Original subtitles

November the 4th, 1995.

Kings of Israel Square, Tel Aviv. 9 .30 in the evening.

Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin has just left the stage after addressing

100 ,000 of his fellow citizens at a peace rally.

Suddenly, three gunshots split the air.

Rabin slumps to the ground.

Someone wants the champion of peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors

November the 4th, 1995, Kings of Israel Square, Tel Aviv, 9 .35pm.

As the stricken Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin, is rushed to hospital,

few people are in any doubt over the reason for the attempt on his life.

In the minds of many, he had practically signed his own death warrant two years

earlier, when, on September the 13th, 1993, watched by a beaming Bill Clinton,

US President, he shakes hands with Yasser Arafat, the leader of the

Liberation Organization, as they stand together in the grounds of the White

House Rose Garden, Washington, D .C.

This apparent reconciliation infuriates Israeli right -wing extremists.

Arafat has been a violent enemy of their country for so long that they cannot

believe Rabin would stoop so low.

Rabin, now regarded as an out -and -out traitor by some of his countrymen, is

marked for death.

And a fanatical young law student named Yigal Amir is determined to be his

executioner.

But much as Amir detests Rabin for dealing with a man like Arafat, there's

nothing he can do yet.

Leading Israeli politicians have always run the risk of assassination.

But 73 -year -old Rabin, who in 1995 is three years into his second term as

Prime Minister, runs it more than most.

The Israeli extremists have detested him for years, particularly because of his

determination to reach a lasting agreement between Israel and Palestine

what's known as the Occupied Territories, the Gaza Strip and the West

And when, in September 1993, his party to the Oslo Accords, a deal withdrawing

Israeli troops and giving Palestine partial control of the occupied

his enemies are beside themselves with rage.

In fact, some of them go as far as calling him a Nazi, just about the

insult which can be levelled against a Jew.

December 10th.

1994, Oslo, Norway.

Rabin Arafat and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres received the Nobel

Prize for their roles in the Oslo Accords.

The award is greeted with incredulous outrage, not just by Israeli extremists,

but by Arabs as well.

Less than a year later, on September 28, 1995, the second stage of the Oslo

Accords is put into effect.

This gives the Palestinians greater autonomy and divides Israeli opinion

more.

Rabin is criticized at every level, from ordinary people in the street to senior

politicians.

One of the latter, Benjamin Netanyahu, who would himself become Israeli PM in

1996, is particularly incensed by the Oslo Accords and Rabin's hand in them.

As head of the opposition, he takes the opportunity to berate Rabin regularly in

the Knesset, Israel's parliament, accusing him of running a government

never been more removed from Israel's heritage.

This particularly angers Rabin.

He has played a key role in the Jewish state for more than 50 years and feels

doesn't need any lessons on how the country should be governed.

Yitzhak Rabin was born in Jerusalem.

then part of Palestine, on March 1, 1922.

A year later, his family moved to Tel Aviv, where his parents, both dedicated

Zionists, spend much of their time campaigning for the establishment of a

homeland.

At the time, Palestine is ruled by the British, operating under a mandate from

the League of Nations.

The history of Palestine is long and turbulent.

fought over by Jews, Christians and Muslims for centuries.

Once part of the Roman province of Judea, its most important city has

been Jerusalem, home to the remains of the Holy Temple, built by King Solomon

and regarded by Jews as a cornerstone of their religion.

Over the following centuries, thousands of Jews would flee from what they regard

as the Holy Land, driven out by a succession of rulers.

This mass migration is known as the Great Diaspora.

By the 8th century, with the Romans long gone, Jerusalem is in the hands of the

Muslims.

Accordingly, in 1095, Pope Urban II launches what becomes known as the First

Crusade, raising a great army from across Europe.

His aim is to recover the holy city of Jerusalem for the Christians.

Four years later, after a bloody campaign resulting in thousands of

all sides, he'd done just that.

By the early 16th century, Palestine is part of the Ottoman Turk Empire, its

name abandoned as it becomes part of Syria.

