New York Times (September 13)
In 1998, the Good Friday Agreement brought peace to Northern Ireland. The arrangement now looks to be in peril. “Ending the power-sharing provincial government in Northern Ireland will serve no good purpose, either for Protestant unionists or Catholic nationalists. The only ones who gain are the dark forces on both sides who remain consumed by sectarian hatred and violence.”
Tags: Catholic nationalists, Dark forces, Good Friday Agreement, Government, Hatred, Northern Ireland, Peace, Power sharing, Protestant unionists, Violence
New York Times (December 20)
“The vision of two separate states, with Israelis and Palestinians living side by side in peace” is proving elusive despite “years of arduous negotiations to solve the Middle East conflict.” As confidence wanes in the realizability of a two-state solution, it may be the time to consider alternatives.
Tags: Alternatives, Confidence, Conflict, Elusive, Israel, Middle East, Negotiations, Palestine, Peace, Two-state solution
New York Times (October 15)
“Monday’s vote suggests that Israel is increasingly seen as needing to do more to end the stalemate.” The British House of Commons “endorsed diplomatic recognition of a Palestinian state.” Though a symbolic gesture, “Israel and its allies should not ignore the message. The vote is one more sign of the frustration many people in Europe feel about the failure to achieve an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement despite years of promises.”
Tags: Allies, Europe, House of Commons, Israel, Palestine, Peace, Promises, Recognition, Stalemate, UK, Vote
The Economist (August 2)
Israel is “winning the battle, losing the war. For all its military might, Israel faces a grim future unless it can secure peace” and it is slipping in the international court of public opinion.
Financial Times (July 17)
The current fighting between Israel and Hamas “looks like a new episode in a wearisomely familiar feud.” But the ongoing tragedy must be brought to an end. “Israel cannot remain oasis of peace in a region on fire.” The “Palestinians need a state of their own.”
Washington Post (July 17)
“Israelis and Palestinians may someday make peace. But the assumption should be that it won’t happen soon — perhaps not in our lifetimes.”
Chicago Trbiune (December 25, 2013)
“For our love of peace, for our love of each other and especially for our love of the children and our belief in their need to dream, we welcome, yes, praise, this day, this Christmas, that dawns with a chorus of joy.”
Washington Post (October 17)
“At almost literally the eleventh hour, Congress has approved legislation that will end a costly 16-day partial government shutdown and avert the potentially greater disaster of a default on federal obligations.” Unfortunately, the deal “buys only a short interval of peace.” When that period expires early next year, “it is all too possible that Congress will fail to agree and will deliver the country to the brink of another shutdown or default.”
Tags: Congress, Default, Government, Legislation, Obligations, Peace, Shutdown, U.S.
The Economist (July 13)
“Roughly two-and-a-half years after the revolutions in the Arab world, not a single country is yet plainly on course to become a stable, peaceful democracy.” The Arab spring appears “doomed” to some. Yet, “despite the chaos, the blood and the democratic setbacks, this is a long process. Do not give up hope.”
Tags: Arab spring, Blood, Chaos, Democracy, Hope, Peace, Revolution, Setbacks
Washington Post (March 28)
During his trip to Israel, President Obama “spoke more bluntly about Israel’s occupation and the case for a Palestinian state than any U.S. president has in the past…. Obama has recognized and employed the strongest — and perhaps only — path toward peace and a Palestinian state: an appeal to Israel’s conscience.”
Tags: Conscience, Israel, Obama, Palestine, Peace
