Showing posts with label digital diplomacy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label digital diplomacy. Show all posts

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Women in power

I do not believe that in the last 12 month a 'revolution' took place in the Middle East. It is rather a change of guard within the same paradigm of unreformed mentalities. It is a lot to be done and at least the current generation is damned to deal with the big fight of countering toxic ways of thinking. In many situations, blame the old Cold War for most of the mess.

I do not agree with many of the ideas of the women interviewed here, as I am fully against using violent and ideologically imbued terms such as 'intifada' and 'occupation'. I know that if I will start a discussion with any of them on issues related to the current state of mind in the Middle East, our ways are different.

But I admire their bravery and courage and genuine lonely fight against a system. If they will be successful, the aggressive Islam will be out of picture and, on the medium and long term, we might expect a diminishing of the violence. These women will not agree with the Hamas, Hezbollah and the Muslim Brotherhood, as many of their 'brothers' men' will easily do it. They know how to defend their right to education, equal pay and equal rights. And I suspect that they will not accept either to blow themselves in a bus because some maniac with balaclava told them to do so. 

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Israel and the digital diplomacy


Facebook, Twitter, YouTube - the newest places to find information and news on diplomacy. And the newest, coherent presence in the digital world of international affairs: the state of Israel.
Better late than never, as the latest flotilla incident, at the beginning of the year, offered another clear example of the high level of misunderstanding, hate and stereotypes regarding the situation from the area.
What can this digital presence achieve: it is offering another image of the country, and quick answers when necessarily. On the other side, don't wait for 2.0 to make peace in the Middle East or to uproot terrorism and hate-speech. The digital world is offering information for those who would like to know more, but don't have the sources. The undecided people. For radicals, it is a different cure and treatment.