Ehud Barak speech, Nov 28, 2016, at the book launch of "At Crucial Junctures" by Shlomo Gazit "At Crucial Junctures" is a particularly unique book. It is Shlomo Gazit's life story, from his time in the Palmach to this very day-75 years of fruitful and devoted activity on behalf of Israel and its security, presented in clear thinking and writing. At the center of the book is the fight for the revival of the State of Israel. The enemy is the Arab world, and Shlomo describes the developments, the threats, and the opportunities. Through his experiences we meet the Palestinians over and over again—as rivals, as permanent neighbors, as future partners for dialogue, and as humans. The lessons that can be learned from reading this book are numerous, but most importantly: Security above all else. "The Iron Wall" is a necessary precondition to our existence. We must never compromise on it. But while security is a necessary condition to our life here, it is not a sufficient one. Within the primacy of security, we must act: with courage, integrity, sincerity, and realistic optimism. This means seizing opportunities that arise—for the sake of Israel's security and its future. EFTA_R1_00007701 EFTA01733605