DOCSLIB.ORG

October 2018 Forecast.Indd

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
October 2018 Forecast.Indd October 2018 Monthly Forecast 1 Overview Overview 1 In Hindsight: Emergence of the E10 3 Status Update since our In October, Bolivia assumes the presidency of they are being used for migrant smuggling or September Forecast the Council. Early in the month a Council visit- human trafficking. ing mission to the DRC is planned, focused on Additionally, in accordance with the 60-day 4 Democratic Republic of the Congo the upcoming elections. Following the return of reporting cycle, Yemen may be added to the pro- the Council delegation, there will be a briefing to gramme of work. 6 Libya the Council by the trip co-leads (Bolivia, Equato- Other African issues include: 7 Counter-Terrorism rial Guinea and France). Special Representative • Mali, on the activities of MINUSMA; 8 Syria of the Secretary-General Leila Zerrougui is also • the CAR, on the activities of MINUSCA; 10 UNDOF (Golan Heights) scheduled to brief on the activities of the UN mis- • Sudan (Darfur), on the activities of UNAMID 11 Sudan/South Sudan sion in the DRC. and the 1591 Sudan Sanctions Committee; Bolivia has chosen to hold a meeting on the • Western Sahara on the activities of MINURSO 13 Western Sahara role of natural resources as a root cause of conflict. and the adoption of a resolution renewing the 14 Israel/Palestine There will also be two open debates: one on wom- mission’s mandate; and 15 Mali en, peace and security, focused on the empow- • Sudan/South Sudan, on the activities of 16 Colombia erment of women in political processes; and the UNISFA and an adoption scheduled to renew regular quarterly open debate on Israel/Palestine. the joint border verification monitoring mech- 17 Sudan Other Middle East issues include: anism in Abyei. 19 Central African • Golan Heights, on the activities of UNDOF; There will be a briefing from Special Repre- Republic • Lebanon, on the latest report on the imple- sentative Jean Arnault on the Secretary-General’s 20 Lebanon mentation of resolution 1559 (2004), which 90-day report on the UN Verification Mission in 22 Women, Peace and called for the disarmament of all militias and Colombia. Security the extension of government control over all A briefing is also expected on the report on the 23 Cyprus Lebanese territory; and Secretary-General’s good offices in Cyprus and 24 Yemen • Syria, the monthly briefings on political and the outcome of UN consultant Jane Holl Lute’s humanitarian developments and on the use of consultations on the negotiation process. chemical weapons. Other issues this month include the annual The Council is scheduled to adopt a resolution briefing to the Council of the ICJ President and a renewing the authorisation for member states to joint briefing by the chairs of the Council’s coun- inspect vessels on the high seas off the coast of ter-terrorism related committees. Libya when reasonable grounds exist to suspect In Hindsight: Emergence of the E10 27 September 2018 This report is available online at securitycouncilreport.org. In October, the five incoming members of the For many years, the diverse nature of the For daily insights by SCR on evolving Security Council—Belgium, the Dominican E10 members has made coordination and joint Security Council actions please subscribe to our “What’s In Blue” Republic, Germany, Indonesia and South Afri- action difficult. However, driven by dissatisfac- series at whatsinblue.org or follow ca—will begin attending meetings of the Council, tion with being sidelined on key Council deci- @SCRtweets on Twitter. both formal and informal, as well as meetings of sions and a shared desire to improve the effec- the subsidiary bodies. Starting on 1 January 2019, tiveness of the Council, especially in the face of these five members will make up the E10 together P5 paralysis caused by sharp differences, elected with Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Kuwait, members have begun acting as a more cohe- Peru and Poland. sive group. The E10 now meet monthly at both Security Council Report Monthly Forecast October 2018 securitycouncilreport.org 1 In Hindsight: Emergence of the E10 permanent representative and political coor- In 2013-14, Australia and Luxembourg extended the JIM’s mandate for one month dinator level. These meetings have allowed (joined by Jordan in 2014) paved the way while requesting the UN Secretary-General, the E10 to discuss the working methods of by drafting decisions on the humanitar- in coordination with the OPCW, to submit the Council, particularly around the issues ian aspects of the Syria conflict. Ever since, proposals to the Council for a new struc- of penholders and chairs of subsidiary bod- elected members have been the recognised ture and methodology for the JIM. Follow- ies. The elected members chair all the sub- co-penholders on Syrian humanitarian ing the Russian veto of the Japanese draft, sidiary bodies, with the P5 deciding on the issues and have found ways of navigating the Italy in its role as