המרכז הירושלמי לענייני ציבור ומדינה

An interesting virtual meeting was held this week at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs and the head of the Bedouin tribes of Iraq and Syria, numbering about 45 million people.

Sheikh Ali al-Obeidi, the Bedouin tribal leader sent a letter to former Foreign Ministry Director General and President of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, Amb. Dore Gold, addressing the people of Israel and writing: "We hope this letter will reach you and the State of Israel. And its people see security, prosperity, and peace. This is a historic letter because we want to join our hands with yours in order to create for our people and upcoming generations a future where we will live in peace and love as allies."

In his letter to Amb. Gold, Ali al-Obeidi states that he wants to reach a strategic alliance with Israel hoping to reach a peace agreement between Iraq, Syria, and Israel and establishing full political and economic relations. The Sheikh also states that his goal, together with Israel, is to expel Iranians from Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq.

The Sheikh said, "Army officers, including generals are ready to take immediate action."

The letter is signed with the declaration: "Our letter is for people who love their homeland, their people and their future. And we are ready to go to Jerusalem – Jerusalem – to visit you and make a new history for the Middle East."

According to Amb. Dore Gold, President of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, this is an important step to another and different dialogue in the Middle East, a dialogue that can bring about a change in the world and Israel, and it is important to foster it. Amb. Dore Gold thought it important to note that neither the current debate over Israeli application of sovereignty, nor the Palestinian issue arose during the conversation, and that this is food for thought for all concerned.