The events in Mumbai have proved that terrorists continue to plunge to ever new depths of violence and hatred. Israel is no stranger to similar senseless carnage. The country has learnt to live with it, and still seek ways to live in harmony with internal minorities and neighbouring countries.

Another 2 examples of this coexistence came to light this week.

The multi-cultural school of Kfar Kana was recently portrayed on an internet TV station. The school is located inside Israel’s pre-1967 borders and is one of 3 such places in the country. The hundreds of pupils learn to speak the language and appreciate the religion of each other. The onus is not just of the schools 2 co-head principals. It is often the parents, who are the true heroes, battling trends in their respective societies. 

A few miles to the east is Nablus, a key Palestinian city. Last week, it hosted 700 investors, a direct follow up to the conference held in Bethlehem in May this year.

Significantly, the Israeli Civil Administration (ICA) played a major role in ensuring that the delegates were able to arrive and depart in comfort and in safety. Lt Col. Dacse Salame, head of the ICA’s Economics Branch observed the mutual importance of such an event, when he said that: “The Palestinian Authority has made serious preparations for the conference, and we, the Israeli side, will do our utmost to ensure a smooth and successful event. The financial benefit that the conference should provide for the Palestinian economy led us to set up a joint situation room, which will be able to solve any problem around the clock.”

These efforts – the moves to developing trust and recognition – that all terrorists reject. That is what is common to the murderers in Bali, from Gaza, in Mumbai or on the London underground.