When it becomes a bloody reality, we have to come together and look at what can be done to return to the order of peace, ... There is no alternative to it.
I believe that peace with the Palestinians is most urgent - urgent than ever before. It is necessary. It is crucial. It is possible. A delay may worsen its chances. Israel and the Palestinians are, in my judgment, ripe today to restart the peace process.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the urgent need for peace between Israel and the Palestinians, suggesting that the opportunity to negotiate is critical and time-sensitive.
Shimon Peres expresses a strong belief that the current moment presents a unique opportunity for achieving peace between Israel and the Palestinians. He highlights the urgency and necessity of this peace, arguing that delaying any action could jeopardize the chances of reconciliation. Peres's message reflects a deep understanding of the geopolitical landscape and the potential for progress if both parties are willing to engage in dialogue. His optimism suggests that despite past challenges, a resolution is attainable if addressed promptly.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a speech advocating for peace negotiations in the Middle East.
More from Shimon Peres
All quotes βI 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.
The United States is the only power in history that became great by giving and not by taking. I think the crisis was when the United States had more money than ideas. Money doesn't produce money. Ideas produce money.
The problem of the Middle East is poverty more than politics.
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.
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.
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Mankind will never win lasting peace so long as men use their full resources only in tasks of war. While we are yet at peace, let us mobilize the potentialities, particularly the moral and spiritual potentialities, which we usually reserve for war.
War is not the answer, because only love can conquer hate.
Peaceful coexistence cannot be limited to the powerful countries if we want to ensure world peace.
You may call for peace as loudly as you wish, but where there is no brotherhood there can in the end be no peace.
Not many countries establish a prize for peace. The Seoul Peace Prize has its roots in the 1988 Summer Olympics when this country opened its doors to people and athletes from more than 160 countries. Korea did so in part because it believes in the power of sports for peace and development.
I speak of peace, therefore, as the necessary rational end of rational men. I realize the pursuit of peace is not as dramatic as the pursuit of war... But we have no more urgent task.