Sunday, December 29

Middle East

The Middle East is a significant region. Countries include Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. This region includes many of the “Arab Spring” countries, which underwent disruptive revolutions and protests in the 21st Century. It also includes Israeli-Palestinian relations.

Palestinian State-Building Faces ‘Considerable Obstacles,’ Norway FM Says
18Nov By Patti MohrNo Comments
Diplomacy, Foreign Aid, International Development, Middle East, Types of News: Brief, UN Security Council

Palestinian State-Building Faces ‘Considerable Obstacles,’ Norway FM Says

Meeting in Oslo, Norway of the AHLC on Nov. 17, 2021. Credit: MFA/Mathias Rongved Separately, U.S. Ambassador to UN Tours Middle East, Emphasizes U.S.-Israel Ties & Remarks on Refugees November 18, 2021--Following a ministerial meeting of donors and interested parties supporting Palestinian governance, Norway's Ministry of Foreign Affairs cited "significant challenges" facing the Palestinian Authority, including budgetary problems, widespread unemployment, occupation, and an "enormous need" for investment. "Comprehensive, far-reaching measures are needed to reverse the negative economic trend in Palestine and strengthen the Palestinian institutions that the donors have been helping to develop for nearly three decades," said Norway's Minister of Foreign Affairs Anniken Huitf...
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As Israeli Leader Rejects Palestinian State, Norway Steps Up Diplomacy
17Nov By Patti MohrNo Comments
Diplomacy, Foreign Aid, International Development, Human rights, International Law, Legal Battles, Middle East, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Types of News: Analysis

As Israeli Leader Rejects Palestinian State, Norway Steps Up Diplomacy

November 17, 2021--Amid a rejection of the two-state solution by Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Norway's Foreign Ministry is hosting talks today with the goal of building up rule of law in the Palestinian territories. Today's meeting in Oslo, Norway represents the first in-person ministerial meeting by the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) in two years. Norway's newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs Anniken Huitfeldt led the discussion. It's significant on multiple fronts. First, Norway is often instrumental in achieving breakthroughs in diplomacy. Earlier this year, the country's representatives achieved a solution for aid workers to continue to use a border crossing between Turkey and Syria. Later they helped bring Venezuelan leaders together with its opposition in Me...
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Middle East Faces ‘Increasingly Desperate Reality’
2Nov By Ramsha ZubairiNo Comments
Diplomacy, Middle East, Types of News: Analysis

Middle East Faces ‘Increasingly Desperate Reality’

UN Envoy Says Israeli Evictions Of Palestinians And Property Seizures Spurs Violence November 2, 2021—In recent weeks, a Middle East envoy to the United Nations expressed warnings about Israel-Palestinian relations. Demolition of homes by the Israeli military, construction of illegal housing by settlers, and evictions and displacement of Palestinians from their homes are causing a desperate and dangerous situation in both Israel and the Palestinian territories. For the Palestinians and the Bedouin community, these actions meant homelessness and loss of property. For Israeli citizens, the provocative actions by their government and illegal settlers put them at a greater risk of violence. In the following article, contributing writer Ramsha Zubairi reports. In his testimony to the Secu...
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Egypt Aims To Deescalate Tensions Between Israel-Hamas
30Sep By Srinidhi RajagopalNo Comments
Diplomacy, Foreign Aid, International Development, Middle East

Egypt Aims To Deescalate Tensions Between Israel-Hamas

U.S. National Security Envoy Met With Egyptian Leader In Cairo To Discuss Aid, Regional Issues September 30, 2021—Amid rising tensions between Israel and Hamas as well as violence in the Occupied Palestinian territories, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, flew to Cairo, Egypt to meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Wednesday. The meetings covered a variety of bilateral and regional issues, according to reporting by the UAE-based The National. They discussed Libya's political roadmap, the situations in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Tunisia, and ideas to revive the Israel-Palestinian peace talks. Reconstruction of the Gaza Strip Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is hoping to once again lay the groundwork for peace in neighboring Israel and Palestinian t...
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Ice Cream Maker Under Fire For Stopping Sales In The Occupied Palestinian Territory
6Aug By Patti MohrNo Comments
Human rights, Middle East, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Types of News: Analysis

Ice Cream Maker Under Fire For Stopping Sales In The Occupied Palestinian Territory

EDITORIAL: Backlash Against Ben & Jerry's Draws Attention to Israel's Use of Settlers to Drive Palestinians Out August 6, 2021—A company that takes pride in its logo, "Peace, love and ice cream," finds itself in the hot seat this Summer as the government of Israel, politicians in the U.S. states of Florida, and activists in nonprofit organizations and on social media launch campaigns against it. On July 19, Ben & Jerry's announced that it would no longer sell ice cream in the Occupied Palestinian West Bank. "We believe it is inconsistent with our values for our product to be present within an internationally recognized illegal occupation," the company founders Jerry Greenfield and Ben Cohen wrote. Ever since that decision, the company and its parent company Unilever have b...
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What Is The BDS Movement?
30Jul By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Middle East, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Types of News: Infographic

What Is The BDS Movement?

