"To that list we must now add the name of Prince Turki. He recently attended a conference in Germany on the Middle East in which another former senior intelligence official, Yossi Alpher of the Mossad, participated. Peace between Israel and the Arab countries was discussed. A Reuters journalist asked the prince if he would like to send a message to the Israeli public. This is what the prince had to say: "The Arab world, by the Arab peace initiative, has crossed the Rubicon from hostility to Israel to peace with Israel and has extended the hand of peace to Israel, and we await the Israelis picking up our hand and joining us in what inevitably will be beneficial for Israel and the Arab world." He told the journalist that Israel and the Arabs could cooperate in many areas including water, agriculture, science and education. I asked Alpher what had been discussed at the conference. In true Mossad tradition he did not want to reveal too much, but he did say that Prince Turki was surprisingly forthcoming regarding the opportunities that existed if the Arab world and Israel could work together - and that, of course, depended on the peace talks."" (thanks Laleh)