Basic HTML Version
~~----~~--------------~------------~~~
lnterviewWith Moshe Kol
W
e're visiting with Minister stated program. We are ready to talk
Mosha Kol, Miñister of to P8lestinians about the "Palastin:
Tourism for Israel. We ian problem," but the PLO was not
want to ask 8 few ques- elected by the Palestinians to repra-
tions about the current situation in sent them.
the Middla East, but we'll stan with
King Hussein's idea of a Palestin-
tha tourism picture.
i8n.Jordanian Federation was 8 vary
Has the current M ideast situation good idea. Today. King Hussein is
hun lsrael's tourist income. and, un- out of the pictura, altar the Rabat
der the current conditions, would conference, bu¡ , maybe the Arab
this summer be a good time for leaders will ask him to coma back
Americans to visít Israel?
- int<>-·lhe pictura alter they realiza we
KOL: Tha'
declin~
in tourism dyrlng are not ready to negotiate with lhe
1974.was only 6 perci!nt w<W!fwidé.,. PLO.
·
·:::;¡;:- . ........
aod'1
ó<~(C!ln_t
t fom the
U.~. tlh~t
1-"'1
ihe PLO
mu~t-give
IIP theif te,rroe:–
the,economic situatio.t' there:: 'in- • ísm. Israel will ·oot negotiate
with
ftation. and the M ideast tensions anybody under the threat of terror.
have all contributed to this decline. · We will not negotiáte with the PLO.
But we have enjoyad an increase of for we know the Palestinian people
11 percent il') Canadian tourists. and to be moderate people in general.
increasas from Australia, Argentina. although their leadership is very
and South Africa . The decline from negativa.
Euroi>e was very small, so the situ-
The Geneva conference is impor-
ation js not bad at all.
tant, and tha Palesti riian problem is
rm sura this summer will be a imponant. We must find construc-
safe time to visit Israel. 1 don't ex- tiva solutions to the problem. The,
pect'any war this year, even though Palestinian people are entitled
to
there are the constant threats ano such a solution. but not with the
speeches. We are ev.en .now dis- PLO.
cussing the
possi~ility
of holding the GTA: Alter the assassination
of
King
Geneva Conference meelings lhis Faisal, his brother released a state-
summer.
ment through the Ministry of lnfor-
GTA: So you expect that as long as
metion of Saudi. ,'Arabia that his
both sides are hoping to negotiate at policías would be about identical lo
Geneva there won't be any renewed those of his brother. This included
hostilities?
KOL: After the Secretary of State's
mediation was interrupted. there
were
two
possibilities - either he
would lry to renew lhe mediations
(and 1 don't sea how that caw hap·
pen) or the Geneva Conference
would convene. lf the Geneva Con–
fere(lce convenes, we will have de–
bates and ' maybé ·aven hot
discussions, but 1don 't believe we'll
have hot shoolingl
GTA: What aboullhe position of the
lsraeli government vis·ii-vis the Pal–
estinian Uberation Organization?
The PLO insists on going to Geneva
and being pan of the talks.
KOL: The lsraeli govemment will not
negotiate with the PLO. because the
PLO program means the (!estrucliÓn
of the state of Israel. Thís is their
12
the fervent desire to pray someday
in the Old City at the Dome of the
Rock. This means the Saudi Arabian
people still hopa to someday repos–
sess the holy places for the Muslim
religion. lsn't Jerusalem itself very
crucial to a solution in the Middle
East?
KOL: Jerusalem will never be di–
vided again. There is no reason to
divide the city. l t is now a peaceful
city. Jews and Arabs are living to–
gether, working together, con–
ducting business together. lfs open
to people from all religions. As 1said
when 1was in New York. 1was ready
to give a very nice welcome to King
Faisal if he cama to pray at the
mosque. but if King Faisal wanted to
come he
re
onl y·when Jews will
NOT
be here: then he cou ld never
echieve, never realiza. lhis dream.