Covering the business side of human rights wouldn't be complete without mentioning the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement. It's hard to know how large the movement is or account for its impact. One way to understand it is to look at how it started. The Movement Modeled after the boycott movement against apartheid in South Africa, the BDS Movement started in 2005. According to the movement's website, its goal is to "end international support for Israel's oppression of Palestinians and pressure Israel to comply with international law." In short, it stands for Palestinian freedom from the Israeli government. The movement protests for the boycotting of Israel entirely in response to the country's repressive actions towards Palestinians. The Launch A group called the Pa...
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Millions Syrian Refugees At Risk of Losing Access to Humanitarian Aid
5Jun By Spencer HayesNo Comments
Foreign Aid, International Development, Middle East, Types of News: Brief, UN Security Council

Millions Syrian Refugees At Risk of Losing Access to Humanitarian Aid

By Spencer Brooke Hayes June 5, 2021--More than 3 million Syrian refugees may lose access to food, medical supplies and humanitarian aide next month when a UN Security Council resolution expires. “It’s going to be a disaster if the Security Council resolution is not extended. We know that people are really going to suffer,” Mark Cutts, U.N. deputy regional humanitarian coordinator, told Reuters in a recent news report. "In northwest Syria you have some of the most vulnerable people anywhere in the world." UN Security Council mandate 2533 gives humanitarian agencies the right to cross the Syrian-Turkish border to deliver aid. The resolution comes up for review in July. According to reporting by Reuters Tuvan Gumrukcu, Russia and China reduced humanitarian access to border crossing...
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Iran Reacts with Defiance to New U.S. Deterrence Strategy
17Jan By Patti MohrNo Comments
Middle East, Sanctions, Types of News: Analysis

Iran Reacts with Defiance to New U.S. Deterrence Strategy

Jan. 17, 2020-Immediate tensions between the United States and Iran subsided since the two country's attacks and counter-attacks in Iraq earlier this month. While war between the two countries appears less imminent, the path forward points to either inevitable conflict or backdoor diplomacy. Today, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei conducted a rare Friday speech in which he condemned the United States and defended his country's missile attacks against U.S. military bases in Iraq. The strikes inadvertently downed a Ukrainian passenger plane. The United States, meanwhile, intensified its sanctions against Iran, adding Iranian military and political officials and companies trading in Iran's metals industry to its already-large list of sanctioned individuals and entities. ...
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New Year Starts With Middle East Meltdown
7Jan By Patti MohrNo Comments
Middle East, Types of News: Analysis

New Year Starts With Middle East Meltdown

January 7, 2020-A week into the new year, mounting tension in the Middle East is giving way to major political changes. Lying between Iran and Syria and Lebanon, Iraq is at the center of a battle for influence and control between a U.S.-led coalition and Iran. As pressure mounts, leaders from both countries have been high on rhetoric and low on strategy. Their primary goals appear to be to push the presence of the other out of Iraq. Killing Soleimani In a dramatic escalation of the geopolitical conflict between the United States and Iran, a U.S. military drone strike on January 2 near Bagdad killed top Iranian militia commander Qasem Soleimani. "We got him," U.S. President Donald Trump said at a political rally days later. He justified the strike by saying Soleimani was pla...
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Syrian Constitutional Committee Begins in Geneva
30Oct By Patti MohrNo Comments
Diplomacy, Middle East, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Types of News: Brief, UN Security Council

Syrian Constitutional Committee Begins in Geneva

October 30, 2019-As fighting again broke out in northern Syria, representatives the Syrian government, opposition forced and civil society met today in Geneva to negotiate a new constitution for the country plagued by eight years of civil war. "The task you are about to take is momentous," UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen told the 150 delegates. "You are mandated to prepare and draft for popular approval a constitutional reform as a contribution to the political settlement in Syria." UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen said he knows it "is not easy" for members to be present next to one another. (See video.) The directive is part of Security Council Resolution 2254, adopted unanimously in 2015, which sets out goals for a political solution for a sovereign state of Syria. Th...
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