One of Golda Meir’s famous quotes was recorded at the National Press Club, Washington in 1957.
“Peace will come when the Arabs will love their children more than they hate us.”
Then later at a Press Conference in London 1969 she claimed:
“When peace comes we will, perhaps, be able to forgive the Arabs for killing our sons. But it will be harder for us to forgive them for having forced us to kill their sons.”
Although researchers have gone to great pains to check the precise accuracy of these quotes, it seems they cannot be authenticated.
Copies of both speeches cannot be located, if they did exist.
Granted, the Prime Minister did express these sentiments, though possibly in slightly different words, but published reports were more vague than accurate.
In a book titled As Good as Golda; the Warmth and Wisdom of Israel’s Prime Minister, two quotes are published which throw even more doubts about Golda’s precise comments.
“Peace will come when Nasser loves his own children more than he hates Israel’s.”
“What we hold against Nasser is not only the killing of our sons, but forcing them for the sake of Israel’s survival to kill them.”
The cornerstone of journalism ethics is to write the truth, to be accurate and to be objective without any damaging reference to groups, religions or countries.
Should the quotes in the book be more accurate, it may explain why Egyptian President Nasser’s name has been omitted in the more well-known versions.
However, Golda Meir was genuine when striving to make peace with Egypt.
She commented to Nasser that he should realise peace is not a luxury and only direct talks can achieve a peaceful resolution.
“You cannot make peace underground and your children, the children of the Nile Valley need peace as much as we do.”
A Solemn Appeal
At the conclusion of a formal statement in the General Assembly of the United Nations on October 7, 1957, Golda Meir abandoned her prepared text and surprised the attendance by making a spontaneous appeal to the Arab states of the Middle East.
Some of the salient comments she made are as applicable today as they were sixty-seven years ago.
“Israel is approaching her tenth anniversary. You did not want it to be born. You fought against the decision in the United Nations.”
“Like you, the Arab countries, we have regained our national independence, and as with you, so with us. Nothing will cause us to give it up. We are here to stay.”
“Would it not be better for all to build a future for the Middle East based on cooperation?”
“Israel will exist and progress even without peace, but surely a future of peace would be better both for Israel and for her neighbors.”
“In conclusion, I should like to address myself to all the delegates in this Assembly and especially to the powers directly involved in the problems of the Middle East.”
“The deserts of the Middle East are in need of water, not bombers. The tens of millions of its inhabitants are craving for the means to live and not for the implements of death.”
“I ask all of you, old members of the United Nations and the new, use your influence not to deepen the abyss of misunderstanding, but to bridge it.”
Golda Meir was a born optimist. She dedicated her role as Prime Minister to strive for peace one way or another, determined that one day it could be achieved.
When former President of Egypt Anwar El- Sadat arrived in Israel in 1977 to deliver an address at the Knesset in Jerusalem advancing the proposed peace agreement between Israel and Egypt, Golda Meir joined the welcoming party at Ben Gurion airport.
“Welcome Mr. Sadat. What took you so long to come?”
He just smiled and warmly shook her hand.
A Changing World
But if we return to the principle of journalistic ethics, today’s world ignores this theory.
It is quite common practice for lies to be printed, whether knowingly or not, in the commercial media or likewise on television and social media platforms.
Whatever the precise words, Golda Meir’s comments are as applicable today as they were more than 40 years ago.
It’s really futile arguing over words, yet today politicians are readily inclined to use a language of misinterpretation to promote their agenda.
We should remember Golda Meir as a woman of worth, a woman whose words rang truly and straight from the heart.
