An encouraging fall-out from the U.S.-brokered diplomatic deal struck between the United Arab Emirates and Israel is that Israel will be suspending its plans to annex parts of West Bank (‘World’ page, “UAE, Israel reach agreement to establish diplomatic ties”, August 14). While the Palestinians have reasons to be frustrated and unhappy with the accord, U.S. President Donald Trump can flaunt it as a major foreign policy win in his election campaign. The shared worries of the UAE and Israel over Iran might have been a clinching factor for the accord. The onus and moral duty rest with Arab countries such as Egypt, Jordan and the UAE having diplomatic ties with Israel to ensure that Israel agrees to conduct meaningful negotiations for the establishment of a viable future Palestine state.

Malippara, Kerala

The development will be a watershed moment in the present West Asian political scenario. Though unofficial contacts existed between the Gulf Arab monarchies and the Jewish state for some time, this is the first time that a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council has gone in for open embrace with a state that many in the Arab and Islamic world view as “occupier’, “coloniser”, and to some even as “racist”. As the UAE has now ensured a major breakthrough, a change of mind could be expected among the other Arab Gulf monarchies in the coming years. While the Trump administration had played a major role in this diplomatic breakthrough, the common factor that worries Israel, the UAE and the United States is the role of Iran in West Asia. The territorial disputes with Iran may have also prompted the Emiratis to take a positive step in the opening up of diplomatic relations with Israel. Though the opening of diplomatic ties would temporarily halt the West Bank annexation, would it help in materialising the creation of a sovereign, independent state of Palestine with secured borders?

Kottayam, Kerala

The writer’s observation (Editorial page, “Schools without freedom”, August 14) comes after the die has almost been cast in the form of the NEP 2020, further tightening the central hold on Indian educational systems. As a teacher for more than 20 years in government schools, I can say that I had time only to cover the syllabus and to maintain a minimum of 80% pass in my subject in all classes. And as a State-level officer of the Matriculation Education Department, I have seen teachers having the same compulsions. Principals of private schools have freedom only in ways of ‘driving’ teachers to achieve 100% results and, if possible, grab a few State or district ranks in the Board Examinations. So naturally, teachers, heads of schools and their managements failed miserably and continue to fail in nurturing students to have free and thoughtful minds. The NEP-2020 has nothing to free schools from the shackles of rule books, and department and management orders and circulars. The bondage of teachers shall continue.

Chennai

The Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s article (Editorial page, “Stop the dismantling of environmental rules”, August 13) appears to be a case of the hollow sermons on environmental protection. A Minister in the United Progressive Alliance was shown the door after he became one of the most visible Environment Ministers in the country. For this, one has to read the book, The Vanishing: India’s Wildlife Crisis, by the environmental conservationist, Prerna Singh Bindra. There was no doubt that while the Minister brought in transparency, was accessible, and involved with varied stakeholders, he also refused to give the nod to a few big-ticket projects which would have had grave ecological impacts or had grossly violated environment norms. He raised the hackles of powerful interests. The Congress President has left unanswered why as the Chairperson of the NAC of the UPA (Ms. Gandhi), the Prime Minister was not advised to back a Minister who was really trying to protect the environment.

Palakkad, Kerala