Embarking on an insightful dialogue with Ambassador Modi Ephraim, with a focus on recent events, the Ambassador shares his perspectives on the response of the Dutch government and people, the resilience of the Jewish community, and the potential avenues for strengthened collaboration in the face of challenges.
DM – In light of the recent unprecedented attack from Hamas, how would you describe the response of the people of the Netherlands and the Dutch government?
Immediately after the Hamas attack, I was met by an outpour of support. Solidarity events organized by people of all sorts of walks and religions, demonstrations for Israel, and the raising of the Israeli flag by countless people who were shocked by the brutal attack on innocent Israelis by Hamas terrorists on October 7th.
Following the attack, the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte showed solidarity with Israel by raising the flag in front of his office and he was clear in his stance that Israel has the right to self-defense. There was a moment of silence in Parliament to honor the victims of the brutal attack that took place on October 7th which I was honored to attend, and I received messages of solidarity and support from countless Parliamentarians.
In Israel, I accompanied the Dutch minister of Foreign Affairs of Hanke Bruins Slot in a visit to Kfar Aza, one of the villages that was brutally attacked by Hamas terrorists on October 7th. The devastation the minister saw and the stories she heard made a big impact on her. I think anyone who bears witness to the atrocities, understands that the Hamas terror organization needs to be destroyed.
The Prime Minister made multiple visits to Israel and took ample time to meet with the family of Ofir Engel, an Israeli boy with also Dutch nationality who was abducted by Hamas terrorists to Gaza. After the meeting, I spoke with Ofir’s grandfather and he was so appreciative of the kindness and support PM Rutte showed.
In the Netherlands we have seen many demonstrations and solidarity actions, demanding the release of all hostages. Because of his Dutch background, there was particular attention for Ofir, and we are all so happy that he is now released and back with his loved ones. I appreciate the role of the Dutch government and all citizens who called for the release of him and all other hostages.
There are still 137 hostages kept by terrorists in Gaza. It is important that everyone continues to ask attention for this urgent matter, and I am appreciative to see that demonstrations and creative actions continue to be organized to shine a light on the plight of the hostages.
DM – Given the increase in anti-Semitic incidents you mentioned earlier, how has the Jewish local community in the Netherlands responded to the recent events?
There is great concern about the alarming increase of 818% of anti-Semitic incidents in the Netherlands. I find it dreadful that 80 years after the Holocaust, some people in the Netherlands have to hide the mezuza on their door or the yarmulke on their head out of fear. We work with the leadership of the Jewish community, the Dutch government and Parliament to ensure that Jewish life can continue. It is appalling that Jewish events are being cancelled and that Jewish schools had to close because of safety concerns. Just like any other people, the Jewish community must be able to live safely and freely in the Netherlands.
DM – As the Ambassador, how do you see the role of the Dutch government in fostering stronger ties and cooperation between Israel and the Netherlands during this challenging time?
In 2024 we mark 75 years of bilateral ties between Israel and the Netherlands. A diamond jubilee. Throughout these years our two countries have enjoyed a close friendship and ever-growing trade, as we continuously work together in various fields to enhance cooperation. We cherish our shared values that serve as a basis to this close friendship.
We appreciate the friendship of the Dutch government in the past few months since the brutal October 7th attack. As I mentioned earlier, PM Rutte made clear that Israel has the right to self-defense. The role of the Dutch government in getting hostages released, including Ofir Engel, cannot be underestimated and we are very grateful.
To ensure the eradication of the Hamas terror organization, it is important that this is part of the international agenda. Just like an international coalition was formed to fight Islamic State, the same must be done against Hamas to ensure that their terror will not reach Europe.
DM – In your experience as Israel’s top representative in The Hague, how has the recent situation impacted people-to-people exchanges, especially in the field or arts, between Israel and the Netherlands?
In the many demonstrations and actions in support of Israel, artists use their talents to ask attention. For example, recently in Amsterdam I attended the making of a painting on a wall by Israeli graffiti artist Benzi Brofman. His artwork shines light on sexual war violence against women and calls to speak up for our sisters. Brutal rapes were broadcast live by Hamas on social media and the hostage women experienced terrible things. This deserves more attention, and I am grateful for the efforts by Brofman and other artists who use their art as a wake-up call.
At the same time, we also see demonstrations that show support for the Hamas terror. Anti-Semitic chants are being shouted and the state of Israel is being denied the right to exist. It is important that we stand against terror and those who seek the destruction of the Jewish state.
DM – Looking forward, what are your expectations or hopes regarding the ongoing collaboration between Israel and the Netherlands, considering the recent events?
This month we celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas. Both serve as a symbol of optimism in dark times. I am optimistic that we will have victory in the war against terror and that we will have peace in the region. We will continue to grow ties with our neighbors, and together with the Netherlands we can grow multilateral projects that are of benefit to Israel, its neighbors and the Netherlands.
The President of the International Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation Mrs Gunay Afandiyeva, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Netherlands H.E. Mr Rahman Mustafayev, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Netherlands H.E. Mr Askar Zhumagaliyev, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to the Netherlands H.E. Mr Selçuk Ünal, invited friends, colleagues and others at the concert by the Seven Beauties Music Group, at the Chancellery of Azerbaijan on 24 October 2023.
Turan Manafzadeh from Azerbaijan, conductor and pianist. Sevent Beauties Musical Group.
The Ambassadors: Rahman Mustafayev, Askar Zhumagaliyev, Selçuk Ünal and Mrs Gunay Afandiyeva, President of the International Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, each welcome the guests.
The “Seven Beauties” music group is a testament to the rich and diverse cultural heritage of the Turkic world. The ensemble comprised exceptionally talented female musicians representing seven member states of the Organisation of Turkic States (Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Hungary (observer). The concert was a celebration of the music, harmony and diversity of the Turkic culture.
The Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Netherlands H.E. Mr Rahman Mustafayev, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Netherlands H.E. Mr Askar Zhumagaliyev, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to the Netherlands H.E. Mr Selçuk Ünal together with the musical group Seven Beauties.
The title Seven Beauties doesn’t only refer to the seven young ladies or the seven countries, but after the poem Seven Beauties by genius philosopher and poet Nizami Ganjavi (Azerbaijan). The concert de facto paid homage to this genius of the Turkic World Nizami Ganjavi.
