One of the lessons learned in the Middle East is to never try to anticipate the other side's moves.
Interpretation
Understanding others' intentions is complex; it's best to remain flexible and open-minded.
This quote by Ehud Barak emphasizes the importance of not making assumptions about how others will react or what their next actions will be, particularly in high-stakes situations like those often found in the Middle East. It suggests that predicting others' behavior can lead to misunderstandings and strategic miscalculations, and that the ability to adapt and be responsive is crucial in navigating complex interactions.
In practice
During a negotiation workshop, this quote could be shared to emphasize the importance of being adaptable.
In Israel, there is a peace camp that can convene 200,000 people in central square of this city, on very short notice, and there is a major movement among academics, politicians, thinkers, and public leaders for peace, even at a painful price. On the Palestinian side, you can find them individually here and there, but there is no public movement.
If Israel does not find the way to disengage from the Palestinians, its future might resemble the experience of Belfast or Bosnia - two communities bleeding each other to death for generations.
There is a thin line between peace of the brave and peace of the hostage... between compromise - even calculated risk - and irresponsibility and capitulation.
Israel is much more effective when the Israelis are convinced that we are on the moral high ground: that we are acting not just out of might, but also out of right.
As long as in this territory west of the Jordan river there is only one political entity called Israel, it is going to be either non-Jewish or non-democratic. If this bloc of millions of Palestinians cannot vote, that will be an apartheid state.
I cannot penetrate the soul of Arafat. I cannot know in advance whether, behind all the masks, he's the kind of leader who can reach an agreement or whether he wants to be the Moses of the Palestinians, staying in front of the river and not crossing into the promised land.
I learned a long time ago the wisest thing I can do is be on my own side, be an advocate for myself and others like me.
One of the blessings of maturity is that it sometimes brings one greater courage to be truthful, regardless of what those who do not understand may think or say
We must make the choices that enable us to fulfill the deepest capacities of our real selves.
I have no disciples, being myself an aspirant after discipleship and in search of a guru.
Gratitude is a mark of a noble soul and a refined character. We like to be around those who are grateful. They tend to brighten all around them. They make others feel better about themselves. They tend to be more humble, more joyful, more likable.
Don't you know your imperfections is a wonderful blessing, from heaven is where you got it from
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