Here’s your dose of optimism for the day:

BROTHERS IN PEACE: After a year of meeting in secret, 120 former Israeli combat soldiers and Palestinian militants unveiled a unique group they hope will spur dialogue and end bloodshed. In a school yard in the Palestinian town of Anata, north of Jerusalem, the former enemies exchanged handshakes and hugs as they inaugurated “Combatants for Peace,” which they called the first joint group of its type. “We don’t want to look at each other through weapons sights, we want to see each other as human,” said Avichay Sharon , a former IDF soldier. Palestinian Osama Abu Karsh , jailed for three years by Israel for attacking troops with firebombs, added, “Both our sides have been fighting, but we want to sit at the same table. We hope we can achieve something.” The former combatants have been meeting for a year in different locations around Jerusalem in order to try to foster peace. But they kept the group’s existence secret to first build trust at gatherings where emotions often spilled over as both sides told stories of what they had done in the conflict. “We carry a dual platform: No to the occupation, and no to all other violent activities,” said Zohar Shapira , one of the founders of the movement and one of the signatories of the General Staff Commando Unit refusers letter. “We have heard for too long that there’s no partner on the other side. We, the fighters who paid a personal price in the conflict, are proving in action that this is a lie. There is someone to talk to—you only have to want to talk.” Raed al-Hadaar , a Fatah activist from Ramallah who spent four years in an Israeli prison, described his change of heart. “Pretty much the only Israelis I had met before were my jailers, but now I’ve been able to meet Israelis as equals and share a common goal with them for peace and justice,” he said. The group aims to pressure both governments to talk peace, halt violence, and establish a Palestinian state. They plan to visit Israeli and Palestinian schools and universities and set up joint media teams to influence public opinion. (Ynet & Reuters, 4/10/06)

We’ve had way too many hopeful posts, lately. I say we all return to our usual doomsaying.