Scientific relations

This letter appeared in the Jerusalem Post Letters to the Editor 20 Sept.,
2005

Dead Sea study enlivens peace

Sir, – Re: "'Library of desert life' – Israel, Jordan build ties in Dead Sea
study" (September 19): I can claim a role in the inception of this project.
Working at the National Science Foundation in Washington DC in 1994, I was
asked to be an American member of a "Trilateral Committee" on scientific
cooperation between Israel, Jordan and the US. The idea: The US would
sponsor the projects to help Israel and Jordan bridge the gulf between them.
As one of the three-man team for biotechnology (the other areas were
education and water research) I proposed a joint project on the genetics of
plant biotechnology of arid lands, which was expanded into a fully-fledged
project for cooperation on the genetics of the flora and fauna of the joint
Arava Valley. This has become the current "Library of desert life."
The US was not intended to foot the bill for the agreed projects, rather
that they should be funded based on merit. I am ecstatic to see this project
finally bearing fruit with private US support. It is a model for future
peaceful cooperation and development between Israel and the Arab countries –
science-based projects that are of mutual benefit to all.
PROF. JACK COHEN
Hebrew University
Jerusalem

Comment: I participated in this Committee because Jordan had signed a Peace
Treaty with Israel, and there was every prospect of building improved
relations. The Jordanian participants could not have been more constructive
in their approach. The projects were chosen carefully to appeal to all
three countries and was officially approved by them. The projects were
shelved for several years due to the outbreak of the intifada in 2000. I
would not have participated in a similar Committee including the
Palestinians (although there was no such Committee) since the PA has not
shown it is prepared to live in peace with Israel. Not only is there no
Peace Treaty, but the Palestine Covenant is still in operation, Abbas has
not disarmed the terrorist organizations, and they are currently planning
terrorist actions against Israel. Under these circumstances peaceful
scientific negotiations would be pointless.