Catalonia has elected a parliament that includes a majority of members who favor independence from Spain. The Spanish system of government is distinctly federal with the various regions of Spain already having a high degree of autonomy, much to the dismay of the central government which ends up trying to pay the bills of the various provincial governments. Indeed, Catalonian independence is being seriously considered because of the problems that Spain is encountering in making sure that its financial system stays afloat. Since Catalonia is such an economically dynamic part of the Spanish economy, its defection would be a serious blow to the Spanish state.
We are learning more about the cease-fire between Hamas and Israel, but the more we learn, the more we realize that the two sides agreed on virtually nothing other than a cessation to shooting. There are incredible ambiguities in the alleged agreement and the longevity of the cease-fire really depends upon Egypt and the US leaning on both sides not to open fire again. As long as both Israel and Hamas believe that they have little to lose from the cease-fire, it will hold. But it doesn’t seem as if it is more than a brief respite right now. Meanwhile, Fatah is poised to hold a vote on its UN status on Thursday: that vote could affect how both Hamas and Israel perceive the benefits of the cease-fire.
The M23 rebel force continues to press on in its attempt to overthrow the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Uganda is feverishly trying to host a conference to reach a peaceful settlement, but the effort seems doomed to fail. At this point, the outside world remains completely silent on the turmoil in the region.
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