The repertoire consisted of pieces by:
“Arazbarı” – Uzeyir Hajibeyli
“Kozimnin Karası” – Аbay Кunanbaev (Kazakistan)
“Türkiye 100” – Turan Manafzade
“Ok Lolalar” – Uzbek folk song (Uzbekistan)
“Hungarian Dance” no.5 – Johannes Brahms (Hungary)
“Turkish March” – Wolfgang Amadeus Моzart (arr. by Fazıl Say)
Turan Manafzadeh from Azerbaijan, conductor and pianist, Maiya Medetbek from Kazakhstan violin, Kanysh Nurdi from Kyrgyzstan violin, Gökce Bahar Oytun from Turkiye on cello, Vlada Guseynpva from Uzbekistan violin, Selbi Kadirova from Turkmenistan violin and Paulovits Boglárka also on violin.
The ensemble included: Turan Manafzadeh from Azerbaijan as the conductor and pianist, Maiya Medetbek from Kazakhstan violin, Kanysh Nurdi from Kyrgyzstan violin, Gökce Bahar Oytun from Turkiye on cello, Vlada Guseynpva from Uzbekistan violin, Selbi Kadirova from Turkmenistan violin and Paulovits Boglárka also on violin.
Part of the public attending the presentation of Seven Beauties at the Embassy of Azerbaijan in The Hague.
The “Seven Beauties” music group concert was astonishing, their creativity, performativity and musicality captivated the audience for the entire duration of the concert. Everyone left the concert in high spirits.
On Wednesday December 6, 2023, the President of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Judge Piotr Hofmański, met with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, at the seat of the United Nations in New York. The meeting took place in the margins of the 22nd Session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute , the Court’s founding treaty.
During the meeting, President Hofmański conveyed to the Secretary-General his deep sense of gratitude for the strong support and cooperation of the United Nations, which is particularly important as the Court is facing pressures and attacks on account of its independent work in addressing the most serious crimes under international law. Secretary-General Guterres expressed his strong support for the Court as a fundamental tool of accountability and assured President Hofmański that the cooperation of the United Nations will continue, in line with the Relationship Agreement between the United Nations and the Court and with full respect for the Court’s independence. The discussion also touched upon the importance of strengthening the capacity of national jurisdictions to investigate and adjudicate core international crimes in accordance with the principle of complementarity enshrined in the Rome Statute.
Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court publishes new Policy on Children: Statement by ICC Prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan KC
As we witness the suffering of children globally, my Office has launched a new Policy on Children to help remedy their historic underrepresentation and lack of engagement in international criminal justice processes. This Policy represents a critical step to realising my consistent pledge to take a child-sensitive approach to investigations and prosecutions by articulating how we can proactively and explicitly consider their experiences in all our cases.
Children have the right to participate in justice processes that involve them. It is the position of this Office that children’s voices will be heard in every case, every situation. Interaction with an individual child will of course depend on that child’s abilities, consent, and best interests. But at the case level, my Office will actively and affirmatively seek to engage with children so that we can better understand the ways they are targeted for and impacted by crimes under the Rome Statute.
This Policy emphasises our view that allRome Statute crimes may be committed against or affect children. Conflicts affect children in various ways depending on personal characteristics, including age, gender, disability, ethnicity, religion, where they live and their level of education. Countering a traditionally homogenous view of children, the Policy aims to actively reflect and adapt to issues related to intersectionality, children’s different developmental stages and their evolving capacities.
Building on the 2016 OTP Policy on Children, this Policy incorporates recent research about children’s development, memory, and abilities to engage in judicial processes, as well as the emergence of new technologies to support their safe participation.
To ensure that we engage children as victims, survivors and witnesses, the Policy emphasises my commitment to establish an institutional environment that facilitates effective investigation and prosecution of crimes against and affecting children– including through recruitment, training, external collaboration, and meaningful implementation, monitoring, and evaluation measures.
Wednesday, 25 October 2023, Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany: Ambassador Dilshod Akhatov, a distinguished diplomat from Uzbekistan, presented his credentials before German Federal President Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier at Bellevue Palace. Akhatov is no stranger to Germany, having had served a previous ambassadorial role in the EU’s largest economy between 2010 and 2013.
Born on 28th June 1972 in the Samarkand Region of Uzbekistan, Ambassador Akhatov has dedicated his life to serving his country in various capacities in the field of foreign affairs.
His academic journey began at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy in Tashkent, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations. He further advanced his education at the Moscow State Institute (University) of International Relations, obtaining a Master’s degree in International Law. These academic achievements laid a solid foundation for his future career in diplomacy.
Ambassador Akhatov is multilingual, fluent in German, English, and Russian, skills that have undoubtedly been an asset in his international postings and negotiations. His diplomatic career commenced in 1995 with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan. He started as an intern and quickly progressed to the roles of Attaché in the Department of European Countries.
From 1999 to 2003, he served as Attaché and subsequently Third Secretary at the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan to Germany. This period marked the beginning of his long-standing connection with Germany, a country that would later see him as resident ambassador. Upon returning to Uzbekistan in 2003, he became the Head of the Division of the Department of European Countries in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, further expanding his expertise in European affairs.
Between 2007 and 2010, Ambassador Akhatov took on the role of Head of the Department for Cooperation with European countries and NATO within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan. His leadership in these roles demonstrated his capability to manage significant diplomatic responsibilities and foster international cooperation.
His first ambassadorial role came in 2010 when he was appointed as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the Federal Republic of Germany. This position, held until 2013, was a testament to his diplomatic skills and deep understanding of German-Uzbek relations.
Following his tenure in Germany, he returned to Uzbekistan to lead the Department of the UN and International Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2013 to 2016. His role here involved engaging with key international bodies and shaping Uzbekistan’s foreign policy in the global arena.
In 2016, Ambassador Akhatov once again took charge of the Department for Cooperation with European Countries and NATO, reaffirming his expertise in European affairs. His leadership in this department was followed by his appointment as the Head of the Main Directorate for Bilateral Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2018.
Later that year, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, a role in which he served until 2020. This position allowed him to play a pivotal role in shaping the foreign policy of Uzbekistan and managing its international relations.
From 2020 to 2023, Ambassador Akhatov served as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to India. His tenure in India further strengthened the diplomatic ties between Uzbekistan and India, paving the way for enhanced bilateral cooperation.
In 2023, Ambassador Akhatov returned again to Germany, this time as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the Federal Republic of Germany, a role he currently holds.
