Friday, August 12, 2022
Middle East peace will come despite US policy - opinion
Interestingly, the international community’s now sacrosanct pre-1967 lines were not so hallowed back then.Failed American Middle East plans Alpha was largely clandestine, but the 1969 Rogers Plan was very publicly launched by president Richard Nixon’s secretary of state William Rogers. His proposal called for Israel to withdraw from Egyptian territory captured in the 1967 Six Day War, in return for Cairo’s non-belligerency and Israeli freedom of navigation through the Gulf of Eilat and the Suez Canal. This plan, too, went nowhere. Egypt’s president Gamal Abdel Nasser rejected it as biased toward Israel, while prime minister Golda Meir believed it contained a fundamental imbalance – Israel was expected to make a full withdrawal but would not receive full peace in return. In June 1970, a second, more modest, Rogers Plan was adopted. It focused on an Israel-Egypt ceasefire along the Suez Canal that ended the War of Attrition.
WASHINGTON’S involvement in the Arab-Israeli peace process moved into high gear after the October 1973 Yom Kippur War. Secretary of state Henry Kissinger’s “shuttle diplomacy” begat Israeli disengagement agreements with Egypt (January 1974) and Syria (May 1974). And Kissinger produced Sinai II (September 1975), an Israel-Egypt interim agreement in which the IDF pulled back from the Suez Canal and Egypt agreed to the demilitarization of the evacuated territory. Despite these tangible diplomatic successes, president Jimmy Carter, elected in 1976, saw Kissinger’s incremental approach as overly piecemeal. Believing the time was ripe for a comprehensive Middle East peace, Carter proposed an international conference sponsored by the UN and both superpowers, with Israel, Arab states, and the Palestinians participating. Carter’s proposal riled Israel and dismayed Egypt, but it did inadvertently advance peace. Egyptian president Anwar Sadat had no interest in a process that would give the Soviet Union and the radical Arabs a veto over Cairo’s freedom of maneuver. Sadat’s historic decision to become the first Arab head of state to visit Israel was the Egyptian president’s response to American ideas, which he thought could only lead to stagnation. Carter was initially critical of Egypt’s uncoordinated, surprise diplomatic initiative, and while millions worldwide looked on in hopeful anticipation in November 1977 as Sadat landed at Ben-Gurion Airport, the American president worried that the visit was a mistake that would undermine his plans for a comprehensive solution. However, upon being presented with the Egyptian fait accompli, and correctly understanding that active American involvement would be the key to success, Carter rolled up his sleeves and went to work. His indefatigability proved indispensable in reaching the 1978 Camp David Accords and the 1979 Israel-Egypt peace treaty. Although the 1993 Oslo Accords between Israel and the PLO were signed at the White House, with a beaming president Bill Clinton presiding over the ceremony, the Americans were only brought into the process once the deal had been agreed. In contrast, Clinton gave vital backing to the negotiations between prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and King Hussein that produced the 1994 Israel-Jordan peace treaty, especially in granting Amman generous debt relief. Later, when the Israeli-Palestinian talks faltered, the Clinton administration picked up the ball and played a crucial role, facilitating the Hebron (1997) and Wye River (1998) agreements, as well as hosting the ultimately unsuccessful 2000 Camp David peace summit. The Clinton administration also had a central position in the negotiations for Israel-Syria peace, shuttling between the parties and hosting negotiations at both Wye River (1996) and Shepherdstown (2000).For all his efforts, Clinton left the White House without a Syria-Israel agreement and with the deadly explosion of Israeli-Palestinian violence of the Second Intifada, which erupted in September 2000.President George W. Bush initially decided not to adopt Clinton’s hands-on approach to Middle East peacemaking. Yet he was nonetheless drawn into the process, producing the 2003 “Roadmap for Peace,” supporting prime minister Ariel Sharon’s Gaza disengagement in 2005, and hosting the 2007 Annapolis peace conference.PRESIDENT Barack Obama entered office in 2009 with aspirations to aggressively move forward on the Israeli-Palestinian track. But despite the efforts of his two secretaries of state, Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, no breakthrough was achieved. On the contrary, Obama left the White House after eight years with the negotiations collapsed and any expectation for an early resumption seemingly illusory. Notwithstanding this failure, Obama inadvertently made an immeasurable contribution to peace. His responses to the Arab Spring, to the Syrian civil war, and to nuclear diplomacy with Iran, all negatively impacted the confidence of America’s traditional Arab allies in the US commitment to them. Moreover, the repeated declarations of a “pivot to Asia” implied the de-prioritization of the Middle East – this when pro-Western Arab states had for decades based their national security on American protection. Feeling less certain of Washington’s support in a crisis, Arab states sought new security partners – the Jewish state becoming the unintended beneficiary. After his predecessor unwittingly laid the foundations, president Donald Trump embraced the opportunity. His active engagement produced the 2020 Abraham Accords with the UAE, Bahrain and Sudan, and the normalization of ties with Morocco. This while Trump’s much-hyped plan for Israeli-Palestinian peace remained stillborn, having been adamantly rejected by Ramallah. Last month, when Biden left the region for home, it remained unclear as to whether the current US president will be making any meaningful contribution to Middle East peace – either by design or by folly.https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-714529
Salman Rushdie - Stabbing sends ripples of ‘shock and horror’ through the literary world.
