breaking the ice

October 23, 2003 8:12 AM

Breaking the ice."If we can help Palestinians and Israelis understand that even the greatest obstacles can be surmounted through cooperation and understanding, then perhaps we'll be able to positively influence the atmosphere for reconciliation in our part of the world. We want people to see that even enemies can find a way to do great things if they decide to take on the challenge together."
posted by johnnyboy (5 comments total)

Israel has always accepted the two-state solution (1937, 1948, 1967, and 2000), so what else do the Israelis need to understand, here?

This tripe is nothing more than peacenik moral equivalency.
posted by saturn5 at 8:29 AM on October 23, 2003

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are born to make manifest the Glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone, and as we let our own light shine, we consciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our our fear, our presence automatically liberates others."


- Nelson Mandela, Inaugural Address. Something that I still find to be utterly inspirational to this day. I would like this wish this intrepid group of explorers all the very best on their journey, may it be the first of many.

- on preview thanks saturn5.
posted by johnnyboy at 8:31 AM on October 23, 2003

Nelson Mandela's actual Inaugural addresses, in Cape Town and Pretoria, courtesy of the South African government's website
posted by CrunchyFrog at 9:40 AM on October 23, 2003

It's a really interesting group of people that they have brought together, all of them are fascinating in their own way, from the once-illiterate Ethiopian woman who now holds a PhD, to the West-bank born Doctor who works at Hadassah in Jerusalem. Thanks for the link!
posted by cell divide at 10:07 AM on October 23, 2003

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| Nelson Mandela, Inaugural Address
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Marianne Williamson, actually. But never the less a powerful and important quote.
posted by SteelyDuran at 10:24 AM on October 23, 2003