Even with the world calling out for peace, Arabs, Jews and Muslims at Harvard have been having as much trouble as their counterparts in the Middle East with agreeing on who is at fault and what should be done.

Last night, members of the three groups took a step forward, setting next Thursday as the date for a 30-person roundtable discussion about the recent violence in the Middle East.

The agreement didn't come easy. Representatives from Harvard Hillel's Interethnic Committee, Harvard Islamic Society (HIS), and the Society of Arab Students (SAS) have been working for over a week to hammer out a date and venue for bringing their members together to discuss their views on the Middle East controversy.

But discussion is only the beginning of a much longer and harder process of listening and understanding.

The three groups have struggled, internally, and with one another, to clarify their stances and create a framework in which they can work together.

Following a two-hour community meeting on Friday morning, Harvard Hillel's Coordinating Committee issued a statement yesterday about its position.

In addition to mourning the death of the two Israeli soldiers killed last week and calling for the return of all missing Israeli soldiers, the statement called for Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to "end the violence."

"Harvard Hillel stands in solidarity with the State of Israel, the Israel Defense Forces and the Israeli people," the statement said. "We support Israel's right to exist, its right to defend itself, and its citizens' right to live free from fear. We mourn the loss of all life in the Middle East, and we hope and pray for a just and lasting peace in the region."