been rooted in a rare combination and fine balance between vision, daring and courage on one hand and judgment, complete sobriety and grasp of detail on the other. They will not come where anxiety, pessimism and passivity rule — these are recipes for the creating of self-fulfilling (necessarily pessimistic) prophecies. ¢ The essence and the purpose of the Zionist movement was to defy the reality and the mindset that the Exile created. Its foundation lay in the decision to take our own fate in our own hands and move proactively to change reality, and not be swept away by the arbitrary waves of history. ¢ Reality is knocking on our door. Not everything is certain. Nothing 1s ever certain. And nothing ever will be. Nevertheless — open the ¢ door — this is the true trial of the national leadership. ¢ Abba Eban used to say — the HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_028919