As Arabs kill Arabs in Gaza and shoot rockets into Israel, while Syria reportedly is preparing for another war against its Jewish neighbor, an encouraging note was sounded last month in Petra, Jordan.
King Abdullah II headed a regional conference of environmentalists, attended by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and political leaders from other countries. A major attraction was a group of young people, all in their 20s, from Israel, the West Bank, Lebanon, Morocco and other Arab countries. Sponsors of the event were Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel’s Foundation For Humanity and the king’s Fund for Development. Wiesel, the conference moderator, said his foundation was ready to provide or raise $10 million for a regional science fund proposed by the king. The fund would sponsor environmental projects suggested by groups all over the region.
Among the young Israelis were two people, a Jew and an Arab, who serve as project managers at the Arava Institute, an environmental study and research center in Southern Israel. They mingled freely with the young Arabs at the conference.
The Arava Institute, founded 10 years ago, has about 40 students, including three Palestinians from the West Bank and 10 Jordanians. They study and live together on Kibbutz Ketura, north of Eilat. Living quarters are being expanded to house 100 students.
The students attend a master’s program at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Sde Boker. More than 400 students have been graduated from the Institute. Among the graduates is the son of Jordanian Prime Minister Ma’roof Al-Baskeet.
Funding comes from the Jewish National Fund and other American Jewish groups. At last month’s conference, Jordan’s education minister seemed open to the idea of financing his country’s citizens who attend the Institute.
Wiesel, known through his writings on the Holocaust, and the Arab King Abdullah, were in full partnership. The king told the young people at the conference that they were the core of a new organization for youth exchange in the Middle East, and that there will be funding to organize regular meetings.
Wiesel said, “I think the Arab countries are taking scientific cooperation with Israel very seriously. His Majesty the King is a true associate in this endeavor with the young people. He knows and I know that some of them will be the leaders of tomorrow.”
Amen.
