Sir, – In his book Old/New Land, Theodor Herzl envisioned an Arab prime
minister and a Jewish president. I believe Israel’s election of a first Arab
prime minister would be even more helpful and historic for Israel than
Barack Obama’s as president already promises to be for America. How could it
fail to transform Jewish-Arab, Israeli-Arab and even Israeli-Iranian
relations?

Picture the Arab and Muslim worlds suddenly having to confront an Arab
Muslim Israeli premier elected predominantly by Israeli Jews. Would it not
instantly boost recognition, respect, peace and security – to an
unimaginable degree?

And then picture the impact when the prime ministership peacefully reverted
to a Jew; and then, some day, to an Arab again. This realization of Herzl’s
vision would truly show up as a lie the Islamist and apartheid ideology of
al-Qaida and terrorists such as the Mumbai attackers.

A pipe-dream, maybe. At least, for now. But we all know what Herzl said
about dreams becoming reality. As Post editor David Horovitz urged during
the recent splendid concert visit to Israel of Sir Paul McCartney: Imagine.