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Support Kurdish Independence

(New York Times) Ron Prosor - Anyone in the business of spotting winners should bet on an independent Kurdish state. Backing the Kurds is not only strategically smart - they are a steadfast ally in the fight against the Islamic State and Islamist extremism, doing battle alongside American soldiers - it's also the right thing to do. An independent Kurdish state would be a beacon of hope in a part of the world where hope is desperately needed. An independent Kurdish state would be a victory for democratic values, national self-determination and the rights of women and minorities. Over the past three years, Kurdistan, which is about the size of Maryland, has taken in nearly two million refugees, including Assyrians, Yazidis, Turkmen, Shabaks and Christians fleeing the Islamic State. Even without a formal state, the Kurds have built a society that is economically viable, with functioning institutions, including elections for Parliament and a relatively free media. And they've proved capable of defending themselves against Islamic State. With a state, the Kurds could become an even more valuable and constructive ally against extremism. Israel supports the Kurds' right to self-determination. The writer is a former Israeli ambassador to the UN and chairman of the Interdisciplinary Center's International Diplomacy Institute in Herzliya.
2017-09-26 00:00:00
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