What Is In A Handshake? A Nascent Opening....

As expected, the leaders of Pakistan and Israel met briefly today within the corridors of power that is the preeminent international body, the United Nations. The setting was appropriately New York City, the site where four years previously the culmination of decades of Old World religious fanatacism spilled over into the streets of that great New World metropolis. Whatever one's politics maybe, the events of that day and countless others before it remain morally indefensible, so it was with much delight that Messer's Sharon and Musharraf gave each other the benefit of the doubt and behaved in accordance with the better angels of their respective heritages and cultures.

But what is in a handshake? Time will tell. The moment is rife with symbolism for it is an open secret that on September 10th 2001, to distinguish Al Qeada from senior elements of the Pakistani Intelligence Services (ISI) would have amounted to little more than a mere play on words. In a similar vein, the transformation and evolution of Sharon is staggering , save the question of the West Bank and that too remains unclear as to its final outcome. Yet, be that as it may, the nascent opening is bolstered by the proverbial wisdom of the saying that "the longest journey begins with one small step," a handshake for example.