Ottoman rule over Palestine lasts until the start of World War I in 1914, when

the Turks make the fatal mistake of siding with Germany.

against the Allies.

In June 1916, the Turks find themselves facing an Arab revolt, with a young

British army officer, T .E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia,

playing an active role. The Arabs begin harassing Turkish troops.

In December 1917, Jerusalem falls to the British.

It's the beginning of the end.

of Ottoman rule in the region.

Now, not just the Jews already in Palestine, but many thousands more from

over the world are agitating for a homeland of their own.

They long to restore the ancient kingdom of Israel.

At first, the British appear sympathetic.

In fact, a month earlier, on November 2nd, 1917,

The Foreign Secretary, Arthur James Balfour, writes to Lord Rothschild,

of Britain's Zionist community, stating that the British government is in favour

of a separate Jewish state.

This would become known as the Balfour Declaration.

And when, five years later, the terms of the Declaration are enshrined in a

League of Nations mandate, it leads to a huge influx of Jewish settlers.

But as they try to make a new life for themselves, these settlers face growing

hostility from indigenous Arabs who want them out of Palestine.

The Arabs are also hostile towards the British, outraged by the fact that they

support a long -term plan to establish a separate Jewish homeland within

Palestine.

As the Arabs become increasingly aggressive,

The Jews form an organization called the Haganah.

Its main role is to defend the outlying settlements and farms.

Rabin's parents are involved with the Haganah from the beginning, but he's

too young to play an active role himself.

However, it's not long before Rabin, in common with most other young Jews, is

undergoing part -time military training.

The school he attends in the countryside is surrounded by hostile Arab villages.

Rabin and his fellow students must learn how to defend themselves from attack.

The outbreak of World War II in September 1939 puts paid to Rabin's

to university in the US.

He now throws himself wholeheartedly into further military training at a

on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.

He wants to help make a stand against Nazi tyranny as German troops overrun

of Europe.

Jewish settlers had been fleeing Germany since Hitler became Chancellor in 1933.

The accounts of their appalling treatment left the Jews in Palestine in

doubt of what they could expect from a German invasion.

Hitler already has a willing ally in the Grand Mufti, Haj Amin al -Husseini.

Palestine's leading Muslim cleric.

In return for promising to raise an Arab army which would join forces with

Germany, the Mufti hopes that Hitler will extend his anti -Jewish program to

Middle East.

By 1939, worried about the ever -increasing numbers, the British are

restricting Jewish immigration to Palestine.

These restrictions would remain in place until the end of the war six years

later.

Six million Jews died at the hands of the Nazis during the course of World War

II.

Now, more than ever, many of those who survived want to return to the land of

their forefathers.

But the British are determined to stop them.

The Haganah now turns against the British.

refusing to cooperate with them, carrying out random acts of sabotage on

military installations, and, above all, continuing to organise the arrival of

illegal immigrants.

July 18, 1947, the Mediterranean.

Britain attracts worldwide criticism when the Royal Navy seizes a ship.

The Exodus, carrying 4 ,500 Jewish would -be immigrants from France when it's no

more than 25 miles off the Palestinian coast.

The ship is then sailed into Haifa, where the passengers are forcibly

and put on three deportation ships heading back to France.

The international embarrassment Britain suffers from the affair is the final

straw. They've now had enough.

The government, headed by Prime Minister Clement Attlee, announced its intention

of terminating the mandate and withdrawing the 100 ,000 troops

Palestine as soon as possible.

May 14th, 1948, Jerusalem.

The Jews, led by David Ben -Gurion, are now absolutely determined to form their

own separate state.

And, after the last British forces have pulled out, they do just that.

But the Palestinian Arabs refuse to recognize the new state of Israel, and

growing violence now escalates into all -out war.

Rabin plays an active role, directing military operations in and around

Jerusalem. His most important task is keeping the holy city's lifeline open,

main road to Tel Aviv and the coast.

A ceasefire is declared in January 1949.

