Washington Post (December 7)
Moving the embassy to Jerusalem could have been used “as a leverage for peace.” Instead, Donald Trump “used it to smash crockery in the region,” which “pretty well summarizes the Trump Doctrine.” Any so called successes “have been things Trump has undone (the Paris climate accord, the Trans-Pacific Partnership) or is in the process of undoing (the Iran nuclear deal, NAFTA). Relations have soured with Britain, continental Europe and countries from Mexico to Australia.” Meanwhile, Russia is gaining power and “the terrorist threat is decentralizing rather than dissipating.”
Tags: Australia, Crockery, Embassy, Europe, Iran nuclear deal, Jerusalem, Leverage, Mexico, Nafta, Paris climate accord, Peace, Russia, Smash, Terrorist threat, TPP, Trump, UK
US News & World Report (September 12)
Putin’s proposal to put U.N. Peacekeepers in Ukraine “seems to be a win-win for Moscow – even if it fails.” Whether it will be a “path to peace” remains to be seen and skeptics believe the Russian president is again scheming at something.
Chicago Tribune (January 17)
“No one in Europe should ever be induced to wonder if America is on the side of Europe’s free and democratic nations or the menacing, corrupt autocrat in the Kremlin. The military partnerships and economic connections between the United States and Europe deserve a great deal of the credit for the relative peace and prosperity of the postwar era.”
Tags: Autocrat, Corrupt, Democratic, Europe, Free, Kremlin, Military, Partnership, Peace, Prosperity, U.S.
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.”
