It was a rainy night when I got off of 610 at the Braeswood exit, that free-for-all intersection where cars jockey madly for position. A car to my left maneuvered to cut me off, and I chose to wave it on. Because of the rain and bad lighting, I couldn’t see whether or not he gave me the customary “thank you” wave, or just chalked up the gain. That irked me to no end. Those little waves makes it so much easier to deal with the next pushy driver, while being made the fool makes it just as easy to be tough as nails. My thoughts quickly drifted to the Middle East, where many believe that concessions are seen as weakness. No wonder negotiations there always seem to be stuck in gridlock.

Last week, I attended a lecture hosted by the American Associates of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. There were three speakers: a Canadian, an Israeli and a Jordanian, all describing an exciting new program to train Jordanian paramedics in Beersheba. By all accounts, it is off to a great start, with future plans to include students from other Arab countries. The star of the evening was Mohammed Al-Hadid, president of the Jordanian Red Crescent and chairman of the Standing Commission of the International Red Cross. He helped to midwife this new program, and sees it as the first of many such programs between the two countries. An unabashed Jordanian patriot who understands the value in peaceful coexistence, Al-Hadid is the kind of visionary leader who can make a difference for generations to come.

And then, the next day, I read how Hamas spokesman Hammad Al-Ruqub promised that his organization would spare no effort to liberate Palestine, and “would not concede a grain of Palestinian soil.” He boasted (advertised?) that Hamas will “remain the spearhead in the land of Jihad defending the Arab and Muslim nations’ dignity on their behalf,” a transparent appeal for support aimed at the greater Muslim and Arab world. So, while Al-Hadid is touring the world to raise funds for an Israeli-based center to teach emergency medicine in Arabic, Al-Ruqub is advertising his services to those who share his view about the liberation of Palestine. The two represent opposite-end members on the core issue of the Arab-Israeli conflict: namely, whether to embrace Israel or destroy it.

So, do you wave in the driver or not? It depends on who is driving. The secret is to know when to be gentle, when to be tough, when to yield and when to brandish steel. There are many players in the Middle East, and only the well-meaning ones should be engaged and supported. It’s a lesson that many forget.

 

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