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Moshe Sharett Quotes

Powerful Moshe Sharett for Daily Growth

About Moshe Sharett

**Moshe Sharett** (1894-1965), born as **Mordechai Shaltiel** in Jerusalem, was a prominent Israeli statesman who served as the second Prime Minister of Israel from 1954 to 1955. Known for his diplomatic acumen and profound wisdom, Sharett played a pivotal role in shaping Israel's foreign policy during its formative years. Born into a religious family, Sharett was deeply influenced by the Zionist movement from an early age. He studied law at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland before returning to Palestine to practice law and engage in political activism. In 1925, he joined the Jewish Agency and was instrumental in the negotiations leading to the 1936–1939 Peel Commission, which proposed partitioning Palestine into Arab and Jewish states. Sharett's political career took a significant leap when he became one of the founding members of the Mapai party (later known as Labor Alignment) in 1930. He served as Israel's first Ambassador to London from 1948 to 1952, playing a crucial role in establishing diplomatic relations with several countries during this period. In 1954, Sharett became the second Prime Minister of Israel, serving until 1955. His tenure was marked by the Suez Crisis, where Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal, prompting a joint invasion by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel. Sharett pursued a policy of non-alignment and diplomatic negotiation, ultimately securing a peaceful resolution to the crisis through mediation from the United States and the Soviet Union. After his resignation, Sharett remained active in politics until his death in 1965. His legacy is honored for his contributions to Israel's foreign policy, diplomacy, and his commitment to peace. Notable works include "The Memoirs of Moshe Sharett" (Hebrew: אַרְבִיעָה שָׁנָים במֶלֶךְ הַחוֹצָב, Arbayah Shanayim BaMelech HaHotzav), a three-volume memoir covering his years in office as Prime Minister.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"In any conflict between people and freedom, freedom must win."

This quote emphasizes a fundamental belief in the primacy of individual freedom over conflicts with others. In essence, it suggests that when faced with a choice where personal liberty is at stake, freedom should always be upheld as the superior value. The sentiment is rooted in the idea that freedom fosters growth, creativity, and prosperity for all individuals, enabling them to reach their full potential and contribute positively to society.

"The essence of diplomacy is to avoid war, not to prepare for it."

This quote emphasizes that the fundamental purpose of diplomacy is peace and conflict resolution, rather than a means to escalate conflicts or prepare for wars. It highlights the importance of dialogue, negotiation, and understanding in maintaining peaceful international relations and preventing armed conflicts. Effective diplomacy aims to create an environment where war can be avoided through collaboration, compromise, and mutual respect among nations.

"Peace is not just the absence of war; peace is the presence of justice."

This quote suggests that true peace, beyond merely the cessation of conflict or war, requires the implementation of fairness and justice. In other words, for a society to be truly peaceful, it must address the root causes of discord by ensuring that all its members are treated equitably. Peace is not just an absence of violence but a state where everyone's rights, needs, and aspirations are acknowledged and respected, fostering harmony and unity among people and nations.

"A nation that forgets its past has no future."

This quote emphasizes the importance of preserving and learning from one's history for a successful future. A nation that neglects its past, including its triumphs, struggles, values, and lessons learned, risks losing the knowledge and wisdom gained over time. Without this foundation, a nation may repeat past mistakes, overlook crucial insights, and lack guidance for making informed decisions about its future. Recalling the past is not just about nostalgia but serves as a compass to navigate toward progress and stability.

"We have a great opportunity today - an opportunity to prove that we are worthy of our history and worthy of our tradition."

This quote by Moshe Sharett highlights the responsibility that each generation inherits from its past, particularly in relation to their heritage and traditions. The "opportunity today" refers to a significant moment or decision where they can demonstrate their worthiness as the stewards of history. Essentially, it is a call for the present to preserve, respect, and build upon the legacy left by the past, thereby honoring their tradition in a meaningful and impactful way.

As for the long-term future: I am prepared to see in this a vision, not a mystical way but in a realistic way, of a population exchange on a much more important scale and including larger territories.

- Moshe Sharett

Prepared, Larger, Including, Territories

A reprisal of this magnitude... has never been carried out before. I paced back and forth in my room perplexed and completely depressed, feeling helpless.

- Moshe Sharett

Been, Before, Carried, Helpless

Arabs respect only the language of force.

