Europe

"Learning the history of the country in its entirety, including its Jewish and Muslim phases, would create a unified common view which would bring the two peoples much closer to each other, and make peace and reconciliation easier. But this prospect is as distant today as it was 40 years ago, when I raised it for the first time in the Knesset, earning the nickname “the Mamluk” from the then Education Minister, Zalman Aran of the Labor Party....In a different atmosphere, Hebron would be seen as it should be: a fascinating town, sacred to both peoples, the second most holy city of Judaism (after Jerusalem) and one of the four sacred cities of Islam (with Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem). With mutual tolerance and without the fanatics of both sides, what a wonderful place that could be for children to visit!"

"...the military is locked in a battle with the civilian government that is being waged in the Supreme Court. The army accuses the civilians of colluding with the Americans to undermine the military. This is certainly true. The civilian government has completely sold out to the Americans. The military, too, is not without fault. While it has wrapped itself in the mantle of patriotism, it is equally willing to strike a deal with Uncle Sam if its interests are served. Thus, the military — or more accurately, the army top brass — is quite willing to turn a blind eye to American drone attacks on civilians in Pakistan as long as their privileges remain untouched. Over the last decade, the Americans have killed more than 30,000 Pakistanis, the overwhelming majority being innocent civilians."

"Abbas may have many titles now, but he is likely to end his political career where he started it, alongside the current Palestinian revolution leadership, with one title, that of chairman of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, a sign that the work of liberating Palestine is far from over."

"It was this fierce struggle which was going on for decades as strong undercurrents within the Muslim World which imploded in the form of the Arab Spring. The fact that every post Arab spring government has brought Islamists in to power, goes on to show that “Kemalist” approach of state backed reforms has failed and that the Muslim World aspires to the rule by Islam."

"Despite all attempts to forestall Russia’s colour revolution, it has begun -- Russian-style -- with no state collapse, but with a new articulate electorate, wise to both Kremlin politologists and Western NGOlogists. Its final destination is impossible for anyone to predict at this point."

"The point is that it would be wise to call a halt to the escalating rhetoric for an attack on Iran; recognize the real danger posed by Iran to its own people and to its neighbors; stop enabling the Israeli and Iranian game of “chicken” with each other, when the unintended consequences of their continued dance with death will be felt not only by themselves, but by so many others; and develop a sane approach to dealing with a problem that must be faced and can’t simply be bombed or threatened away."

"The point is, the Palestinians have so much going against them that they have every reason in the world to band together, not only politically but in various social aspects where, frankly, they aren’t."

"...Israel's fear of rising Islamists is hard to swallow, when every sign is that democracy in Israel is leading it towards right-wing religious extremism. It might be useful here to remind ourselves that the parties that took over in most of Europe after World War II were defined by a right-wing Christian ethos, and most of the parties that rose to power after the transformation of Central and Eastern Europe were also religious. All of us need to support these Arab revolutions in the difficult process of building a framework for democracy and institutions that allow for the smooth and regular transfer of power."