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| Interview with H.E. Ambassador of Israel Arthur Koll |
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 Sixty Years of Progress Over the past sixty years, Israel has developed from a newborn state into one of the most developed countries in the world. However, the territory of Israel is still the target of some terrorist organisations. The strategic choice that Israel has made referring to the Palestinian issue, Israeli Ambassador Arthur Koll emphasises, is a two-state solution, with Israelis and Palestinians living peacefully side-by-side. By Vladan alimpijević, Photo Dragan Milošević Israel is considered a part of Europe in many fields, such as in sports and culture. However, geographically Israel is a part of Asia. What does this dual identity mean, is Israel a part of Europe or not? Israel is not part of the European Union, but it does enjoy extensive collaboration with the EU. For a non-member, Israel benefits from the most elaborate and advanced set of agreements with the Union. Today, we are actually in the midst of negotiating on improving these agreements. Europe is our biggest trading partner and we are also members of very significant European programmes in a variety of fields, such as culture, science, R & D, space, etc. Does this mean that in the long-run, Israel has plans to be a part of this community one day? If Turkey becomes a member, the border with European communities will be very close to Israel. This is a very complicated issue. The Israeli public has never been questioned regarding its aspirations for EU membership. We are mainly concentrated on improving the current agreements at this stage, rather than discussing full membership. The rise of Chinese, Indian and other new economies has grown considerably even in just the last few years. How does Israel view this growth, considering its connection to Russia, Europe and the United States? The economic, political, and strategic significance of Asia is definitely growing. We are developing very good relations with China, India, Korea, Japan and other important countries in the region. The level of trade is growing, as are investments and political ties. However, these progressing relations do not at all come on the account of the special relations that Israel has with the USA. Furthermore, despite the growing economic ties with Asian nations, Europe remains our biggest trading partner. Upon France acquiring presidency of the Council of the European Union, one of the first visits by the French President Nicolas Sarkozy was to Israel. Is there any meaning behind this visit? It was a very meaningful visit, simply because in the past, the relations between France and Israel had their ups and downs. President Sarkozy made it very clear that good relations with Israel are important. As France is a key member of the EU, this position sends a clear message regarding France’s policy and the EU policy towards Israel. Not long ago, France was one of the European countries which had very good connections with Iran, for example, with co-operation on technology. Has this worried Israel to any extent? The issue of Iran is a matter of concern for the international community and calls for international co-operation regarding the country’s attempt to acquire nuclear capabilities and build-up massive military forces. This is a regime which has also continuously made very worrisome statements by its leader, Ahmadinejad, calling for the destruction of the State of Israel. This is a world leader who even today will not admit that the Holocaust occurred. He is a Holocaust denier. How do you conclude that EU countries, France and Germany, in particular have quite good connections with this regime? Today, both France and Germany are part of the international attempt with the USA and other partners, to try and bring about an end to nuclear developments in Iran. France and Germany were part of the UN resolutions imposing sanctions against Iran. However, more measures are needed. We definitely believe that a concerted, determined international effort can, through diplomatic and economic measures, bring an end to the Iranian drive in building nuclear military capacities. 
The last report of the International Commission for the Control of Atomic Energy in Vienna relayed the message that there is no evidence of the Iranian programme going beyond civil use of nuclear energy. Do you agree with this report?The report stated very clearly that Iran does not co-operate with the agency. In this sense, whatever evidence exists or does not exist, is a result of a complete lack of co-operation by Iran. This defiance of the international will and revelations made by the Iranians themselves, leave no room for doubt about Iran’s nuclear aspirations. Is Israel convinced that Iran is making nuclear weapons to attack and destroy Israel? A regime which openly states that Israel should be destroyed, and that openly ignores international efforts to bring an end to its nuclear policies is a cause for concern. Not only is this regime a matter of concern for Israel, but for the stability of world peace and the international community as a whole. Two or more decades ago, Iraq was also preparing a nuclear programme when Israeli air forces destroyed one of its nuclear plants. Does this mean that Israel is ready for unilateral action if the Iranian programme continues on? It is not too late for the international community to take diplomatic and economic measures to bring about the necessary change in the Iranian policy. Israel will never be able to ignore the threat emanating from the combination of a very hostile policy and very hostile capabilities. It will always, as it has done in the past, evaluate the development and the degree of threat. Most of the countries and territories surrounding Israel are now controlled by extreme political organisations, most considered terrorist, like Hezbollah and Hamas. We witness that there has recently been some negotiations between Syria and Lebanon. Do you believe that it is possible to go further with the negotiation process by talking with such organisations? First of all, most of the Arab world is not controlled by terrorist regimes. However, Hamas and Hezbollah are terrorist organisations, and Hezbollah is a major threat to the stability of the region. Since the end of the second Lebanese War, two years ago, the Hezbollah acted in total defiance of the United Nations Resolution 1701. With the help of Syria and Iran, it managed to rebuild its forces, and today the number of missiles in its possession is actually higher than it was two years ago. They have done this despite the UN resolution and the increased international forces present in Lebanon who are trying to prevent exactly this kind of development. Due to the strength of Hezbollah in Lebanon and the weakness of the pro-Western elements, the new government has basically given almost equal footing to Hezbollah. They have also given the official green light to an unimaginable situation – the creation of two armed forces, one being the official army of Lebanon, and the other being the paramilitary Hezbollah militia. If one wants to negotiate with somebody who is controlling the situation, its obvious then that Hamas and Hezbollah are in control, is this correct? First of all, Lebanon is a country with territory, a government, international relations and