Bird flu has taken down yet another victim. Actually, 700,000 victims. Officials in India have begun a mass slaughter of chickens, and have been furiously destroying birds and eggs. Although it’s still difficult to catch the H5N1 bird flu virus (there have so far been about 93 human victims), and it currently travels only from bird to bird, and bird to human, health experts and scientists fear that a mutation could quickly turn the virus into a pandemic killer that jumps from human to human through sneezes and doorknobs.

Many animals suffer from the flu, but viruses usually evolve along with one particular species, and travel within it. The human immune system develops resistance to common human flu strains after occasional exposure to small amounts and from vaccines. Healthy humans are generally well equipped to fight off known human strains. When a human body encounters an unfamiliar avian virus, his or her immune system starts to fight it and the virus quickly mutates and evolves in order to survive. So far, the virus that humans have been getting from birds is like an intense flu, with a 50% death rate. The next jump—a strain that could travel airborne from human to human—may have even more lethal effects. Because of our close contact with birds, especially tasty ones, birds with the flu are flapping, chirping time bombs.

The enormously destructive 1918 Spanish Flu was also caused by a strain of avian flu. The flu wiped out up to 40 million people, and infected one quarter of the US and one fifth of the world. La Grippe was a gruesome killer, as victims were left to suffocate in the mucus and blood that filled their lungs within days.

The first human victim of the 1918 pandemic is thought to be a chicken cook in Fort Riley, Kansas. The virus waved through military camps in the US and killed many soldiers, but everyone was so concerned with World War I, the epidemic nature of the sickness went largely unnoticed and no real action was taken to contain it. The Spanish Flu quickly spread to affect the entire globe within 6 months, traveling with traders and army men. The flu killed many more people during the Great War than any weapons did. The war helped to spread the virus from soldier to soldier, and back to their families. Little was known about the genetics of viruses in those days and nations began to suspect some kind of biological warfare at play.

As the H5N1 strain continues to reach itself around the globe, killing poultry is only the first step. Human contact with all birds will need to become more limited, and we may soon see a drop in human to human contact as well. Bowing and “elbow tapping” may soon replace handshakes, and face masks may start showing up on the runways. If the pandemic does strike, we can all protect ourselves the same way that Japan did (they had no outbreaks) during the 2003 SARS epidemic: they never shook hands, and they taught all children the most important protective measure against disease - washing their hands!

Originally published by InternationalistMag.com on February 26, 2006

For the past 18 years, Hamas has been known throughout the world as a terrorist organization single-mindedly seeking the absolute destruction of Israel. In January 2006, the Palestinian people overwhelmingly elected Hamas into the Parliament, giving them 76 of 132 seats. Does this mean that Palestinians want to see Israel wiped off the map, and that as the majority government, Hamas will have the power to do so? Should those of us still hoping for peace in the Middle East throw up our arms and walk away? Optimists should take heart; a closer look at Palestinian history and Hamas’ recent victory reveals some signs of hope.

Before last week, the state of Palestine was controlled by the Fatah party, including President Mahmoud Abbas. The recent vote to cast them out can be seen not only as support for Hamas, but as an objection to Fatah. Many Palestinians have been growing increasingly unhappy with the current domestic situation. Fatah has been riddled with corruption and careless attitudes towards the order and control of their society. Hamas, on the other hand, has been free of that sort of dishonesty and abuse of power, and has shown a great emphasis on community service. Hamas’ campaign focused mainly on domestic issues, and highlighted the greater stability they would bring. Exit polls show that almost half of voters cited worries of corruption and lawlessness as their primary concern. From this, it would seem that Palestinian people were less focused on the destruction of Israel, and more concerned with removing a dishonest and irresponsible government from power.

In order to maintain a working government and to successfully care for the Palestinian people, Hamas must have a stable relationship with the world. The US, the EU, the UN and Russia have all made it clear that they will not negotiate with Hamas if it maintains its original mission – “to remove Israel from the map.” If Hamas does not temper its views, it may be left out of the international dialogue, and potentially lose valuable financial support.

There are several reasons to believe that Hamas will join the world table. Although their mission does call for the destruction of Israel, they haven’t carried out a suicide bombing there since August 2004. There are many leaders in the party who have voiced moderate views, including the desire for peaceful negotiations with Israel. The majority of both Palestinian and Israeli people now support a two-state solution, and are eager to negotiate lasting borders. And, there is a historical precedent in Palestine of a radical, terrorist party gaining political dominance and dropping their extremist stance.

Fatah entered the scene in the late 1950’s as an armed and dangerous fringe movement intent on the destruction of Israel. Their official emblem still carries the message, depicting two fists holding rifles and a hand grenade over a map of modern day Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza strip. In 1969, Fatah and Yasser Arafat had become the leaders of the Palestinian movement. In that same year, they carried out 2,432 guerrilla attacks on Israel. However, by the early 1990’s, Arafat and Fatah had significantly departed from these violent beginnings. In 1993, Arafat agreed to sign the Oslo Agreement, which recognized the right of Israel to exist and renounced terrorism, violence and its desire for the destruction of Israel.

Will Hamas follow suit, and join the world for reasonable negotiations and discussion?

The world waits.

Originally published by InternationalistMag.com on February 2, 2006