Shimon Peres Quotations

The Jews' greatest contribution to history is dissatisfaction! We're a nation born to be discontented. Whatever exists we believe can be changed for the better.

A solution of two national states - a Jewish state, Israel; an Arab state, Palestine. The Palestinians are our closest neighbors. I believe they may become our closest friends.

Peace with the Palestinians will open ports of peace all around the Mediterranean. The duty of leaders is to pursue freedom ceaselessly, even in the face of hostility, in the face of doubt and disappointment. Just imagine what could be.

Bulgaria is a true friend of Israel, that stood up to save the Jewish people 70 years ago in Europe, and who stood by throughout the terror attack that took place in Burgas last July.

You don't make peace with friends. You make it with very unsavory enemies.

When you have two alternatives, the first thing you have to do is to look for the third that you didn't think about, that doesn't exist.

The older generation had greater respect for land than science. But we live in an age when science, more than soil, has become the provider of growth and abundance. Living just on the land creates loneliness in an age of globality.

My heart goes out to the brave citizens of Syria, who each day risk and even sacrifice their lives to achieve freedom from a murderous regime. We in Israel welcome the historic struggle to forge democratic, peace-loving governments in our region.

The Middle East is ailing. The malady stems from pervasive violence, shortages of food, water and educational opportunities, discrimination against women and - the most virulent cause of all - the absence of freedom.

In Israel, a land lacking in natural resources, we learned to appreciate our greatest national advantage: our minds. Through creativity and innovation, we transformed barren deserts into flourishing fields and pioneered new frontiers in science and technology.

The uprising in Egypt was initiated by the young generation. The uprising achieved two things. One is it made the lives of dictators impossible. Today, if you are looking for a safe job, don't become a dictator.

And in England there has always been something deeply pro-Arab, of course, not among all Englishmen, and anti-Israeli, in the establishment. They abstained in the 1947 UN partition resolution... They maintained an arms embargo against us in the 1950s... They always worked against us. They think the Arabs are the underdogs.

When I look at the record of President Obama concerning the major issue security I think it's a highly satisfactory record from Israeli point of view.

Look, I worked with American Republican presidents and Democratic presidents, all of them, and each of them has shown a deep and profound friendship to Israel, you know? I can't remember anybody who was in that sense negative as far as Israel is concerned.

I worked with a group of people who argued day and night - professors, officials, the Minister of Finance - but there were decisions that I had to make.

Look, Israel doesn't intend to introduce nuclear weapons, but if people are afraid that we have them, why not? It's a deterrent.

There was one occasion when I was very young - eight years or seven years old - that Jewish businessmen went through the forest, and they were assassinated. And that was for the first time I saw in our paper where there were assassinations in our place.

Israel welcomes the wind of change, and sees a window of opportunity. Democratic and science-based economies by nature desire peace. Israel does not want to be an island of affluence in an ocean of poverty. Improvements in our neighbours' lives mean improvements to the neighbourhood in which we live.

What is wrong with the Iranians in addition to the nuclear bomb? This is the only country on Earth in the 21st century that has renewed imperialistic ambitions. They really want to become the hegemon of the Middle East in an age that gave up imperialism.

You know who is against democracy in the Middle East? The husbands. They got used to their way of life. Now, the traditional way of life must change. Everybody must change. If you don't give equal rights to women, you can't progress.

Television has made dictatorship impossible but democracy unbearable.

The present Arab uprising didn't stem from Israel. The old guard is trying to keep down the young chickens. The old guard is better organized. They may win elections, but unless they have a solution to poverty, to corruption, to oppression, they will not last. I am with the young people.

One of the most important branches of the Egyptian economy is tourism. No bikinis, no tourism. So they have to decide what to do.

One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition with you, you will have a coalition against you. I don't want to see China and Russia on the side of Iran more strongly than they are.

He was the editor of our paper. He created the publishing house in Hebrew. He was - I wouldn't say the "guru" - but really he was our teacher and a most respected man. I wrote for the paper of the youth movement.

The Iranian regime suppresses its own people as well as others in the region. It prevents peace by sponsoring terror globally. With the ultimate weapon that it is deceptively developing, the regime aims to gain hegemony over the entire Middle East and hold the world's economy hostage.

What he started will never be forgotten and we shall continue to act in the same way until we shall achieve the most noble goal of our life, and that is peace among ourselves and our neighbors.