European Times(04.12.2023) – In 2022, a total of 2,496 children, some as young as 8-years-old, were verified by the United Nations as detained for their actual or alleged association with armed groups, including groups designated as terrorists by the U.N. The highest numbers were recorded in Iraq, in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and in the Syrian Arab Republic.
These figures were highlighted by Anne Schintgen at the European Parliament during a conference titled “Children Deprived of Liberty in World” organised on 28 November by MEP Soraya Rodriguez Ramos (Political Group Renew Europe). A number of high-level experts had been invited as panelists to speak about their respective areas of expertise:
Manfred Nowak, former UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and an independent expert that led the elaboration of a UN Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty;
Benoit van Keirsbilck, a member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child;
Manu Krishan, Global Campus on Human Rights, researcher with expertise in children’s rights and best practices;
Anne Schintgen, Head of the European Liaison Office of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict;
Rasha Muhrez, Syria Response Director for Save the Children (online);
Marta Lorenzo, Director of the UNRWA Representative Office for Europe (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East).
UN Report on Children in Armed Conflict
Manfred Nowak, former UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and an independent expert that led the elaboration of a UN Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty, was invited to the conference at the European Parliament and stressed that 7.2 million children are in various ways deprived of freedom in the world.
He referred in particular to the report of the UN Secretary General about children in armed conflict addressed to the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly Security Council (A/77/895-S/2023/363) on 5 June 2023, which was saying:
“In 2022, children continued to be disproportionately affected by armed conflict, and the number of children verified as affected by grave violations increased compared with 2021. The United Nations verified 27,180 grave violations, of which 24,300 were committed in 2022 and 2,880 were committed earlier but verified only in 2022. Violations affected 18,890 children (13,469 boys, 4,638 girls, 783 sex unknown) in 24 situations and one regional monitoring arrangement. The highest numbers of violations were the killing (2,985) and maiming (5,655) of 8,631 children, followed by the recruitment and use of 7,622 children and the abduction of 3,985 children. Children were detained for actual or alleged association with armed groups (2,496), including those designated as terrorist groups by the United Nations, or for national security reasons.”
The mandate of the UN Special Representative for Children in Armed Conflict
The Special Representative who is currently Virginia Gamba serves as the leading UN advocate for the protection and well-being of children affected by armed conflict.
The mandate was created by the General Assembly (Resolution A/RES/51/77) following the publication, in 1996, of a report by Graça Machel titled the “Impact of Armed Conflict on Children”. Her report highlighted the disproportionate impact of war on children and identified them as the primary victims of armed conflict.
The role of the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict is to strengthen the protection of children affected by armed conflict, raise awareness, promote the collection of information about the plight of children affected by war and foster international cooperation to improve their protection.
Detention of children in Iraq, DR Congo, Libya, Myanmar Somalia
Six grave violations affecting children in times of conflict were highlighted by Anne Schintgen, a member of the conference panel: recruitment and use of children for combating, killing and maiming children, sexual violence, attacks on schools and hospitals, abduction and denial of humanitarian access.
Additionally, the UN is monitoring the detention of children for their actual or alleged association with armed groups.
In this regard, she named a number of countries of particular concern:
In Iraq in December 2022, 936 children remained in detention on national security-related charges, including for their actual or alleged association with armed groups, primarily Da’esh.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the UN verified in 2022 the detention of 97 boys and 20 girls, between the ages of 9 and 17, for their alleged association with armed groups. All children have been released.
In Libya, the UN received reports of the detention of some 64 children, with their mothers, of several nationalities, for their mothers’ alleged association with Da’esh,
In Myanmar, 129 boys and girls were detained by the national armed forces.
In Somalia, a total of 176 boys, of which 104 were released and 1 was killed, were detained in 2022 for their alleged association with armed groups.
Children should be primarily considered as victims of violations or abuses of their rights rather than as perpetrators and a security threat, Anne Schintgen said, stressing that the detention of children for their alleged association with armed groups is an issue in 80% of the countries covered by the UN Children and Armed Conflict mechanism.
Deportation of Ukrainian children by Russia
During the debate following the presentations of the panelists, the issue of the deportation of Ukrainian children by Russia from the Occupied Territories was raised. Both Manfred Nowak and Benoit Van Keirsblick, a member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child invited as a panelist, expressed their deep concerns about this situation.
In a report titled “Ukrainian Children in Search of Way Home from Russia” published in three languages (English, Russian and Ukrainian) on 25 August 2023, Human Rights Without Frontiers stressed that the Ukrainian authorities had a nominative list of about 20,000 children deported by and to Russia who are now being russified and educated in an anti-Ukrainian mindset. However, many more have been taken away from the territories occupied by Russia.
As a reminder, on 17 March 2023, the Pre-Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Court in The Hague issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Lvova-Belova on their responsibility in the deportation of Ukrainian children.
The experts invited to the conference encouraged the European Union to ensure that the topic of conflict affected children is systematically integrated and advanced in its wide range of external actions.
They also urged the EU to include the issue of the detention of children for their alleged association with armed groups in its Guidelines on Children and Armed Conflict that are currently being revised.
The Specialist Prosecutor’s Office (SPO) sought a series of measures restricting the contacts and communications of three accused in the Specialist Chambers Detention Centre – Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli and Rexhep Selimi. Certain of those measures have been granted by the Trial Panel.
The SPO took this step to address attempts to interfere with witnesses and obstruct their testimony, and further threats to the integrity of the proceedings in the Thaçi et al. case.
Kadri Veseli and Diplomat Magazine’s publisher during an interview in The Hague. July 2, 2018.
SPO obstruction-of-justice investigations show that the three accused used their non-privileged visits to unlawfully disseminate confidential information and, in Mr Thaçi’s case, to repeatedly instruct visitors to seek to manipulate witness testimony.
The SPO takes obstruction of justice extremely seriously and will continue to investigate and to prosecute anyone and everyone involved in every instance, including those who intimidate or interfere with witnesses or provide financial or other support to such criminal offences.
When embarking on a lifetime diplomatic journey, you might feel confused, meaningless, disoriented or even lost. It usually happens at the beginning, when you have to leave all your life behind and rebuild parts of it from scratch in another setting, in a foreign environment and in totally unfamiliar circumstances.
Many brilliantly succeed in reinventing themselves and finding new ways of expression, rediscovering old passions and making use of talents at their true potential.
