We are in Josh Landis' debt for pointing us to this article by an American Jewish peacenik about his trip to Damascus: Assessing a hardly believable dialogue in Syria. (From the Beirut Daily Star)
In between speaking at two seminars in Israel regarding the future of peace and conflict in the region, last January, I slipped out of the country into Jordan and then on into Syria. The trip was the brainchild of Hind Kabawat, a Syrian-Canadian attorney whom I had met at the World Economic Forum. She planned with me an unprecedented set of engagements in Damascus to raise the subject of peace in the Middle East.
We raised these issues through the lens of culture and religion, a less threatening approach than pure political discourse. Most importantly, I discussed these issues as a scholar of conflict resolution with a cultural background as a religious American Jewish scholar.
Hind displayed a combination of intense national pride, commitment to peace, political savvy and public relations know-how. Everything was approved at the highest levels of the Syrian government, even though all the engagements remained unofficial. I was a private citizen, but I was greeted at the border by a representative of the Information Ministry who gave me an official talk summed up by the words: "Our president has offered a full peace to Israel and normalization of relations."
You must also go to Syria Comment to read Hind Kabawat's statement given at George Mason University in the USA.
So maybe I am an optimist, but I truly believe a “new culture of peace” can emerge between the Jews and Muslims, Christians Arabs and Isrealis if we can summon the courage to overcome some very vexing and, to date at least, intractable problems.
(Hind Kabawat statement excerpt continued).... The great irony about the whole relationship between religion and a culture of peace is that all the faiths in the region—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—have common roots and are all based upon a ethic of forgiveness and compassion. I honestly believe that a constructive approach for the United States is to work with those Syrians, both in the government and out of the government, who believe in peace, in religious tolerance in a New Middle East. The Americans know who we are, and I believe they know that my President is an ally in this, Support him! Help us on the tough road to peace and coexistence with our neighbors, especially by allowing us to prosper and become strong. I know this is hard, that American strongly dislikes what some Syrians citizens have done. But look at the rest of us! Do not punish a whole country for the actions of a few! Give us a chance to build an alliance together in the search for a just solution to our problems and Palestinians problems with Israel and with the region. We can do it togethers peacefully, but if we move forward as enemies then truly extremist forces could take over my country, some religious and some secular. Let’s move together forward as allies, Come and visit us, visit our great Syria, and see this great loving nation.I believe the time has come for all parties, Jews, Muslims and Christians, to “walk the talk,” and truly create a culture of peace and compassion and forgiveness.
I really liked your comments at Syriacomment and have added a link to your weblog from mine.
http://davidp1.blogspot.com/2005/05/cold-war-memories.html
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Posted by: DavidP | May 11, 2005 at 04:56 AM