Council president circu- distribution of responsibilities. This year divisions of the permanent members on the lated a draft letter to the Secretary-General the E10 have pushed for a greater role and Syria issue to achieve outcomes on cross-line requesting that the JIM’s organisational more equitable distribution in the allocation and cross-border humanitarian access and administrative arrangements be main- of chairs of subsidiary bodies. These regu- The increasingly divisive P5 dynamics, tained until 31 December 2017, pending lar E10 meetings also provide a forum for particularly over Syria, have been a partic- a final decision on the renewal of its man- discussion of issues of substance, and an ular catalyst for E10 action. In April 2017, date. Soon thereafter, Sweden and Uruguay opportunity to garner support from fellow following the chemical weapons attack on circulated a draft resolution to extend the E10 members for potential new initiatives. Khan Shaykhun, the P3 and Russia both JIM’s mandate for a year with the aim of The E10 have had several meetings with the produced separate draft resolutions, which reaching a compromise among the com- Secretary-General, most recently in mid- were then negotiated among the P5. Frus- peting perspectives in the Council. Russia September together with the incoming five trated at not being consulted in the negotia- opposed both initiatives, which led to the elected members. tion process, the E10 in an unusual move demise of the JIM, but the energy and dyna- The incoming members enter the Coun- produced a draft text that represented a mism shown by these Council members in cil at a moment when the opportunity for compromise among the positions of the the last stretch of the negotiations on a file elected members to make their mark on the permanent members. The existence of this traditionally monopolised by permanent work of the Council appears greater than it alternative E10 draft that might have been members was notable. has been for many years. In the early 1990s, acceptable to the majority of members Even when there is agreement on a Syr- after the end of the Cold War and lasting for apparently made it more difficult for the P3 ia-related issue, implementation of these about a decade, elected members frequent- and Russia to proceed with a vote on draft Council decisions is often difficult. In Feb- ly took initiatives on important issues and resolutions that would almost certainly not ruary, the Council unanimously adopted contributed policy options on a full range of have been adopted, either because of likely resolution 2401, which demanded a ces- matters. However, starting in the mid-2000s, vetoes or not having the requisite nine votes. sation of hostilities in Syria. Sweden and the space shrank for such contributions However, US air strikes that evening on the Kuwait, the current co-leads on humani- from elected members, particularly with the Sha’yrat airbase outside Homs derailed the tarian issues, engaged in intense bilateral emergence of a more rigid “penholder” sys- attempt by the E10 to bridge the divide negotiations with Russia and were able to tem. Today, the P3—France, the UK, and among permanent members. The P3 then incorporate enough of its concerns for there the US—are penholders on the majority of circulated a draft resolution, largely based to be rare Council unity on a Syria-related situations on the Council’s agenda. on their previous text, although incorporat- outcome. However, the Syrian government The P3, with their institutional memory ing one element from the E10 draft. That did not abide by the resolution, and there and well-resourced missions, are arguably in draft was vetoed by Russia. was no de-escalation of the violence. a strong position to hold the pen on substan- In November 2017, elected members The humanitarian crisis in Yemen, for tive issues in the Council. Being a penholder played an active role in trying to keep alive which the UK is the penholder, is another goes beyond drafting and negotiating texts, the Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) situation where the elected members have however. It also means calling meetings and of the Organisation for the Prohibition pushed for greater Council attention and organising visiting missions,and can work of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the more balanced outcomes. Coordination against inclusive Council processes. The UN, which had been set up to determine by some elected members on this issue penholder practice has often led the per- responsibility for the use of chemical weap- emerged late last year as a result of what manent members first to discuss and seek ons in Syria. Renewing the JIM mandate were perceived as unbalanced Council draft agreement among themselves on a draft text was always going to be difficult, as the P5 products on Yemen.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Lebanon: Managing the Gathering Storm