Nausheen Shaikh is certainly one of them. Born and raised in Mumbai (formerly called Bombay), India, she studied economics and was an accountant by training. She recalls having a regular 9 to 5 job, facilitating consular services for prospective travelers to the United States, at the US Consulate in Mumbai, job that she really loved.
But, as in all our diplomatic life stories, after getting married to a Foreign Service official, she had to move abroad. First stop: Amman, Jordan in 2017. The Hague, Netherlands and Washington DC soon followed.
When asked about how she coped with the change, she tells me: ‘in a nomadic lifestyle, you constantly have to acclimate to new circumstances. Your mindset becomes flexible and open to what’s different and unknown. As expat, you make certain choices that will allow you to have an interesting and rewarding experience. At the same time, there are challenges which may not seem real to others back home’.
She also says that she found the diplomatic community to be extremely resilient. People learn to adapt and embrace change.
Nausheen’s artwork
‘I have no regrets but there are certainly challenges, which vary from person to person and from country to country. Challenges for some may be the weather, for others safety or how expensive some countries are. However, for most it’s usually being away from family and friends. But technology helps us to remain close and I always try to build a family from my friends, wherever I go. Maintaining friendship takes work, commitment and understanding – but the payoff is HUGE!’
There is a certain wisdom in all our philosophy of life abroad, an art of navigating on foreign far away waters… ‘For me, the most rewarding experience of living as an expat has been the opportunity to learn new things. Living overseas, learning new things becomes merely a part of daily life routine. Social customs, language and of course, art are all different from home and learning about and experiencing all those differences has been enjoyable’.
While living abroad she rediscovered her artistic nature and explored ways to address it. ‘I’ve been creatively inclined ever since I can remember but did not have the chance to passionately pursue my card-making hobby, because of work and time restraints. After moving through, the one thing I had plenty of was TIME. So there was absolutely no excuse and I was off with my paper, stamps & inks.
Right after moving to Jordan, I connected with a local association of expat women. Through that association, I met a community of people who would soon become my customers and friends. I invested many hours in my craft, while also teaching friends and participating in a number of bazaars and pop-ups’.
Years later now and she still enjoys her art work. Gorgeous colorful and joyful cards come out of her hands. She found her unique way of expression and of bringing joy to the world.
After all, as she says herself, ‘don’t dismiss the little things! Keep a positive outlook, trust your resilience and focus your energies only on these challenges’.
On a dark, cold, and wet December day, a large group of people had accepted the invitation of the Embassy of Italy and the Italian Cultural Institute in Amsterdam to the opening of a retrospective exhibition of works by the Italian artist Daniel Schinasi. Entering the beautiful large exposition hall of the Pulchri Foundation, the Mesdag Zaal, one felt that winter was gone and it was summer on the Mediterranean.
Schinasi (Alexandria, Egypt, 1933 – Nice, France, 2021) lived a significant part of his life in Nice, and it shows. His colors are bright, and most of his works show people happily doing what they are good at. The title of the exposition, “Un messaggio in movimento – A message in motion,” reflects Schinasi’s main focus, people in motion. Be they cyclists, swimmers, or dancers; the still paintings miraculously capture the power of movement. Schinasi is one of the prominent painters of the Neo-Futurist school, a school of painting that shows the dominance of Man over Machine, Man over the powers of nature, and Man over himself. Visiting this show may put some much-needed sunshine into your world during the coming dark days.
It is an extensive exposition, 45 works in all, among which a massive homage to the Cóte d’Azur (pictured). The exposition, which was curated by his daughter Sarah, is a rendering of his life in France, his admiration for Matisse and Chagall, and the influence of the Holocaust on the very soul of this Italian Jewish artist. His daughter Sarah is an internationally renowned (opera) stage director.
Paola Cordone, director of the Italian Cultural Institute, thanked Marieta Reijerkerk and Ed van der Kooy of Pulchri for their assistance in making this exposition possible. She then asked Ambassador Giorgio Novello, to speak the opening words.
James Bradburne, museologist and director of the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan, had flown in, especially for the occasion, to deliver the keynote speech and was followed by Mr. Ermanno Tedeschi, President of the Museo Ceramica in Mondovì and long-time friend of the artist.
Sarah Schinasi and her mother Manuela were present, as was H.E. Konstantin Dimitrov, the ambassador of Bulgaria, and his wife, Nadia Dimitrova.
The war in the Middle East is now in uncharted waters
By Eleni Vasiliki Bampaliouta
20 days ago, completely suddenly for us Westerners, a powerful conflict broke out in a few hours that ended in a bloody war. That of Israel and Palestine. Once again, the same scenario is repeated in the same project with the same results, mainly for the civilian population. People and their families who have lost their lives, people who, through no fault of theirs, are tortured, raped, babies of all ages dying or being orphaned. Witness an ancient Greek tragedy….
The new crisis in the Middle East, after the terrorist strike by Hamas against Israel, is in full swing, as if it is the continuation of the Arab Spring that started in 2010 in Tunisia and continued two years later with the war in Syria, which is still ongoing. Extraordinary events confirm that we are moving in uncharted waters. Major analysts of geopolitical and geostrategic science, with a heavy resume and experience in analysis, believe that we are now in a period of non-solution for the Palestinian issue. When efforts were made under much better circumstances in the seven-year period 1993-2000, the decisive step towards the creation of two states was ultimately not taken.
With today’s facts and the evolution of the problem from the second Intifada (Arabic word meaning resistance or rebellion) until today, there can only be hope for a temporary freeze in the conflict, not for a warm peace. So let’s see together in detail how the situation is in order to fully understand the historical and geostrategic side of the region as well as the mentality of the movements here and there.
The main “thorns” between Israelis and Palestinians
Israel will have to manage the threat of escalation in two key areas. The first is its northern border with Lebanon and Syria. Hezbollah already appears to be testing Israel’s limits in the region, firing rockets and shelling the Golan Heights. The situation on the border is uncertain and could change quickly. The second is the West Bank, where Hamas has explicitly called on militants to take up arms. The area is ripe for major upheaval. Even before the attacks, violence in the West Bank was escalating to the point where analysts were talking about a Third Intifada.
The two sides have many open fronts, but four of them are considered the big thorns of the perennial conflict.
Two-state solution: This is a scenario that would allow the creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, next to Israel. Hamas rejects the two-state solution and vows to destroy Israel. In turn, Israel argues that any Palestinian state should be demilitarized so as not to pose a threat.
