Kenneth Jacobson. Photo courtesy Anti-Defamation League
April 22, 2008
Prospects for peace in the Middle East depend on creating an environment that promotes respect and tolerance, according to Kenneth Jacobson, deputy national director of the Anti-Defamation League.
Jacobson was among the guest speakers at the sixth annual Conflict Resolution Forum — Prospects for Peace: Towards a Solution to the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict on April 3 at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft.
The Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Federation of Monmouth County was a sponsor of the event.
The forum represented a constructive effort to promote understanding of a complicated subject, Jacobson said.
“It’s easy to become cynical about the situation in the Middle East,” Jacobson told NJ Jewish News after the forum. “Israel is celebrating its 60th anniversary, and there is still so much conflict after 60 years of statehood. And various summits and talks between different parties haven’t always yielded positive results.”
But efforts to create ongoing dialogues must continue, and the 200 attendees at the forum represented a segment of the population that is eager to learn and exchange information, he added.
“There was an interesting mix,” Jacobson said. “There were older adults and college and high school students, and they all were there because of their common interest and concern for the situation in the Middle East.”
And that concern is justified; efforts to achieve peace in the region have been thwarted by Hamas, Hizbullah, political differences within the Jewish population, and directives from governments that support Israel, he said.
“Many Jews support a two-state solution that they hope will mean the end of terrorism, but others will only consider a move toward one state,” said Jacobson. “And although the relationship between Israel and the United States is good, Israel is not always in a position to move forward when the U.S. government urges it to do so.”
However, the peace agreements between Israel, Jordan, and Egypt prove that achieving peace in the Middle East is possible, he said.
“Moderate Arabs are frightened by Islamic extremists, and this creates a sense of opportunity for those who are promoting peace in the region,” said Jacobson. “This also creates a commonality among the moderate Arab countries that, hopefully, can be translated into peace.”
A reduction in anti-Semitic views will also propel the peace process, he said.
“When Palestinian and Arab leaders encourage hatred of Israel, that can be a catalyst for terrorist activity,” said Jacobson. “That dynamic must change in the region so there is a movement away from teaching hatred of Jews. Legitimate dialogue will help the different governments understand the issues of all sides, and a sense of respect and a desire for peace can emerge.”
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