---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In September 1993, President Clinton…"
description: "\"In September 1993, President Clinton presided over a handshake between Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestine Liberation Organization Chair..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/998/noam-chomsky-42_arafat_in-september-1993-president-clinton-pres_2212656.jpg"
---

#  In September 1993, President Clinton presided over a…

![“In September 1993, President Clinton presided over a handshake between Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman Yasser Arafat on the White House lawn - the climax of a 'day of awe,' as the press described it.” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/998/noam-chomsky-42_arafat_in-september-1993-president-clinton-pres_2212656.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/998/noam-chomsky-42_arafat_in-september-1993-president-clinton-pres_2212656.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/998/noam-chomsky-42_arafat_in-september-1993-president-clinton-pres_2212656.jpg)

> “In September 1993, President Clinton presided over a handshake between Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman Yasser Arafat on the White House lawn - the climax of a 'day of awe,' as the press described it.”

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The event symbolized a brief moment of hope for peace, but underlying conflicts remained unresolved.

**In simple terms:** Hopeful peace moment, but fragile.

Key Takeaway

Recognize fleeting diplomatic gestures and work for lasting solutions.

Themes

peace diplomacy conflict hope politics

Mood

cautious reflective

Type

historical political

When to use this quote

- peace negotiations
- public diplomacy
- media coverage

Key Concepts

realpolitik conflict resolution symbolic gestures

Questions to Reflect On

- How can symbolic gestures be turned into substantive progress?
- What prevents lasting peace after such moments?

A Different Perspective

Symbolic events can mask deeper entrenched issues.

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[Yitzhak Rabin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yitzhak-rabin/)

> [Yasser Arafat and Mahmoud Abbas have recognized Israel's right to exist. The Israeli government has never recognized our right to a sovereign state and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-mashal/yasser-arafat-and-mahmoud-abbas-have-recognized-israel-s-right-to/)

[Khaled Mashal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-mashal/)

> [Arafat was a barrier to peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/arafat-was-a-barrier-to-peace/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [In many ways, I regard Sharon and Arafat as birds of a feather.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/in-many-ways-i-regard-sharon-and-arafat-as-birds-of-a-feather/)

[Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/)

> [I am the Israeli leader who met most with Arafat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ehud-barak/i-am-the-israeli-leader-who-met-most-with-arafat/)

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> [Ask Bill Clinton about Yasir Arafat. Clinton and Barak did everything they could in 2000 at Camp David. Arafat walked away from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ask-bill-clinton-about-yasir-arafat-clinton-and-barak-did-everything/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Arafat is hosting, training, supporting, sponsoring terrorist organizations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-sharon/arafat-is-hosting-training-supporting-sponsoring-terrorist/)

[Ariel Sharon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-sharon/)

## More by Noam Chomsky

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[Explore all 2,129 Noam Chomsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

## More Arafat quotes

> [Arafat is hosting, training, supporting, sponsoring terrorist organizations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-sharon/arafat-is-hosting-training-supporting-sponsoring-terrorist/)

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[Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/)

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> [Whoever stands by a just cause cannot possibly be called a terrorist. -Yassar Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/call-of-duty/whoever-stands-by-a-just-cause-cannot-possibly-be-called-a-terrorist/)

Call Of Duty

> [Arafat contradicts himself every five minutes. He always plays the double-cross, lies even if you ask him what time it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oriana-fallaci/arafat-contradicts-himself-every-five-minutes-he-always-plays-the/)

[Oriana Fallaci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oriana-fallaci/)

Browse all 57 Arafat quotes

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