"I don't understand the hype about the handshake."
"Big M and Sharon?"
"Yes. I mean, true, we are Muslims and the Israelis are fighting the Palestinians and there is much bloodshed and..."
"I believe the Israelis are doing unto the Palestinians that was done unto them during the Holocaust."
"Not as much. I mean's its not as if entire families have been gassed."
"OK, so not that much but I would have thought that they above all people would understand the plight of those without a land."
"Yes which is why they don't want to give up too much. But I am not arguing for or against the Israelis. All I am saying is that why did Pakistan have to get involved in the fray?"
"Well, as Muslims..."
"As Muslims we never got support for the Kashmir cause. Iraq that many of us are now accusing the US of occupying never supported us on any platform. It was always India and you know even the OIC has not really supported us wholeheartedly on anything..."
"True but then the OIC is an ineffectual organisation. I mean if you think they can support anyone then forget it."
"That's right. But then why have we supported the Palestinians over Israelis?"
"It is a just cause."
"That's true but there are many unjust causes that we have supported as well. Zia's Afghanistan support is now coming to haunt us."
"The Arabs used to give us some oil facility."
"But that has stopped. Anyway there is somehow the uneasy perception amongst our referendumed, chosen, appointed and that rarity in our country elected leadership that rapprochement with Israel would bring out the public in the streets."
"So Big M proved..."
"That things can change."
"But Big M took the step because of US influence, shall we say? As did Indonesia."
"Right. But once Bush is out and more US troops die in Afghanistan leading to a public outcry then I can just imagine the US dumping us again."
"Meanwhile, we may learn about trickle farming from Israel. I mean we could deal with drought effectively then."
"Indeed."