The test of democracy is freedom of criticism.

When a Jew, in America or in South Africa, talks to his Jewish companions about 'our' government, he means the government of Israel.

After eighty, there are no enemies, only survivors.

The State of Israel will prove itself not by material wealth, not by military might or technical achievement, but by its moral character and human values.

If the antisemites want to hate, let them hate, and let them go to hell.

Those who today murdered our people in an ambush not only plotted to murder some Jews but intended to provoke us... The Arabs stand to gain from such a development. They want the country to be in a state of perpetual pogrom.... Any further bloodshed [by the Jews] will only bring political advantage to the Arabs and harm us... Our strength is in the defense... and this strength will give us political victory if England and the world will know that we are defending ourselves rather than attacking.

Since I invoke Torah so often, let me state that I don't personally believe in the God it postulates ... I am not religious, nor were the majority of the early builders of Israel believers. Yet their passion for this land stemmed from the Book of Books ... [The Bible is] the single most important book in my life.