The World or Universal Esperanto Association had its main conference in Tel Aviv, Israel (close to the Arab quarter of Yaffo) in the summer of 2000. Over 1,000 participants were there.
I was one of two Jewish Esperantists (albeit both seem to be atheists at times-I should speak mostly for myself) to go to
Amman, Jordan. This was an official pre-conference. I traveled with an American passport. I let several arab participants know know that I lived in Israel for 11 years and hoped that Esperanto would be useful in breaking the barriers. I may have spoken in Arabic occasionally.
Kamal Showshi (or Sxau'sxi in Esperanto), a Tunisian living in Jordan (and the most visible or outspoken Arab among a handful of Arab esperantists or beginners and about 25 foreigners-including 2 former presidents of UEA and several other directors) had this correspondence with the leading Israeli Esperantist,
Josef Shemer, indicating the time is premature to use Esperanto for this purpose.
After the second intifada (a month after the Universala Kongreso), Kamal used harsher words of fear (of using Esperanto with Israelis) and I corresponded with him a few times on the subject.
I emphasized that during the COLD WAR in Europe, even during the world wars, Esperantists in Eastern and Western Europe, proudly bragged of their friendships with foreign countries. Why must it be so different for Arab Esperantists?
For the security of one Muslim friend who participated I am removing both his/her name and country on Christmas day, 2010. We corresponded and I hope will continue to correspond on diverse subjects.
Today is Christmas, 2010, when thousands of Christians in Nigeria are fleeing from there burnt out villages in 2010. BBC reported on numerous attacks on Christian minorities in several Muslim countries. It also reported on Switzerland's ban on building Minerets for Mosques.
I found this correspondence belatedly--now (September 11, 2010)
Saluton al vi, s-ro Shemer,
Dankegon por viaj sinceraj bondeziroj.
Vi diris "Mi estas certa ke kun la tempo okazos bona kunlaboro inter jordaniaj kaj israelaj esperantistoj"
Ni vidos. Eble "kun la tempo" kiel vi gxuste diris. Sed, en la nuna tempo, estas tre frumature kaj riskege.
Elkore,
K.Sxauasxi
Jauxdo, la dudekunuan de septembro 2000
-----Original Message-----
From: éåñé ùîø
To: kamcha@redwg.org.jo
Cc: Amri Wandel ; Doron Modan
Date: Tuesday, September 19, 2000 09:43 ã
Subject: Simpla saluto el najbara lando
Saluton sinjoro Kamal,
Mi, juda Israelano, tre g^ojis legi, ke estas "komenco de esperantistoj" en nia najbara lando Jordanio.
Mi deziras al vi grandan g^uadon de tiu belega afero, Esperanto!
Mi estas certa ke kun la tempo okazos bona kunlaboro inter jordaniaj kaj israelaj esperantistoj.
Sukcesu!
Salutas amike,
Josef S^emer, Tel-Avivo
Doron Modan, of Israel, active for over a decade, described contacts between Jewish and Arab Esperantists, notably before the State of Israel was created in this article:
http://www.liberafolio.org/2006/arabajuda?searchterm=Doron+Modan
Pri mia renkontigxo kun araba membro de parlamento en Israelo.
http://epo.wikitrans.net/Muhammed_Wattad?eng=Muhammed+Wattad
Kiam mi studis la araban lingvon dum 3 jaroj en Israelo, unu el studentoj, Mahmud Wattad informis min ke familiano estas membro de la israela parlamento. Kiam mi vizitis Mahmud la unuan fojon en vilagxo, prononce/arabe Gxat (Jatt angle)(fruaj 80aj jaroj) li gvidis min al domo de sia unklo au' kuzo, Muhammed Watad kaj mi povis babili pri diversaj politikaj aferoj--ecx Esperanto- kun la M.P. Post UK-Telavivo-2000 mi ankau' vizitis Mahmud. Al mia surprizo (antau' kelkaj tagoj) mi konstatis ke li mortis, domagxe, dum au'tomobila krasxo, jardeko poste. Frato de Mahmud multe interesigxis pri Esperanto parte cxar li vidis televidan programon pri Esperanto dum la pasinta semajno.
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