Peace Process
By Moshe Katz
CEO
Israeli Krav International 

September 20-21, 2018, Israel

This blog is going to anger some of my friends. I am, and consider myself, on the extreme right politically, and have been so my entire life. But I am not really using the term only as Right wing politically, as I am not the least bit interested in politics.  I mean I of course believe that I am right, as in correct and that is the path that I always follow, whether it is politically  correct or not. 

I am an advocate of a hard line, a brutally hard line against terrorists, Arab or otherwise. I believe we must destroy all the terrorist organizations with an Iron Fist, root them out completely just as was attempted against the Nazi regime and the Nazi party, at least that was the idea initially until the American government decided to get thousands of them jobs. 

There is no compromise with Nazis or Hamas or PLO, PLFP etc. 

However that is only part of the solution. The question is how do we work towards peace. Note I did not see how do we achieve peace, that is a lofty but far off goal, I ask rather, how do we work towards peace, for peace is our only ultimate security. 

The greatest self defense is to eliminate your enemy. One way to eliminate your enemy is by killing him, another way is by changing him into a friend. A wise man should know which one to choose based on the case. 

Tonight I participated in the peace process. No, I did not dress up in a suit and tie and go to some fancy hotel. No, I was not chosen as a delegate to some silly conference, and no, I did not waste the tax payers money by flying around the world and negotiating peace. 

For the record I abhor "the peace talks" and see them as a mockery of the hard working tax payer. Most politicians are corrupt, certainly those on the Arab side. If peace were ever achieved they would lose all their power and money. Sadly this is funded largely by European nations, same ones that "helped us out" back in the 1940's.

So tonight I participated in the peace process. A few days ago my car did not start. I called my repair company. A kind man arrived. I noticed three things about him; he was knowledgeable, he was kind, he was an Arab.  He tried his best to save me money. He started up the car and said, "you probably need a new battery, what kind of insurance do you have with us?

After I told him of my insurance policy he advised me to wait. He said I entitled to another free visit before being charged for this service. He got the car started and said, give it a couple of days and see what happens. You might save some money.

I appreciated his kindness and thoughtfulness. In the past each and every repair person at once tried to sell me the most expensive battery they had. This man refused to take money, he tried to save me money. 

I was deeply impressed and told some friends, but there was more to come. 

This afternoon my car stalled and then did not start. I knew I needed a new battery. I called my service company and waited, for seven hours. Turns out that since yesterday was the Jewish Day of Atonement no one called the service station, they all waited until after the holiday. This alone deeply touched me, what a wonderful people we have, what honor to our traditions. 

The repairman arrived, it was the very same man as a few days ago. He approached my car and again exhausted all possibilities before announcing the obvious verdict that I need to fork out some money for a new battery. He checked out every possible problem. As I pulled out my credit card he said...whoa...slow down, let me do my job first!

When he concluded he told me the price, and then he said that he has a way of offering me a members only discount, and then when he processed the bill he came up with another discount, none of which I requested or expected. 

I was overwhelmed by his kindness, and thoughtfulness, and I asked him his name. He answered, Salman, similar to our Shlomo, or Solomon. When I pointed this out he said, of course, we are cousins!

He looked up at the skies and said, Our heavenly father watches us all. I am not a very religious man but my parents raised me to understand that if you eat what is not honestly yours, it will be as poison that will choke you.

He looked at me and said, you have a face, like your people say, "A countenance that glows". You exude light. 

We shook hands and chatted for a long while. I told him, Salman you are a righteous man and you are now my friend. If you are ever in this neighborhood and have a free moment between jobs please come in for a cup of coffee. 

That is my peace plan, one cup of coffee at a time. 

I called up the company to praise them for this wonderful mechanic. They thanked me for taking the time to call.

Tonight did not cost me money, I was more than happy to pay, it was money invested in the peace process, the true peace process, the only peace process that can succeed, that between two ordinary human beings with no political aspirations, two human beings who inhabit the same land and wish to live in peace. 

I said, Salman, everyone is angry these days, a good Jew was murdered. Slogans are being shouted, Out with the Arabs! but you are here to stay and we are to stay, our only chance is to learn to get along, that is our only hope. 

Again our hands embraced and I felt that perhaps, perhaps, some day this land would know some peace. Perhaps if we took it one cup of coffee at a time, one repair experience at a time. A frustrating experience of a car not starting can become an expression of Peace between potential adversaries. A bad experience can become a holy one. 

I said, Salman, you may not consider yourself a religious man but I do. The prayers are a means to an end, your behavior is the most righteous prayer I know.

Salman smiled, a great big smile. And I have to believe that God is smiling too, for we were not created to make war. 

And I end with an old prayer, and may the land rest for forty years....

My peace process, one cup of coffee at a time. 

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