Book of the day: Ignorance and Bliss by Mark Lilla
Mark Lilla, political scientist, historian, journalist and professor of humanities at Columbia University, purports to explore why in his
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Scoop
5 days ago
- Scoop
UN Chief: Israeli-Palestinian Conflict At 'Breaking Point', Urges Push For Two-State Solution
28 July 2025 Addressing the high-level conference on the peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine and the implementation of the two-State solution, Mr. Guterres delivered a stark message about the urgency of action and the cost of delay. ' For decades, Middle East diplomacy has been far more process than peace, ' he said. ' Words, speeches, declarations may not have much meaning to those on the ground. They have seen it before. They have heard it before. Meanwhile, destruction and annexation bulldoze ahead. ' He reiterated that the only just and sustainable path forward is the establishment of two independent, democratic States – Israel and Palestine – living side by side in peace and security, with Jerusalem as the capital, based on pre-1967 lines and in line with international law and UN resolutions. UN Secretary-General addresses the opening segment of the high-level conference. There is no alternative Mr. Guterres challenged those resisting that vision. 'What is the alternative? A one-State reality where Palestinians are denied equal rights, and forced to live under perpetual occupation and inequality? A one-State reality where Palestinians are expelled from their land?' he asked. 'That is not peace. That is not justice. And that is not acceptable.' Earlier remarks: 'The truth is: we are at a breaking point' Speaking earlier in the day at the conference's pre-opening session, Mr. Guterres warned that the conflict had reached 'a breaking point'. It has endured for generations, 'defying hopes, defying diplomacy, defying countless resolutions, defying international law,' he said. 'But we also know its persistence is not inevitable. It can be resolved. That demands political will and courageous leadership.' He urged Member States to move beyond 'well-meaning rhetoric' and make the conference a turning point 'towards ending the occupation and realising our shared aspiration for a viable two-State solution'. ' It is the sine qua non [Latin for indispensable or absolutely essential] for peace across the wider Middle East, ' he said. About the conference The three-day conference, mandated by the General Assembly through resolutions ES-10/24 and 79/81 and co-organized by France and Saudi Arabia, brings together Member States, observers and regional stakeholders. It features plenary discussions and thematic roundtables on issues ranging from security arrangements and humanitarian response to reconstruction and economic viability. Time is running out In his opening address, the Secretary-General stressed the need for swift action: ' With every passing day, trust is slipping. Institutions are weakened. And hopes are dashed. ' He laid out a clear list of required steps: an immediate end to violence, annexation and settlement activity; rejection of forced displacement; accountability for violations of international law; and a recommitment to a credible political dialogue rooted in the equal rights and dignity of both peoples. Gaza, a cascade of catastrophes Turning to the war in Gaza, Mr. Guterres reiterated his condemnation of Hamas' 7 October 2023 terror attacks on Israel, but said the response has brought unprecedented destruction. ' Gaza has descended into a cascade of catastrophes, ' he said. 'Tens of thousands dead. Virtually the entire population displaced many times over. The shadow of starvation looming over everyone.' He called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the unconditional release of hostages, and unfettered humanitarian access. ' These are not preconditions for peace. They are the foundation of it. ' Resolve, not manage Closing his remarks, the Secretary-General urged all parties to choose peace not as an aspiration, but as a duty. ' This conflict cannot be managed. It must be resolved. We cannot wait for perfect conditions. We must create them. We cannot defer peace efforts until suffering becomes unbearable. We must act before it is too late,' he said. He called for peace not as a concept, but a commitment. ' Not as a dream, but as a reality – for Palestinians, for Israelis, for the people of the Middle East, and for the world. ' Assembly President: 'We cannot go on like this' Also addressing the opening, UN General Assembly President Philémon Yang said the Gaza war and the wider crisis have made it 'painfully clear – we cannot go on like this.' President of the General Assembly addresses the opening segment of the high-level conference. He called for 'decisive change' and warned that further delay would deepen suffering and destroy any remaining hopes for peace. ' This conflict cannot be resolved through permanent war, nor through endless occupation or annexation…We simply cannot afford more excuses, more delays. We must act now. ' He reiterated the Assembly's recent demands, including an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, the release of all hostages and full humanitarian access. He also highlighted growing global recognition of Palestinian statehood, citing President Emmanuel Macron's announcement that France will extend formal recognition. Concluding, Mr. Yang urged action towards a peaceful settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. ' The focus of this conference must therefore be concrete and action-oriented, identifying steps the international community must take to realise the two-State solution, ' he said. 'One that upholds international law, the UN Charter and relevant UN resolutions. And especially one that achieves justice for Palestinians and Israelis. One that ensures a peaceful, prosperous, and equitable future for everyone in the Middle East.'
