(After ringing the Peace Bell in front of the UN)
[The bell and foundation on which it rests] symbolize two holocausts the Jewish holocaust and the Japanese holocaust. Because nuclear bombs are like flying holocausts and historic holocausts are like a deep warning in our lives." [Jewish Voice, June 1994, p. 19]
What wars can produce is no longer important; and what is important, wars can no longer produce. It's finished, in my judgment. [Remarks to the Fourth Business Forum Conference, Jerusalem, February 28, 1994]
Until now, we were used to crises of war. Now we have to be used to crises of peace. Unfortunately, they are also costly and bloody. The difference is not in the crises and the human cost. The difference is where does it lead to. If it is a crisis of war, it leads to war. If it is a crisis of peace, it leads to peace. [Meeting with Palestinian Journalists, Jerusalem, March 8, 1994]
We shall have to demonstrate that a geographic rift has been transformed into an economic backbone and a political divide has become a valley of wisdom. [Speech at the opening of trilateral talks at the Dead Sea Hotel in Jordan, July 20, 1994]
We would like to adopt an Helsinki type approach, where human rights will replace human menaces. [Knesset speech, May 11, 1993]
Ministries of foreign affairs and defense were structured to confront enemies. Now we face dangers more than enemies, yet without our being organized to handle them. Diplomacy and strategy should be mobilized to face the undefined dangers. [Address to 49th Session of the UN General Assembly, September 29, 1994]
I told him [Arafat] that there are in the world today two great phenomena. One is Bosnia and the other is Israel. [Jerusalem Post International Edition, August 26, 1995]