Fear of ‘the other’ begets acts of hate, With China, Japan needs to step out from the shadow of the US, Centrist infighting is an opportunity for extremists, The US should offer the Caribbean development assistance, Companies need to cut emissions, too
A roundup of global commentary for the Nov. 12, 2018 weekly magazine.
Flowers pile up in front of Stars of David at a memorial to the 11 people killed Oct 27, 2018 while worshipping at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh.
Gene J. Puskar/AP
Haaretz / Jerusalem
Fear of ‘the other’ begets acts of hate
“The massacre [Oct. 27] at the Conservative Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, in which at least 11 people were killed by a right-wing extremist, has been described as the most deadly attack on the [US] Jewish community...,” states an editorial. “In a world where the discourse of hatred is widespread, and the stranger is perceived as an invader, anti-Semitism will also raise its head. For this reason, many both in Israel and around the world are uncomfortable with the way Israel’s right-wing government, headed by Benjamin Netanyahu, has been embracing non-liberal European leaders, and with his almost symbiotic relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump, who is championing the struggle against immigrants.”
The Asahi Shimbun / Tokyo
With China, Japan needs to step out from the shadow of the US
“The 21st century is said to be the age of Asia,” states an editorial. “Stability of the region, which has enormous potential for driving global growth, is a crucial key to world peace. Japan and China, the two leading powers of Asia, bear a heavy responsibility.... We appreciate that relations between the two powers have improved.... [But] Japan-China ties are easily affected.... To eliminate that fragility, China would have to stop its high-handed behavior.... Japan, on its part, needs to adopt a more autonomous diplomacy that is not just about following the United States.... On trade issues, Japan needs to urge the Trump administration to reconsider its protectionist stance and encourage China to operate its markets fairly.”
Deutsche Welle / Bonn, Germany
Centrist infighting is an opportunity for extremists
“[A]s the world mourned the murder of 11 Jews in Pittsburgh, USA, Germany’s right-wing nationalist AfD party gained entry to the last state parliament where they lacked representation...,” writes Ines Pohl. “My country should be appalled.... The fact that this is not the case has a lot to do with the reason why the AfD was able to become so successful in the first place. Angela Merkel has been in power for 13 years. And her opinion poll ratings have never been as bad.... [I]t’s because of the constant quarreling within the government.... There is some good news.... Right-wing nationalist forces may now have representation in all German parliaments, but the anti-Semites have no seat in government.”
The Jamaica Observer / Kingston, Jamaica
If the US wants Caribbean loyalty, it should offer development assistance
“The global rivalry for resources, markets and political influence has until recently not involved the Caribbean Basin,” states an editorial. “That abruptly changed when Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, on his recent trip to Latin America and the Caribbean, explicitly spoke about what he described as China’s ‘predatory economic practices’.... The comments were directed at countries in what the US has traditionally regarded as an American sphere of influence.... China has gained considerable goodwill in the Caribbean through development assistance.... One prime minister has suggested that the US should worry less about Chinese influence and think of more development assistance for the struggling region.”
The National / Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Companies need to cut emissions, too
“[In October], the world received an alarming reminder from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change...,” write Mari Luomi and Mashael Al Ansari. “In simple terms, a huge gap remains between [emissions reductions] required by science and what has been permitted by intergovernmental politics.... [A]dditional voluntary emission reductions by companies and other non-state actors ... have significant potential to bridge an important part of the expected emissions gap.... [E]xisting climate commitments and policies by cities, states and businesses alone would fulfill two-thirds of the United States’ national emission-
reduction pledge.... As the [United Arab Emirates] prepares its new, 2020 contribution to the Paris Agreement, engaging in parallel with its companies can support even more ambitious action on emissions....”