End of the nuclear deal will help Iran’s economy, The world should stand with Israel against Hamas, How Irish democracy overcame fake news, Putin prioritizes diplomacy, Europe’s new privacy rules are an important step forward
A roundup of global commentary for the June 11, 2018 weekly magazine.
Iranian lawmakers burn two pieces of paper representing the US flag and the nuclear deal as they chant slogans against the US at the parliament in Tehran, Iran, May 9, 2018. Iranian lawmakers set a paper US flag ablaze at parliament after President Donald Trump's nuclear deal pullout.
AP
Al Jazeera / Doha, Qatar
Trump’s ending of the nuclear deal will help Iran’s economy
“After US President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement, there has been much talk about the future of Iran’s economy,” writes Seyed Yasser Jebraily. “Some have speculated that the negative effect of Trump’s decision on the oil markets may put the survival of Iran’s economy in doubt.... The reality is that Iran gained almost nothing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).... Not only did the US not lift the sanctions that it had committed to, but it also imposed new ones.... [A]fter the implementation of the JCPOA, [Iran] opened [its] market to the foreign goods and services, which ... hurt Iranian suppliers and caused stagnation.... [W]ith the death of the JCPOA, some of Iran’s macroeconomic problems will be solved.”
The Jerusalem Post / Jerusalem
The world should stand with Israel against Hamas
“The increased attacks from Gaza [recently] are a disturbing reminder that calm is fragile in this region,” states an editorial. “On [May 29], mortar shells hit Israeli communities.... There are reports that the latest attacks were carried out by Islamic Jihad, a terrorist organization.... But clearly Hamas can decide whether to fan the flames or rein in the terrorism.... Should a mortar kill, the response would have to be more serious.... This is particularly problematic with an enemy such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad that uses its own population as human shields.... Undoubtedly there will be calls for Israeli restraint.... Even after Israel’s response, the world should stand as one against Hamas’s aggression.”
The Guardian / London
In its abortion referendum, Irish democracy overcame fake news
“In all the excitement of what happened in Ireland’s referendum on abortion, we should not lose sight of what did not happen,” writes Fintan O’Toole. “A vote on an emotive subject was not subverted. The tactics that have been so successful for the right and the far right in the UK ... and elsewhere did not work. A democracy navigated its way through some very rough terrain and came home not just alive but more alive than it was before.... Irish voters were subjected to the same polarising tactics that have worked so well elsewhere: shamelessly fake ‘facts’ ... deliberately shocking visual imagery.... But Irish democracy had an immune system that proved highly effective in resisting this virus.”
Arab News / Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
As Putin begins a new term, diplomacy tops his agenda
“Vladimir Putin capped off an intensive period of Russian diplomacy [recently] by agreeing with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to renew efforts to sign a long-awaited post-Second World War peace treaty and accelerate economic cooperation,” writes Andrew Hammond. “In the space of a week, the Russian president met with four leaders from the world’s top-10 economies.... Putin has restored Russia’s geopolitical prominence.... Yet, domestic popularity has been mirrored by frostier ties with leaders in multiple key countries, especially in the West.... Taken overall, Putin’s re-election has seen Moscow doubling down on diplomacy to try to rebuild relationships, especially with Europe. With the proposed US-Russia rapprochement looking increasingly uncertain, Putin may now place greater emphasis on Asia....”
The Japan Times / Tokyo
Europe’s new privacy rules are an important step forward
“The European Union’s new rules on data protection and privacy took effect [in May],” states an editorial. “While the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is designed to protect EU residents, its impact is being felt globally.... The GDPR is no panacea – much depends on its interpretation and implementation – but it is an important step in the protection of privacy and rebalancing the relationship between firms and customers.... [W]ith the continuing growth of data bases and the almost weekly reports of breaches, new standards for corporate responsibility are welcome. Customers must step up, however, and demand accountability and compliance. They may even have to pay for services that they have assumed will be free. Privacy has a price.”