I'm looking for some folks willing to devote 48 hrs to a Scott Peck "The Different Drum, Community Building and Peace" retreat.

The subject we would inquire into would be: what are the fundamental assumptions you are making that has you sympathize more with one side in the Israel/Palestinian conflict?

I have a fundamental assumption about your sympathy and your fundamental assumption: Either the Israelis or the Palestinians occur to you as people more like you than the other side--and that assumption produces your preference for that side.

For example, I assume that the Israelis, more than the Palestinians, are democratic, demand integrity from their governmental institutions, acknowledge the equality of women and minorities, and therefore are more like me than are Palestinians. Two examples I sometimes point to:

One:  Arafat was a crook, wore Rolex's and custom-made Italian khakis, and kept his young wife and daughter in luxury in Paris. Rabin wore Timex's and cheap suits.

Two: When the IDF looked the other way and let the Philangists massacre Palestinians in refugee camps, 300,000 Israelis demonstrated in the streets demanding an investigation. Ain't no way Palestinians would protest murders by their governments, or if they did, they wouldn't survive to tell about it.

So, again, I assume Israelis are more like me than are Palestinians. More alike in our values and behavior. But--that just isn't so. I have almost nothing in common with Orthodox Jews, the most blood-thirsty, war-mongering political force in Israel. Much of Israel's intransigence in peace negotiations and in settlement building come from them. And they won't even serve in their own IDF. They demand that other Israelis do their killing.

And, Israelis are apparently not all that tolerant and diverse. Sephardic Jews are disadvantaged in jobs and elections vis a vis Ashkenazim (Europeans). God help the unheedful woman walking near an Orthodox fanatic. And good luck getting married in Israel if the Orthodox decide you ain't Jewish enough.

And Palestinians apparently tolerate a fair-sized community of Palestinian Christians. Palestinians value education and knowledge of "the world." Many Palestinians share my desire for peace and love of one's neighbors.

But, given any news item, my instinct is to favor the Israelis. "Peace armada" trying to break the blockade? Shouldn't do it--Hamas is a terrorist organization supported by their civilians. There are no civilians.

I propose you have the same unexamined assumptions that drive your sympathies and drive your first-reactions to news items. Imagine if we spent 48 hours at a retreat getting to Scott Peck's "community" condition and really listened to each other, and to ourselves, and got more conscious of these unexamined assumptions?

Until then, I promise to be conscious of my knee-jerks, and re-examine my sympathies.