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TEDDY KOLLEK
545
rightly so. What did they get instead? And they were all against Vietnam,
because people in Vietnam were glorified. What do you see there now,
in
the
whole of Indochina? What cruelty in the name of the left. It is no recom–
mendation to
be
on the left.
WP:
We agree with you. We went to a conference here and we noticed that
a lot of the Americans on the left come here to criticize Israeli foreign policy.
TK:
What conference was that?
EK:
It
was a political psychology conference in Tel Aviv.
WP:
The Americans come with advice to Israel, they all know what Israel
should do.
TK:
I think that in Jerusalem we have done more for the Arabs than ever
was done for the Arabs by the Arabs. When the city was united, we offered
them a variety of things which were unique. We offered them the choice of
remaining Jordanians or becoming Israeli citizens. We knew very few would
want to become Israeli citizens. We regained EastJerusalem after a war that
was unprovoked, that they had started. Now, we offered them a choice in
citizenship, something which was never offered before.
In
Europe, when the
frontiers were changed, in Silesia, Alsace-Lorraine, or Schleswig-Holstein, the
people either had to leave or to accept citizenship of the new country.
In
the
Middle Ages, when the head of a kingdom changed religion, from Protestant
to Catholic, or the other way around, all the subjects had to change their
religion. We were the first to make such an offer. We also offered those who
chose to remain the right to vote in municipal elections. The Dutch are now
introducing a similar law but people have to wait five years. And the law
hasn't been accepted as far as I know. But we were the first to do this. We
accepted the Arab League curriculum for Arab schools in EastJerusalem.
With great self-denial, we allow them to administer the Temple Mount, which
is, after all, the site of the First and Second Temples, our holiest site. Do you
see any mention ofall this in the foreign press?
WP:
No. Let me ask you, do the Arabs here in Jerusalem appreciate what
Israel and you personally have done?
TK:
Do any citizens ever appreciate what government does for them? I
think many city governments and countrywide governments do a lot for
their citizens. Do the citizens ever appreciate it? Should the press appreciate
it? Or the leadership? Or the people? Why should they appreciate it? People
appreciate specific things, such as streetlights on their streets; getting water
they couldn't get before. These are the things they appreciate, but not any–
thing abstract.
WP:
Well, life is much better here now, as you yourself said.
TK:
But nationalism is stronger than a good life.
WP:
That's true.
