World roundup: May 31 2024

Stories from Israel-Palestine, Myanmar, South Africa, and elsewhere

TODAY IN HISTORY

May 31, 1223: The Battle of the Kalka River

May 31, 1902: The Treaty of Vereeniging brings an end to the Second Boer War. In effect the Boer states (the Transvaal and the Orange Free State) surrendered in exchange for an amnesty and a British pledge that, after a period of postwar military control, both states would be allowed to transition to the status of self-governing colonies. Presumably it will not come as a great surprise to learn that the parties agreed to put off any discussion of Black enfranchisement until after the colonies had achieved self-governing status, or in other words indefinitely. It should also not come as a surprise to learn that when they were granted self-governing status (1906 for the Transvaal and 1907 for the Orange Free State) the issue of Black enfranchisement still didn’t come up. The two colonies did agree to merge into the Union of South Africa in 1910, which gained independence (under the British Commonwealth) in 1931.

MIDDLE EAST

ISRAEL-PALESTINE

Joe Biden announced yet another Gaza ceasefire initiative on Friday, one that according to him has already gotten Israeli approval. The outline of what Biden called “a roadmap to an enduring ceasefire” involves, say it with me now, three phases. The first and only operative stage is a six week ceasefire and prisoner exchange, during which the Israeli military (IDF) would withdraw from populated areas of Gaza. The parties would continue negotiating on the details of a second stage, involving what Biden called a “permanent end to hostilities,” the full IDF withdrawal from Gaza, and additional prisoner exchanges that would see the release of the rest of the living hostages taken on October 7. Stage three includes reconstruction and the repatriation of hostages who were killed in the October 7 attacks or over the succeeding months.

If you’re thinking that this all looks pretty familiar, you’re not alone.