The World
Respect Just Doesn't Cut It
At his palace overlooking Islam's holiest site at Mecca, Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah brokered a power-sharing agreement between Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, head of the Fatah faction, and his rival Khaled Mashaal, exiled leader of the Palestinian militant Islamic group Hamas. Along with investing his own prestige in the unity-government negotiations, Abdullah reportedly promised $1 billion in aid to the Palestinians, cut off from western donors since Hamas won Palestinian Authority elections a year ago.
Along with averting an open civil war among Palestinian factions, the Saudi monarch sought to back Hamas off its rejection of Israel in order to press the Bush administration to push ahead with the long-stalled peace process. What he got was an agreement that calls for a Hamas-led Palestinian government to "respect" past peace agreements with Israel-weaker even than language sought by Abbas for a "commitment" to the past accords signed when Fatah held power.
It seems unlikely that a little r-e-s-p-e-c-t will satisfy the demands from the United States and Israel that Hamas explicitly renounce terrorism and violence, recognize Israel, and agree to uphold past peace accords-though it may be difficult for the Bush administration to brush off an effort orchestrated by the Saudi king. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is due to meet on February 19 with Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to assess the next steps, if any.
Hospitable, but for How Much Longer?
New moves by Syria to tighten enforcement of its immigration rules is sending alarm through the estimated 1 million refugees from Iraq, who are fearful that Damascus will begin forcing them back to their violence-ravaged country. Syria is requiring new arrivals to register within 15 days for a resident permit good for as long as six months. Previously, refugees could restart the residency clock after six months by leaving the country for a day, usually going just over the border to Jordan or Lebanon, but now they will need to leave Syria for 30 days before being allowed back in.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates 1.8 million Iraqis are displaced within their country and 2 million have fled to nearby nations, placing huge strains on schools, medical facilities, and other social services in neighboring Syria and Jordan. On a tour of the region last week, High Commissioner Antonio Guterres thanked Syria for its assistance and said the region is facing a "humanitarian disaster" requiring more international aid. Separately, the Bush administration said it is reviewing policies that have so far permitted just 466 Iraqi refugees into the United States since the 2003 war.
Looking Toward a Higher Authority
There is new evidence that the ranks of the religious are growing in China, despite official harassment and restrictions. Nearly a third of the 4,500 people surveyed by two professors from Shanghai's East China Normal University described themselves as religious. If statistically representative, that would equal about 300 million believers nationwide, three times the official figure of 100 million. Most said they are Buddhists, Taoists, or worshipers of folk figures, but the survey shows China may have some 40 million Christians versus the official 16 million figure-and religious belief is particularly prevalent in the 16-to-39 age group.
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