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You can’t achieve anything without getting in someone’s way. You can’t be detached and effective.

Abba Eban

Human beings act intelligently only after they have exhausted the alternatives
ABBA EBAN

Alternatives Exhausted Human Intelligent
You can’t achieve anything without getting in someone’s way. You can’t be detached and effective.
ABBA EBAN

Achievement Change Detached Effective Somehow Way
Nobody does Israel any service by proclaiming its ‘right to exist.’ Israel’s right to exist, like that of the United States, Saudi Arabia and 152 other states, is axiomatic and unreserved.
ABBA EBAN

Country Nobody Proclaiming
A nation writes its history in the image of its ideal.
ABBA EBAN

Diversity History Ideal Justice Nation Write Writing
It [idolatry] nourishes mans ambition to domineer over his fellow man. Idolatry, therefore, is the source of all social and moral evil in the world.
ABBA EBAN

Ambition Domineer Evil Idolatry Man Nourish Social Source
Tragedy is not what men suffer but what they miss.
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Men Missing Suffering Tragedy
It is our experience that political leaders do not always mean the opposite of what they say.
ABBA EBAN

Experience Leader Leadership Mean Opposite Political
Tragedy is the difference between what is and what could have been.
ABBA EBAN

Could Difference Happen Tragedy
If Algeria introduced a resolution declaring that the earth was flat and that Israel had flattened it, it would pass by a vote of 164 to 13 with 26 abstentions.
ABBA EBAN

Declare Earth Flat Flattered Introduce Vote
Israel is not an aviary.
ABBA EBAN

Better
Consensus is what many people say in chorus but do not believe as individuals.
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Belief Believe Chorus Individual People Say
Science is not a sacred cow. Science is a horse. Don’t worship it. Feed it. [Addressing a group of prospective contributors to an Israeli scientific research program]
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Contribute Feed Group Horse Research Scared Science Worship
Playing the game I have learned the meaning of humility. It has given me an understanding of futility of the human effort.
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Effort Futility Game Golf Humility Learn Life Playing
Salvation, the prophets tell us, is preconditioned by repentance. The redeeming act of God waits upon man’s initiative.
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God Initiative Men Prophet Salvation Waiting
I think that this is the first war in history that on the morrow the victors sued for peace and the vanquished called for unconditional surrender.
ABBA EBAN

History Love Peace Sued Thinking Unconditional Victor War
Lest Arab governments be tempted out of sheer routine to rush into impulsive rejection, let me suggest that tragedy is not what men suffer but what they miss.
ABBA EBAN

Arab Government Impulsive Men Missing Rejection Routine Rush Sheer Tempted

You can’t achieve anything without getting in someone’s way. You can’t be detached and effective.

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You can’t achieve anything without getting in someone’s way. You can’t be detached and effective.

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Popular Authors

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