Aren't you relying too much on the Palestinians? The answer is unequivocal. Where Israel's security is concerned, Israel has to rely on itself. The security of Israel will continue to rest in the hands of the IDF, the Israel Police, and the General Security Service. They will not be weakened and will certainly not be deactivated. As for relations with the Palestinians, we want to create the possibility of coexistence, not as an alternative to the IDF but as an alternative to a standoff that has lasted for an entire generation. And if you ask whether there is any chance for coexistence with the Palestinians, our answer is in the affirmative. Israel has a million Arab citizens, and our relationship with them is respectful and free of violence. The Arab citizens of Israel and the Israeli settlers in the territories are the same people who live in Israel, and there is no reason in the world that the relationship that prevails in Israel should not prevail in the territories. Questions and answers by then-Foreign Minster Shimon Peres, presenting the Israeli-Palestinian Declaration of Principles to the Knesset on Oct 23, 1995
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