Summary: New York – AJC Executive Director David Harris, in his national radio commentary, speaks about the turmoil in Egypt and other Arab countries. “The epicenter can be found in the UN’s Arab Human Development Report – written by Arab intellectuals,” says Harris. “This report has been telling the world some basic truths for years. Maybe now, the world will finally begin to pay attention.” AJC’s weekly radio messages are broadcast on the CBS radio network, before The Osgood File. All AJC radio commentaries since 2001 are available at http://www.ajc.org. The full text of this week’s commentary follows: Everyone is riveted on dramatic developments in the Arab world. Yet, think about it. Until a month ago, few so-called experts spoke about the conditions triggering these events. And even fewer predicted what would happen. If anything, many were trying to point everyone in a different direction. Take the Turkish prime minister. He loudly claimed: “The Palestinian question is at the epicenter of all problems in the Middle East.” Really? Tell that to the demonstrators in Egypt, Tunisia, and Yemen protesting authoritarian regimes. Rather, the epicenter can be found in the UN’s Arab Human Development Report – written by Arab intellectuals. It speaks of three glaring deficits in the Arab world: the freedom deficit – no democracy; the gender deficit – limited women’s rights; and the knowledge deficit – little research and innovation. This report has been telling the world some basic truths for years. Maybe now, the world will finally begin to pay attention. Visit ajc.org. This is David Harris of AJC
