Abba Eban > Quotes

“His ignorance is encyclopedic.”
― Abba Eban

“History teaches us
that men and nations
only behave wisely
once they have exhausted
all other alternatives."
--”
― Abba Eban, Personal Witness: Israel through My Eyes

“A consensus means that everyone agrees to say collectively what no one believes individually.”
― Abba Eban

“There is no difference whatever between anti-Semitism and the denial of Israel's statehood. Classical anti-Semitism denies the equal right of Jews as citizens within society. Anti-Zionism denies the equal rights of the Jewish people its lawful sovereignty within the community of nations. The common principle in the two cases is discrimination."

New York Times, 1975”
― Abba Eban

“If Algeria introduced a resolution 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

“You can't achieve anything without getting in someone's way.”
― Abba Eban

“They never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity”
― Abba Eban

“When all else fails, men turn to reason.”
― Abba Eban

“You can always count on the American people to do the right thing, after they have exhausted all other possibilities.”
― Abba Eban