To negotiate is always a better option for all sides then to lob rockets or send in tanks in retaliation.

The one fundamental thing we all forget is that Hamas won the election. While its philosophy and actions may not be particularly conducive to the peace process, Hamas has offered a ceasefire, and is the elected government of Palestine. It is time for all parties to bring them into the fold of a dialog.

To say that Hamas is against the State of Israel is effectively to limit the possibility of peace. It glosses over the fact that the PLO itself was a sworn enemy of Israel. And it overlooks the reality that Israel has not helped the peace process by its use of excessive force.

Unfortunately, we tend to forget that the root cause of the problem is as much a mistake of Israel as it is the intolerance of the Hamas. The economic blockade of Gaza has hurt the process and created a humanitarian crises that makes dialog all the more difficult. Israel's settlement policy has to be changed and the forceful eviction of Arabs from their homes has to be stopped.

The world is at a crossroad where the chances for peace cannot be simply be put aside on the pretext that one does not wish to include an element of political society that is a reality.

To argue that only the PLO and the Israelis can broker a peace ignores the political reality of elections. Dick Cheney's understanding of the region is appallingly bad and the way the American administration handled Iraq speaks for itself. Halevy is a realist: He understands that the political will has to back the need for peace and this means Hamas must be at the table. I believe this is that moment for a proper peace to be brokered and both sides will have to give in to the needs of the moment.

Continue »

Food riots are not only the language of the unheard but today also the language of the hungry. It is not only that human footprint has far outgrown the resource footprint needed to sustain it, but more importantly that the resource footprint of sustainable food supplies has shrunk. In the case of Africa, alone it is estimated that by 2025 the continent’s available food resources will sustain only 25% of the population. More than 40% degradation of arable land has taken place over the past few decades, during which a combination of droughts, soil contamination and mismanagement has led to a structural crisis separate from the food crisis. Lately, some people are suggesting that alternate bio-fuel production is also competing for grains as a source of supply in the age of rocketing oil prices. Together, all these factors pushed wheat prices up 58% and soybean prices up 32% in the past year alone.

Continue »

The Current Discussion: Protests over the Olympic torch relay have led to a crackdown in Tibet. Is Tibetan independence a lost cause? If not, what should its supporters do to win it?

Tibet's plight is not just about the sadness and loss of country that Tibetans feel - it is a constant reminder of the lack of a moral stance that countries have on this issue. World riots over the Olympic torch merely highlight the world's enthusiasm for showing they do not agree with the Chinese government. This is a message that is not getting to the governments, which continue to behave as if there is no problem with Tibet. There is no second thoughts about the fact that Tibet was invaded by the Chinese, albeit decades ago. There seems to be a suggestion that since the takeover of Tibet happened so long ago, it might as well be considered a lost cause.

Continue »