representation in the international arena, and Hezbollah is a militia inside Lebanon. Our desire is to negotiate with the government of Lebanon, which represents the country and the nation, to reach a peace treaty. Hamas is a different, though significant problem. It is a terrorist organisation that vows day in and day out for the destruction of the State of Israel and today has full control of the Gaza Strip. Therefore, the question itself of whether one has to negotiate with Hamas or not is problematic. When you say ‘negotiate,’ you have to ask what the desired aim is. If it is to reach peace, then you have to negotiate with somebody who wants to make peace with you. Hamas, however, openly says that it will not be satisfied with anything less than the destruction of the State of Israel. Therefore, negotiations with Hamas are out of the question. In any case, Hamas is not the representative of the Palestinian people. In the West Bank and in the international community, the recognised body is the Palestinian authority, led by moderate Palestinians. Very significant negotiations with the Palestinian authority are currently underway. Not only are they being conducted in good spirits, but the stated objectives on both sides reflect a strategic choice that the outcome of the negotiations should be a two-state solution - living in peace side-by-side, with Israel being the homeland of the Jewish people, and an independent Palestine being the homeland of the Palestinian people. However, negotiations regarding the details of such an agreement are difficult and will not end in one day. You mentioned the second war in Lebanon. Do you consider that this war was necessary, and what was the outcome? The war two years ago was a result of the fact that Hezbollah attacked Israel without any reason, killed Israelis, and kidnapped Israeli soldiers. We were attacked and we responded. No country would have acted differently had it been attacked from the other side of its border; it is the duty of any government to protect its citizens. The war in Lebanon ended by the United Nations Resolution 1701, which, had it been fully implemented, would have created a new reality in Lebanon, significantly reducing the threat of Hezbollah and terror. We still hope that the spirit and content of Resolution 1701 will be adhered to. The Israeli border with Egypt is probably the most peaceful of Israeli borders. Do you expect that the peace process between Israel and its neighbours will be successfully finished in a few years? This year we celebrated Israel’s 60th anniversary. Sixty years ago there was hostility towards Israel by all neighbouring Arab countries. The reality has gradually changed. Today, we have peace with Egypt, we have peace with Jordan, we are negotiating with the Palestinians, and we are engaged in indirect negotiations with Syria. War has not brought anything to the Middle East except destruction and pain. If the sides decide to stay on the path towards peace, there is a very good chance that we will overcome the difficulties and reach agreement. We haven’t yet mentioned the role of Russia, which has been involved in all of Israel’s 60 years of existence. Do you consider that Russia is also involved in the fight against terrorism? After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Israel and Russia have gradually developed good relations. Today, Russia is an important country with which we have many positive economic, cultural and political interactions. In fact, over a million immigrants from Russia and the former Soviet Republics have immigrated to Israel, particularly in the 90’s, which definitely contributed to building bridges between the two nations. Russia plays an important role in international affairs. Look at the issue of Iran, for example, where measures such as tightening sanctions were agreed upon in the United Nations. Russia can be an important part of the international effort in combating international terrorism and blocking the development of Iran’s nuclear technology. Referring to the global war on terrorism, do you think the world has become safer after 9/11 and after the measures taken by the USA and other countries, including Israel? Do you believe that Russia is an ally in this fight against terrorism or not? I would phrase the question a little differently by asking if the world would have been safer without these measures taken by the USA, NATO and others in the fight against international terrorism. My answer to this is no. Without such measures, the world would have been less safe. The second question is, is the world safe today? No, clearly one cannot say that. Therefore, a concerted effort to continue this very difficult fight against international terrorism has to continue. There is a lot of co-operation, which also includes Russia. The threat of international terrorism is not only a threat against the west; it is a threat to world stability.  What is Israel’s position vis-à-vis Kosovo? It can probably understand the situation on both sides - you are a very close ally to the USA and, at the same time, you show understanding for the Serbian side. What would be your advice? As you have noticed, Israel is not amongst the countries that have already recognised Kosovo. We are following the development on the ground and in the international arena regarding the issue. However, representing a country that has not yet solved its own problems in its region, I am not in the position to give advice as to how you should deal with the issue. In any case, it is our belief that problems should be solved through peaceful means. Less than fifty years ago in Serbia there was a sizeable Jewish community. What role does the Jewish Diaspora currently play? Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people. It is the place where, for 2,000 years, Jews aspired to return to, a dream which became a reality sixty years ago. Unfortunately, the size of the Jewish community in the world is small, particularly after 1/3 (about 6 million) were murdered by the Nazis during the Second World War. It is significant that Jews in the Diaspora very much support the well-being and the development of the State of Israel, during good times and bad times. Due to that, we see that they are capable of transferring general affinity into practical acts of support. The vast majority of Jews who lived in Yugoslavia unfortunately did not survive the Holocaust. Of those who did, a significant number immigrated to Israel and elsewhere. Thus, today there is a small Jewish community in Serbia which, while maintaining its traditions, is fully incorporated in the Serb society. What would be the ultimate objective - to support Jewish communities all over the world, or to attract many more Jews, especially young generations to Israel? One has to understand the idea of Zionism. In the 19th century, when all over Europe nations developed aspirations for independence and self-determination, the Jews did as well. The idea is very simple - Jews have a homeland, which is the State of Israel. When the State of Israel was created in 1948, the number of Jews numbered just over 600,000. Today, in the State of Israel, there are over 6,000,000 Jews, and Israel can look back with satisfaction and see that we have also stabilised and progressed. These days we are actually trying to assist the Diaspora Jews, particularly in some smaller communities, to keep traditions alive. |