BITTERLEMONS-INTERNATIONAL Middle East Roundtable:22 Dec,'05:

"The main concern is terrorism" by Thomas R.Pickering*

QUOTES FROM TEXT:
"To some extent, those bent on understanding and reconciliation in the
United States face not only their own limitations in influence ... but those
of their colleagues and friends within the circle of Islam. Leadership
there seems to have been hijacked by the extremists
"mesmerized by the words 'Judeo-Christian heritage', they seek to find
common cause with the Jewish presence in the Holy Land."
"denial that the Allah of Islam is the shared common God of all three
faiths."
"look at the decades of history when Islam and the West coexisted"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------EXCERPTS:
... Islam has become of special interest to many in the West. ... is a
hot-button topic.

What does the West ... think about Islam? ... .
The main source of concern relates to terrorism. The major focus, from Bali
to Baghdad and from Madrid to Mazar-e-Sharif, has been on the intimate
linkage between Islamic fundamentalists and the use of the terror tactic. So
much so, that events like Oklahoma City (where American extremists were
tried and found guilty) and the fateful assassination of Yitzhak Rabin
(involving Jewish extremists) are almost passed over or ignored.
[IMRA: Rabin's assassination is far from "passed over or ignored". It is
memorialized and remains an ever-fresh memory for Israelis. However, the
assassination of Sadat and Abdullah I of Jordan are hardly noted.]

A second dimension ...extends beyond Islamic fundamentalists to Islam as a
whole. While President Bush seems careful, after having made his "crusade"
allusion several years ago, to distinguish between Islam and terrorism,
others are not. Some readings of parts of the US press can certainly lead to
the malign and in my view badly mistaken conclusion that the war on
terrorism has become a war on Islam. That would be an unparalleled tragedy
and one probably sought by our enemies, the progenitors of terrorism, coming
from groups such as al-Qaeda and its affiliates and supporters around the
world. ...

...others are taking a different and somewhat more sophisticated approach.
It remains, however, sequestered for the moment among academics who have
studied Islam, diplomats who have sought understanding and cooperation with
our friends in the Arab and Muslim world, and groups of religious leaders
seeking reconciliation, cooperation where possible, and mutual understanding
as a basis for avoiding the calamities of mindless confrontation. Their
success so far has been limited and sporadic, but they continue to work at
the task.

To some extent, those bent on understanding and reconciliation in the United
States face not only their own limitations in influence ..., but those of
their colleagues and friends within the circle of Islam. Leadership there
seems to have been hijacked by the extremists; the press regularly dotes on
their confrontational public declarations to the pleasure, I am sure, of
those who seek wider confrontation. Here, those working to build bridges
often express the need for "a little help from their friends", but what they
receive comes often on a personal basis and in conferences behind closed
doors and blinded windows.

Nor, on the western side, is all necessarily well in the religion
department. There are ... some among the Christian right who seek their own
form of association with the Middle East and the issues of the religious
divide. Often mesmerized by the words "Judeo-Christian heritage", they seek
to find common cause with the Jewish presence in the Holy Land and champion
it because of their belief that postulates a pre-messianic presence of
Israel in the Holy Land.

What happens after that is more problematic. However, the present
expressions of these views give rise ... to unquestioning support for the
settlements in the "territories" ... and in a diametrically opposed fashion,
the creation of antagonism and animosity toward Islam. For example, there is
a rejection among some in this community of the commonality among the three
Abrahamic--or, for the sake of balance, "Ibrahimic"--faiths, of belief in a
single, common deity, and a denial that the Allah of Islam is the shared
common God of all three faiths.

... Many who have analyzed the growing divide insist that the heat and
emotion of the present will subside over time. Others, more activist in
their course, seek the leaders, the understanding, and the dialogue with
Islam that can help to temper the confrontation and relieve the apparently
growing divisions. The latter course seems only right under the
circumstances. The world as seen from East and West is too interconnected,
too interdependent, and now too closely related to be torn apart by eleventh
century-style religious controversy. One has only to look at the decades of
history when Islam and the West coexisted to understand the value and the
necessity of this wiser course.- Published 22/12/2005 ©
bitterlemons-international.org

*Thomas R. Pickering's long career at the US State Department included
postings as ambassador at the UN, the Russian Federation, India, Israel and
Jordan, and culminated in the position of under secretary of state for
political affairs. After retirement became Senior Vice President,
International Relations, Boeing Aircraft January,2001.

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Dr. Joseph Lerner, Co-Director IMRA