Settlements: Most countries consider Jewish settlements built in Israeli-occupied territories since 1967 illegal. Understandably, Israel does not accept this position, arguing that it has historical and biblical ties to the land. The growth of these settlements at regular intervals is one of the most important disputes between Israel, Palestine, and the international community.
Jerusalem: The Palestinians want East Jerusalem, home to holy sites for Muslims, Jews, and Christians, to become the capital of their state. Israel, in turn, maintains that Jerusalem should remain “its undivided and eternal capital.” The international community does not recognize this position of Israel. The then US President Donald Trump set the Middle East on fire in 2018 when he recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, moving the US embassy there as well.
Refugees: There are an estimated 5.6 million Palestinian refugees, mostly the descendants of those who fled Gaza in 1948. They live mainly in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the occupied West Bank, and Gaza. About half of the registered refugees remain nomads, according to the Palestinian Foreign Ministry, with many living in crowded camps. However, they do not have the right to return, a constant demand of the Palestinians. Israel, however, in turn, says that any resettlement would have to take place outside its borders.
Extremist Organizations
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad is the second-largest militant group in the Gaza Strip and is supported by Iran. It is “close” to Hamas in terms of Islamist ideology. It also aims to destroy the state of Israel and has declared itself on the side of Hamas after the terrorist organization invaded Israeli soil on October 7.
Hezbollah is a Lebanese Shia Islamist organization that is also supported by Iran. Recently, after the attack by Hamas, the military arm of the Shiite movement has exchanged fire several times with the Israeli army on the northern border of the country. Although Hezbollah’s involvement in the conflict is limited so far, there is concern that a possible Israeli ground invasion of the Gaza Strip would provoke a more active response from Hezbollah and escalate the conflict to a regional war. For many analysts, the extent of Israel’s violence and the duration of its operations in Gaza will determine Hezbollah’s response.
It is worth noting that until now, while the fighters of the Lebanese movement are clashing with Israeli troops along the border, Nasrallah has not taken a position publicly, which only adds uncertainty to the situation.
The action of Hamas and its relations with Turkey
Since then, Hamas has continued its activities, systematically fanaticizing the people and provoking a war every time we come close to an agreement. They have caused seven wars in 18 years. After 2008, they have caused five major wars (2008, 2012, 2014, 2021, and the current one).
In 2014, in the 51-Day War, Hamas fired 4,481 rockets at Israel. After the war ended, Israel discovered twenty secret tunnels. This was followed by the Israel
Hamas agreement on August 26, 2014. A new agreement followed in 2020, while on May Day 2017 Hamas had accepted a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders and on October 14, 2022, signed the reconciliation agreement in Algiers. In other words, Hamas violates its own agreements. And she does not hesitate to execute her own people for “treason”. In 2022, Hamas hanged 17 Palestinians. Note also that the Algiers Agreement called for elections to be held in October 2023. Coincidentally, it was in October that Hamas carried out its terrorist attack. Why does he not want elections, which have been held since 2006! And which Fatah also prevents, fearing that Hamas will falsify the result.
August 25, 2020. Erdogan meets with the leadership of Hamas in Istanbul. It is known that Turkey gives passports to members of Hamas. After all, the relationship between Turkey and Israel fluctuates, but in the end, the balance is always in favor of Hamas. In 2016 there was a restoration of relations, but in 2018 Erdogan called Israel a “terrorist state” and an “apartheid state” and the ambassadors were expelled. On August 17, 2022, we had relations restored again.
In May 2021, in the 11-Day War, the bloodiest since 2014, Hamas fired 4,700 rockets. 260 dead, among them 66 children. It was preceded, in September 2020, by Israel’s agreement with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. With Erdogan declaring that “History will not forget” and Iran calling it dangerous and illegal.
In April 2023, the incidents at the Al-Aqsa Mosque took place. Rockets are being fired at Israel from Lebanon. Israel strikes southern Lebanon.
In May 2023, in the 5-Day War, the Islamic Jihad also took part.
In July 2023, Abbas and Haniyeh met in Ankara, in the presence of Erdogan.
New episodes and demonstrations in September 2023.
They get help from Qatar, Russia, China, and Iran
According to information released by senior Hamas officials, their group had been preparing for two or three years. At various levels, the military leadership prepared the plans and information about how the enemy works, where the military formations are located. They consider the October 7 attack to have been an “act of defense.” They are looking to get help from anyone to maintain their organization. This help can be financial. For example, they get a lot of financial support from Qatar. Diplomatic and political support from Russia and China. They get military support and training from Iran. Humanitarian aid from Egypt. It depends on who wants to help. If anyone wants to help financially, they are welcome. Politically, diplomatically, or militarily, he is also welcome.”
Hezbollah
It was founded in 1982 by the “Islamic Revolutionary Guards,” a part of the Iranian army, and is financially supported by Iran itself, while political support is also provided by Syria. Hezbollah was considered by many Western countries as a terrorist organization. The EU classifies Hezbollah’s military wing as a terrorist group, but not its political wing. Hezbollah is the most powerful group in Lebanon due to a heavily armed militia that has fought several wars with Israel. It is a political movement and a guerrilla army, drawing its support from Lebanon’s Shiite population.
Specifically, in 2005, the paramilitary organization entered Lebanese politics more visibly after the assassination of al-Hariri and the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon. A coalition of anti-Syrian factions took power after the election giving Hezbollah 14 seats in the 128-seat parliament. In 2011, the Syrian civil war leads to years of political paralysis in Lebanon. In January of the same year, the first government of Saad al-Hariri, son of Rafik al-Hariri, was overthrown when Hezbollah and its allies resigned from the UK-backed court. Six months later, Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced a government dominated by Hezbollah and its allies.
The group’s rise in power came after joining the war with Syria in 2012 in support of President Bashar al-Assad. The group and its allies helped form Lebanon’s current government. Hezbollah’s arsenal has been a major bone of contention. The paramilitary group says its weapons are needed to deter Israel and, more recently, to protect itself from Islamist rebels in Syria.
Hamas and Arab countries
Between Israel and Hamas, the Arab countries that have established diplomatic relations with the Jewish state in recent years are called upon to play the role of a balancer in order not to displease either their new partner or the Arab public opinion that sides with the Palestinians.
