Dear colleagues in Palestinian-Jewish listening and dialogue,

     A remarkable convergence of understanding about the parallel peace processes -- "public" and "government" -- have been revealed during the past few days. 
     Here are two illustrations.

1.  U.S. Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer pleas for citizen participation in the peace process

2. The National Journal (political) recognizes, documents Jewish-Palestinian dialogue in America

     Times are changing!  But please remember:

"Things do not change; we change."

- Henry David Thoreau, "Walden"

      --L&L ==============================1.  U.S. Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer pleas for citizen participation in the peace process

     Wednesday, January 23, 2002, U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Daniel Kurtzer, spoke to students of the Jewish-Arab Center for Peace at Givat Haviva,  a leading organization in Israel successfully bridging between people of all walks of life, and between Israelis, Palestinians, and other Arab states. 
     Their Web site at http://www.dialogate.org.il promotes dialogue among people and nations and can be read in three languages -- Hebrew, Arabic and English.  Mohammad Darawshe (dovergh@inter.net.il) is their spokesperson who included us in this news.
     Ambassador to Israel Daniel Kurtzer said: "The peoples of the Middle East, and especially the Israelis and the Palestinians, are being led by events instead of leading them."
     The U.S. Ambassador emphasized how governments and citizens need each other when he said: "I came to encourage you and to get encouragement from you."
     Kurtzer continued: "The people have the responsibility to fight against the barriers of hatred and to push their governments to make peace. Neither the United States, nor the United Nations nor the European Union will succeed in making peace in the Middle East if there is no public support for it. Organizations such as Givat Haviva lay the groundwork for the success of diplomatic and political activity which will serve the peace process."
     The diplomat concludes:  "Jews and Arabs must work together, and listen to each other."

----
Related articles online:
The Jerusalem Post
http://www.jpost.com/Editions/2002/01/24/News/News.42228.html
Ha'aretz
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=121090&contrassID=2&subContrassID=1&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y
Maariv daily (in Hebrew)
http://images.maariv.co.il/cache/ART239523.html
Yediot Aharonot (Ynet, in Hebrew) http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-1576149,FF.html


======================
2. The National Journal (political) recognizes, documents Jewish-Palestinian dialogue

 JEWS AND PALESTINIANS BEGIN TO TALK, IN AMERICA
                                  by Martin Davis

                         Published January 22, 2002
                             The National Journal
                                Washington, DC

Posted online by The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life
http://pewforum.org/news/index.php3?NewsID=948


     To date, JEWS AND PALESTINIANS BEGIN TO TALK, IN AMERICA is the most skillful documentation of the diversity and increasing success of Palestinian-Jewish and Jewish-Muslim dialogue groups in America.  This high level political publication also discusses a few basic principles of dialogue and the public peace process.
     It illustrates the inextricable interdependence between parallel government and citizen peace processes.
     This extensive treatment of Middle East dialogue in America says near its conclusion:  "The language and ideas expressed (about dialogue and the publice peace process) may sound simplistic and somewhat New Agey. But they are influenced by and rest upon the insights of a seasoned Middle East peace broker -- Harold Saunders, director of international affairs at the Kettering Foundation and a former assistant secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs, who was key in negotiating several agreements between Israel and the Palestinians."
     "Saunders has been working for years, in several areas of the world, on these kinds of people-to-people dialogues. He told National Journal that they play an important role in preparing the ground for peace. 'If there hadn't been 20 years of unofficial dialogues between Israelis and Palestinians,' Saunders said, 'there would not have been a handshake between Arafat and Rabin in 1993.'"