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Regional Updates

October 2014 | № 1 Regional Updates: Contents

Cyprus...... 3 Sources and further reading...... 4

Egypt...... 5 Sources and further reading...... 6

Israel-Palestine...... 7 Sources and further reading...... 8

GPoT No. 1 | 2 C BY DUYGU ALPAN ALPAN |CYPRUS concerning EU-Turkey relations. likelywill bring developments critical not only with regards process to peace the on islandthe but also openingthe of any chapters new in its accession course in EU.the Therefore,the forthcomingdays The Greek Cypriot sideadoptedpackage a of eight measures against Turkey,which includes vetoing cooperation with . in Cairo on November 9,as Greeks and Greek the Cypriots attribute importance to maritime their announced that Greek the atrilateral meeting between Cypriot side, held Greece be and will Egypt agreement allowing joint search and operationsrescue twothe countries. between It was also Few days afterthe negotiationsthecame Greek to adeadlock, Cypriot side and Greece signed an suspensionthe as a“strong reaction” within context the and reality of island. the Eroğlu. The newly Derviş appointed UN Special Adviser on Cyprus, Mr. Eide, described Barth Espen unilaterally suspended comprehensive the negotiations peace with his Turkish Cypriot counterpart Mr. Following decision the issued by Turkey Greek on 3,the October Cypriot Mr. leader Nicos Anastasiades Turkey’s Exploration Ship, Barbaros, was sent to area the to operate from30. 20to December October explorationa seismic ship Mediterranean to Eastern the incooperation with Turkey. In context, this not accept any activities unilaterally out carried by Greekthe Cypriots in that and part to send decided commencement, Turkish the Cypriot sideclaiming co-ownership area inthe declared that it would in Parcel is 9,which situated Exclusive inits so-called Economic Zone (EEC).In response to the The Greek Cypriot sidecommenced exploratoryEastern the in activities drilling Mediterranean two the sideswerebetween suspended. exploration Mediterranean, Eastern in activities the negotiations 9. However, due to latest the developments on disputed natural gas withinframework this talks were planned to place take on October agreed upon on 11February, 2014.Thepeace next direct almost 50years, were revived with Joint the Declaration negotiations,yprus peace have which on-going been for GPoT No. 1|3

Global Political Trends Center ALPAN |CYPRUS Oct. 27,2014-WhyOct. doGreek Cypriots Turkey call Aggressor? the 23,2014-UNchief optimisticOct. about Cyprus settlement 21,2014-Eroğlu:Oct. Hiç Yoktan Müzakere Masasını Terk Ettiler Turkey 21,2014-Greece accuses Oct. of violating laws of sea the 21,2014-CyprusOct. unveils eight point plan to punish Turkey 14,2014-KıbrıslıOct. Türklerin deHakkı Var 14,2014-Greece,Oct. Cyprus Sign Important Operations Sea Pact 10,2014-Eide:IsympathiseOct. but…. 9,2014-Kıbrıs’takiOct. Statüko Tehlikeli 9,2014-GüçOct. gösterisi ‘restleşme’ ile arasında Kıbrıs’ın gazıkaçarken… 7,2014-GreekOct. Cypriots with Turk talks halt peace Cypriots over gas row 5,2014-TurkeyOct. warns Greek Cyprus over hydrocarbon searches Sources and Further Readingto (click access) GPoT No. 1|4