But their position risks becoming increasingly uncomfortable with Israel’s expected long-term and highly lethal bombing campaign on the Gaza Strip, analysts say. The day after the Islamist group that rules Gaza attacked Israel, the United Arab Emirates, the first Gulf country to establish diplomatic relations with Israel in 2020 under the Abraham Accords, differed from its Arab partners in sharply condemning the Hamas attack.
The countries that have signed the Abraham Accords – the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco – have “narrow enough” room for maneuver so as not to jeopardize their relationship with Israel, nor to displease the pro-Palestinian Arab community opinion. They are in a “very uncomfortable” situation and are currently focused on protecting civilians. In Bahrain and Morocco, which were also content to report civilian casualties, demonstrations in support of the Palestinians were held in the first days of the offensive.
Egypt and Jordan refuse new refugees from Palestine
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said today’s war is not only aimed at fighting Hamas, “but also an attempt to immigrate Palestinians to Egypt.” The refusal of Egypt and Jordan is based in part on the fear that Israel wants, through the expulsion of the Palestinians in these countries, to nullify the long-standing demand for a Palestinian state. The two countries, which border Israel and share borders with Gaza and the occupied West Bank respectively, have strongly denied it. Jordan already has a large Palestinian population.
At the same time, Egypt says a mass exodus from Gaza would bring Hamas or other Palestinian militants into its territory. That could destabilize Sinai, where the Egyptian military has fought for years against jihadists it has accused Hamas of supporting. Egypt has supported Israel’s blockade of Gaza since Hamas took power in the region in 2007, tightly controlling border crossings. It also destroyed the network of tunnels used by Hamas and other Palestinians to smuggle goods into Gaza. At the same time, Egypt says a mass exodus from Gaza would bring Hamas or other Palestinian militants into its territory.
Egypt, however, expresses concerns. Sisi said the fighting could last for years. He proposed that Israel house Palestinians in the Negev desert, which borders the Gaza Strip, until it ends its military operations.
Israel and Turkey relations
The tension in Turkey’s relations with Israel dates back to 2010, when Ankara expelled the Israeli ambassador, following a deadly attack by Israeli commandos on a Turkish ship carrying humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. Diplomatic relations were restored in 2016, but two years later there was a fresh rift over Israeli military operations in Gaza that killed around 50 Palestinians.
Israel and Iran relations
An ally of Israel during the time of the Shah, Iran turned after the Islamic revolution of 1979 into the number 1 enemy of the Jewish state. Shortly after the establishment of Israel in 1948, the Shah of Iran maintained close relations with the new state. Iran is home to the largest Jewish community in the Middle East.
Israel has a significant diplomatic mission in Iran, imports 40% of its oil needs and exports weapons, technology and agricultural products. The eponymous Savak (the political police of the Iranian regime) was founded in 1957 with the help of the American CIA and the Israeli Mossad. In 1979, with the establishment of the Islamic Republic, Iran broke off all official relations with Israel, which is not officially recognized by Tehran. However, trade relations are maintained informally.
In 1980, the Iranian-inspired Islamic Jihad evolves into the largest Islamist Palestinian organization to take up arms against Israel. However, during the Iran-Iraq war (1980-88), Israel delivered to Tehran about 1,500 missiles. The transaction is revealed in the context of the case of the sale of American weapons to Iran (Irangate), aimed at the release of American hostages held in Lebanon.
Israel and Lebanon relations
Lebanon has traditionally been an important trade hub for the Middle East with intense commercial activity. The once “Paris of the Middle East” has been at the center of conflict more than once, despite its small size, due to its borders with Syria and Israel and its uniquely complex community composition. Shia Muslims, Sunni Muslims, Christians and Druze are the main population groups in a country that has been a haven for the region’s minorities for centuries.
Lebanon’s relations with Israel have been characterized by ups and downs over the years and by a series of events. Lebanon formally participated in the 1948 Arab-Israeli war against Israel, but Lebanon was the first nation to express a desire for an armistice treaty with Israel in 1949. The most turbulent period in bilateral relations was the 1970s and 1980s, after the Lebanese civil war. During the early years of the war, Israel allied with Christian Lebanese militias.
The countries effectively normalized relations with the May 17 agreement brokered by the US in 1983, but it was annulled by Lebanon after Druze and Shiite militias seized power in early 1984. Israel also supported the separatist state of Lebanon during the period 1979-1984. Even today Israel treats Lebanon as an “enemy state”. Israeli citizens or any other person holding a passport with Israeli stamps or visas issued by Israel are strictly prohibited from entering Lebanon and may be subject to arrest or detention pending further verification. As recently as 2008, a survey by the Pew Research Center showed that 97% of Lebanese have a negative opinion of Jews.
Additionally, the 2006 Lebanon war added to their hostile relations. It was a 34-day war in northern Israel and Lebanon. The parties involved were Hezbollah and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The Hezbollah-instigated Operation True Promise began in July 2006, taking its name from a “pledge” by Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah to capture Israeli soldiers and exchange them for three Lebanese prisoners held by Israel.
In 2010, Israel discovered natural gas in the Israeli EEZ that stretches into the Mediterranean Sea. Lebanon opposed any exploration considering that natural gas extends to its limits. Israel had already begun exploration and construction on its side, while Lebanese authorities have yet to officially demarcate their exclusive economic zone or begin any process of soliciting bids for exploration rights. As recently as August 17, 2010, the Lebanese parliament passed a law allowing the exploration and drilling of offshore oil and gas fields. The dispute over the boundaries of the EEZ between Israel and Lebanon continues to this day highlighting the complex geopolitical and diplomatic landscape of the Eastern Mediterranean.
Historical review of Israel-Palestine relations
1920 – 1973: Four wars, Black September, hijackings
1920. The San Remo Peace Conference gives Great Britain the mandate for the Land of Israel and Transjordan.
1921. Great Britain decides on the secession of Transjordan.
1923. It is officially decided to change the mandate (Churchill).
1946. Syrian independence.
1947. Great Britain returns mandate for Palestine to OHE.
1948. The State of Israel is founded with Ben Gurion as the first President (May 14). Immediately the first Arab-Israeli War breaks out, with the invasion of Syria. Israel wins the war. OHE envoy Count Mpernadot is murdered.
1949. Bilateral armistice agreement with Jordan. The area west of the Jordan is given to Jordan and the Gaza Strip to Egypt.