    LEBANON: MANAGING THE GATHERING STORM Middle East Report N°48 – 5 December 2005 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS................................................. i I. A SYSTEM BETWEEN OLD AND NEW.................................................................. 1 A. SETTING THE STAGE: THE ELECTORAL CONTEST..................................................................1 B. THE MEHLIS EFFECT.............................................................................................................5 II. SECTARIANISM AND INTERNATIONALISATION ............................................. 8 A. FROM SYRIAN TUTELAGE TO WESTERN UMBRELLA?............................................................8 B. SHIFTING ALLIANCES..........................................................................................................12 III. THE HIZBOLLAH QUESTION ................................................................................ 16 A. “A NEW PHASE OF CONFRONTATION” ................................................................................17 B. HIZBOLLAH AS THE SHIITE GUARDIAN?..............................................................................19 C. THE PARTY OF GOD TURNS PARTY OF GOVERNMENT.........................................................20 IV. CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................. 22 A. A BROAD INTERNATIONAL COALITION FOR A NARROW AGENDA .......................................22 B. A LEBANESE COURT ON FOREIGN
    [Show full text]
  • REGIONAL ANALYSIS SYRIA Received Little Or No Humanitarian Assistance in More Than 10 Months
    currently estimated to be living in hard to reach or besieged areas, having REGIONAL ANALYSIS SYRIA received little or no humanitarian assistance in more than 10 months. 07 February 2014 Humanitarian conditions in Yarmouk camp continued to worsen with 70 reported deaths in the last 4 months due to the shortage of food and medical supplies. Local negotiations succeeded in facilitating limited amounts of humanitarian Part I – Syria assistance to besieged areas, including Yarmouk, Modamiyet Elsham and Content Part I Barzeh neighbourhoods in Damascus although the aid provided was deeply This Regional Analysis of the Syria conflict (RAS) is an update of the December RAS and seeks to Overview inadequate. How to use the RAS? bring together information from all sources in the The spread of polio remains a major concern. Since first confirmed in October region and provide holistic analysis of the overall Possible developments Syria crisis. In addition, this report highlights the Map - Latest developments 2013, a total of 93 polio cases have been reported; the most recent case in Al key humanitarian developments in 2013. While Key events 2013 Hasakeh in January. In January 2014 1.2 million children across Aleppo, Al Part I focuses on the situation within Syria, Part II Information gaps and data limitations Hasakeh, Ar-Raqqa, Deir-ez-Zor, Hama, Idleb and Lattakia were vaccinated covers the impact of the crisis on neighbouring Operational constraints achieving an estimated 88% coverage. The overall health situation is one of the countries. More information on how to use this Humanitarian profile document can be found on page 2.
    [Show full text]
  • Good News & Information Sites
    Written Testimony of Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) National President Morton A. Klein1 Hearing on: A NEW HORIZON IN U.S.-ISRAEL RELATIONS: FROM AN AMERICAN EMBASSY IN JERUSALEM TO POTENTIAL RECOGNITION OF ISRAELI SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE GOLAN HEIGHTS Before the House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security Tuesday July 17, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2154 Chairman Ron DeSantis (R-FL) Ranking Member Stephen Lynch (D-MA) Introduction & Summary Chairman DeSantis, Vice Chairman Russell, Ranking Member Lynch, and Members of the Committee: Thank you for holding this hearing to discuss the potential for American recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, in furtherance of U.S. national security interests. Israeli sovereignty over the western two-thirds of the Golan Heights is a key bulwark against radical regimes and affiliates that threaten the security and stability of the United States, Israel, the entire Middle East region, and beyond. The Golan Heights consists of strategically-located high ground, that provides Israel with an irreplaceable ability to monitor and take counter-measures against growing threats at and near the Syrian-Israel border. These growing threats include the extremely dangerous hegemonic expansion of the Iranian-Syrian-North Korean axis; and the presence in Syria, close to the Israeli border, of: Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Quds forces; thousands of Iranian-armed Hezbollah fighters; Palestinian Islamic Jihad (another Iranian proxy); Syrian forces; and radical Sunni Islamist groups including the al Nusra Levantine Conquest Front (an incarnation of al Qaeda) and ISIS. The Iranian regime is attempting to build an 800-mile land bridge to the Mediterranean, running through Iraq and Syria.
