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It's better to be controversial for the right reasons, than to be popular for the wrong reasons.

Shimon Peres

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Shimon Peres
Age: 93 †
Born: 1923
Born: August 16
Died: 2016
Died: September 28
Poet
Politician
President Of Israel
Writer
Vishneva
Szymon Perski
Peres
Popular
Reasons
Wrong
Reason
Better
Right
Controversial

More quotes by Shimon Peres

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You don't make peace with friends. You make it with very unsavory enemies.
Shimon Peres
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Our problem is not to submit to the differences but to overcome them.
Shimon Peres
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Look, Israel doesn't intend to introduce nuclear weapons, but if people are afraid that we have them, why not? It's a deterrent.
Shimon Peres
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Nothing had excited me-the huge cars, the entourages, the bodyguards, the policeman jumping to attention, all meant nothing to me ... till I came to the old man's office. (On becoming prime minister)
Shimon Peres
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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.
Shimon Peres
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We asked the workers to give up 25 percent of their salaries. Imagine! We asked the industrialists to freeze all costs, no matter what the inflation is.
Shimon Peres
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[Hamas] lives on their rifles and bombs.
Shimon Peres
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The Middle East is replete with both new and old threats. One should not underestimate these threats, but not be alarmed by them either. Israel is stronger today than ever.
Shimon Peres
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I don't think anybody who carries a rifle carries the future. Because I don't believe that you can really change the world by killing and shooting. You have the change it by creating and competing.
Shimon Peres
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I read when I get up in the morning, when I can during the day and every single evening. Most of my weekends are spent reading great books. Books are my constant companions. If you eat three times a day you'll be fed. But if you read three times a day you'll be wise.
Shimon Peres
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In order to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear country you have to introduce a system of verification and inspection.
Shimon Peres
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For many years the stakes were clear. There were the Arabs attacking us and us defending ourselves, so basically there were no real problems [between the United States and Israel]. Now there are many small cells, and each of them can destroy on their own. Some can arrive at New York and kill thousands of people.
Shimon Peres
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What is wrong with the Iranians in addition to the nuclear bomb? This is the only country on Earth in the 21st century that has renewed imperialistic ambitions. They really want to become the hegemon of the Middle East in an age that gave up imperialism.
Shimon Peres
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Some experts advise what to do in accordance with the past, but the past flew away, and we have to reorient ourselves in the face of new dangers.
Shimon Peres
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He taught me literature, and he actually taught me how to read. He was my personal mentor.
Shimon Peres
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When you have two alternatives, the first thing you have to do is to look for the third that you didn't think about, that doesn't exist.
Shimon Peres
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Later on, there were some problems with our navy, so he made me the head of the navy - all things that I hardly knew anything about. I was basically an ignorant young man.
Shimon Peres
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Israel welcomes the wind of change, and sees a window of opportunity. Democratic and science-based economies by nature desire peace. Israel does not want to be an island of affluence in an ocean of poverty. Improvements in our neighbours' lives mean improvements to the neighbourhood in which we live.
Shimon Peres
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[Hamas] thought that if you go to elections you become a democrat for the rest of your life. They think that democracy is limited to one day in four years.
Shimon Peres
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In the past, most wars were motivated by the idea of nationhood. Today, however, wars are incited above all using religion as an excuse.
Shimon Peres