V. EMBARGO: AGAINST DELIVERY
JJ4UTRAAX~ CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY
FOR JI hL MONDAY OCTOBBR 27 1980
AUSTR'FALIAN ASSOCIATION FOR TH. E
WE7MN NITI ELBOURNE
I am grzateful for the invitation to Tamie and me to be with
you toni-ght. In particular, it is a great pleasure to celebrate
withtYgzhe e31ab2. iahmP,. nt ol new scientific chair, at the
Weizmann -Institute in jqtael.
I amn honoured that you have decided to name this chair after
me.-The hol~ u t I c tb~ nYo w ledge that the Weizmnann
Institute will always be synonymtous with excellence in
scientific researchi. Such research is a most exacting discipline
requir4-gpai4+-e~ k-qgand o4teRndisheartening experimentation.
It demands patience, rationality, open-mindedness, intellectual
honesty, and above all, humility.
The -truly great scientists have had, in addition to these
qualities, a breadth of vision and an appreciation of the
human condition which have enabled the~ m to recognise the
a practical ~~ a~ t1nttcrsearch.
Dr Chaimn Weizmann demonstrated an active and profound awareness
of t-bizs-ATid -it is-only-iittinq--that his influence has inspired
the academic ideals and the structure of the Institube which
bears his name. However, Dr Weizmann was more than a great
scientist.. He was also a great stater: man who, from his early
years in Russia, dedicated himself to the goal of establishing
a homeland for his people. lie was in the forefront of the
Zionist movement through a momentous fifty years of Jewish
hitr. i dtee h-ord-ins: Ognsto for
well over a quarter of a century. L
He wAnspres nt~ aL~ tiaeBaasle Conference in 1897 when
Theodore Herzl, the father of modern Zionism, introduced to
the world at large, the concept and ideas of the movement.
But if Theodore Herzl was truly the father of Zionism, then
surely Dr Wzmann was the father of its produbt, the State
of Israel. lie was President of the Zionist movement at crucial
times between the Basle Conference and the proclamation of
Israel 1-Tn---ir9e4cao gn-it on--o-f -his enormous contribution
he was appoiinted the first President of Israel.-
Dr Weizmanp was not an idealogue. Nor was he an agrgressively
single-minded radical. His great qualities were those he put to
such good use as a scientist patience,_ perseverence and cruiet
reason. HiB contribution as a statesman is epitonusaed -by tEhat
landmrnak in the history of Jewish nationalismn, the Balfour
Declaration of 1917. This statemnent of intent by the British
Gover~ nment was the product of years-i--aet d~ plvaacy on 1
Weizmann s part. It was not only a. tribute to his powers of
reason but also a measure of the high regard in which he was
held by the British Government of the day,.
There ' were many other occasions where Dr Weizmannts diplomatic
qualities achieved milestones on the road to Jewish statehood;-
and these include the commitment o7f President Truman to the
idea of a Jewish -state in Palestine after World War 11.
These qualities were displayed by P~ r Weizmann thiroughout his
life. It is not surprising thereforu-thatalWu~ 1sa
dedicated J'ewish nationalist, lie remained sensitive to the
position of the Arabs in Palestine. Ile was a visionary who saw
no contradiction in the propositio.-ñ h t~-: sras-l--couI4--ave
territorial integrity,/ And peace w. ith the Arabs. Today, for the
first time since the creation of the state, Israel is in direct
-negotiation with an Arab country. The potential benefits of
a just and lasting peace in the Middle atnoolyoth
region, but-to all mankind, are enormous. Fa-ilure to continue
along the pathi that has now been takien would be fraught with
danger-and would pose great tlhreat-to-ñ n'tern-at una' 1-p2' S-ce aTr--'
security.
Of course, Israel has an awesome responsility-n t h i xc n
It is a challenge wnd a responsibility that Dr Weiznann would
have relished. in the formidable task that lies ahead, the people
of Israel may be assured of the firm commitment of my government
to Israel's fundamental and non -negotiabl5 e ri ght to live within
secure and recognised boundaries. Rut we also believe that no
comprehensive peace will be possible without a recognition
that the Palestinians have a leg it i mate-r'* ghtti-ru-htorpand
of their own alongside lerael's.
It must be the hope of all of us th a t,-inth e
y ears ahead, people with the integrity and the vision of
Dr Wleizmann can sit downi on both sides of the negotiating
table and hammer out the details of* such a peace. Of course,___
its achievement will be a complex matter, frRaugh w, r ahVe
and serious dangers. If it was ever thought to be simply an
e quation involving Israel and the Arab states, then surely the
events of the last few. years have de-ati4e y'e sueh-a-FAn~ ti-ei-l-___
We face increasing instability in the region, highlightiflg the
dif ficulties faced by the West in maintaining its SuPplieas of__ iiL..
