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I was critical of the Israeli government, however, for not being prepared for the move. One does not uproot thousands of people without planning in advance what will be done with them. This was a political and human error in which the government functioned poorly.

I have completed 43 years in politics and have been a minister of state, chief minister, and a Cabinet minister. A person who survives so many years is bound to face some attacks. It doesn't affect me because I know the truth.

I have been, and will remain, outspoken in my insistence that Israel has a right to live in peace and security.

Your personality as the prime minister feeds through to what you emphasise, and what you don't, how you'll handle a situation - whether you've got the combination of intelligence or instincts to adapt and to make good decisions.

From the day I started to think politically and to develop my own moral values, from my earliest youth, I have been an ardent defender of Israel.

As governor of my country, I have been an enemy to its enemies.

I understand the importance of political power, so I will use my strength and influence to convince as many people as I can within the party and outside the party that a Palestinian state is bad news for Israel.

I became a prime minister within four-and-a-half years, the shortest kind of career ever in Israeli political history.

I was bashing Israel in the past because nobody else was exposing its true record. Many people are doing it now, so I switched hats from a critic of Israel to a diplomat who wants to resolve the conflict. I have not changed, but I think the spectrum has moved.