The author Neil Gaiman wrote on Twitter that he was “shocked and distressed” about the attack. “He’s a good man and a brilliant one and I hope he’s okay,” he said. Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain said in a Twitter post that he was “appalled that Sir Salman Rushdie has been stabbed while exercising a right we should never cease to defend. Right now my thoughts are with his loved ones. We are all hoping he is okay.” Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York said she had directed state police to assist with the investigation into Mr. Rushdie’s attack. A man was immediately taken into custody, according to a statement from the state police. “Our thoughts are with Salman & his loved ones following this horrific event,” Ms. Hochul said on Twitter. Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York also spoke out on social media, calling the attack “shocking and appalling.” “It is an attack on freedom of speech and thought, which are two bedrock values of our country and of the Chautauqua Institution,” Mr. Schumer wrote. “I hope Mr. Rushdie quickly and fully recovers and the perpetrator experiences full accountability and justice.” A spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the country’s largest Muslim civil rights group, said he was concerned that people might rush to blame Muslims or Islam for the stabbing before the attacker’s identity or motive were known. “American Muslims, like all Americans, condemn any violence targeting anyone in our society,” said Ibrahim Hooper. “That goes without saying. We will have to monitor the situation and see what facts come to light.”
Author Salman Rushdie attacked on lecture stage in New York
CHAUTAUQUA, N.Y. (AP) — 
Salman Rushdie, the author whose writing led to death threats from Iran in the 1980s, was attacked Friday as he was about to give a lecture in western New York.
An Associated Press reporter witnessed a man storm the stage at the Chautauqua Institution and begin punching or stabbing Rushdie as he was being introduced. The 75-year-old author was pushed or fell to the floor, and the man was restrained.
Rushdie was quickly surrounded by a small group of people who held up his legs, presumably to send more blood to his chest.
His condition was not immediately known.
Hundreds of people in the audience gasped at the sight of the attack and were then evacuated.
Rushdie’s book “The Satanic Verses” has been banned in Iran since 1988, as many Muslims consider it to be blasphemous. A year later, Iran’s late leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa, or edict, calling for Rushdie’s death.
A bounty of over $3 million has also been offered for anyone who kills Rushdie.
Iran’s government has long since distanced itself from Khomeini’s decree, but anti-Rushdie sentiment has lingered. In 2012, a semi-official Iranian religious foundation raised the bounty for Rushdie from $2.8 million to $3.3 million.
https://apnews.com/article/salman-rushdie-attacked-9eae99aea82cb0d39628851ecd42227a
Recognising services of Pakistan’s minorities
Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani
@RVankwani
On August 14, the entire nation will celebrate the diamond jubilee (75th anniversary) of the creation of Pakistan. Under the direction of Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervez Ashraf, four-day diamond jubilee celebrations have already started at Parliament House on the completion of 75 years of the first constituent assembly of Pakistan.
Besides other activities, a ‘minority convention’ was also held in the National Assembly hall yesterday (August 11) to commemorate National Minority Day. On this occasion, I want to take the opportunity to pay tribute to contributions of the minority community towards national development.
In the parliamentary history of Pakistan, August 11, 1947 has a unique status. It is a historic day when the first session of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan was held. Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, after being elected the first president of the Constituent Assembly, delivered his famous speech which won the hearts of the non-Muslim minority community across the country.
Quaid-e-Azam, who was also known as the ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity, assured that every citizen in Pakistan would have equal civic rights without any discrimination. According to him, all citizens would be allowed to go to temples, mosques or any other place of worship to perform their religious duties.
