Ambassador
James B. Cunningham

Biography

Speeches

Remarks by
U.S. Ambassador James B. Cunningham to
The Fourth Jaffa Convention
Arab-Jewish Community Center, Yaffo
December 18, 2008

Rabbi Melchior, Dr. Swaid, Mr. Cohen, and Mr. Abu-Shimdi.
Shalom, as’salahm Aleikum [shah-LOHM, ahs-sah-LAHM ah-LAY-kum (meaning “peace” in Hebrew and in Arabic)], good morning.  Thank you for your kind introduction.

I am happy to be here with you this morning to continue the close relationship that the U.S. Embassy has enjoyed with this convention and with the Citizen’s Accord Forum since this unified effort began in 2000. 

Around the world, the United States encourages broad participation in civil society.  Here in Israel, we believe that building and maintaining a robust civil society  helps  sustain Israeli democracy and that results here will promote  the message throughout the Middle East that coexistence between Arabs and Jews is possible.  

I would like to acknowledge the sensitive and effective work of those who led the effort to create the “Succoth Tent for Peace” in Acco in October.  That simple tent became a place for meaningful discussion when it was most needed -- following the terrible civic disturbances on the eve of Yum Kippur in a city where Arabs and Jews have long lived together in peace.  Those late-night clashes  demonstrated just how fragile the fabric of Arab-Jewish co-existence can be in Israel and how important it is to continually strive to bridge gaps and to maintain dialogue. 

The tent carved out a safe place for personal expression and produced an atmosphere of calm amid turmoil.  It filled an urgent need by bringing people together.   The tent succeeded, and I am certain, helped diminish an ugliness that could have festered for weeks.  I salute all who worked on this successful project – Rabbi Melchior;  Mayor of Acco Mr. Shlomo Lankri;  from the Citizens’ Accord Forum -- Messrs. Ibrahim Abu Shindi and Udi Cohen;  and the “HaNoar Oved” youth movement.

Building popular support for peace and coexistence requires arduous and intensive work over time.  In the process, one may feel the task impossible.  But it is a task we pursue because the stakes are too high not to.  I am honored to be here to witness the energy and momentum that the convention generates year after year toward achieving that goal.

Under the leadership of Udi Cohen and Ibrahim Abu-Shindi, the Jaffa Convention distinguishes itself from other conventions by demanding action, not just talk.   It is inspiring that the convention annually establishes specific “Calls to Action” that focus each convention’s energies on a singular issue of importance. 

As you set a course today to build programs that inspire people to reach across ethnic, religious and cultural divides, you influence the future.  As the people whom you touch share the unique elements of their language and their culture and their history, your programs enlighten  and make it easier for people to understand one another, to recognize similarities where none might have been before and, hopefully, to celebrate rather than disparage differences. If not to celebrate, at least to accept.

I am pleased to join you today, and to commend you for your commitment to address   the challenges of this society.   The work you are doing is difficult, but necessary and well worth the effort.   There are more people with dreams of peace and reconciliation than not.  You will help them succeed.  

The recent American  elections  showed that although we have remaining  differences of culture and equality in the U.S.,  America has experienced a fundamental shift.  In electing our first African-American President, we have taken one more step toward meeting the goals we aspire to in our society, and around the world.  

The new Administration will no doubt continue to have the search for peace and stability in this part of the world as a high priority.    Your work here today is both relevant and important, and that is why we are proud to support this convention. 

I hope that you will each take from this convention a reinvigorated sense of commitment and optimism.  Americans will be pleased to encourage and support you as we work together for  peace in the region, and for hope for its children.