"Israel & Iran were once allies... that suggests that there are some fundamental common interests between the two nations, which should be revived..."

'The keeper of Israel's last eastward outpost ..."

Haaretz/ here

"... Such dialogues between members of Israeli and Iranian civil society have been taking place, quietly, ... in Amman.....

... The level of anxiety in both Israeli and Iranian societies is growing, and there are many mutual misconceptions. Can anyone find an authentic quote in which Ahmadinejad actually threatened to attack Israel? Does Israel really intend to attack Iran?

Dr. Moshe Vered of the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies at Bar-Ilan University recently published a paper entitled "The length and conditions for ending a future war between Iran and Israel." He noted that the Iran-Iraq war went on for eight years, and the Iranians' willingness to sacrifice many lives would make a potential Iran- Israel war very prolonged and difficult to end. The clear conclusion to be drawn from reading the paper is that such a war would have catastrophic consequences for both peoples.

Israel and Iran were once allies. Even though much water has run through the Straits of Tiran and of Hormuz since then, doesn't that suggest that there are some fundamental common interests between the two nations, which one day may be revived? Many members of Iranian society are not happy with the current regime, to put it mildly, and they long to rejoin the international community.

Constructive dialogue between members of Israeli and Iranian civil societies can only help to promote positive change, while reducing the tensions, for the benefit of both peoples - even if it doesn't yield immediate fruits..."