Leadership Quote by Silvan Shalom

The line sells moderation while quietly redefining where responsibility begins and ends. “We believe” positions Shalom’s side as reasonable by default, the party of consensus rather than coercion. The phrase “should come to an agreement” sounds like a shared civic duty, but it’s also conspicuously bloodless: no mention of occupation, security policy, settlements, or borders. The conflict is translated into the tidy language of a deal.

Then comes the turn: “But we need two to tango.” It’s a familiar idiom precisely because it smuggles in a moral verdict under the guise of common sense. Tango is voluntary, coordinated, even glamorous; by choosing that metaphor, Shalom makes negotiation feel like a social dance, not a power-laden struggle shaped by asymmetry. The implication is that Israel is already on the dance floor, hand extended, while the Palestinians are absent, unwilling, or incapable of rhythm.

That subtext does political work. It preemptively answers critics who demand concrete concessions: if there’s no progress, it’s not because of Israeli policy choices but because the partner won’t show up. It also narrows the definition of “partner” to a Palestinian leadership deemed acceptable, which can shift as governments change. In the early-2000s peace-process afterlife, when Oslo’s promise had curdled into mutual suspicion and violence, the idiom becomes a shield: a way to claim commitment to peace without binding oneself to a specific price for it.

The sentence is calibrated for international ears, especially allies who want to hear willingness. It offers hope, then banks it as leverage.