
- Our political and moral position is determined by
the conviction that the good of the people of Israel and of the State of
Israel takes precedence over our control over the entire area of the
land of Israel.
The Permanent Accord
The following principles form the basis for Meimad's
positions on a permanent accord for Judea, Samaria, and Gaza: Greater
Jerusalem shall remain united, under Israeli sovereignty, as the capital
of the State of Israel. Large blocs of Jewish settlement in Judea,
Samaria, and Gaza shall remain under Israeli sovereignty, with a
continuous territorial link to the State of Israel. Recognition shall be
given to a demilitarized Palestinian entity in part of Judea, Samaria,
and Gaza which shall govern the vast majority of the Arab population
there, subject to permanent and concrete security arrangements, together
with substantial changes to the pre-1967 borders. In addition to the
above-mentioned blocs of settlements, the permanent borders of the State
of Israel shall include areas close to the green line essential to the
security and of the State. In the area between the Jordan River and the
Mediterranean Sea, there shall be no military presence other than the
I.D.F. In order to guarantee Israel's security, the I.D.F. shall be
deployed along the length of the Jordan River in a continuous
territorial link from the Northern border to the Dead Sea. The
international borders with Jordan and Egypt shall remain the
responsibility of the State of Israel, and the Israeli Air Force shall
be responsible for the entire air space of western Eretz Israel.