We were at the point where all of us could have lost control of the situation, and the bloodshed reached an unbelievable proportion. ... we pray for a day without funerals.

We shall not be able to fly, to walk, to come out, to drink water, if in this world there will be an intervention of cruel, crazy, fanatic people that are using modern equipment in order to kill indiscriminately,

The pope said he will go in the first months of next year.

When I am speaking about American presidents, I have to speak about my very special relations with President Clinton. He contributed more to peace than anybody else in the American sense.

Look, we have existed for 4,000 years - 2,000 years in diaspora, in exile. Nobody in the Middle East speaks their original language but Israel. When we started 64 years ago, we were 650,000 people. So, you know, we are maybe swimming a little bit against the stream, but we continue to swim.

My goal is to make peace and it doesn't matter with which party.

Nobody knows, but I would say a matter of years.

He indicated he may do it in the first part of next year.

It can't happen as long as there is still shooting. Either there is shooting or there are talks,

I think we can run a government with 28 seats. It will be difficult, but possible.

I think this is the end of the present government,

It is a very difficult decision as it is so tied up with historic and other considerations. It will take me a day or two to decide.

I think there needs to be change in Syria,

I see an opportunity that we must not miss. I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself if I hadn't, because of political party considerations or inconvenience, lent a hand to the move ... Sharon is leading.

I see an opportunity that we must not miss.

Peace is something that needs continuous cultivating and unending dialogue, ... At Oslo it was agreed to clarify all the issues by way of dialogue at the negotiating table, without the interference of terror and violence, and that is the way to act.

Some of the issues will be simply too difficult to overcome with such speed, ... I believe that at this point in time two years should suffice for the negotiators to get there.

That was my first lesson from Ben-Gurion. Then I saw him making peace, and I saw him making war. He mobilized me before the war. The man was a very rare combination between a real intellectual and a born leader. There is a contradiction between the two.

We don't want to occupy them or reoccupy them, and as soon as it is possible we shall be more than happy to leave them, provided that security can be assured,

We must pay attention to the situation and the mood of the Palestinian people in the territories. We do not want them to suffer, we do not want them to pay a price for terror and violence,

Today, the people are governing the governments. And when they begin to talk to each other, they are surprised, they can be friends. Why should we hate each other?

We are going to take steps...immediate, unconditional steps -- to facilitate the life of the people in the territories in every possible way.

We don't intend to extend settlements, as I have said, and how to stop natural growth is a very difficult definition. I can hardly understand what it is. But I think this is a bridgeable position and I do not believe this should serve as a reason for introducing doubts and the value and the need to do it immediately. I think the alarm clock started to click again and we shouldn't fall asleep.

The decision for me is very difficult, it is so tied up with historic and other considerations. It will take me another day or two to decide.

Well, textiles are out of business, people are going for high-tech today. But the textile business achieved its basic aim as a deterrent.

Well, textiles are out of business, people are going for high-tech today, ... But the textile business achieved its basic aim as a deterrent.

We should take 4 or 5 per cent, and we shall give 4 or 5 per cent elsewhere ... in order to reach an agreement.

We need to check if this really happened,

We will know how to continue Israel's policy ... to continue Ariel Sharon's policies.

We understand perfectly well that without an inflow of people and goods within Gaza or outside Gaza, Gaza will not be able to exist,

Contrary to his father, he speaks foreign languages, ... He was educated abroad. He is aware that the world has changed.

Israel has its attractions. It's the most dramatic country in the world. Everybody's engaged. Everybody argues. When I leave Israel, I get a little bit bored, you know?

Saddam Hussein is one of the greatest killers -- and a smart one -- around us. He endangers his own people. He endangers his neighbors. And he will not stop being a danger because this is his nature, and this is his position,

Now, I learned soon enough, that among the three, two don't trust the third one - the third one is the government. Both industry and unions feel the government is a talking organization and a spending organization.

A man that combines moral foundations with intellectual talents. And serves a cause. He becomes uninteresting the minute he becomes self-concerned. Then it's a waste of greatness not greatness.

It was impossible to clap with one hand.

Football is a great contributor to the peace process, ... I think all of us are coming here with one message and that is peace has a future.

It's a very sad day and a very serious situation. And the first and most urgent task is to return from shooting to talking,

The campaign against Saddam Hussein is a must. Inspections and inspectors are good for decent people, but dishonest people can overcome easily inspections and inspectors.