Global Political Trends Center D to end its gas search inCyprus, illegal. is which deemed Fourth, foreign the ministers of Greece, Egypt, and Cyprus jointly delivered a statement urging Turkey with Turkey upon its expiration in April 2015, marking deterioration further of Egypt-Turkey relations. security. Third,the governmentEgyptian not decided to renew its RO-ROtransit-trade agreement requestedallies its intervention, wouldto its country willing the discuss be role in ensuring regional airstrikes on Islamic State militants inIraq and . However, Mehleb that added ifEgypt’s Arab Gulf Minister Ibrahim Mehleb vowed anon-interventionist inother affairs, Middle Eastern policy including security, arms curb trafficking, train and Libya’s counter-terrorismsecurity Second, forces. Prime that government Egyptian the cement will cooperation with its Libyan neighbor to improve border Pertaining to regional affairs,there were four important developments. First, Ibrahim confirmed attacks, clashes, and roadside bombings continue to claim lives the of hundreds of troops. Egyptian thousands, including affiliated those the bannedwith Muslim Brotherhood. Similarly,militant-led Mohamed campaign hundreds Ibrahim, military-led has the killed of militants inclashes and detained offensive against militantgroups, located mainlythe in Sinai region. According to Minister of Interior ouster of former President Mohamed Morsi, forces security Egyptian have conducted a major security effective forthree months—and orderedthe creation of a buffer zoneEgypt’s on Gaza border. Since the in North Sinai. In response, El-Sisi declared astate of emergency governorate—which inthe be will troops 24,31Egyptian were duringOn October two killed separate attacks, out carried by militants are still imprisoned. and into descended peacefully violence, resulting in arrestthe of hundreds of students, many of which heighteningthe measures security adopted by private company, security Falcon. The protests started in 18universities including Cairo, Ain-Shams, Mansoura, Damietta, and Al-Azhar universities, against 11,as universitiesOn October marked of year, beginning the academic anew student protests erupted national security, inreference whether to unrest civil or militant groups. He stressed importance the especially of on-going the efforts to restore institutions, society civil and building of on asystem law. rule the based prerequisite necessary the to stimulating economy, the strengthening BY OMAR SHEIRA EGYPT SHEIRA |EGYPT the currentthe challenges facing Stability, Egypt. el-Sisi said, is Sisi Assembly addressed UNGeneral the outlining inaspeech uring final the September, week of President Abdelfattah el- GPoT No. 1|5

Global Political Trends Center SHEIRA |EGYPT Oct. 29,2014-Greece, CyprusOct. Egypt, urge Turkey to quit gas search off island 28,2014-NorthOct. Sinai residents border evacuation near Rafah begin 27,2014-Ro-ro agreementOct. not renewed to be 24,2014-StateOct. of Emergency declared of inparts North Sinai 23,2014-Bombnear explodes CairoOct. University 21,2014-ISIL promptsOct. renewed U.S.-Egypt Apaches ties; shipped to Egypt 21,2014-PMMahlab: IslamicOct. State members may have entered Egypt sentences 21,2014-Egypt Oct. members to suspected death of seven Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis inEgypt’s bomb seven 19,2014-Roadside kills Oct. Sinai Peninsula 18,2014-Amnesty InternationalOct. condemns at heavy handed Universities tactics Egyptian 18,2014-58studentOct. protests firstIndex inthe Democracy week the academic of year: Intervention 15,2014-An Egyptian Oct. inLibya 13,2014-WhatOct. you don’t know about “Falcon” universities inEgyptian 13,2014-PoliceOct. forces university to secure campuses: Interior ministry to 13,2014-Egypt receiveOct. $5bn inloans from UAE and Saudi Arabia: Source 10,2014-Egypt’sOct. campuses brace for semester, new Islamists vow ‘intense’ protests 10,2014-IMFchief impressed’ LagardeOct. ‘very by Egypt’s economic reforms army 10,2014-Egyptian 21“terrorists”:Oct. kills army spokesman 9,2014-LibyanOct. minister of interior says to Egypt train forces police 24,2014-El-SisiSept. UNSpeech Sources and Further Readingto (click access) GPoT No. 1|6

