"The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been a tragedy, a clash between one very powerful, very convincing, very painful claim over this land and another no less powerful, no less convincing claim. Now such a clash between right claims can be resolved in one of two manners. There's the Shakespeare tradition of resolving a tragedy with the stage hewed with dead bodies and justice of sorts prevails. But there is also the Chekhov tradition. In the conclusion of the tragedy by Chekhov, everyone is disappointed, disillusioned, embittered, heartbroken, but alive. And my colleagues and I have been working, trying...not to find the sentimental happy ending, a brotherly love, a sudden honeymoon to the Israeli-Palestinian tragedy, but a Chekhovian ending, which means clenched teeth compromise."
React to this quote
More by Amos Oz
See allResonant Thoughts
"The simple life which blandly ignores all care and conflict, soon becomes flabby and invertebrate, sentimental and gelatinous."
Explore Further
Related Quotes
"Discipline is the virtue that begins in obedience and flowers in self-control."
— Ted Malloch"I suppose sooner or later in the life of everyone comes a moment of trial. We all of us have our particular…"
— Daphne du Maurier"He's a lovely guy, that Ricky Ponting. He likes the English so much he changed the series for them with the…"
— Geoff Boycott"Politics and the affairs of State are dissociated from the orbit of the individual, and in so far as they c…"
— John Carroll"As I write, it is not yet clear who has won the presidential election. Win or lose, though, Mr Obama was no…"
— Christopher Monckton"I've got news for Mr. Santayana: we're doomed to repeat the past no matter what. That's what it is to be al…"
— Kurt Vonnegut
