Regarding Ramzy Baroud's June 6 article, "A Gaza refugee camp revisited": No one would deny that the so-called Arab uprisings that have taken place in recent months have drastically altered the political landscape of the region. The events have led many to hope for a much greater level of democracy in their countries. However, the long-term goal of securing a lasting, comprehensive Mideast peace accord remains a difficult and distant prospect.
The focus for many of those striving to bring about such a peace is the establishment of a nuclear weapons-free zone. All countries within such a zone would agree to complete nuclear disarmament and promise not to deploy or pursue the development of nuclear weapons in the future.
At present, the only nuclear-armed Mideast nation is thought to be Israel, although it has long held a policy of not confirming or denying the extent of its nuclear arsenal. Iran and Syria, meanwhile, deny aspiring to possess nuclear weapons. Regardless, until all nations in the region put aside their mistrust and often open hostility toward one another, a lasting Mideast peace agreement is unlikely. That will require an even greater shift in national outlooks than the recent revolutionary events.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.