How Can Canadian Arabs and Jews Mend Fences? Easy Peasy. Just No One Mention the Zionist Elephant in the Library

Interfaithy types play at reconciling the irreconcilable:

TORONTO —How can Canadian Arabs and Jews meet to mend historic divides? How can they reduce conflict and improve understanding between their communities? How can they counter hatred and promote human rights for those living here and in Israel?

These complex and pressing questions were addressed at a recent event sponsored by JSpaceCanada, a Jewish pro-peace group, and the Canadian Arab/Jewish Leadership Dialogue Group.

The program, titled “Courageous Conversations: Arab Jewish Relations in Canada,” was held Jan. 24 at the Barbara Frum Library.

Moderated by journalist Ralph Benmergui, who identifies as a Jew born in an Arab country (Morocco), the discussion featured four representatives of the dialogue group.

The panellists included Raja Khouri and Karen Mock, the founders and co-chairs of the organization, and longtime members Maurice Green and Jareer Khouri.

Mock is the former executive director of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation and the League for Human Rights of B’nai Brith Canada, Raja Khouri is president of the Canadian Arab Institute, Green is a labour, and human rights lawyer, and Jareer Khouri is a senior adviser to the attorney general.

The evening was part of an effort to promote peaceful dialogue, co-operation and a greater understanding of Arab and Jewish culture, politics and history. The dialogue group contends that neither community benefits from tensions, violent conflicts, public accusations and racist exchanges.

“It is important for progressive Jews and other Canadians to hear about our dialogue experience over the last several years. Our dialogue group presents a model for our mainstream communities to build relationships and positively relate to each other,” Raja Khouri said.

“We share frank, honest and direct opinions,” Jareer Khouri said. “For the Arab and Jewish communities to change their perspectives, both sides must have the courage to voice different opinions.”

Here's the thing interfaithy types: unless your "dialogue" is prepared to address Islam's built-in Judenhass, the real reason behind the Arab/Muslim rejection of Israel's Jewishness, all your happy talk is largely a pointless exercise in empty feel-goodism.