--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I cannot conceive of Israel withdrawing…" description: "\"I cannot conceive of Israel withdrawing if Arab states do not recognize Israel, within secure borders.\" — Nelson Mandela" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/777/nelson-mandela-248_borders_i-cannot-conceive-of-israel-withdrawing_511593.jpg" --- # I cannot conceive of Israel withdrawing if Arab states do… ![“I cannot conceive of Israel withdrawing if Arab states do not recognize Israel, within secure borders.” quote by Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/777/nelson-mandela-248_borders_i-cannot-conceive-of-israel-withdrawing_511593.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/777/nelson-mandela-248_borders_i-cannot-conceive-of-israel-withdrawing_511593.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/777/nelson-mandela-248_borders_i-cannot-conceive-of-israel-withdrawing_511593.jpg) > “I cannot conceive of Israel withdrawing if Arab states do not recognize Israel, within secure borders.” [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Argues that Israel's withdrawal is contingent on Arab recognition and secure borders. **In simple terms:** Israel needs recognition before withdrawing. Key Takeaway Seek mutual recognition for peace. Themes politics conflict recognition Mood serious concerned Type political analytical When to use this quote - peace negotiations - border disputes - regional stability - human rights discussions Key Concepts international relations security diplomacy Questions to Reflect On - What steps can build trust? - How can security be ensured? A Different Perspective Complex historical grievances may limit simple solutions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Borders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/borders/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) ## Related quotes > [In the long term, Israel's security rests on only one pillar: the Palestinians' acceptance of the country. 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It's a record. I worked with Republicans and Democrats. All of them when it came to Israel were, movingly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/i-ve-worked-with-10-presidents-it-s-a-record-i-worked-with/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [The US and Israel have demanded further that Palestinians not only recognize Israel's rights as a state in the international system, but that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-us-and-israel-have-demanded-further-that-palestinians-not-only/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I don't think the Palestinians are in this position they're in, divided with Hamas and the P.A., unwilling to allow - or recognize Israel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-don-t-think-the-palestinians-are-in-this-position-they-re-in/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [There are many Palestinians, to be diplomatic, who believe there is no way to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, first of all, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reuven-rivlin/there-are-many-palestinians-to-be-diplomatic-who-believe-there-is-no/) [Reuven Rivlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reuven-rivlin/) > [Hamas must agree to first recognize Israel, second to end all violence, third to accept past agreements. 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The Israel of 1917; the Israel of 1936; the Israel of 1948; the Israel of 1956; or the Israel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ismail-haniyeh/which-israel-should-we-recognize-the-israel-of-1917-the-israel-of/) [Ismail Haniyeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ismail-haniyeh/) > [The United States was the first country to recognize Israel in 1948, minutes after its declaration of independence, and the deep bonds of friendship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-united-states-was-the-first-country-to-recognize-israel-in-1948/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I believe that if Israel were to put an end to the settlements in the West Bank tomorrow, as it did in Gaza, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/i-believe-that-if-israel-were-to-put-an-end-to-the-settlements-in-the/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) ## More by Nelson Mandela > [We must work together to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth, opportunity and power in our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-must-work-together-to-ensure-the-equitable-distribution-of-wealth/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Especially for those of us who lived in single cells, you had the time to sit down and think, and we discovered that sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/especially-for-those-of-us-who-lived-in-single-cells-you-had-the-time/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [If you don't allow people to contribute, to offer their point of view, or to criticize what has been put before them, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/if-you-don-t-allow-people-to-contribute-to-offer-their-point-of-view/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/courageous-people-do-not-fear-forgiving-for-the-sake-of-peace/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [As a leader... I have always endeavored to listen to what each and every person in a discussion had to say before venturing my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/as-a-leader-i-have-always-endeavored-to-listen-to-what-each-and-every/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Some of the mission groups that have been responsible for our education have not been part of the government. In fact, they acted contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/some-of-the-mission-groups-that-have-been-responsible-for-our/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“I believed that I would become a counsellor to the Thembu king,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-believed-that-i-would-become-a-counsellor-to-the-thembu-king/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [What he means by this is that instead of saying you'll "try", you need to "do". 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The brave man is not he who does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-learned-that-courage-was-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-the-triumph/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [We need to exert ourselves that much more, and break out of the vicious cycle of dependence imposed on us by the financially powerful:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-need-to-exert-ourselves-that-much-more-and-break-out-of-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“Prison is a still point in a turning world, and it is very easy to remain in the same place in jail while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/prison-is-a-still-point-in-a-turning-world-and-it-is-very-easy-to/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/a-fundamental-concern-for-others-in-our-individual-and-community/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I am aware of what the position is in the United States of America. If somebody gives to charity, then he gets a tax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-am-aware-of-what-the-position-is-in-the-united-states-of-america-if/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It is our duty to give support to the brother leader ... especially in regards to the sanctions which are not hitting just him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-our-duty-to-give-support-to-the-brother-leader-especially-in/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of our own people became a hunger for the freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-was-during-those-long-and-lonely-years-that-my-hunger-for-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) [Explore all 809 Nelson Mandela quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## More Borders quotes > [We have to get control of our borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-coffman/we-have-to-get-control-of-our-borders/) [Mike Coffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-coffman/) > [The U.S.-Mexican border es un herida abierta where the Third World grates against the first and bleeds. 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Puerto Penasco, 60 miles south of our border, just had five people and a police officer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-brewer/fifty-thousand-people-in-mexico-have-been-murdered-puerto-penasco-60/) [Jan Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-brewer/) > [The unpleasant truth is that some borders are untenable and preserving them causes conflict, not peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/the-unpleasant-truth-is-that-some-borders-are-untenable-and/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [Interesting things happen along borders - transitions - not in the middle where everything is the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/interesting-things-happen-along-borders-transitions-not-in-the-middle/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [At no other time (than autumn) does the earth let itself be inhaled in one smell, the ripe earth; in a smell that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/at-no-other-time-than-autumn-does-the-earth-let-itself-be-inhaled-in/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [House Republicans want to pass a strong border security, illegal immigration bill. 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