The New York Times: The Middle East Stands at a Crossroads After Years of Conflict

The American newspaper The New York Times said that the Middle East stands at what it described as “hour zero,” after more than a decade of devastating conflicts that have claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands and exhausted the region’s societies.

A report by the newspaper, written by Roger Cohen, stated that a state of collective exhaustion has become the most prominent feature of the region, noting the killing of more than half a million people in the Syrian war, around 70,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, in addition to thousands of Israelis. The report considered that this reality has contributed to a decline in the desire for revenge and the emergence of growing calls to search for political solutions, despite the fragility that surrounds them.

The report addressed the situation in Syria, considering that the country is living through a pivotal stage after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime last year, describing the current phase as resembling an “hour zero” similar to what Europe experienced after World War II, amid widespread destruction and deep sectarian divisions.

The newspaper concluded that hope still exists, albeit limited, driven by the desire of the peoples of the region for a better future for their children, considering that the decline in the tendency toward violence may constitute an entry point for gradual and slow change in the Middle East.