DEARBORN — A group of pro-Israeli American Jews and pro-Palestinian Arab Americans came together at the Lebanese American Heritage Club on Tuesday in a rare meeting aimed at sparking long-term dialogue acknowledging the two communities’ general views on the Middle East conflict.

Brenda Rosenberg, L, and Imad Hamad introduced the first draft of the “Declaration for Coexistence” a document meant to spark long-term dialogue between the American Jewish and Arab American communities, at an April 14 news conference. PHOTO: Khalil AlHajal/TAAN

In tense, determined discussions on the wording of a “Declaration for Coexistence” the group is drafting, activists and community leaders from each side went back and forth for about two hours, inching closer together on points they could agree on.
Brenda Rosenberg of the Pathways to Peace Foundation and Imad Hamad, regional director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, who spearheaded the dialogue, said they don’t expect their efforts to resolve the conflict, but that getting the two groups to genuinely listen to each other is an accomplishment in its own right.

“We’re not claiming here that we’re holding the magic keys to address this conflict,” said Hamad. “This kind of dialogue is a challenge in itself.”

He said the goal is to promote better cooperation and understanding between American Jews and Arab Americans.

“I think it’s critical for people to know that we can even acknowledge the same things together,” said Rosenberg. “I’m incredibly excited about the willingness to come together and have the challenging conversation… We’re pioneers.”

She said for each side to hear the other’s story and understand the other’s perception of reality is a huge step forward.

“An enemy is just someone whose story you haven’t heard yet,” she said.

The current draft of the Declaration for Coexistence includes 13 points that acknowledge “insensitivity to the importance of historical narratives of Israelis and Palestinians… has led to fear, prejudice, misunderstanding and bloodshed;” condemn “the teaching of hate, contempt, disrespect, incitement and violence;” support “two independent states living peacefully side by side, thus ending the conflict and the occupation;” and encourage “using language and behavior that engages rather than divides to solve problems.”

The wording of some points in the document involving condemnation of occupation and terrorism was the source of some heated confrontation during the Tuesday meeting.

“Everyone just take a deep breath in,” Rosenberg told the group of about fifteen at one point. “These are very emotional issues we’re talking about.”

Participants did hammer out painstaking compromises on several of the points.

“We are going to continue to differ on certain issues,” said Hamad.

The purpose of the talks, he said, is to find out what basic facts the two sides can agree on, and to affirm that all parties support a two-state solution that would resolve the conflict and end the occupation.

Many Palestinian activists advocate for a solution that would create a single, secular, inclusive and democratic state. Hamad said he would support any solution that would grant Palestinians humans rights and self-determination, but that “in this particular setting, I think the vast majority were more in support of a two-state solution.”

“Despite our differences and severe differences in certain situations, the bottom line is that we need to open up the channels of communication,” Hamad said. “At the end of the day, the hard facts on the ground will overshadow any effort, but at least we are trying… Both communities come from a long history of agony, mistrust and disengagement. Either we connect and engage or we disconnect and disengage… the fact that we are under one roof talking face to face gives a human touch, a human perspective that at least will make a dent.”

Howard Brown, a member of several Detroit-area Jewish organizations, said after the meeting that finding out what was most important to each side, word-by-word, and making each point in the document acceptable to everyone at the table, “without taking the teeth out of it,” was enlightening and encouraging.

“We share a lot in common,” he said. “We can do our little part here… I’m going to be so proud to show my little girl this document and say ‘daddy did the right thing.'”