When the minority became the majority

The year 2012 was a bit less upbeat than crazy 2011, but no less interesting. The Arab world continued to make headlines, especially in President Mohammed Morsi's Egypt, with various ousters and a new constitution, and in President Bashar al-Assad's Syria. In Asia, national pride and issues of sovereignty over five disputed islands awakened long-standing tensions between China and Japan. This led to south Asia demanding that the U.S. make claims of presence in the region and display a bit of muscle, to avoid a Chinese takeover of the region.

In 2012, foreign correspondents stationed in Israel started working again, writing stories about Iran's nuclear program and discussions of a possible attack, the upcoming elections, Operation Pillar of Defense and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' submission of a unilateral petition for upgraded status at the U.N., which led to the Israeli government's decision to build in E1. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which disappeared from headlines a bit during 2011, returned to the top headlines in 2012.

But 2012 was mainly a year in which we saw the results of demographic shifts in the Western world and their implications for the political system. France held elections in May and the U.S. in November. In both elections, we saw that a minority of the population had become the majority and vice versa. In light of demographic shifts, former President Nicolas Sarkozy in France and Mitt Romney, representative of the Right in the U.S., didn't stand much of a chance.

Rightist blocs, including the conservative Union for a Popular Movement in France and the Republicans in the U.S., are still licking their wounds following the elections, and mostly are struggling to reunify. The future does not look bright. Both camps in both countries have failed to adapt to a changing society. In the U.S., Hispanics and African-Americans vote Democratic. In France, Muslims vote for the Socialists.

Minority groups came out to celebrate near the Bastille in Paris this year, waving flags from Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. In Boston, Republicans mourned the end of the great era they once knew in the U.S. For Israel, this is not necessarily good news. Most of the support for Israel came from these groups that are now the electoral minority.

Another connecting line between France and the U.S.: 2012 was the year in which it was dangerous to walk to school. In March, an Algerian immigrant, Mohamed Merah, demonstrated the burgeoning Islamic fundamentalism in Europe with a blind and brutal assault on schoolchildren at the Ozar Hatorah School in Toulouse, France. Three small Jewish children and a teacher were murdered in this despicable attack. Terrorism leads to madness.

In December, Adam Lanzer, a disturbed and armed 20-year old, carried out a horrific massacre at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. America buried 20 small children. Some parts of society demanded the burial of the Second Amendment to the Constitution, which allows every citizen to bear arms, the following day. Another part of American society actually responded in the opposite way, and went to the store to buy more arms to protect themselves. In America, unlike in France, the madness led to terrorism.

The year 2012 was also one in which the British returned as an empire, at least in the news: the spectacular London Olympics, Queen Elizabeth's 60-year jubilee and the announcement that the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, was pregnant. This is a reminder that the old world still has something to offer, particularly when it comes to culture and tradition.

In 2012, the world also parted from two heroes with the same name — Armstrong. In August, the American astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon (on July 21, 1969) left this world. And on Oct. 22, we parted from Lance Armstrong, when the International Cycling Union announced that it had ratified the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency's sanctions against him for taking performance-enhancing drugs. He was stripped of all of his titles, including his seven Tour de France wins.

The year 2012 didn't change the world, but it certainly highlighted current trends. We are living at the end of an era and a new world awaits us. China will increase its powers and minorities will gain more traction in Western societies. America will continue to lose altitude and Israel will face international pressure over almost any decision it makes.

We can be optimistic, though. The Mayan prediction that the world would end didn't come true. We do not know what will happen in 2013. Let's get to work.

טעינו? נתקן! אם מצאתם טעות בכתבה, נשמח שתשתפו אותנו