And 1 can say the sama about l<ing
Khaled.
In 1974. we had 125,000 Arab
yisitors coming here. They traveled
all ovar Israel. w ith no limitations. 1
don't know of any such example
elsewhere in the world, They are
people from "enemy countries"
who are speaking about the destruc–
tion
ot
Israel, yet they are permitted
to go everywhere to see and enjoy
IsraeL They could pray in the AI–
Aksa mosque or the Dome. of
!1'8
Rock.• if
tl'leg
so chose. JEfi-usalem is
open. lt was nevar so open lo people
of all religions as it is now.
·
GTA: Wby is this not widely known
in the Wes1ern press? 1 think most
Americans don' t know that there
were 125,000 Arabs free'ly visiting
in Israel. Did 12 5,000 Jews visit
Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan?
KOL: No. th,ey are not permitted to
go. ahhough they would like to
go.
1
have proposed to the ministers of
tourism of Arab countries that we·
should cultivate tourists here in the
area. so that millions of Íhem could
come to visit
s/1
our couñtries in the
area. 1 IÑould recommend tourists
sea the' pyramids of Egypt, for in–
stance, while they . would recom–
mend the holy placas of Jerusalem.
Tourism can build bridges for
peace - people meeting together
in peace, conducling business, and
soon.
GTA: You recently went to the Vati–
can and had a shon talk with Pope
Paul VI. What was the purpose of
your
~isi¡
with Pope Paul and what
was doscussed?
KOL: 1 am respoñsible here in the
government for the task of welcom–
ing the Christian pilgrims -
also
the Muslims and
Gree~
Onhodox -
during the 1975 Holy Year, so the
purpose of my visit \Nas to ask lhe
Pope to encourage the pilgrims who
come to Roma to prbceed to Jerusa–
lemalso.
The Pope was very com–
plimentary, an.d we ' agreed that the
Vatican would encourage the people
who come to Rome to continua. to
Jerusalem. Two thousand years ago,
these
two.
cities. were at war. f\Íow
we are in very peaceful coexistence.
GTA: Qo you feel that increased
Catholic.Jewish dialogue is going to
suppon lsrael's . position with the
predominately Catholic European
powers7
KOL: 1 don 't think it has eny in–
fluonce on lsrael's relationshlps wíti:!)
the,
w~~t~,rn
powe?.rt 1;
~~(¡·t)hink'
the polotocs
In
tho western world are
influenced
nowJ~.)'..religioM~-Ofclers .
l.
would like religious
principltÍ$
tct
have more influence, 1am sorry that
the
politicians~
o! today are not reli–
giously minded when thoy are dis–
cussing the problems of the world.
Tb1s could vory much help to build a
better w!lrld .' After a
u,·
we are l iving
in a
cra~y
worltl now. ·
·
The Western world is again going
in the direction of appeasement vis–
a-vis the Arab leaders, because of
oil. Your Pr!!sident sáid only a few
days ago that if there would be war,
there would be another boycott of
oil . 1 thir¡k it is not a good 'policy to
keep appealing to the Arab leadors,
the leaders of the desen, so that
they can really tfictate to 1he world
howlo llve.
'
1 believe that wá have to govern
the world by humanitarian principies
among leaders.- In .'1974, Yasser
Arafat appeared in the U.N. with a
gun. and he got a standing ovation.
lfs very shockingl Bi.lt Israel is not
~zechoslovakia,
and fsrael will not
yield its sovereignty ..•. .
'
The Middle East can be the most
f lourishing area in ttie· world, not
only bacause lhe great cultures of
lhe world were created here. but
also because of its futura potential.
We don't want any more " victo–
rias, " because we don' t want any
more wars. We don't want to kili
Arabs, and we don' t want our boys
to be léilled. lf we afe ro work for
peace and a better lile, we have to
be inspired by íhe principies of reli–
g i on, the great principies of
God. D
WE.EK
ENDINO JUN(! 7, 197S