RNZ News
25-07-2025
- RNZ News
White House touts Columbia University deal, critics see dangerous precedent
The US president has targeted Columbia University over the pro-Palestinian student protest movement. (File photo) Photo: AFP Columbia University's agreement to pay more than US$220 million to the US government to resolve federal probes was not capitulation but a means to restore vital public funding, the university's acting president said on Thursday. But critics expressed concern about a harmful precedent in what they see as US President Donald Trump's push for greater control over elite US colleges. Trump has targeted Columbia and other universities over the pro-Palestinian student protest movement that roiled college campuses last year. Harvard University is fighting the Trump administration in court and critics have likened the Columbia deal to extortion. Harvard University is fighting the Trump administration in court. (File photo) Photo: AFP/Maddie Meyer Columbia faced the loss of billions of dollars in future federal funds and the potential revocation of the visa status of thousands of international students, said acting president Claire Shipman. "This was not capitulation," Shipman told CNN, adding that the deal protected the university's "academic integrity." Under the settlement, Columbia will pay US$200 million to the US Treasury and a further US$21 million to a fund to resolve alleged civil rights violations against Jewish employees following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, senior administration officials said. In return, the university regained access to some US$1.7 billion in federal funding and grants, Shipman said. The deal comes after the Trump administration in March penalized Columbia over how it handled last year's protests by cancelling US$400 million in federal funding. It contended that Columbia's response to alleged anti-Semitism and harassment of Jewish and Israeli members of the university community was insufficient. The school later acquiesced to a series of demands that included scrutiny of departments offering courses on the Middle East and other concessions that were widely condemned by US academics. Wednesday's deal formalized many of those concessions in what Education Secretary Linda McMahon called an "incredible win" for the government. "It is our hope this is going to be a template for other universities around the country," McMahon told cable network NewsNation. "We're already seeing other universities taking these measures before investigation." McMahon said Columbia agreed to discipline student offenders for severe disruptions of campus operations, bring viewpoint diversity to their Middle Eastern studies programs, eliminate race preferences from their hiring and admissions practices, and end DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) programs. Columbia law professor David Pozen called the agreement a "shakedown" and said it set a precedent for "pay-to-play" deals the Trump administration is seeking with other schools. "The agreement gives legal form to an extortion scheme," Pozen said in a blog post, calling it the first time anti-Semitism and DEI have been invoked as the basis for a government-enforced restructuring of a private university. Shipman said the agreement contained no provisions that "shall be construed as giving the United States authority to dictate faculty hiring, university hiring, admissions decisions, or the content of academic speech. - CNN
RNZ News
24-07-2025
- RNZ News
Columbia University to pay over US$200 million to resolve Trump probes
By Kanishka Singh and Jasper Ward , Reuters US President Donald Trump. Photo: AFP / Saul Loeb Columbia University has said it will pay over US$200 million (NZ$330m) to the US government in a settlement with President Donald Trump's administration to resolve federal probes and to have most of its suspended federal funding restored. Trump has targeted universities including Columbia since returning to the White House in January over the pro-Palestinian student protest movement that roiled college campuses last year. In March, the Trump administration said it was penalising the university over how it handled last year's protests by cancelling $400 million in federal funding. It contended that Columbia's response to alleged antisemitism and harassment of Jewish and Israeli members of the university community was insufficient. "Under today's agreement, a vast majority of the federal grants which were terminated or paused in March 2025 - will be reinstated and Columbia's access to billions of dollars in current and future grants will be restored," Columbia said in a statement. The university said it has also agreed to settle investigations brought by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for $21 million and that its deal with the Trump administration preserved Columbia's "autonomy and authority over faculty hiring, admissions, and academic decision-making." After the government announced the funding cancellations, the school announced a series of commitments in response to the Trump administration's concerns. Last week, Columbia adopted a definition of antisemitism that equates it with opposition to Zionism. The school also said it would no longer engage with pro-Palestinian group Columbia University Apartheid Divest. The Trump administration had no immediate comment on Wednesday. Trump had said in recent weeks that a deal with Columbia was close. The government has labelled pro-Palestinian protesters as antisemitic and as sympathizers of extremism. Protesters, including some Jewish groups, say the Trump administration has wrongly conflated their criticism of Israel's military assault in Gaza with antisemitism and their advocacy for Palestinian rights with support for extremism. Wednesday's announcement came one day after the university disciplined dozens of students over a pro-Palestinian protest in May in which demonstrators seized Columbia's main library. The government has attempted to use the leverage of federal funding with other educational institutions as well, including Harvard University, over campus protests. It has also tried deporting some foreign pro-Palestinian students but has faced judicial roadblocks. Rights advocates have raised concerns about due process, academic freedom and free speech over the government's actions. - Reuters