    [Show full text]
  • Colonialism Or Something Else? a Reply to Ira Sharkansky's Comment
    SUBSCRIBE NOW AND RECEIVE CRISIS AND LEVIATHAN* FREE! “The Independent Review does not accept “The Independent Review is pronouncements of government officials nor the excellent.” conventional wisdom at face value.” —GARY BECKER, Noble Laureate —JOHN R. MACARTHUR, Publisher, Harper’s in Economic Sciences Subscribe to The Independent Review and receive a free book of your choice* such as the 25th Anniversary Edition of Crisis and Leviathan: Critical Episodes in the Growth of American Government, by Founding Editor Robert Higgs. This quarterly journal, guided by co-editors Christopher J. Coyne, and Michael C. Munger, and Robert M. Whaples offers leading-edge insights on today’s most critical issues in economics, healthcare, education, law, history, political science, philosophy, and sociology. Thought-provoking and educational, The Independent Review is blazing the way toward informed debate! Student? Educator? Journalist? Business or civic leader? Engaged citizen? This journal is for YOU! *Order today for more FREE book options Perfect for students or anyone on the go! The Independent Review is available on mobile devices or tablets: iOS devices, Amazon Kindle Fire, or Android through Magzter. INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE, 100 SWAN WAY, OAKLAND, CA 94621 • 800-927-8733 • [email protected] PROMO CODE IRA1703 CONTROVERSY Colonialism or Something Else? A Reply to Ira Sharkansky’s Comment ✦ RAFAEL REUVENY ra Sharkansky’s criticism of my article is emotional and sometimes inflammatory, but it is also unconvincing. Colonialism, he writes, “is one of the ugliest words Iavailable to judge a country’s history, and therefore it tilts the analysis heavily toward Israel’s fault,” suggesting that I seek to blame Israel (he does not specify for what, but presumably he means for perpetuating the conflict).
    [Show full text]
  • Conflict and the Identification of the Least Developed Countries: Theoretical and Statistical Considerations
    Department of Economic & Social Affairs CDP Background Paper No. 13 ST/ESA/2012/CDP/13 February 2012 Conflict and the identification of the Least Developed Countries: Theoretical and statistical considerations Ana Luiza Cortez and Namsuk Kim* BACKGROUND This paper reviews conflict as one of potential factors that could be incorporated in the identification of least developed countries (LDCs). It is not clear whether conflict can be considered as a structurally predetermined handicap as those identified in LDC criteria. More importantly, even if countries may be caught in a conflict trap, adding conflict indicators to the LDC criteria does not provide additional insights to enhance our understanding of the category . And adding conflict indicators is unlikely to introduce changes in country clas- sification. Many of the factors associated with conflict are already incorporated in the indica- tors used to identify LDCs, and, therefore, the inclusion of an explicit conflict indicator – to capture the risk of falling into conflict given conflict in the past – in the LDC criteria would not affect the composition list of LDCs. JEL Classification:O19, D74, F35 Keywords: Conflict, Least Developed Countries, Country classification * Ana Luiza Cortez is Chief, and Namsuk Kim is an Economic Affairs Officer at the Committee for Development Policy Secre- tariat, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations Headquarters, New York. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the United Nations Secretariat. The designations and terminology employed may not conform to United Nations practice and do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Organization.
    [Show full text]
  • No. ICC-01/18 16 March 2020 Original: English
    ICC-01/18-95 17-03-2020 1/32 NM PT Original: English No.: ICC-01/18 Date: 16 March 2020 PRE-TRIAL CHAMBER I Before: Judge Péter Kovács, Presiding Judge Judge Marc Perrin de Brichambaut Judge Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou SITUATION IN THE STATE OF PALESTINE Public Document Amicus Curiae in the Proceedings Relating to the Prosecution Request Pursuant to Article 19(3) for a Ruling on the Court’s Territorial Jurisdiction in Palestine Source: Professor Eyal Benvenisti Whewell Professor of International Law Jesus College, University of Cambridge No. ICC-01/18 1/25 16 March 2020 ICC-01/18-95 17-03-2020 2/32 NM PT Document to be notified in accordance with regulation 31 of the Regulations of the Court to: The Office of the Prosecutor Counsel for the Defence Fatou Bensouda, Prosecutor James Stewart, Deputy Prosecutor Legal Representatives of the Victims Legal Representatives of the Applicants Unrepresented Victims Unrepresented Applicants (Participation/Reparation) The Office of Public Counsel for Victims The Office of Public Counsel for the Paolina Massidda Defence States’ Representatives Amicus Curiae The competent authorities of the • Professor John Quigley State of Palestine • Guernica 37 International Justice Chambers REGISTRY • The European Centre for Law and Justice • Professor Hatem Bazian • The Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust • The Czech Republic • The Israel Bar Association • Professor Richard Falk • The Organization of Islamic Cooperation • The Lawfare Project, the Institute for NGO Research, Palestinian Media Watch, and the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs • MyAQSA Foundation • The Federal Republic of Germany • Australia • UK Lawyers for Israel, B’nai B’rith UK, the International Legal Forum, No.