This leaves the Israelis controlling most of the former British Mandate

territory.

17 years later, Rabin has risen to the top of the military tree.

He's the Israeli Defense Force Chief of Staff.

As such, he masterminds Israel's crushing victory over Egypt, Syria, and

during the Six -Day War in early June 1967.

He's now a national hero.

The following year, Rabin stands down from the IDF and is appointed Israeli

ambassador to the United States.

He will remain in the post for the next five years.

Meanwhile, a small boy is being raised in a large family in a suburb of Tel

Aviv. His name, Yigal Amir.

Twenty -two years later, he will carry out an act which will have done the

world.

On his return to Israel from Washington, Rabin is elected to the Knesset.

June 2nd, 1974, Jerusalem.

Less than six months later, Rabin is Prime Minister, having succeeded Golda

as leader of the Labour Party.

At the time, Israel is still reeling from the aftermath of the Yom Kippur

The war starts on October 6, 1973, the Jewish Day of Atonement, when Syria and

Egypt launch a surprise attack on Israel.

Three weeks later, the war is over, with Israel once more beating back its

aggressive Arab neighbors.

But it has been at a terrible cost.

2 ,656 Israelis dead and 7 ,250 wounded.

as well as a complete collapse of confidence in Israel's political and

leaders for having been caught off guard.

Rabin now has his work cut out trying to restore the government's credibility.

April 7, 1977, Jerusalem.

Rabin stands down, dogged by scandal when it's revealed that his wife, Leah,

holds two U .S. dollar bank accounts.

a hangover from their time in Washington.

Even though they contain only $2 ,000 between them, such overseas accounts are

strictly forbidden under Israeli currency regulations.

However, Rabin still keeps his seat in the Knesset, and in 1984 he's appointed

Minister of Defense, a post he will hold for the next six years.

As such, he takes a harsh line with Palestinians in the occupied territories

when they mount demonstrations against the Israeli authorities, ordering his

troops to break their bones.

However, as time goes by, Rabin's attitude softens, as he begins to

the violence on both sides is achieving nothing, and that the answer really lies

in negotiation.

By 1992, Rabin is prime minister once again.

Now he's determined to try and reach an accord with Israel's Arab neighbors, and

above all, come to some agreement over Palestine and the occupied territories.

This, of course, infuriates the growing number of extreme right -wing Jews.

They become more and more vociferous in their opposition to Rabin and his new

policy of reconciliation.

And with the signing of the Oslo Accords and recognition of the previously

outlawed Palestinian Liberation Organization, their hatred of Rabin

heights.

They now want him out of office or dead.

October the 5th, 1995, Jerusalem, early evening.

Tens of thousands of right -wing Jews are making their way to Zion Square.

They're protesting in the strongest possible terms against Rabin and the

Accord.

Loud cries of death to Rabin fill the air as the crowd is whipped into a

by speaker after speaker.

Mock -up pictures of Rabin dressed in a Nazi SS uniform are openly displayed.

Although obviously shaken by the strength of feeling against him, Rabin

to be intimidated.

He cannot believe he's in any real danger from his own people.

Shin Bet, Israel's famous security service, agree.

They think that the real threat to Rabin lies not with homegrown extremists, but

with Palestinian terrorists.

So they keep looking in the wrong direction.

A mistake of monumental proportion.

Because in the autumn of 1995, there's one young Israeli who is spending a

deal of time working out how he can get close enough to Rabin to kill him.

Yigal Amir.

Earlier, Amir had served in the army as a member of the elite Ghulani Brigade.

He's released from the army in September 1993, the same month in which the first

of the Oslo Accords is signed.

25 -year -old Amir is now a law student at Tel Aviv's Bar Ilan University, where

he quickly earns a reputation for his extreme right -wing views and his

implacable opposition to Rabin.

As someone who firmly believes that Israel owes the Palestinians nothing,

is appalled by the concessions Rabin makes.

And when he watches a television broadcast showing Rabin shaking hands

Yasser Arafat, the leader of the PLO, Amir is determined to make Rabin pay the

ultimate price for his so -called treachery.

