Good points Ruth. I agree that in order for a debate to be productive it should be honest. That means differences should not be ignored (I do not mean this should be done in a self-righteous way but rather factual academic way). This perhaps should be done in a similar way to the way a Western country would need to take into account cultural issues and sensitivities when dealing with Asian countries like China and Japan. The difference is however (and I'm not a great Huntington fan) is that in the case of Israel and its neighbors our cultures and prejudices play a role in the conflict. Indeed another issue that should be discussed are the role the extreme interpretations of Judaism and Islam (from Baruch Goldstein to Hamas and Hezballah and Vice Versa) play in the conflict. I have a few questions for you guys and would be interested in hearing your thoughts Yet another issue derives from this doctrine of 'Democratizing' the Middle East -- do we believe Western culture is the right one? or are all cultures and values the same? Some argue that democracy and Arab culture/ or and Islam don't mix - what do we think about this? Also is the Arab "honor" concept similar to 'losing face' in Asian culture? What about concepts like Shahada how widespread are they amongst young Arabs/Palestinians as opposed to say wanting to be a doctor or the next Bar Refaeli ? What role does Israel's "Holocaust complex" play in our inability to advance peace? Looking forward to your thoughts, G