Civilisations Find Alliances

JERUSALEM

Obama Visit Settles It a Little for Israel

On his visit to Israel and the Palestinian Territories, U.S. President Barack Obama laid out his vision for a revival of the long-stalled peace talks. Yet, it was clear from his statements that a settlement freeze is no longer an immediate requirement. And, he carefully avoided mentioning the pre-1967 lines as the basis for a two-state solution, to the Israeli Prime Minister’s delight.

OP-ED: Genuine Constitutional Monarchy Is the Only Way Out for Al Khalifa

By Emile Nakhleh

As the Bahraini and international media continue to dissect the meaning of Crown Prince Salman’s appointment as first deputy prime minister, powerful factions within the ruling Al-Khalifa family must be pondering the future of their rule.

China Muscles into Kyrgyzstan’s Energy Market, Fueling Suspicion

By Chris Rickleton

China is financing the construction of Kyrgyzstan’s first major oil refinery, and excitement is building in Bishkek that the facility could enable the Central Asian nation to break Russia’s fuel-supply monopoly.

Syrian Delegates Push for Peaceful Resolution of Conflict

By Elizabeth Yousefi

Amidst ongoing violence between the Syrian regime and opposition forces, and serious international discourse on arming the opposition, some Syrian civil society leaders are insisting upon a non-violent approach toward conflict resolution.

Palestinians Prepare a Bitter Welcome for Obama

By Mel Frykberg

The rumbling drone of a fleet of U.S. helicopters carrying security and administrative personnel could be heard long before the eight choppers came into view over the Ramallah horizon on their way to the Palestinian Authority (PA) presidential compound in the West Bank de facto capital Ramallah.

Past Netanyahu, Obama Looks at Israeli People

By Pierre Klochendler

U.S. President Barack Obama arrives in Israel on Wednesday, his first destination abroad of his second term, to pay a visit to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu whose own second consecutive term will have started only 48 hours beforehand. No wonder that the true purpose of the U.S. President’s visit is defined as reaching out to the Israeli people.

Taliban Victims Seek Support

By Ashfaq Yusufzai

People disabled through bomb and suicide attacks by the Taliban in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and the nearby Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province are seeking support for themselves, and demanding strict action against the Taliban.

Alliance of Civilizations: “Soft Power” to Serve Humanity

By an IPS Correspondent

“I believe the Alliance can become a major soft power tool to diffuse tensions and conflicts, especially those which are ethnically or identity based,” said Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, the new High Representative for the U.N. Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC).

Media Face a Palestinian Kick

By Mel Frykberg

In an extraordinary move, a civilian has been sentenced to a year’s imprisonment for posting a picture on Facebook of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas dressed in a Real Madrid soccer outfit and kicking a ball. The sentencing is among several instances of a targeting of media in Palestinian areas.

Pak-Iran Pipeline Carries Energy and Defiance

By Richard Heydarian

After almost two decades of non-stop negotiations, and two years of intense U.S. opposition, the much-delayed and controversial 7.5 billion dollar Iran-Pakistan pipeline is well on its track to full operation in the next 15 months.

Q&A: Water Disputes Get Resolved While Other Conflicts Rage

By Thalif Deen

What has education, science and culture to do with one of the world's most scarce and finite resources? Plenty, says the United Nations, which has designated the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as the lead agency to promote the 2013International Year of Water Cooperation (IYWC).

Poland Cornered Over Its Secret Prisons

By Claudia Ciobanu

A Polish official investigation into the existence of a secret CIA prison on its territory is being stalled, according to official sources, while pressure on the country to tell the truth mounts.

Gaza Women Suffer on ‘Their’ Day

By Eva Bartlett

“In Gaza we don't lead normal lives, we just cope, and adapt to our abnormal lives under siege and occupation,” says Dr. Mona El-Farra, a physician and a long-time human rights and women's rights activist in the Gaza Strip. On International Women's Day, when many of the world's women are fighting for workplace equality and an end to domestic violence, Farra and the majority of Gaza's women fight for the most basic of rights.

Afghanistan a Minefield for the Innocent

By Esmatullah Mayar

Efforts to clear Afghanistan of landmines have been painfully slow. At least 45 people on average lose their limbs every month to deadly anti-personnel mines, according to the Mine Action Coordination Centre of Afghanistan, formerly a project of the UN Mine Action Service, and now a national entity.

Taliban Can’t Beat This Act

By Ashfaq Yusufzai

The applause has continued long after the curtain came down on the last performance of Khushal Khan Khattak in the northern Pakistan city of Peshawar last month. The enthusiastic reception should have the Taliban worried.