November 6, 2007 (LPAC)-- Former President Bill Clinton published a tribute to slain Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in today's Ha'aretz daily.

"In the 21st Century, as our world grows increasingly interdependent, and local challenges and opportunities relate increasingly to the groups we once knew as `them,' the walls that divide us are getting thinner, less important, and ever more transparent," Clinton wrote. "We are compelled to expand the definition of who is `us,' and shrink the definition of who is `them,' to understand that, as important as our differences are, our common humanity matters more. The inability to embrace this fundamental value lies at the heart of peace and conflict throughout the world today, and of course in the Middle East.

"Yitzhak Rabin understood this. My friend knew that the Middle East is highly interdependent, that there could be no final military victory: it would come only through peace and reconciliation based on our shared humanity. He worked tirelessly to forge a just, secure, and lasting peace with the Palestinians, and his ultimate sacrifice proved it." Clinton wrote that despite the dismal events of the last years, "they in no way undermine the logic of his vision, the power of his faith, or the beauty of his gifts to us...." Rabin understood that maintaining security requires a resolution of the conflict with the Palestinians, and a commitment to share a peaceful future with them.

"In this spirit, the words of the late King Hussein at Yitzhak Rabin's funeral resound as powerfully today as they did several years ago: `Let us not keep silent. Let our voices raise high to speak of our commitment to peace for all times to come. And let us tell those who live in darkness, who are the enemies of life and true faith, this is where we stand. This is our camp.'"