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Syrian
refugee boys walk inside their destroyed tent at Zaatari Syrian refugee
Camp, Jordan, 21 February, after bad weather hit Jordan.There are
currently 3.2 million Syrian refugees.(Photo: JAMAL NASRALLAH, EPA) USA Today YEAR OF THE REFUGEE column by When political leaders fully embrace the idea that freedom and tolerance are antidotes to perpetual instability and strife, the end to the refugee nightmare will be closer at hand."
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http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/02/24/terror-and-the-palestinian-authority
Dear Editor,
It was interesting to read the different perspectives on terror and the recent $655.5 million verdict against the Palestinian Authority and the P.L.O.. I think Nadia Hijab's contribution "Abbas, Who’s Tried to Keep the Peace, Now Must Pay for Violence " was most helpful in summing up the very real plight of the Palestinians by calmly pointing out vitally important, highly relevant aspects such as the fact that " Meanwhile Israel’s illegal settlement enterprise remorselessly swallows up Palestinian land." ... and the fact that " The United States and Europe already pick up much of the bill for the P.A.’s economic survival..."
US efforts to help Palestinians also include massive amounts funding UNWRA, which has kept Palestinian refugees alive for decades while Israel myopically refuses to respect international law and the universal right for refugees to return to original homes and lands to live in peace.
The Israel-Palestine conflict with all its many negative ramifications is obviously a cruel situation and an escalating tragedy that needs to end. How do we go from here to there?
The one state fantasy that inspires various activists to dismiss the crucial importance of compassion, diplomacy, negotiations, and mainstream efforts to actually end the conflict ends up fueling extremism, militancy, corruption and blame games (on all sides) that only make the situation worse.
Two fully sovereign secular states named Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security offer the only way out that actually ends the conflict. Real freedom, justice and equality are a worthy goal, for everyone. John Legend's wonderful Oscar winning Best Original Song "Glory" from the movie Selma has some very good advice on that score: "The biggest weapon is to stay peaceful"
Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab
NOTES
“We must kill the prejudices we have and move on from hate,”.... More than 1,000 people formed a "ring of peace" on Saturday night outside Oslo's main synagogue at the initiative of a group of young Muslims.
14-year-old
Have We Got ISIS All Wrong? http://huff.to/18dwxLO via
Why Calling ISIS Islamic Only Plays Into Its Hands http://thebea.st/1COMQZz via
Extremism is a shallow concept, an easy answer in a complicated world... Finding knowledge that's unclouded http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/upfront-blog/2015/0218/Finding-knowledge-that-s-unclouded?cmpid=addthis_twitter …
The ISIS Theater of Cruelty...EXCELLENT op-ed by
Obama: Extremism fight is
'battle for hearts and minds' http://usat.ly/1A5tWxx via @usatoday
Only fools confuse religion and criminality- a very good
op-ed by Rami G. Khouri #Islam http://shar.es/1WbKv2 via @DailyStarLeb
Jordan condemns Daesh 'cowardly' execution of 21 Egyptians in
Libya http://jordantimes.com/share-content/jordan-condemns-daesh-cowardly-execution-of-21-egyptians-in-libya.html …
via @JordanTimes
World Press Roundup: Middle East News
The Net ... a poem
Forwards ...a poem
The Connectors ... a poem
Mideast Quartet calls for speedy resumption of peace talks... "Pending the resumption of negotiations, the Quartet called on both parties to refrain from actions that undermine trust or prejudge final status issues."
Global Citizenship... laying the foundation for a culture of peace
To honor a tragic history, we must work for peace : "The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine." Ziad Asali
STAY CONNECTED... Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to: Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries
The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you
... Ibrahim's Estate... The Promised Land: In Celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights & Peace Day
Tala Haikal: Empathy Is Essential to Humanity
Hussein Ibish: Non-violent resistance is Palestine’s most powerful weapon
ATFP Calls for De-Escalation between Israel and the Palestinians
World Press Roundup: Middle East News
The Net ... a poem
Forwards ...a poem
The Connectors ... a poem
Mideast Quartet calls for speedy resumption of peace talks... "Pending the resumption of negotiations, the Quartet called on both parties to refrain from actions that undermine trust or prejudge final status issues."
Global Citizenship... laying the foundation for a culture of peace
To honor a tragic history, we must work for peace : "The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine." Ziad Asali
STAY CONNECTED... Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to: Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries
The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you
... Ibrahim's Estate... The Promised Land: In Celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights & Peace Day
Tala Haikal: Empathy Is Essential to Humanity
Hussein Ibish: Non-violent resistance is Palestine’s most powerful weapon
ATFP Calls for De-Escalation between Israel and the Palestinians
“Your
living is determined not so much by what life brings to you
as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what
happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what
happens.” Khalil Gibran (1883-1931), born in
Lebanon, immigrated to the United States in 1895 where he grew
up to become a beloved poet and respected writer.
"There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies" Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 – 1968) American minister, humanitarian and social activist- a cherished leader of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, whose inspiring words continue to influence and empower diplomatic efforts to bring more justice, more security, more peace and more jobs to more people, every one and every where.
"There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies" Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 – 1968) American minister, humanitarian and social activist- a cherished leader of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, whose inspiring words continue to influence and empower diplomatic efforts to bring more justice, more security, more peace and more jobs to more people, every one and every where.