ISLAM-CHRISTIAN DIALOGUE

87 sted in young Arabs. As for democracy, it is not a "prêt-à-porter" concept that ap- plies to a heterogeneous social body, but with freedom of expression it will be pos- sible, in a more or less long term, to deve- lop the process respecting ancestral va- lues and pluralism. If the peace dynamic finally finds space in the Middle East, the Jewish state, with its democracy and its developed market economy, but desisting from the confessional state, no longer ri- sks finding itself isolated in an area where cohesion among the Arab countries, but would rather act in synergy with them. With the exception of Lebanon, until the intervention of the Syrian occupation force, the Arab world did not know the freedom of expression. For Lebanon, fre- ed from Syrian control, the opportunity presents itself to rediscover its legendary entrepreneurial spirit, which has been the strength of its economy and the engine of economic development in the Gulf coun- tries. The religious pluralism and cultural liveliness that could derive from freedom of expression in the Middle East with the new course, would give vigour to the ancient civilizations of this region, which could resume the role of bridge between East and West. Hope beyond hope.