Responding to the call of Quaid-e-Azam, thousands of Hindu families gave up their intention to migrate and declared Pakistan their ‘dharti mata’ (motherland). On this occasion, Quaid-e-Azam expressed his full confidence in the leader of the Hindu community, Jogandranath Mandal.
According to historical facts, Hindu and non-Muslim participants of the Constituent Assembly session held in Karachi on August 11 included Jogandranath Mandal, Prem Hari Barma, Raj Kumar Chakraverty, Sris Chandra Chattopadhyaya, Akhay Kumar Das, Dhirendra Nath Datta, Bhupendra Kumar Datta, Jnanendra Chandra Majumdar, Birat Chandra Mandal, Sri Dhananjoy, Maudi Bhakesh Chanda, Harendra Kumar Sur, Kawivi Kerwar Datta, Ghulam Mohammed, and Ganga Saran.
Similarly, a large number of Christians living in the Subcontinent were also in favour of Quaid-e-Azam’s demand for Pakistan. At the time of Partition, the Christian speaker of the United Punjab Assembly, SP Singha, cast his decisive vote in favour of Pakistan. Sir Victor Turner, who served as the first finance secretary of Pakistan and chairman of the then Central Board of Revenue, was one of the central Christian leaders in the Pakistan Movement. Pakistan’s first official rupee currency note had also carried his signature, V A C Turner.
Alvin Robert Cornelius, another notable Christian figure in the Pakistan Movement, was a jurist, legal philosopher and judge. He served as the law secretary for the then law minister, Jogandranath Mandal. Quaid-e-Azam had elevated him as chief justice of the Lahore High Court bench. He is acknowledged as a symbol of how the rights of minority communities should be protected and how the communities should be given religious freedom.
After independence, when a large number of people moved to the then capital city of Karachi, the mayor who warmly welcomed them was Jamshed Mehta, a member of the Parsi community. It is quite unfortunate that today our new generation does not even know the names of our great heroes who dedicated their lives for Pakistan.
In my view, the major fault in this is our own. We certainly want to provide our children modern education to advance in life but are not interested in making them aware of our glorious past. Keeping this in view, the Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC) has announced the annual PHC awards to recognize the outstanding contributions of the patriotic minority community across the country. It also aims to highlight historical characters associated with our bright past.
It has always been my stance that the PPP is at the forefront of protecting the rights of non-Muslim minorities. Even today I would like to pay tribute to the speaker of the National Assembly, a PPP leader, who considered it necessary to recognize the services of non-Muslim minorities while celebrating the diamond jubilee of the assembly.
https://www.geo.tv/latest/433219-recognising-the-services-of-pakistans-minorities
Bilawal Stresses on Regional Platforms to Boost Anti-Terror Coordination
Foreign minister says no country can solve regional peace, security issues singlehandedly.
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Thursday underscored the importance of regional platforms to promote coordinated efforts in countering terrorism and extremism.
Welcoming Ruslan Mirzaev, director of the Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and his delegation to Islamabad, Bhutto-Zardari stressed that no country could singlehandedly solve regional peace and security issues. According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office, he also highlighted the need to develop common approaches to address persistent issues and emerging challenges.
The foreign minister, read the statement, reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the goals of the SCO Charter and the “Shanghai Spirit.” He also appreciated the constructive role played by the Executive Committee of the SCO-RATS in upholding the spirit of consensus and cooperation in achieving common objectives.
“Mirzaev emphasized that deliberately politicizing discussions related to countering terrorism and extremism were counter-productive and contrary to the objectives of the organization,” read the statement, adding he had also held working level meetings at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Counter Terrorism Authority, and other relevant security institutions during his official visit. It said he was given detailed briefings on Pakistan’s successes in countering terrorism and extremism, overview of the regional situation, and threats posed by new and emerging challenges in the region.
According to the Foreign Office, Bhutto-Zardari said Pakistan would support all efforts aimed at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of SCO-RATS and commended the approach taken by the Executive Committee in developing consensus while assuring the visiting director of Pakistan’s constructive engagement.
Republic of Togo
Also on Thursday, the foreign minister welcomed his Togolese counterpart, Robert Dussey, on his first bilateral visit to Pakistan. During their meeting, Bhutto-Zardari reiterated that Pakistan attached high importance to its longstanding and cordial ties with the Republic of Togo, based on mutual trust and common interests. Highlighting Pakistan’s desire to enhance economic, trade and investment cooperation with Togo as part of the incumbent government’s vision for enhancing engagement with the African Continent, he also appreciated Togo’s contributions to promoting peace and stability on important multilateral forums, such as the U.N., African Union, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
“Foreign Minister Dussey underscored Togo’s desire for deepening engagement with Pakistan, particularly in the trade, investment and security domains,” read the Foreign Office statement. “He appreciated the support provided by Pakistan for the capacity building of Togolese diplomats and hoped that similar training opportunities could also be provided to Togo’s security personnel in the future,” he added.
