It is initiatives like that of Ira Weiss, tireless advocate for peace between Jews and Palestinians, that give me hope:

"I feel less pessimistic today. Yesterday I took Shireen and Ophir to the National Zoo to see the pandas. Shireen and Ophir are 13 year old girls who are visiting Washington this week. Shireen lives in Jericho, Palestine. Ophir lives in Kiryat Gat, Israel. While spending the day with, them it was impossible not to notice how they have bonded to one another with that powerful emotional glue that only thirteen-year-old girls share. Shireen and Ophir play soccer together in a program sponsored by the Perez Center for Peace. The opportunity to play soccer together allowed them not merely to overcome the fear and hostility they had towards the other while she was still nameless, but to become fast friends, even though they cannot to talk to one another. Shireen understands and speaks only Arabic. Ophir understands and speaks only Hebrew and English.

It is not possible to remain cynical about peace between Israelis and Palestinians when you visit the National Zoo with kids like Shireen and Ophir."

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