1956. Suez Crisis. Israel attacks Egypt which is defeated. The port of Eilat, vital for Israel, opens again.
1966 – 1967. Border incidents and development of Al Fatah action. After the removal of OHE from the Gaza Strip, Saudi Arabia closes the port of Eilat again. In Israel, Defense Minister Moshe Ntayan is sworn in. In June, the third Arab-Israeli war, the Six-Day War, breaks out, pitting Israel against Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Jordan. Israel gains and keeps the territories it occupied: Gaza Strip, Sinai, West Bank, Golan Heights.
1970. Black September. Palestinians are expelled from Jordan.
1969 – 1974. Prime Minister Golda Meir. Al Fatah continues its activities with hijackings and bombings. In October 1973, the fourth Arab-Israeli war broke out, the Yom Kippur War. Israel is taken by surprise, but manages to repel the Egyptian forces.
1976 (June, July). Hijacking of an Israeli plane en route to Entebbe, Uganda. Successful Israeli operation to free the hostages.
Sabotaging agreements and murdering peacemakers
1979. Signing of the Camp David Accords with Begin and Sadat and return to Egypt of the Sinai Peninsula.
1981. Assassination of Egyptian President Sadat, who had previously shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Israeli Prime Minister Begin.
1982 (June). Operation “Peace in Galilee”. Israeli army intervention in South Lebanon. The Palestine Liberation Organization is moving its headquarters to Tunisia. The extremist organization Hezbollah is founded. In September, under Ariel Sharon, there is a massacre in the Palestinian camps of Shabra and Shatila. Conflicts begin in the occupied territories.
1985. The Israeli air force destroys the Palestinian headquarters in Tunisia.
1987. First Palestinian Intifada in the occupied territories and its bloody repression.
1988. The Palestinians declare an independent state in Transjordan and recognize the State of Israel.
1991. Madrid agreement for peace in the Middle East.
1993. Oslo Accords and signing in Washington by Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat of the Declaration of Principles providing for a state of autonomy in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
1994. Rabin, Arafat and Peres share the Nobel Peace Prize. In the same year, the Gaza and Jericho Agreement is signed and Arafat returns to the Occupied Territories.
1994. Signing of peace agreement between Israel and Jordan.
1995. Agreement for the return of the cities of Bethlehem, Jenin, Nablus, Qalqiyya, Ramallah, Tulkarem, part of Hebron and 450 villages. Murder of Yitzhak Babin.
1996. The terrorist activity of Hamas puts the Palestinians in a difficult position again. Netanyahu is elected Prime Minister of Israel. In September, the Intifada returns fiercer.
1997. Agreement for the return of 80% of Hebron.
1998. Arafat – Netanyahu agreement, in the presence of Clinton, for the – canceled two months later – withdrawal of the Israeli army from 13% of the West Bank.
1999. Agreement of Sharm El-Sheikh, between Arafat and Barak, who in the meantime has succeeded Netanyahu in the prime ministership. They commit to signing the final peace accord on September 13, 2000.
March 2000. Talks between Israel and Syria break off.
July 2000. Complete failure of the Camp David negotiations between Barak and Arafat, due to the hasty and hasty nature of the talks. Arafat and Barak did not meet once during their stay at Camp David and communicated through Madeleine Albright.
September 2000. Beginning of the Second Intifada after Ariel Sharon’s visit to the Square with the Mosques of Jerusalem. Egypt withdraws its ambassador to Tel Aviv.
February 2001. Sharon wins the election and is sworn in as Prime Minister.
New plans and deals
May 2001. Preparation of the Mitchell Plan, which in June is integrated into the “Tenet Plan”.
September 26, 2001. Peres and Arafat agree on a truce.
2003. The Syrian President proposes a resumption of talks, but Sharon appears adamant because of Syria’s support for terrorism. Israel is asking Syria to close the offices of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Damascus and end material support for Hezbollah, as well as withdraw from the Israeli-Lebanese border. Israeli demands were repeated even after the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon (2005).
2003. Mahmoud Abbas, known as Abu Mazen, becomes Prime Minister of the Palestinians. Aqaba Summit, attended by President Bush, Ariel Sharon and Abu Mazen and hosted by King Abdullah of Jordan. Mutual promises are made to start implementing the American-inspired peace plan called the Road Map. (Cessation of attacks, cessation of construction of Jewish settlements and security guarantees from both sides). In September Abu Mazen resigns.
Since the Oslo Accords until the end of August 2001 there have been 98 suicide attacks. The Second Intifada claimed the lives of 2,400 Palestinians and 800 Israelis. Its most dramatic moments, the suicide attacks in crowded parts of Israeli cities and the blockade of Palestinian territories, culminating in the Israeli cabinet’s decision to deport Arafat.
January 2003. Elections in Israel with Likud winning and Sharon as Prime Minister. Coalition government with the National Religious Party and the centrist Sinui. At the end of 2003, Sharon decided to unilaterally dismantle settlements and withdraw 8,000 settlers from the Gaza Strip. This is followed by reactions and the resignation of two ministers of the religious party.
In June 2004, the majority in the Knesset is lost. At the end of 2003, the Egyptian Foreign Minister visits Israel.
May 2003. The Road Map is presented and the construction of the Security Fence is decided (720 km, 97% fence, 3% wall).
June 2004. The Israeli cabinet approves the clauses of the Disengagement Plan from the Gaza Strip. It is envisaged that the disengagement will not include a military withdrawal from the border area between the Gaza Strip and Egypt (Philadelphia Corridor), an area known for the tunnels through which weapons are smuggled. Israel would patrol the perimeter of the Gaza Strip, while Israel would have control over Gaza’s airspace and beaches. For the West Bank, the evacuation concerned the northern part of Samaria.
October 2004. The Knesset accepts the Disengagement Plan. November 11, 2004. Death of Arafat in France. He is succeeded by Abu Mazen with Ahmed Korei as prime minister.
December 30, 2004. Sharon comes to an agreement with Labor and a coalition government is formed with Shimon Peres as deputy prime minister. The government includes Likud, Labor (with 8 ministers) and United Torah Judaism. Marginal vote of confidence on 10 January 2005. Also in December 2004, an exchange of prisoners takes place and a tripartite agreement is signed (Israel, USA, Egypt) for the creation of industrial zones (Qualified Industrial Zones Agreement) in Egypt. Return of Egyptian ambassador after five years of absence.
January 2005. Abdullah Gul’s visit to Tel Aviv, after a period of coldness in Israel-Turkey relations, due to Erdogan’s statements against the action of the Israeli army.
