Students' trip to Israel aims at Mideast peace (Denver)

Monday, January 28, 2008
By Jeff Kass, Rocky Mountain News

Presidents, secretaries of state and special envoys have all tried to broker peace in the Middle East.

Now a group of 27 high schoolers from across the metro area - equally divided among Muslims, Jews and Christians - will fly to Israel in June in an effort to bring a measure of peace to the region.

It's a heck of an after-school assignment.

"I think it will make us more well-rounded, and I think it will show us that life is more complicated than walking down to McDonald's and grabbing a double cheeseburger," says Omar Murib, a 17-year-old junior at Douglas County High School, who is Muslim.

"You've got to start somewhere, and we're taking baby steps toward (solving) the war, guns, bullets and achieving peace."

During their 10 days in the region, students will learn firsthand about the facts on the ground, as diplomats say, and meet with peacemaking groups.

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