Convening an unprecedented meeting between a Muslim head of state and Jewish religious leaders, King Abdullah II of Jordan urged Jews and Muslims yesterday to ”take bold steps toward mutual forgiveness and reconciliation" to counteract extremist violence produced by distortion of religion.

Abdullah, who has taken a leading role in advocating moderation and modernization in the Arab world, quoted liberally from parallel passages of the Torah and the Koran as he told about 70 rabbis, including eight from the Boston area, that ”we must move beyond the language of mere tolerance toward true acceptance. Our common faith and shared history are [our] greatest asset."

Source: [The Boston Globe]

Kudos to His Majesty for advocating messages of tolerance and mutual understanding. In light of what many might be interpreting as a religious conflict, such initiatives are extremely essential in promoting peace and deconstructing stereotypes.