FEATURE		REPORTS

The latest five months of intense conflict between Israel and Palestine has finally ended with the Palestinian government’s cease-fire announcement in Gaza. On November 27, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert asked Palestine to return to long-stalled peace talks as Israel offered peace concessions to the Palestinians. Olmert said, “We cannot change the past, and we will not be able to bring back the victims on both sides of the borders. All that we have in our hands to do today is to stop additional tragedies.” Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat said the Palestinians were ready to negotiate a final peace deal.

To honor this new light of peace, Supreme Master Ching Hai declared November 27 “Israel and Palestine Peace Memorial Day,” to be celebrated by Association members throughout the world. On December 9 and 10, Golden Year 3 (2006), the global Quan Yin family commemorated in unison this long-awaited historical event through meditation and celebration with delicious vegetarian food, songs and cakes. Jakarta Center also distributed 1000 flowers to outside people as a symbol of love with a written message asking for support and prayers for peace in the Middle East.

Master wrote to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat to express Her deep admiration for their honorable stance, which lifts the burden and heals the misunderstanding created by situations long ago. Master also praised their courage and dedication to their people and all the world’s citizens.

Fortunately, there is an even more recent peace development: Prime Minister Olmert and President Abbas met on December 23 in Jerusalem, sitting down at a table at Olmert’s residence. While officials have declined to elaborate on what the meeting entailed, it is reported that one topic of conversation was the recent Israeli-Palestinian cease-fire in Gaza.¹

The Islamic Hamas government has also extended a powerful gesture of goodwill to its Christian brothers through its approval of a US$50,000 donation to the town of Bethlehem for its Christmas holiday decorations. Hamas Finance Minister Samir Abu Eisha stated: “We don’t fund any Islamic celebrations, but we want to fund this Christian festival, which is a special part of Bethlehem. As a Palestinian government, we hope our Christian brothers have a happy celebration. They are an integral part of Palestinian society.”

With God’s blessings, Earth is indeed becoming a more beautiful and peaceful planet.

Reference: http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/12/23/abbas.olmert/index.html

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