“We extend our hand for peace, including to the Iranian people, but today was a great occasion that was missed.” – Israeli President Shimon Peres

It’s not on par with Nixon going to China, but in Davos, Switzerland, the site of the World Economic Forum, an annual gathering of politicos and economic and social leaders, Iran and Israel have taken the first “baby steps” in creating a thaw in their relations. While the moment in “Twitter diplomacy” is unlikely going to translate into direct trade or even a handshake between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, but considering how relations have been between Iran and Israel for the past several decades, it would be safe to characterize an exchange, even via Twitter, as historic. Up until the election of Hassan Rouhani, the only exchanges between Israel and Iran were to hurl insults at one another and accuse each other of undermining the security of the other.

With Iran agreeing to the Geneva agreement and suspending uranium enrichment above 5 percent, halting the installation of centrifuges and stopping construction on a heavy-water reactor, the momentum is building for normalized or even a working relationship with the West. While Iran has argued for the past decade that its nuclear program is for civilian purposes, the West has accused the Islamic Republic of operating a nuclear program for the development of nuclear-weapons capabilities. “Ingrained skepticism about the good faith of the Islamic regime remains one of the main sources that could endanger the process,” Francois Nicoullaud, France’s former ambassador to Iran, told Bloomberg. “The quality of Iran’s implementation of the Geneva agreement will reduce such obstacles.” The dilemma for the West is whether to throw away any opportunities at semi-normalized relations or build upon any opportunities that present themselves.

Below are a few of the more notable Twitter exchanges between the accounts of Israeli President Shimon Peres and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

We extend our hand for #peace, including to the #Iranian people, but today was a great occasion that was missed #WEF14

— PresidentPeres (@PresidentPeres) January 23, 2014

As far as #Israel is concerned we are ready to make #peace with the #Iranian people, historically they have never been our enemies #WEF14

— PresidentPeres (@PresidentPeres) January 23, 2014

He didn’t announce that #Iran will stop being the center of #terror in our time. #wef14

— PresidentPeres (@PresidentPeres) January 23, 2014

#Rouhani didn’t announce that in order to reduce the bloodshed in Syria he’s going to stop sending arms and money to Hezbollah #wef14

— PresidentPeres (@PresidentPeres) January 23, 2014

@HassanRouhani is the only leader I know who didn’t say clearly the time has come to make #peace between #Israel and the #Arabs. #WEF14

— PresidentPeres (@PresidentPeres) January 23, 2014

The most significant remarks by @HassanRouhani were the ones he didn’t make - he didn’t express support for peace in the #MiddleEast. #WEF14

— PresidentPeres (@PresidentPeres) January 23, 2014

At a time when Rouhani talks about a positive approach to technology, he prevents Iranians from freely surfing the Internet.

— Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) January 23, 2014

At a time when Rouhani condemns the killing of innocents, dozens of innocents were recently executed in Iran.

— Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) January 23, 2014

Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Remarks on Iranian President Rouhani’s Davos Speech: “Rouhani is continuing with the Iranian show of deception.

— Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) January 23, 2014

…pessimism and the imposition and intensifying of sanctions will have no results except direct and indirect costs for all parties.

— Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) January 23, 2014

…the Iranian nation will under no condition give up its right to access peaceful nuclear technology, and that the continuation of…

— Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) January 23, 2014

Engagement between Iran & US has also entered a new phase during the past months, and for the first time, politicians from both countries…

— Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) January 23, 2014

My government is fully prepared and ready to engage with all neighboring countries to achieve shared practical solutions and sustainable…

— Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) January 23, 2014