February 2005. Summit meeting in Sharm El Sheikh between Sharon and Palestinian Authority President Abu Mazen. They announce an end to violence and formally renew peace dialogue.
February 2005. The Knesset approves the final text of the Law on the Implementation of the Disengagement Plan, for 884 million dollars for the costs of the resettlement of the 9,000 Jewish settlers of the Gaza Strip and the northern West Bank. On February 20, the Plan is approved by the cabinet.
August 17, 2005. Israel unilaterally withdraws from the Gaza Strip.
January 2006. Festive victory of Hamas in the Palestinian elections. It wins 76 of the 132 seats in the Parliament, with Fatah reduced to 43. Western embargoes follow, a broad Israeli operation in Gaza with 400 dead, an Israeli invasion of Lebanon. 1,000 dead, 100,000 displaced and Hezbollah defeated. A Palestinian civil war begins between Hamas and Fatah, as the latter does not recognize the outcome. An unprecedented bloodshed that lasts 1.5 years and pits Abbas of Fatah against Haniyeh of Hamas.
February 17, 2006. “Visit” of Hamas to Turkey and “accidental” meeting with Gül, who justifies himself that “it is about elected officials”.
June 2007. The government of national unity collapses. Abbas appoints Salam Fayyad, an IMF executive, as prime minister. Hamas takes over Gaza and… banishes Fatah to the West Bank. Since then, two political systems have operated – Hamas in the Gaza Strip (population 2.3m) and Fatah in the West Bank (2.8m).
November 26, 2007. Israel and the Palestinian Authority resume peace negotiations.
August 2008. The executives and members of Fatah flee to Israel to escape from Hamas.
The Arab Spring
As the Arab spring we call a strong wave of protests and demonstrations that broke out on December 18, 2010 in Tunisia and then spread throughout North Africa and the Middle East. The protesters had social demands. They sought the overthrow of authoritarian regimes and social equality.
The reason for the outbreak of protests was given by an incident that happened on December 17, 2010 in the streets of the city of Sidi Bouzid in Tunisia when a police officer issued a fine to a twenty-six-year-old itinerant vegetable seller named Mohamed Bouazizi (s.s. for short Bouazizi), according to testimonies, she did not accept the amount offered to her by the itinerant vendor, which was also the official consideration set by law for these cases. In addition, the seller was verbally and physically abused by the authorities while he failed to get back what he had acquired that was unjustly kept from him.
Bouazizi as a sign of protest doused himself in gasoline and set himself on fire in the middle of a main street, outside the police station. He was then taken to the hospital where he recovered after eighteen days of struggle. Meanwhile, a number of protests had broken out in Tunisia as part of an effort to send a message against corruption.
The state responded with a show of force by carrying out a series of bloody attacks against the protesters.It is estimated that four hundred civilians lost their lives during the clashes. President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia tried to calm the tension that had built up in the streets of Tunisia when he visited Bouazizi in hospital, hoping he would deliver a message of peace. However, his attempt ended in failure.
Five thousand Tunisians attended Bouazizi’s funeral. Unable to handle the wave of protests that had been sparked, President Ben Ali announced his resignation and left power ten days later. The revolution also affected the surrounding countries.
After the outbreak of protests in Tunisia, uprisings against authoritarian regimes took place in Egypt, Bahrain and Yemen, while civil strife broke out in Libya. Major anti-regime protests also took place in Iran, Iraq, Algeria, Morocco, Jordan, and Oman, while smaller protests took place in Saudi Arabia, Mauritania, Lebanon, Kuwait, and Djibouti. Before the outbreak of the Arab Spring, Sudan was the only Arab country that had successfully overthrown dictatorial regimes in 1964 and 1985.
The expansion of the Arab spring in Syria
The uprisings that took place in the context of the Arab Spring spread to many countries of the Arab world, including Syria. In Syria, the people rose up against the country’s president, Bashar al-Assad. In the Syrian regime there is still a hereditary succession to power and thus the Assad family has been in power since 1971.
Unlike many Middle Eastern leaders, the Assad family does not follow extreme religious politics. So the revolutionaries did not rise up against some kind of extreme religious Muslim “caste”. Basharal-Assad, however, followed a strict policy which often resulted in the violation of basic fundamental rights of the citizens.
After the incident in Tunisia, anger towards any kind of state arbitrariness and oppression had spread to Syria through social networks. The people of Syria, along with other peoples had realized their need to react to the authoritarianism of the government. What was needed was a suitable occasion that would lead those Syrians who felt oppressed to express their discontent.
The occasion came in March 2011 when pro-revolutionary graffiti appeared on the walls of a Syrian school. The regime reacted by arresting fifteen underage boys who were held responsible for the appearance of this graffiti and accused of supporting the Arab Spring. The boys were tortured by the security authorities and one of them, 13-year-old Hamzaal-Khateeb, died after being severely beaten in detention.
As expected, there is an uproar inside Syria. The people respond with marches, demonstrations and other means to the arbitrariness of state power. President Bashar al-Assad, seeing the extent of the Arab Spring in other countries of the Arab world and the fall of the regime in Tunisia, responds to the uprisings with military force. Hundreds of people who were peacefully protesting were killed in cold blood, imprisoned and tortured by the Syrian army. Any protest marches and gatherings that broke out were dispersed by the Syrian military forces with the force of arms and those who resisted it ended up dead. Many citizens were forced to flee the country to avoid the tragic developments that were to follow. Soon the reaction to the regime will also affect some of the ranks of the Syrian army. The soldiers who wanted the regime to fall came together and formed the Free Syrian Army. Soon the country would come face to face with the great civil war that was lurking.
The effects of the Arab Spring in North Africa, the Middle East and Syria
The Arab Spring significantly shook the political systems of the countries in which it spread and paved the way for radical changes. Of course, few – to none – Arab countries had the opportunity to really escape from totalitarianism and become democratized. The most typical example is Egypt. After the fall of the “hated” Hosni Mubarak, the army overthrew the vetted president Mohamed Morsi in the summer of 2013 and imposed a military dictatorship with fascist characteristics that led to the abuse and death of thousands of Egyptians.
In Syria, the Arab Spring resulted in the outbreak of a bloody civil war that continues to this day, taking on terrible proportions. Millions of Syrians have since the beginning of the civil conflict been internally displaced or migrated to other countries while the massacres of Syrian civilians continue systematically.