Global Political Trends Center T was killed when aPalestinian when was killed man drove his car into acrowd. Subsequently, Jerusalem and East the The end the of monthcame withthe escalation violentof conflictthe in West AnBank. Israeli baby recognition of Palestine as an officialstate. This was followed theby symbolic and non-binding majority vote of British MPs calling forthe Spokesperson decision the ‘premature’, called referring to to need the first resolvestatus final issues. accordance with international law. The actionwas condemned by , and US StateDepartment of Palestine, emphasizing that conflictthe with solvedIsraelcanbe onlywith two-state a solution in Afterthe UN, in meetings thebecame first major European totherecognize country State Palestinians. US condemned action,Netanyahu the stated that he deniesagreeing borders to 1967based the with a statement addressing approval the of settlement anew expansion inJerusalem. While EUand the the Netanyahu’sDuring meeting with USPresident Barack Obama, Israeli non-profit Peace Now published plans, he invited Arab states to participate Israeli-Palestinian inthe process. peace regionin the and comparing it to Hamas. While dedicated heof also part on his speech Iran’s nuclear Netanyahu’s on Islamic focused speech fundamentalism by Middle inthe East referring to ISIL’s acts year to end deadline Israeli occupation. end Israeli ‘state terrorism’. to Council pass aresolution UNSecurity the He called setting athree- also Abbas claimed that Israel for genocide inGazaand has perpetrated called acomprehensive strategy to ofspeeches Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. last the During week of September, Assembly UNGeneral the session 69th intense witnessedthe waythe for reconstruction the of Gazaafterthe war. agreed on a unity government to controltake of Gaza with aimthe of easing blockadethe and opening After reaching throughseveral aceasefire attempts, Hamas and began negotiationsFatah in Cairo and majority of Palestinian deaths were civilians. Israel’s Operation Protective Edge offensive. Accordingthe the vast UN, to with 66Israeli 8July soldiers were between killed and 27August during people war inthe on GazaStrip. the More than 2,100Palestinians along AMMASH |ISRAEL-PALESTINE BY MUHAMMED AMMASH ISRAEL-PALESTINE a violent summer that caused death the of more than two thousand toscene many important developments inIsrael and Palestine after he end of September and of of beginning the October 2014 was a GPoT No. 1|7

Global Political Trends Center AMMASH | ISRAEL-PALESTINE

West Bank witnessed clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces, which resulted in many wounded and arrested by Israel. The shooting incident of a right-wing Jew campaigning for Jewish prayer rights further heightened tensions, leading to the killing of a Palestinian suspect by Israeli forces. Following this rapid escalation, Israel decided to close Jerusalem’s Holy Sites, including Al- Aqsa Mosque. This act inspired many condemnations and was therefore, reversed one day later.

Sources and Further Reading (click to access)

Sept. 1, 2014 - Gaza crisis: Toll of operations in Gaza

Sept. 25, 2014 - Text of Fatah-Hamas agreement

Sept. 25, 2014 - Ashrawi: It’s Time for UK, European Countries to Recognize Palestine

Sept. 26, 2014 - Abbas at UNGA: Israel perpetrated genocide in Gaza, we won’t forget

Sept. 29, 2014 - Transcript of Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the UN General Assembly

Oct. 1, 2014 - Netanyahu to Obama: Arab states can have role in Palestinian-Israeli peace

Oct. 3, 2014 - EU condemns Israeli plans to build beyond Green Line

Oct. 9, 2014 - After Years of Hamas Control, Gaza Is Scene of Palestinian Cabinet Meeting

Oct. 10, 2014 - Having to Rebuild Gaza, Again

Oct. 10, 2014 - UK MPs Vote to Recognize Palestine as Official State

Oct. 14, 2014 - British vote brings Palestinians one step closer to statehood

Oct. 16, 2014 - Has Israel accepted the Palestinian unity government?

Oct. 19, 2014 - Gaza Plan ‘Relieves Israel of Responsibility’

Oct. 29, 2014 - Netanyahu insists he is ‘under attack for defending Israel’

Oct. 30, 2014 - Jerusalem holy site closure ‘declaration of war’ – Abbas

Gl oba l P o itica T r ends Cen t e

GPoT No. 1 | 8 Global Political Trends Center Istanbul Kültür University

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