'Most Palestinians want to choose new leaders in a free, fair, and safe vote'
'Palestinians deserve a more representative, accountable, and younger leadership'
Samer Sinijlawi in The New York Times
Mahmoud Abbas should resign, says Samer Sinijlawi in The New York Times. He's 88 years old, and his "leadership as president of the Palestinian Authority has failed to deliver democracy,” safety, or prosperity to his people. If Hamas's rule in Gaza is ending, the Palestinian Authority could be called to unite Gaza and the West Bank. But it will have to change to have legitimacy, and that includes replacing "Abbas and his cronies" with new leaders.
'Tensions and bad choices abound in the Red Sea'
Bruce Jones in Foreign Policy
Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea could cause "major disruption" in one of the world's most important shipping routes, says Bruce Jones in Foreign Policy. One way to address this is widening the U.S.-led naval coalition aiming to make the waters safe again. That's a tough sell. But globalization makes us more dependent on "sea-based trade," so America will have to resign itself to leading in "projecting naval power" or cede that role to China.
'The knives are out for home schooling'
Matthew Hennessey in The Wall Street Journal
Pandemic lockdowns gave parents a chance to see "what their kids were doing all day" in school, says Matthew Hennessey in The Wall Street Journal. Many bristled at the "wasted time, woke-infused curricula, and poor instruction," and figured "they could do better." They "liked the freedom" of home schooling, and "kept at it" post-lockdown. Now, teachers' unions and the press are attacking home schooling. They must think too much freedom "is a bad thing."
'The Pope has had more than a decade to bring the church into the 21st century'
Celia Wexler at CNN
The media hyperventilated when the Vatican announced it would let priests bless same-sex couples, says Celia Wexler at CNN. Journalists called it "shocking" and "radical" progress. But this won't end discrimination against LGBTQ Catholics. The Vatican made clear it wasn't "approving the blessing of a same-sex union, which remains sinful in the church's eyes, but blessing the couples in those unions." Church doctrine still defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