I imagine there will be an approach to Labor during next week to join in a new national unity government,

In many ways, this is more of a warning than a military operation. It is a warning to Arafat, telling him: 'Take the situation into your own hands and respond to the real problems,' ... Larry King Live.

If the Palestinians claim that observers are a need, let them negotiate with the Israelis

I hope that he will do his best and be able to do something concrete on the ground, ... I'm sure the United States expects Israel to listen to Arab needs as well and that is what we are doing in a very open manner and fair way and I hope it will lead to some ... achievements.

I don't know if it has any chance of success. But it is something we must say. I don't think it is a matter of what one thinks is worthwhile or not. This is intolerable,

I didn't plan to be a politician. The founder of our country, David Ben-Gurion, called me from the kibbutz to serve in the underground. We were short of manpower, short of arms. I was 24 years old. I was supposed to serve my country for one or two years. I am 89 years old this year, and I keep going.

If I tax them, in fact, I'm not taxing the capitalists, I am taxing the people who have saved, trusted. It was very controversial, those sorts of things. But finally, it worked out.

I believe Sadat was an outstanding statesman, and Mister Begin raised to the occasion, and President Carter did an outstanding job -- worked hard day in and day out to overcome differences.

I believe that a train is the most efficient and best idea among the options presented to us,

an attempt to bring an end to the government of one of the most terrible persons of our time, Saddam Hussein. ... And we think and know that he is on his way to acquire a nuclear option; then it will be terrible.

We asked the workers to give up 25 percent of their salaries. Imagine! We asked the industrialists to freeze all costs, no matter what the inflation is.

We had a lot of support - don't give me "the world", just the televisions. In America we enjoy support,China is neutral, India is for, in Europe they're divided.

I have a brother younger than me. My mother was a librarian, so from her, I got the taste to read.

I cannot go to elections with an open stomach. If you want to negotiate we have to conclude it before the elections. I cannot just start the negotiations [with Palestinians] saying we are ready to do this and that and not having any reply.

I think I was a good student, because I jumped over a school. My main interest was basically history and literature. Sports were basically basketball and swimming at a pool. I was so happy.

I will confine myself to reaffirming the Israel will not be the first country to introduce nuclear weapons to the region.

I don't think for example that the Indians look at [ what is right and whats wrong ] that way [the Palestinians do]. There are a billion, 200 million people in that part of the world. Why? They suffer from terror. People that do not suffer from it don't understand what I'm talking about, you know?

Historic justice has been done by killing Saddam.

Early in the morning, I fell in love with the girl that later on became my wife. At that time, we were so naive. I wanted to charm her, so I read her Capital by Marx. I thought somehow she would be convinced by the strength of his criticism about capital.

Hamas married the Iranians. It was their choice. They are the same family.

[Palestinians] are becoming religiously fanatic. Israel is becoming irrelevant. They do it for religious purpose, fanatic, they want to conquer the Middle East under the command of the Iranians.

Later on, there were some problems with our navy, so he made me the head of the navy - all things that I hardly knew anything about. I was basically an ignorant young man.

We have to be reasonable people.

Some experts advise what to do in accordance with the past, but the past flew away, and we have to reorient ourselves in the face of new dangers.

President Abbas and myself, we are the ones who signed the Oslo agreement, so we really know each other, not just theoretically.

For many years the stakes were clear. There were the Arabs attacking us and us defending ourselves, so basically there were no real problems [between the United States and Israel]. Now there are many small cells, and each of them can destroy on their own. Some can arrive at New York and kill thousands of people.

I think today you can move ahead working with global companies more than with national governments.

Governments are based on power, companies are based on goodwill, which allows them to invest in the future.

Terrorists and murderers are so dangerous. We shouldn't fall victim to believe that they are immune.

Now, I learned soon enough, that among the three, two don't trust the third one - the third one is the government. Both industry and unions feel the government is a talking organization and a spending organization.

I joined the army as a private. I was offered a rank at that time, but I refused. I preferred to remain a private. First of all, I wasn't taken by ranks, and before I knew it, they put me in the most sensitive positions anyway.

Israel's doors are open to collaboration with Bulgaria.

Germany and Israel should dream together for a Middle East in which all the countries are willing to exchange the dispute of the parents with peace for their children.

I was learning, as I did in the Ministry of Defense. I never knew, but I always learned.