Aref Assaf

Star Ledger, 12-05-2007

Dear Editor

A week before the Annapolis conference, a letter was sent to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice commending her efforts to reinvigorate the Mideast peace process. It called for "robust, hands-on U.S. leadership and diplomacy" and said "resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, through the establishment of two states for two peoples, is too important not to seize the opportunities that have emerged over the past weeks."

The letter, co-sponsored by an Arab and a Jewish congressman and co-signed by 135 representatives, was a first in the often-polarized history of the two communities.

Arab and Jewish Americans must send an unambiguous message that transcends differences over how we view the conflict. It borders on insanity that our combined leverage isn't being used to affect U.S. foreign policy. For too long, Arab and Jewish Americans have acted as instigators of confrontations rather than agents of reconciliation. We hope Annapolis will be a catalyst for a more active role by Arab and Jewish organizations. Our leaders will be judging just how much support they have from their constituencies, especially American Arabs and Jews, for continuing down this difficult path to peace in the Holy Land.

Aref Assaf, Paterson , The writer is president of the American Arab Forum.