    [Show full text]
  • Israel's Rights As a Nation-State in International Diplomacy
    Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs Institute for Research and Policy המרכז הירושלמי לענייני ציבור ומדינה )ע"ר( ISRAEl’s RiGHTS as a Nation-State in International Diplomacy Israel’s Rights as a Nation-State in International Diplomacy © 2011 Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs – World Jewish Congress Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs 13 Tel Hai Street, Jerusalem, Israel Tel. 972-2-561-9281 Fax. 972-2-561-9112 Email: [email protected] www.jcpa.org World Jewish Congress 9A Diskin Street, 5th Floor Kiryat Wolfson, Jerusalem 96440 Phone : +972 2 633 3000 Fax: +972 2 659 8100 Email: [email protected] www.worldjewishcongress.com Academic Editor: Ambassador Alan Baker Production Director: Ahuva Volk Graphic Design: Studio Rami & Jaki • www.ramijaki.co.il Cover Photos: Results from the United Nations vote, with signatures, November 29, 1947 (Israel State Archive) UN General Assembly Proclaims Establishment of the State of Israel, November 29, 1947 (Israel National Photo Collection) ISBN: 978-965-218-100-8 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction and Overview Ambassador Alan Baker .......................................................................................................................................................................... 5 The National Rights of Jews Professor Ruth Gavison ........................................................................................................................................................................... 9 “An Overwhelmingly Jewish State” - From the Balfour Declaration to the Palestine Mandate
    [Show full text]
  • Dilemmas of Diversity After the Cold War: Analyses of “Cultural Difference” by U.S
    Kennan Institute DILEMMAS OF DIVERSITY AFTER THE COLD WAR: Analyses of “Cultural Difference” by U.S. and Russia-Based Scholars Edited by Michele Rivkin-Fish and Elena Trubina DILEMMAS OF DIVERSITY AFTER THE COLD WAR: Analyses of “Cultural Difference” by U.S. and Russia-Based Scholars By Michele Rivkin-Fish and Elena Trubina WOODROW WILSON INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR ScHOLARS The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, established by Congress in 1968 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., is a living national memorial to President Wilson. The Center’s mission is to com- memorate the ideals and concerns of Woodrow Wilson by providing a link between the worlds of ideas and policy, while fostering research, study, discussion, and collaboration among a broad spectrum of individuals con- cerned with policy and scholarship in national and international affairs. Supported by public and private funds, the Center is a nonpartisan in- stitution engaged in the study of national and world affairs. It establish- es and maintains a neutral forum for free, open, and informed dialogue. Conclusions or opinions expressed in Center publications and programs are those of the authors and speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Center staff, fellows, trustees, advisory groups, or any individuals or organizations that provide financial support to the Center. The Center is the publisher of The Wilson Quarterly a nd home of Wood row Wilson Center Press, dialogue radio and television, and the monthly news- letter “Centerpoint.” For more information about the Center’s activities and publications, please visit us on the web at www.wilsoncenter.org.
    [Show full text]
  • Revisiting the Path of Lebanon Over the Past 100 Years
    REVISITING THE PATH OF LEBANON OVER THE PAST 100 YEARS Analysis of Different Constitutional Aspects of the State REVISITING THE PATH OF LEBANON OVER THE PAST 100 YEARS This book is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercia - Share Alike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). Please be notified that the book has been released under a Creative Commons license to allow optimal accessibility while preserving attribution to the contributors and the editor’s work, as long as it is not used for commercial purposes. We would like to provide equal opportunities for anyone who wants to disseminate, write and search on the topic. You can share and adapt the content by remixing, transforming, building and redistributing the material in any medium or format as long as you attribute it and properly credit the authors under the same license as the original. For more information, a copy of this license is available at URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by- nc-sa/4.0/ REVISITING THE PATH OF For more information, a copy of this license is available at URL: https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ LEBANON OVER THE PAST 100 YEARS Analysis of Different Constitutional Aspects of the State REVISITING THE PATH OF LEBANON OVER THE PAST 100 YEARS Notre Dame University-Louaize NDU Press© First published: 2020, Lebanon ISBN 978-614-475-009-4 Zouk, Kesrwan, P.O.Box 72 Cover design: Department of Creative Design www.ndu.edu.lb | [email protected] P.O. Box: 72, Zouk, Keserwan Phone: +961 9 208 994/6 REVISITING THE PATH OF LEBANON OVER THE PAST 100 YEARS – ANALYSIS OF DIFFERENT CONSTITUTIONAL ASPECTS OF THE STATE ©2020Notre Dame University - Louaize (NDU) and Rule of Law Programme Middle East and North Africa, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e.V.