Now, as he studies Rabin's movements around the country, Amir is prepared to

take action.

April 22, 1995, Jerusalem.

Rabin is attending a function to celebrate the end of a religious

Amir also turns up with a gun.

But at the last moment, he loses his nerve and rushes out of the park.

September 11, 1995, Tel Aviv.

Rabin is dedicating a new underpass along one of Israel's main highways.

Amir gets there well before Rabin is scheduled to arrive.

He's determined to kill him.

However, by the time Rabin and his entourage reach the site, once again

nerve fails him.

It's left to a lone agitator to accuse Rabin of treachery before he's bundled

away.

Then Amir hears that Rabin will be addressing a huge peace rally in Tel

early in November.

This is the opportunity for which he's been waiting. This time, he won't fail.

November the 4th, 1995,

Kings of Israel Square, Tel Aviv, early evening.

Rabin is on stage at a massive peace rally.

He speaks of the continuing need to make a stand against violence.

As the crowds roar their approval at the Prime Minister's words, Amir arrives in

the square and heads for the car park at the back of the stage where he passes

himself off as one of the official drivers.

Despite earning the hatred of Jewish extremists such as Amir, Rabin still has

great many supporters.

In fact, around 100 ,000 of them have turned up that night to hear him speak,

cheering him to the echo, much to the disgust of Amir, who can hear everything

from the car park.

Rabin eventually finishes with the emotional song of peace, says his

and at around 9 .20 p .m., starts making his way back to his car.

As he sees the Prime Minister coming down the steps into the car park, Amir,

is lurking a short distance away, steals himself.

He's armed with a six -shot 9mm Beretta handgun.

This time he's absolutely determined to kill Rabih.

With all eyes on the Prime Minister, no one notices Amir as he quickly strides

towards his target.

Then, as the door to the PM's car opens, And when Rabin is no more than 15 feet

away from him, Amir fires at him three times in rapid succession.

Two bullets hit Rabin in the back. He slumps to the ground.

The third bullet strikes his bodyguard, Yoram Rubin, in his left arm.

But he still has the presence of mind to bundle Rabin into the car, which heads

at top speed for the Ichalov Hospital, a short distance away.

Meanwhile, Amir is grabbed by police and security agents and hustled out of the

car park.

Despite the best efforts of the medics, Rabin dies from his injuries less than

two hours later.

As the news breaks, Israel comes to an almost complete standstill.

No one can quite believe that the Prime Minister has been assassinated.

The shock is felt throughout the world.

with a great many Arab, including PLO leader Yasser Arafat, just as stunned as

the Israelis.

I'm very shocked for this awful and terrible crime

against one of the brave

leaders of Israel.

November 6th, 1995,

Jerusalem.

Rabin's funeral is attended by more than 40 of the world's leading statesmen,

royals and politicians, including US President Bill Clinton.

Your Prime Minister was a martyr for peace.

January the 19th, 1996, Tel Aviv.

Amir, who still hasn't expressed any remorse or regret for the assassination,

goes on trial.

He accuses Rabin of grovelling before the whole world and claims that he only

intended to wound the Prime Minister, not kill him.

Earlier, police took Amir under heavy guard back to the scene of the crime and

told him to talk them through the assassination.

Such a procedure is standard practice with serious crimes in Israel.

With police standing in for the bodyguards and Rabin, Amir, wearing a

bulletproof vest and carrying a replica gun, demonstrated how he was able to get

close to Rabin and shoot him before anyone realized what was happening.

On March the 27th, Yigal Amir is sentenced to life in prison, plus

years for wounding Rabin's bodyguard.

As Amir is led away to begin his sentence, Rabin's successor, Shimon

expresses his opinion.

I would say that the punishment is pale in comparison with the crime.

It is one of the worst crimes that we as a Jewish people have ever known in our

history.

Rabin's aim was for Israel to live in peace with its Arab neighbours,

in particular.

It was an aim which would cost him his life.