What we need now is a way to finesse the differences between Israelis and Palestinians, so that the peace process moves forward, despite the intentions of some on both sides to stop it. I propose the idea of Selling a Vision of Hope, by which we do the following:

1. Ideology: Use a new ideological framework, what I call An Ideology of Common Sense, to speak to one another with common sense and with a sense of personal dignity, just as you are doing in your post.

2. Investment: Invest in one another to create good paying jobs, jobs which grow our economies, jobs which protect the environment, and jobs which help neutralize the hold of extremist thinking.

3. Hope: Use an Ideology of Common Sense, along with some well placed Investment Dollars to sell one another on a Vision of Hope, a vision of Peace, Prosperity, and Freedom. Give the man on the street a sense of hope and you will have turned the corner on peace. Nothing more in needed, and nothing less will suffice.

4. Public Diplomacy: Once you sell people on a Vision of Hope, you sustain the hope by launching a series of Public Diplomacy Programs which are specifically designed to prop the vision up and to carry it forward, such as: a program to Empower Women, a Student Exchange, a Cultural Exchange, an expanded version of the Peace Corps, a Media Campaign, and a series of International Conferences.

5. The Willingness to Fight: If we already have to fight against the forces of extremism, and we do, as you suggest, then we will fight, and fight hard, but we will also position the fight within a Vision of Hope. We will raise the fight on the ground to a higher moral plain by giving the fight a moral clarity of purpose. People will fight harder once they know what they’re fighting for. We are not fighting a “War against Terror”. We are fighting a war to realize a Vision of Hope. There’s a big difference.

By Selling a Vision of Hope, we will beat the ideological extremists at their own game. We will do what they do only better. We will co-opt their strategy and thereby marginalize them in the eyes of their own people. So, for example, if they are ideological about violent Jihad, we will be ideological about common sense. If they invest peanuts in charitable handouts, we will invest some serious dollars in jobs. If they sell a Vision of Hope for martyrdom, or a Greater Israel, or illegal settlements, or paradise, or virgins, or what have you, we will sell a Vision of Hope for Peace, Prosperity, and Freedom.

At every turn we will cut them off at the pass and beat them at their own game, with the simple mantra: Ideology plus Investment equals Hope. In the final analysis, the ideological extremists, whether in Israel or in Palestine, will not be able to capture the public’s imagination once people begin to imagine a better life for themselves.

I am trying to build a factory in the West Bank which uses Israeli nanotechnology research on green energy, and uses Palestinian workers and managers to produce a green energy product of some special significance. Saudi finanacing would be the icing on the cake and would say to the world that oil profits are being used to creat green profits, and that good paying jobs are being used to neutralize the hold of extremist thinking. Such a project could attract worldwide attention and additional investment dollars for more such projects. What begins as a single solitary project could be the impetus for a movement for change.

Do you think that any of this makes sense? I spoke to Senator George Mitchell about it recently, and he seemed somewhat interested. We shall see.

You are welcome to visit my website http://www.sellingavisionofhope.org I would welcome your comments.