THE NEW YORK TIMES: NETANYAHU PROMISES PEACE EFFORT
According to Isabel Kershner and Alan Cowell of The New York Times, The Prime-Minister-designate of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, promised that the coalition he is forming in Israel will be a partner to peace efforts with the Palestinians.
Labor’s agreement to join Mr. Netanyahu’s government paved the way for a broader government than the narrow and hawkish one that Mr. Netanyahu would otherwise have had to settle for, increasing his chances of gaining international acceptance and possibly avoiding friction with the Obama administration.
The designate Prime Minister also professed that all Israelis have a common goal for peace between themselves and their Palestinian neighbors. There are elements of the Israeli political establishment who have misgivings abou the new coalition being formed in Israel.
Question to the Blogosphere: How well do you think Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government will be able to negotiate peace agreements with their Palestinian counterparts? What problems could Hamas pose to this coalition government as they search for peace? Why do you think a two-state solution was not on the list of options for peace during the coalition negotiations in Israel? Do you think this government has characteristics that will make it more successful at obtaining peace than its predecessor? How much do these goals depend on the other side being willing and able to negotiate themselves?
SEARCH FOR COMMON GROUND: A REVIEW OF “ARABESQUE”
Susan Koscis of Search for Common Ground delves into a concert series in Washington, DC aimed at increases understanding between the Arab World and the West in the latest update from the Common Ground News Service.
“Arabesque”: More than a festival
For three weeks in Washington, DC, tens of thousands of Americans visited the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for the Arabesque Festival and experienced the richness of the arts and the diversity of Arab culture. This unprecedented celebration of music, dance, theatre, film, literature, art, photos, sculpture, cuisine, design, mosaics, crafts, fashion and even a souk (market) selling arts and crafts made in Arab countries, brought a taste of the Arab world to American audiences.
Alicia Adams, the Kennedy Center’s vice president of international programming, said, “We have presented many international festivals at the Kennedy Center over the years, but I particularly wanted to showcase the beauty and humanity of Arab culture. I believe the arts are the best tool that we have to share common ground.”
Negotiating the politics and logistics of Arabesque was a monumental task that took more than five years. The festival, presented in cooperation with the League of Arab States, brought more than 800 artists from 22 Arab countries to the city. Amr Moussa, secretary general of the Arab League, noted that never before have artists from all 22 Arab countries been represented under one roof in one festival.
The numbers are staggering: 800 artists and 800 visas; 40 performing groups; eight exhibitions; six film directors; 26 writers; simultaneous performances in five theatres; 300 volunteers; two tonnes of cargo; 47 wedding dresses; 400 pieces of terra cotta pottery; phone conversations across ten time zones; 2,900 hotel room nights; and 175 stage technicians.
The festival created the opportunity for Americans to see, hear and taste the flavours of Arab culture. It also gave us the opportunity to face any cultural stereotypes we may have, shatter them and then give new definition to being Arab. The focus throughout the 21 days was on telling real stories about real people. Palestinian film director George Ibrahim said, “We come with our own stories. We came here to speak to the people.”
Khaled Mattawa, president of the Radius of Arab American Writers, was a consultant to the festival. He hopes that those who attended the performances “walked away with a broader, truer understanding of a society, but also with a renewed reverence for the essential, universal act of creation, for the full humanity of a person – accentuated and multiplied by their arts.”
Some of the theatrical works reflected the conflicts that have plagued the region but, says Adams, “It’s more the human aspect of it, the human cost. What happens to lovers when they’ve been separated? What happens when somebody dies? These works look at the psychological and philosophical questions.”
Lebanese visual artist Lara Baladi viewed the festival as “an important first step. It said: ‘Catch up with us. We’re Arab. We’re artists.'” She hopes that the festival helped “create a bridge that still needs to be created.”
I visited the Kennedy Center several times during the festival and was particularly struck by the number of families with young children – some sitting on the floor of the large halls – having a family picnic before a performance. They were young and old, male and female, Americans of Arab descent and of other ethnic backgrounds.
While the atmosphere was festive, there seemed to be an unspoken understanding that something significant was taking place – and we were participating.
For too long in the United States, news from the Middle East has centred on conflicts and violence. As a result, Arabs have become the one-dimensional characters seen on TV news reports and in newspaper photos.
But Arabesque changed that. The smiling faces of the 140 Syrian children who make up the Choir Al Farah, founded by Father Elias Zehlawi in the Our Lady of Damascus church in Damascus, for example, melted hearts with their performance. We felt their pride and in turn, we took pride in their being here.
Ultimately, the festival was about respect. For 21 days, one of the pre-eminent cultural institutions in the United States celebrated the cultures of peoples that we Americans do not know well. In so doing, they showed the respect and humility that is too often missing from official US government policies.
Something significant happened here. Those of us lucky enough to participate in it will not soon forget it.
* Susan Koscis is communications director at Search for Common Ground. This article was written for the Common Ground News Service (CGNews).
NEW YORK TIMES: US TO ATTEND AFGHAN MEETING IN RUSSIA
Obama has accepted an invitation to attend a conference concerning Afghanistan in Russia at which Iran is also expected to be a participant. Patrick Moon, the principal deputy assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia affairs, will attend the event, although there is no plans for interactions with the Iranians there. State Department spokesman Robert Wood stated that:
‘The reason why we think it’s important to go to this conference is that it’s about Afghanistan and how the international community can try to better the situation on the ground, better coordinate activities (and) see what types of things we can do together to help make things better for the people of Afghanistan.
Question to the Blogosphere: Why is the U.S. attending this meeting when they do not even have observer status with the organization sponsoring it, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization? Is there any hope for reaching common ground between the Near/Far East and the U.S. on the issue of Afghanistan? What barriers to a negotiated solution lie in the way of cooperation between the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the United States? Do you believe that there will be no interactions between the U.S. and Iran during this conference–even in back-channel negotiations? Should there be dialogue at this time and place between the two countries?
CNN: TALKS CONTINUE OVER KIDNAPPED ISRAELI SOLDIER
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert postponed a Cabinet meeting scheduled for Monday as talks aimed at securing the release of a kidnapped Israeli soldier were extended. It was unclear how the negotiations would turn out, but many in Israel were hopeful. Palestinian militants, including some linked to Hamas, crossed into Israel from Gaza in June 2006 and kidnapped Gilad Shalit. Olmert has stated that he is dedicated to bringing Shalit home.
Question to the Blogosphere: What do you think it will take to bring Gilad Shalit home? Is there common ground between the Israeli government and the people who are holding Shalit? What can Israel do to make negotiation more appealing to the militants? Traditionally, Israeli soldiers are traded in exchange for many Palestinian captives in Israel. Do you think that the increasing fame of Shalit in Israel has raised the amount of Palestinians the militants think they can free in exchange for him?
CNN: MEDIATORS HOLD CRISIS TALKS ON MADAGASCAR
As gunshots rained over Madagascar’s capital Antananarivo, African Union mediators held an emergency meeting to discuss the power struggle gripping the country. The AU said all members of its Peace and Security group would attend the meeting. Poverty has been a major issue in Madagascar, boosting opposition leader Andry Rajoelina‘s appeal to a segment of the population angered by the behavior of former President Ravalomanana, including his recent purchase of a private jet.
Question to the Blogosphere: Do you think this is the right time for conflict mediation? What are the endemic causes of this crisis? Do you think President Ravalomanana should resign? What do you think it would take to stop the violence in Madagascar? Is there any common ground between the political opponents in the country? Would you risk your life for a change in government, as many are doing in the capital of Madagascar as we speak?
