An assassination ultimately lured Arab leaders back to Jerusalem, but their presence at Yitzhak Rabin’s funeral Monday was nonetheless significant.

Arab leaders — including Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak and Jordan’s King Hussein — flocked to the services for Rabin, who was killed Saturday by a Jewish extremist at a peace rally.

The presence of Mubarak and Hussein signal that there is still a chance at least for a lasting Middle East peace. PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat did not attend the funeral, but watched the services on television, further evidence that Arab leaders may in fact remain committed to peace, despite the loss of Rabin.

“As long as I live, I’ll be proud to have known him, to have worked with him, as a brother and as a friend and as a man, and the relationship of friendship that we had is something unique and I’m proud of that,” Hussein said of Rabin.

Mubarak was equally complimentary.

“He defied the prejudices of the past to tackle the most complicated of problems. These achievements have undoubtedly established him as a true hero of peace,” he said.

Hussein and Mubarak’s comments, more than their presence, are welcomed and encouraging. The world was indeed rocked by Rabin’s death, but subsequent efforts of those remaining peace delegates have made the best of a tragic situation.