It is 1995, and the world is horrified to hear that the Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin has been shot and seriously wounded by Yigal Amir, an Israeli fanatic.

Rabin nearly slainThe whole world breaths a sigh of relief when the hospital announces that Rabin will survive. He had, after all, played a key role in creating the Oslo Accords, which recognized the Palestinian National Authority. PLO Chairman Yassir Arafat had sent him a reply recognizing Israel's right to exist and abandoning violence against her.

Their agreement was immortalized by the famous photo of the two leaders shaking hands, with President Clinton literally drawing them together. As Rabin so eloquently put it on that memorable occasion, "We who have fought against you, the Palestinians, we say to you today, in a loud and clear voice, enough of blood and tears .. enough!"

Remembering that meeting, Rabin's close call brought the leading Jews and Arabs even closer together in their fervent prayers for his survival .. which was followed by equally widespread prayers of thanks, when they learned he would survive. Despite the continuing actions of extremists on both sides, the peaceful efforts to reach a permanent compromise continue to this day, and Rabin remains in office.