mr. shamir and mr. laffey. they say in the event that this man doesn't continue to be prime minister one or the other of you might come. are you still interested in being prime minister? >> guest: israel is democracy. i believe that i can contribute. i believe i can contribute in a setting needed goals for israel and i believe that i could contribute to the peace process. maybe the warrior will become the peacemaker. c-span: can we go back and discuss in the time remaining the invasion or however you want to characterize it come into lebanon, the whole issue that eventually became the subject of a libel suit and let you tell us your side of the story. and if you would, explain to us us -- it was back in 1982. why did you go into lebanon? >> guest: we first, a very dangerous situation along our northern border. in lebanon, those days it was the plo, an independent kingdom of terror headed i yasser arafat and if course all the other murderers like paul bosch -- responsible for tragedy. our northern civilian popul

mr. shamir, were they born in israel? >> no, they were not born in israel. >> what country did they come from? >> both of them are born in poland. >> what about some of the other people we know? >> he was born in israel. >> golda mayor was born here, wasn't she? >> she was born in russia and came here. >> does it matter at all? you have been there all of your life, does it matter to you or others if you came from another country, whether or not you can be a part of the government? >> no, first of all, there is a difference, everyone might be elected, and according to democratic way, for no, no, i do not think so. altogether, i don't think there is a lot of difference. all of us are jews. first of all, i am a jew before anything else. it is one of the reasons i'm writing the book, i'm looking for a situation where israel will be able to meet those challenges. >> are you religious? >> no, but i am a jew. i am a jew, and that is more than anything else. >> how much does religion play a role in the whole exercise of governmen

mr. shamir, were they born in israel? >> no, they were not born in israel. >> what country did they come from? >> both of them are born in poland. >> what about some of the other people we know? >> he was born in israel. >> golda mayor was born here, wasn't she? >> she was born in russia and came here. >> does it matter at all? you have been there all of your life, does it matter to you or others if you came from another country, whether or not you can be a part of the government? >> no, first of all, there is a difference, everyone might be elected, and according to democratic way, for no, no, i do not think so. altogether, i don't think there is a lot of difference. all of us are jews. first of all, i am a jew before anything else. it is one of the reasons i'm writing the book, i'm looking for a situation where israel will be able to meet those challenges. >> are you religious? >> no, but i am a jew. i am a jew, and that is more than anything else. >> how much does religion play a role in the whole exercise of governmen

mr. shamir, were they born in israel? >> no, they were not born in israel. >> what country did they come from -- from? >> both of them are born in poland. >> what about some of the other people we know? -- >> he was born in israel. >> golda mayor was born here, wasn't she? >> she was born in russia and came here. >> does it matter at all? yourave been there all of life, does it matter to you or others if you came from another country, whether or not you can be a part of the >> no. we live in a democracy and everyone might be elected. i don't think so. i don't think it makes a difference. all of us are jews. first of all, i am a jew before .nything else reasons i'm the writing the book, i'm looking situation where israel will be able to meet those challenges. >> are you religious? >> no, but i am a jew. i am a jew, and that is more than anything else. >> how much does religion play a exerciseand the whole of government? >> when you speak about religious here or there -- israel, when you speak about religious, you speak abo