Earlier this week, Cornell had the honor of welcoming one of the world’s most respected and accomplished statesmen: current Israeli Vice Premier Shimon Peres. Peres has been assigned a suitcase full of titles throughout his distinguished career — he has been a Prime Minister and a Nobel Laureate, among others — but Peres’ current title attests to what a mainstay he has been in Israeli politics; at 83, his voice is still recognized as one of the world’s most important when it comes to the Middle East.

Peres spoke about his tour of Duffield Hall, his fascination with nanotechnology, and his hopes for a future shaped by science and shared by all nations. His lecture was both instructive and hopeful; the possibility for an end to the Middle East conflict, he argued, was in the hands of future generations who would reject the parochial violence of the nation, and instead embrace the endless possibilities of a global future. While we in Ithaca are geographically far from the Middle East, it is incumbent upon us to encourage peace and engagement through whatever means available.

Science may be the best answer to the question of “what can we do?” In recent years, Cornell has opened a campus in the Arab country of Qatar, conditioned upon Qatar welcoming all students, including citizens of Israel. Cornell and Stanford are working with Israeli and Jordanian scientists on mapping the genome of life in Israel’s Rift Valley, through an exceptional program known as “Bridging the Rift.” But Cornell should not let these ambitious programs be the end of its international involvement; our university must deepen ties with educational institutions in every peace-loving nation of the Middle East.

Peres was right to point to technology as an avatar of a new and brighter day, but the present climate in the Middle East is still determined largely by ancient tensions. Since Israel’s disengagement from the Gaza Strip in 2005, Palestinian groups have fired Qassam rockets into Israel on a daily basis, and Israel has responded with force in northern Gaza. Hezbollah’s unprovoked attack on northern Israel this summer shattered the calm on the Israeli-Lebanese borer, and Iran’s president’s stated determination to destroy Israel and proceed with a nucelar program have unnerved the entire region.

In recent days, however, positive signs have emanated from the Middle East. Earlier this week, Israel and the Palestinian government agreed to implement a cease-fire along the Gaza border. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert further announced that Israel was ready to negotiate with the Palestinians over a withdrawal from the West Bank, and declared that Israel would discuss prisoner exchanges with the Hamas government as a sign of goodwill towards the Palestinian people.

The Palestinians must seize the opportunity furnished by the cease-fire and Olmert’s statements. Despite the agreement, rockets continue to rain down on the Israeli city of Sderot — these attacks must stop immediately. The Palestinians should release Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier kidnapped during a raid into Israel earlier this year. And the Palestinian government, regardless of its political makeup, must agree to abide by past peace agreements, renounce violence against innocent civilians and recognize Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state in peace and security.

The onus is also on the Palestinians to use this opening to increase economic growth and push for peace. During the 1990s, before the launch of the second Palestinian intifada, commercial exchange between Israel and the Palestinians propelled the Palestinian standard of living to unprecedented heights. By ensuring that shipping containers are filled with products for export instead of attackers and their weapons, the Palestinians can guarantee further easing of security precautions and attract investment that will contribute to a peaceful Middle East.

Both sides in this conflict need to continue to take steps towards peace, and they deserve the encouragement of the United States, the Arab world, and the international community. There have been too many instances when peace initiatives in the Middle East have fallen flat. Regional players who support peace must offer assistance and political support to Israel and the Palestinian Authority, to encourage reconciliation and a long-term peace. Educational institutions throughout the world should build the foundations of peace — not with confrontation and ignorance but through dialogue, scientific exchange and academic cooperation.

Peres spoke of the Israeli desire for peace and urged Cornell students to serve a cause greater than themselves. It is our responsibility — as members of an exceptional academic community and as citizens of the world — to use the instruments of education and science for the benefit of others. Let us work to deepen Cornell’s relationship with Israel and her Arab neighbors, so as to offer a framework through which nations can encounter one another in the classroom or lab, instead of on the battlefield.

Justin Weitz is President of the Cornell Israel Public Affairs Committee. He can be contacted at jdw42@cornell.edu. Guest Room appears periodically.