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Professor Menachem Megidor, President Hebrew University, Mount Scopus.

The contrast between the 2 universities was striking. Full attendance at Hebrew, very few able to make it at Al Quds; Beautiful setting, fine facilities at Hebrew, basic facilities and poor, depressed setting at Al Quds.

It is hard to keep open discourse going between the wider range of students here.

Asked about the after-effects of the bombing on campus some months previously, Professor Megidor made the following points:

• The campus was specifically targeted. The bomb did not go off the first time, so it was taken away and brought back again.
  
• Sad, but determined to keep membership and discourse open to the whole political spectrum.
  
• Allow and encourage political activity so as to not surrender to terrorism.
  
• Effect on the students. They have tried from all sides of the conflict to be more sensitive so as to not break the fabric of relationship.
  
• Examining stereotypes of ‘the other’ in the respective texts of Jews, Arabs, Judaism, and Islam etc.
  
• The prospect of peace is better now that 30 years ago (in spite of the present violence) the rhetoric is changing. Use of language precedes action. Now both sides speak of ’48 boundaries, of a ‘Palestinian State’ etc.
  
• We run an interdisciplinary course on conflict resolution and mediation.
  
• An initiative coming from Arabic/Jewish students want to set up a group to explore possibilities of peace with people representing many different positions.
  
• Age at which attempts are made to involve children in peace education.
  
• There is a Jewish/Arab group, funded by Billy Crystal, for theatre.
  
• Megidor spoke of his meeting with the Pope re Jerusalem as an international open city.
  
• Both sides must give up some dreams in the interest of a greater peace. PLEASE CONVEY THAT AS OUR WISH TO OUTSIDERS TO THE CONFLICT.
  
• Speaking of living in the midst of conflict: “You know that it could be you but you assume that it won’t be and you go on with life”