TradeFlow21 Editorial: Peace must prevail
January 10th, 2009 Posted in General, TradeThe start of the new year has seen yet another round of conflict between Israel and one of its neighbors. This time, it is Gaza–a Palestinian state in waiting–that finds itself in a 
state of siege. Siege, and the need to defend against attacks by Hamas militia who indiscriminately fire rockets into civilian enclaves, is also Israel’s reason for this latest military action. Once more, both sides will seek legitimacy for their cause in chambers and legislative bodies across the globe. And once more, popular opinion will uncritically affirm a distorted and tired cold-war view of the Middle East as seen through the lens of the ‘Arab-Israeli conflict.’
But this is a new age where human intellect and industry are changing the landscape in terms both political and social. Among the 20-plus countries that comprise the Middle East, most have already embraced global commerce as a primary means of engagement with the world community. The recent economic boom among the Gulf nations in particular has also ushered in an era of commercial cooperation with Western partners, creating a more interdependent, integrated world. It has also fostered a deeper understanding and respect for the region as the cradle of civilization for writing, philosophy, science, art, and faith. In spite of current economic circumstances, TradeFlow21 will work tirelessly to promote investment and trade as the primary tools of engagement. Let commerce do what conflict cannot do; create an environment where sovereign states, democratic or theocratic, and their people live in relative peace, prosperity, and security. The killing must stop. Peace must prevail, because humanity now demands it.
