- The attack drew not only Christians, but also Muslims, to the Basilica to protect it.
- It also drew protesters to the street with anti-Israeli slogans on their banners. But at least the typical banner said "They call us terrorists, but really they are" instead of calling for beheadings and holocausts.
- Muslim & Christian religious leaders protected the attackers from the angry crowd and defused tensions (rather than stirring them up).
- Israel immediately apologized for the attack (moderate Muslims take note: silence gives consent).
- The apology was accepted. Although it called for continuing education in tolerance, a communiqué issued jointly by the Churches of Galilee, the Patriarch of Jerusalem and Custos of the Holy Land expressed appreciation for Israel's statement:
In this we see their understanding of the gravity of such an incident and the importance of the educational efforts that must be undertaken to avoid such incidents under any circumstances," they said. The statement continued: "We thank the entire crowd, from different religious backgrounds, who came yesterday to defend our holy places and the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth. "In this we see an awareness to strengthen the unity of the people and an effort to avoid such incidents before they happen."
Except for a few flying rocks right at the beginning, I'd say that provides us with a model of how decent people in the three "religions of the book" behave in the face of indecent acts. See, it is possible.
