What's in a handshake?

At the Pope's funeral, Israeli President Moshe Katsav did the right thing for Israeli diplomacy and for peace by shaking hands with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Iranian President Mohammed Khatami, two of Israel's sworn enemies. Khatami and Katsav were born in the same town in Iran and reportedly had a conversation in Persian. While these exchanges have no practical value, they symbolize the potential for a Middle East in which peoples interact cordially, rather than constantly trying to demonize and kill one another all the time.

Now, hardliners in Israel are criticising Katsav for the gesture, while Iran's Khatami denied it ever happened. Predictable.

Meanwhile, Ya Libnan has posted a new poem inspired by the handshake. It might not be the greatest work of art, but the sentiment is there...