Tag Archives: Palestine

Jerusalem, and a review of the sad state of divided capitals in the world

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Divided capital cities are a sad result of wars.  No capitals get divided as a result of peace; they are unstable models.

-divided cities make up less than 1/1000th of 1% of all cities in the world
-divided cities are almost all less than 50,000 people
-most divided cities are split by a natural boundary like a river
>> none of that is true for Jerusalem

The only rationale of dividing Jerusalem is that Palestinian Arabs have asked for it as a capital, which is the same as Israel asking for it.

Three of the divided capitals in recent years – Beirut, Berlin and Jerusalem – have been reunited.  The last city – Nicosia, Cyprus – is still under negotiation to be reunited.

 

 

Strange difference of opinion on Boko Haram and Hamas in New York Times

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What do Boko Haram and Hamas have in common? Not the concern of the New York Times.

Compare the NYT editorials of May 6, 2014 on Boko Haram, and of December 28, 2009 on Hamas:
1. Boko Haram is described as a “ruthless Islamist group“, while Hamas is described as “militant Palestinian group“- not ruthless; not driven by religious zeal

2. NYT describes the “horrifying abduction” of Nigerian girls; it simply states that Hamas is responsible for the “barrage of rocket attacks into Israeli territory” without any negative imagery

3. NYT is disgusted by Nigeria’s “shockingly slow and inept” response to Boko Haram, but NYT says “we fear that Israel’s response“- blaming the victim

4. NYT claims that Boko Haram’s goal “is to destabilize and ultimately overthrow the government.” (which BH does not claim even though the NYT assumes so). Meanwhile, Hamas clearly and publicly declares that its goal is the destruction of lsrael, but NYT fails to mention it

5. NYT correctly describes the violent history of BH with “It is not the first time Boko Haram has attacked“, but fails to mention the history of attacks by Hamas against Israel.

6. NYT wants Nigeria to “contain a virulent insurgency” but prefers to blame BOTH Israel and Hamas for Israel’s situation, ignoring that the terrorist group actively and constantly calls for the complete destruction of the country

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