Hmmm. I am just wondering about the 'background' and documented views/comments of some of those invitees to the upcoming Islamic 'peace and reconciliation event? Pot/kettle?

I take Mr Kazak's point on condemning Dr Rubensteins criticism of OLO allowing his article to be published. OLO is a rare forum for free speech.

Anyone who thinks, or states, that Zionism through its various voices in the world has not engaged in Islamic vilification has simply not been paying attention. One of the most encouraging developments in recent years is the many Jewish voices speaking out against this continuing calumny.
It is not only not true - that Islam is inherently bad - but to keep on about it is counter-productive. Islam is acknowledged by many to be the fastest growing religion in the world today. If the concern is its growing influence, why vilify it? Persecuted faiths and belief systems only grow stronger when that happens.
Consider Christianity. The Romans did everything in their power to stamp it out, and in the end it emerged utterly triumphant throughout the Roman world. I suggest that unless we wish to see Islam continue to grow in size and influence we get our own house in order before we criticise theirs.
Or anyone else's for that matter.
It's also worth remembering that all of us in the "west" are children of Abraham. We share the same foundation books with the same foundation stories. It is only after the first five(?) books of the Old Testament that the New Testament and the Koran kick in. There is so much more uniting us than there is dividing us. Time to focus on that!

I have to agree with Mr Kazak's description of Melanie Phillips and Daniel Pipes, they're both Zionist propagandists, so disseminating anti-Arab prejudices are more or less to be expected,
Pamela Geller is another notorious anti-Moslem, anti-Arab, hate monger. It's essential not to conflate their opinions with genuine concerns in regard to the ideology of Islam and its demonstrated opposition to liberal democracy.

Mr Kazak still hasn't addressed the criticisms of his previous article, particularly the muddled history and the definition of Moslems as a "race" and as the eternal victims of Western aggression.

Zionists are relatively easy targets.

halduel,

"It's also worth remembering that all of us in the "west" are children of Abraham."

Perhaps not, there's also a considerable inheritance from Classical Greco-Roman civilisation and the Enlightenment traditions that developed from that, otherwise we would all be living in a 12th century theocracy, rather like Moslems.

We are no longer "Children of Abraham."

It is well known that Colin Rubenstein and his associates have not been on speaking terms with the truth for as far back in time as the eye can see.
Ben Zygier gave us an unexpected glimpse as to what really goes on, of course.

I'm sick of religion.

This author persists with the relativism myth, that Israel is as bad as and worse than Islam; and someone else mentions Ben Zygier as though that means something; in the meantime coming to a corner near you:

http://www.smh.com.au/world/gazas-motorcycle-lynch-mob-spies-executed-corpse-dragged-through-streets-20121121-29or1.html#ixzz2CnXtfMMA