It said both sides had agreed to strengthen the legal and institutional framework for high-level bilateral political engagement and people-to-people exchanges and to closely coordinate in the U.N. and OIC.
https://www.newsweekpakistan.com/bilawal-stresses-on-regional-platforms-to-boost-anti-terror-coordination/
Timeline: 75 years of partition and India-Pakistan tensions
India and Pakistan were born 75 years ago out of a bloody division of the Indian subcontinent by the colonial British.India and Pakistan were born 75 years ago out of a bloody division of the subcontinent by the colonial British, an event commonly referred to as partition.Today, the two nuclear powers are deeply troubled neighbours, at odds mainly over the disputed territory of Kashmir. 1947: Partition of India Overnight on August 14-15, 1947, Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last viceroy of India, brings the curtain down on two centuries of British rule. The Indian subcontinent is divided into mainly Hindu India and Muslim-majority Pakistan.A poorly prepared partition throws life into disarray, displacing some 15 million and unleashing sectarian bloodshed that kills nearly two million people. 1949: Kashmir’s division Late in 1947, war breaks out between the two neighbours over Kashmir, a Muslim-majority region in the Himalayas. A United Nations-backed, 770km (478-mile) ceasefire line in January 1949 becomes a de facto frontier dividing the territory, now known as the Line of Control and heavily militarised on both sides.Some 37 percent of the territory is administered by Pakistan and 63 percent by India, with both claiming it in full. 1965: Second war Pakistan launches a war in August 1965 against India for control of Kashmir. It ends inconclusively seven weeks later after a ceasefire brokered by the Soviet Union. 1971: Bangladesh is born The neighbours fight a third war in 1971 over Islamabad’s rule in then East Pakistan, with New Delhi supporting Bengali nationalists seeking independence for what would in March 1971 become Bangladesh. Three million people die in the short war. 1974: Nuclear race India detonates its first atomic bomb in 1974, while Pakistan’s first public test will not come until May 1998. India carries out five tests that year and Pakistan six. Respectively the world’s sixth and seventh nuclear powers, they stoke global concern and sanctions. 1989: Kashmir rebellion An uprising breaks out in Indian-administered Kashmir against New Delhi’s rule in 1989, and thousands of fighters and civilians are killed in the following years as battles between security forces and Kashmiri rebels roil the region. Widespread human rights abuses are documented on both sides of the conflict as the rebellion takes hold. Thousands of Kashmiri Hindus flee to other parts of India from 1990 onwards fearing reprisal attacks. 1999: Kargil conflict In 1999, Pakistan-backed rebels cross the disputed Kashmir border, seizing Indian military posts in the icy heights of the Kargil mountains. Indian troops push the intruders back, ending the 10-week conflict, which kills nearly 1,000 fighters and soldiers on both sides. The battle ends under pressure from the United States. A series of attacks in 2001 and 2002, which India blames on Pakistan-based armed groups, leads to a new mobilisation of troops on both sides. A ceasefire is declared along the frontier in 2003, but a peace process launched the following year ends inconclusively. 2008: Mumbai attacks In November 2008, a group of heavily armed attackers attack the Indian city of Mumbai and kill 166 people. India blames Pakistan’s intelligence service for the assault and suspends peace talks.Contacts resume in 2011, but the situation is marred by sporadic fighting.Indian troops stage cross-border raids in Kashmir against separatist positions.Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi makes a surprise visit in December 2015 to Pakistan. 2019: Autonomy revoked India vows retaliation after 41 paramilitary members are killed in a 2019 suicide attack in Kashmir claimed by a Pakistan-based armed group. Tit-for-tat air raids by the two nations take them to the brink of war. Later that year, India suddenly revokes Kashmir’s limited autonomy under the constitution, detaining thousands of political opponents in the territory. Authorities impose what becomes the world’s longest internet shutdown and troops are sent to reinforce the estimated half a million security forces already stationed there. Tens of thousands of people, mainly civilians, have been killed since 1990 in the rebellion.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/8/12/timeline-75-years-of-partition-and-india-pakistan-tensions