Truce in Palestine/Israel, from the ground up

Richard Silverstein alerts us to this: W. Bank rabbi, Palestinian reporter present PM, Hamas draft truce - Haaretz - Israel News.

Israelis and Palestinians involved in interfaith contacts recently drafted a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas. The document, whose implementation includes the release of abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, was submitted to the cabinet and to the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip.

Rabbi Menachem Froman of the West Bank settlement of Tekoa has for years been involved in interfaith dialogue toward Israeli-Palestinians peace.

For several months he has been working closely with Khaled Amayreh, a Hebron-area journalist who is close to Hamas.

"Our proposal was presented to the highest political echelon in the Hamas government in Gaza and gained 100-percent approval," Amayreh told Haaretz Sunday, while refusing to name the government officials. Froman said the document was presented to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who has yet to respond to it.

Since our leaders won't lead, the people take the power to create peace.

Looks to me like Hamas and elements of Israeli society do indeed want peace. Get the dinosaurs out of the way and let the people lead.

Hey, and how about those interfaith dialogues, huh? I am happy to see some real change coming from such grass-roots efforts.