Send Page to a Friend JCRC Commends Bush Administration for Negotiating Rafah Agreement (Boston, November 16) The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston commends the United States for its renewed efforts to foster peace and cooperation in the Middle East.  We hope that this effort reflects a renewed dedication on the part of the Bush administration to actively pursue a peaceful resolution of Middle East conflict. We applaud Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's marathon mediation session this week resulting in an agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority to open Gaza border crossings to travel and commerce with agreed upon security precautions acceptable to the Israeli government.  We are hopeful that this agreement will be the first step for the Palestinian Authority to take control of their security and civil affairs.  As the Road Map calls for, asserting their authority must lead to the decommissioning of illegal weapons in the hands of groups like Islamic Jihad and Hamas who oppose peace and seek to destroy Israel. In the meanwhile, Israel and the Palestinian Authority should be commended for their cooperation on the completion of the agreement.  The JCRC joins Israel in her hopes that this agreement will serve as a foundation for continued cooperation and eventual peace in the region.