You are absolutely right sir! Civil discussion and interest that sprouts from something as simple as sitting down for a meal is vital. 50% of the people living in my apartment complex are immigrants from India and I leap at every opportunity I get to go over and eat even if we can usually only understand each other on very simple issues like poverty or president, not only from a language barrier, but from a different social upbringing.
As far as what I think we can offer to the middle east is to really try and not meddle in these countries affairs. I am rather flabbergasted by Israels recent decision to continue housing expansions in the Middle East despite many governments including Iran willing to sit down and discuss peace if they just stopped pushing farther into the Gaza Strip. I would like to see a response of a little less trading (especially in weapons) with Isreal until they are willing to accept the Palestinians in the same way the Palestinians may learn to accept Isreal. Although it is essentially impossible to do this perhaps it can bring about an uneasy peace for some period of time.
Im sorry im not familiar enough with politics in Lebanon to comment.
"Party spirit is a lying, vociferous, reckless spirit, a stranger to candor, willing to pervert the truth, and to use underhanded and dishonest means so it may gain the victory"
-Charles Simmons 1798-1856 (Said in 1830s)