The inte6rests of the Soviet Union are all too.-. plain. In short,
there are many strands Influencing affairs in the Middle East,
and the difficulties in securing a just peace between Israel
and her Arab neighbours is only one of"' tn5-festrnids.
In all this we should have three paramount objectives, which are
not going to be easy to achieve togeth4-.--a
peace betwieen Israel and the Arab states, the maintenance of oil
supplies to the West, and the exclusion of the Soviet Union ' from
v-itcrea. 6ed influence over an area of such vast Importance.
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The achievement of these objective8 will require a degree of
statesmanship from all interested parties which we cannot
automatically assume will be forthcoming. For inevitably there
-Wt~ TT-bf temnptations to engage in political bargaining, political
trade-offs, and political expediency. There might. appear enticing.
but they offer no lasting solutions to the real problems.
Stat hi-pfnw-th ~-prvai 1----statemans hip of the kind which was
amply demonstrated by Dr Weiamann during his distinguished career.
However, -to~ nighith-emphasi,, jnt our memory of Dr Weizmann
is on his scien~ tific achievement and his leadership of scientific
teams. In 1933, he founded a centre for scientific research in what
was then British-mandatedPalestine. The Institute was an
tfsIP 1dt i ( 5 0 O. enti e4 xcellence and rapidly achieved
international recognition. Greatly expanded, it later became
known as the Weizmann Institute and aimed its work inktially
~ a~ t-jec-to-pe~ it t--territory's economy. Initially.. such
research work concentrated on agricultural problems.
When war came, the research laboratories were turned over to the
development and productioinL-a-pharmaceuticals for the allied.
fYorces in the Middle East,
Thi clseco-operation between research and its practical
ilvpvn~ tatT~ t -har en 1aYnhtiined and is one of the major
reasons why the Institute is world renowned. In fact,
throughout his scientific career, Dr Weizxiann chose to wor; k in
th o~ a-za. a s _ o-seiG-h i ch--" ti 1d ' provide practical benefits
-t the problems~ faced withiin his country.
In this way, he set himself adomble discipline of quality and
of releva~ nce. He understood early that the probl-ems of development
in Israel would have to be tackled by Israel itself; that
research conducted somewhere else would be unlikely to lead
tcr-Hte--knds-f--ttons--th-aiwoxild be relevant to Isael's
envi ronmnent.
Much Of Lh-is approach4has a-f-affd-liar ring to us because our
early pioneers, in their attempta to develop this country,
soon found that the harsh Australian environment was unsuited
to many of the methods that were operating successfully In other
parts ol tie world. Over the years, we have had to build up
skills and scientific expertise in a number of fields of
particular relevance to Australia. Under great pressures and
con4 er--ed witbh ve-ry-sL9gnifñ--mit difficulties, Israel has done
the same. Atnd, faced with economic and military adversity,
the Iqie?. mann Institute has become a centre of scientific excellence.
It is perhaps significant that the institute has had a deep
involvement in the area of imnmuniology. For this is also the field
of two ofAustralia's most distinguished scientists,
Sir RaTFalrane B~ urnett, the -Patron of your Association, and
Sir Gusta~ v Nossal, your President.
I kno~ w-y-u--wi-4--& gree-trith rne-whren I say that both these
men embody all the qualities of the truly great scientists.
Like Dr W4eizmann, their influence has been felt in other
areas outside theirfield ofspecaaisation, and in the community
atire of course, science is not the monopoly of any particular
country or ideology. That is why scientific co-operation is increasingly
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being seen as an important element of developing relations
between particular countries. In a world of increasing complexity,
t aakes-. little sense for countries to duplicate each other's
research work when, through co-operation, the burden and benefit
of scientific research can be spread.
B-o-nd the scientific benefit of such co-operation which involves
not only the exchange of reseaoh papers and results, but also
visi. ts by scientists and discussion of common problems, there is
S he--ienef it of-a growing understanding of each other's country.
I am proud of the strong relations which have developed between
Australia and Israel since the establishment of that state
thirty-one years ago. Our two countries have much in common, not only as
relatively new states, but also in the emphasis which our peoples
place on individual freedom and true Parliamentary democracy.
These elemants are basic to society in both countries.
It thenefore gives me great pleasure to celebrate a development
such--e-a-the establishment of a scientific chair at the
Weizmann Institute which I am confident will contribute
significantly to-relations between Australia and Israel.
And I thank you again for the honour you confer on mes and
Australia in allowing the new chair to bear my name.