- Moshe Sharett

Language, Only, Force, Arabs

By the reduction of the Arabs on the one hand and Jewish immigration in the transition period on the other, we will ensure an absolute Hebrew majority in a parliamentary regime.

- Moshe Sharett

Immigration, Other, Period, Arabs

When the Jewish state is established - it is very possible that the result will be transfer of Arabs.

- Moshe Sharett

Result, Very, Established, Arabs

Even of if a certain backlash is unavoidable, we must make the most of the momentous chance with which history has presented us so swiftly and so unexpectedly.

- Moshe Sharett

Chance, Which, Unexpectedly, Momentous

We have forgotten that we have not come to an empty land to inherit it, but we have come to conquer a country from people inhabiting it, that governs it by the virtue of its language and savage culture.

- Moshe Sharett

Conquer, Country, Inhabiting, Inherit

Fear is the main factor in Arab politics... There is no Arab who is not harmed by Jews' entry into Palestine.

- Moshe Sharett

Politics, Palestine, Entry, Factor

I explained that we would like to adjust our position on the Syrian question to theirs, as, in our view, they are the decisive factor in our relations with our neighbors, and Syria is unimportant.

- Moshe Sharett

Question, Like, Syria, Factor

As for now, we must not forget who would have to exchange the land? those villages which live more than others on irrigation, on orange and fruit plantations, in houses built near water wells and pumping stations, on livestock and property and easy access to markets.

- Moshe Sharett

Fruit, Access, Irrigation, Easy Access

Curious people who have become accustomed to think that one cannot sustain the moral of the army without giving it the freedom to shed blood from time to time.

- Moshe Sharett

Curious, Think, Shed, From Time To Time

The state of Israel must, from time to time, prove clearly that it is strong, and able and willing to use force, in a devastating and highly effective way. If it does not prove this, it will be swallowed up, and perhaps wiped off the face of the earth.

- Moshe Sharett

Strong, Prove, Effective Way, From Time To Time

I have learned that the state of Israel cannot be ruled in our generation without deceit and adventurism. These are historical facts that cannot be altered.

- Moshe Sharett

Generation, Deceit, Learned, I Have Learned

As for the future, we are equally determined to explore all possibilities of getting rid, once and for all, of the huge Arab minority which originally threatened us.

- Moshe Sharett

Possibilities, Which, Arab

Israel would not do that, both because we cannot afford to be accused by the world of aggression and because we cannot, for security and social reasons, absorb in our midst a substantial Arab population.

- Moshe Sharett

Social, Reasons, We Cannot, Arab

So we need people who will remain steadfast in any hardship and who have a high degree of resistance.

- Moshe Sharett

Hardship, Need, High, Steadfast

We don't know what may yet happen to us, what military and political defeats we may yet have to face.

- Moshe Sharett

Face, Happen, May, Defeats

Our role in Israel is a pioneering one, and we need people with certain strength of fiber.

- Moshe Sharett

Strength, Role, Fiber, Pioneering

I imagine that the intention is to get rid of them. The interests of security demand that we get rid of them.

- Moshe Sharett

Security, Get, Imagine, Intention

What is our vision on this earth - war to the end of all generations and life by the sword?

- Moshe Sharett

Vision, Earth, Generations, Sword

Once the return tide starts, it will be impossible to stem it, and it will prove our undoing.

- Moshe Sharett

Tide, Prove, Once, Return

I saw clearly how those who saved the state so heroically and courageously in the War of Independence would be capable of bringing a catastrophe upon it if they are given the chance in normal times.

- Moshe Sharett

Normal, Given, Courageously, Catastrophe

The opportunities which the present position open up for a lasting and radical solution of the most vexing problem of the Jewish state are so far-reaching as to take one's breath away.

- Moshe Sharett

Away, Which, Jewish State, Vexing

I am against preventive war because it means measures by the UN against us.

- Moshe Sharett

I Am, Means, Measures, UN

An there is always the question: is it really proven that retaliatory actions solve the security problem?.

- Moshe Sharett

Problem, Security, Always, Solve

We are very anxious to bring the Jews of Morocco over and we are doing all we can to achieve this. But we cannot count on the Jews of Morocco alone to build the country, because they have not been educated for this.

- Moshe Sharett

Country, Over, Very, Morocco

I am against intervention by a foreign power against us.

- Moshe Sharett

Power, I Am, Against, Intervention

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