    [Show full text]
  • S/Res/2426 (2018)
    United Nations S/RES/2426 (2018) Distr.: General Security Council 29 June 2018 Resolution 2426 (2018) Adopted by the Security Council at its 8303rd meeting, on 29 June 2018 The Security Council, Noting with concern that the situation in the Middle East is tense and is likely to remain so, unless and until a comprehensive settlement covering all aspects of the Middle East problem can be reached, Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) of 11 June 2018 (S/2018/550) and also reaffirming its resolution 1308 (2000) of 17 July 2000, Stressing that both parties must abide by the terms of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement between Israel and the Syrian Arab Republic and scrupulously observe the ceasefire, Concurring with the Secretary-General’s findings that the ongoing military activities conducted by any actor in the area of separation continue to have the potential to escalate tensions between Israel and the Syrian Arab Republic, jeopardize the ceasefire between the two countries, and pose a risk to the local civilian population and United Nations personnel on the ground, Expressing alarm that recent escalation of violence in the Syrian Arab Republic risks a serious conflagration of the conflict in the region Expressing grave concern at all violations of the Disengagement of Forces Agreement, Stressing that there should be no military forces in the area of separation other than those of UNDOF, Strongly condemning the continued fighting in the area of separation,
    [Show full text]
  • Annotated Bibliography for Palestine
    Samuel Adelson, May 2013 Model Arab League Annotated Bibliography for Palestine ncusar.org/modelarableague Model Arab League Research Resources: Palestine Page 1 Samuel Adelson, May 2013 This annotated bibliography was created to serve as a research resource for students taking part in the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations’ Model Arab League Program. With the understanding that research can be intimidating and time consuming, an effort was made to find a set of scholarly articles that give a detailed background and thorough account of the current situation for this League of Arab States member. Included are annotations designed to give a description of the source with the intention of students completing the research on their own. There has been an attempt to focus on more contemporary scholarship, specifically post- 9/11 and post-2011 (so-called “Arab Spring”) where possible, as these are two phenomena that fundamentally changed politics in the Arab world. These sources should provide students with a solid basis for understanding the country they are representing in both regionally and globally significant issues as well as the interests of other countries within the League of Arab States. 1. Issam Al-Khatib, Sana' Kamal, Basem Taha, Jamil Al Hamad, and Hatem Jaber, “Water – Health Relationships in Developing Countries: A Case Study in Tulkarem District in Palestine,” International Journal of Environmental Health Research, Volume 13, Number 2, June 2003, pp. 199-206. •• The WHO says that water should be “easily accessible, adequate in quantity, free of contamination, inexpensive and readily available.” While access to water is an issue in Palestine, even more pressing of an issue is access to clean, potable water.
    [Show full text]
  • Feud Between President and Speaker Threatens Lebanon's March 8 Alliance
    12 February 4, 2018 News & Analysis Lebanon Feud between president and speaker threatens Lebanon’s March 8 alliance Sami Moubayed remained until 2005. Berri became speaker of parlia- ment in 1992, a post he still holds. Beirut He became a protege of the Syrians while Aoun spent 15 years calling new crisis is looming for their departure from Lebanon. in Beirut, threatening During his exile, Aoun accused to cripple the already Berri of autocracy, corruption and highly dysfunctional submissiveness to the Syrians. Lebanese government. When he returned to Lebanon ThisA time it isn’t between Hezbol- after Rafik Hariri’s assassination lah and its enemies in the Western- in 2005, Aoun promised to bring backed March 14 bloc but within down the political system alto- the powerful and hitherto united gether, promoting himself as an March 8 alliance. agent of reform and change. A major feud is snowballing be- Aoun and Berri set aside their tween the long-serving Speaker differences in 2006 when Aoun of Parliament Nabih Berri, 79, and reached a ground-breaking alli- President Michel Aoun, 82 — two ance with Nasrallah, cemented staunch allies of Hezbollah Secre- during that year’s summer war tary-General Hassan Nasrallah. If with Israel. He promised to protect not controlled, the conflict could and support Hezbollah’s armed have disastrous consequences for struggle and Hezbollah pledged the March 8 alliance, especially to make him president of Lebanon ahead of parliamentary elections one day — a promise it fulfilled in scheduled for May. November 2016. Berri signed off on Aoun’s presi- dency, rather unwillingly, unable to say no to Nasrallah.
    [Show full text]