The Middle-East Observer
United Nations
Analysis: Syria faces neo-mujahideen struggle
The Assad government will have to face a full scale insurgency – foreign sponsored – , a “neo-mujahideen” struggle that looms over Syria according to Victor Kotsev. He argues that countries with the greatest stakes in Syria, namely: Turkey, United States and Russia and of course Syria itself are all using the failed ceasefire and … Continue reading
Analysis: Israeli-Iranian war now out of shadows
Israeli intelligence believes that the terrorist attacks in the past two days were orchestrated by the Iran-Hezbollah axis and targeted foreign Israeli diplomatic missions. The attacks seem rushed due to their consistently poor execution, but the message of the bombings is clear. Iran is determined to attack Israel by any means and hopes to eventually … Continue reading
Syrian defector: Assad using chemical weapons
Syrian national forces have used nerve gas as a part of the suppression of the Homs revolt. The use and stockpiling of nerve gas is banned by the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention and nerve gas is considered a WMD by the United Nations. The illegal use of nerve gas by the Syrian army to put … Continue reading
Syrian rebels repel attack on town
Syrian Rebels have managed to repel an attack on the town of Rastan, which sits inside the Homs region and is a home to many defectors from the Syrian regime. This key city sits in between Homs and Aleppo and has fallen from rebel control twice before. However, the rebel’s ability to hold Rastan despite … Continue reading
HRW to Israel: charge or free Palestinian hunger striker
A statement of the international NGO Human Rights Watch called on Israel for the “immediately charge or release” of Khader Adnan, a Palestinian prisoner that has been on a hunger strike for 56 days. Adnan was a spokesman for ‘Islamic Jihad’, but has so far not been charged formally, neither has Israel revealed any evidence against … Continue reading
Palestinian economy could be ‘double’ without Israeli occupation
Jad Isaac, director of the Applied Research Institute in Jerusalem, said on a UN meeting in Cairo that Israel’s occupation of Palestine is the main impediment to any prospects for a sustainable Palestinian economy. The total measured cost of the Israeli occupation is estimated to be at 84 percent of Palestinian GDP. The majority of financial … Continue reading
Israeli deputy FM Ayalon calls on UN to impose oil embargo on Iran
Israeli deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon asked Colombia, which leads the UN Committee that overseas sanctions on Iran, to implement an oil embargo on Iran. To prevent a regional crisis to happen because of rising oil prices after such an embargo, Ayalon called on Colombia, a major oil exporter, to increase its outputs and in … Continue reading
Opinion: We Need to Talk to Iran, But How?
It is time for the United States to try something different when it comes to Iran; thirty-two years of sanctions and nonexistent diplomatic relations between the two countries have made the current situation dangerous. The risk of miscalculation is not to be underestimated. The situation could get out of hand very quickly if both parties do not renew talks on … Continue reading
Italy, France recall Syrian ambassadors for consultations
Italy and France have recalled their ambassadors to Syria as the Assad regime’s crackdown on protesters, and the shelling of the city of Homs, continues. The move follows Britain’s recalling of its ambassador for consultations and the American closure of its embassy in Damascus. The increased pressure comes as efforts to condemn the Syrian regime … Continue reading
Opinion: Israel’s Love-Hate Relationship with the United Nations
Last week, Israelis rejoiced as their nation secured a seat on the executive board of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), hailing it as a recognition of the state’s feat of becoming a “Developed” nation and more profoundly, allowing Israel to attain a greater level of participation in the international community. However, in light of … Continue reading
Shoes thrown at UN chief’s convoy in Gaza
In a visit that aimed at restarting long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s was received with shoes and stones when he entered the Gaza Strip on Thursday. Protesters who attacked the convoy, held up signs reading “Gaza is living in darkness,” and “Save the children of Gaza.” At the news conference, Ban Ki-moon … Continue reading
Analysis: Is the Syrian revolt turning into insurgency?
Analysts say Syria is heading towards a civil war despite the fact that, at first, the opposition was preaching peaceful demonstration. With the Free Syrian Army (FSA), guerrilla style attacks on the Syrian military positions have been on the rise. The FSA has realized it must force the changes in Syria because of Russia’s opposition to any … Continue reading
UN Chief Ban Ki-Moon urges Israel settlement freeze
UN Chief Ban Ki-moon called on Israel to put a halt to its settlement activity as a ‘goodwill gesture’ to the Palestinian Authority. Ban is visiting Israel and the Palestinian Territories to meet with both sides and convince them to go on with the low-key talks they started last month. The UN considers all settlement … Continue reading
Opinion: How to get Russia on board in Syria? Hint: Think of the sea
Russia is a major obstacle between the Syrian demonstrators and their liberation from the Assad regime. Russia has been the main opponent of UN Security Council resolutions against the regime while even the “timid” Arab League wants Assad to go. The reason for Russia’s opposition is quite simple: it fears that if the Assad regime … Continue reading
Palestinian villagers start hunger strike to protest land confiscation
Palestinian villagers on Sunday said that they are planning to start a hunger strike. They want to protest against the confiscation of their lands by Israeli forces. According to Palestinian MP Mustafa Barghouti, 140 acres of land have been confiscated by Israeli forces and Palestinian villagers are regularly harassed by settlers from nearby settlements. Meanwhile, the UN … Continue reading
Thailand officially recognizes Palestinian statehood
Thailand’s foreign ministry has informed member states of the United Nations and the Palestinian delegation to the UN that they have recognized Palestine as an independant state. The declaration came from Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongphakdi on Friday. The move comes shortly after the U.S. warned Thailand of an imminent terrorist attack on Bangkok’s tourist … Continue reading
Hezbollah says Ban Ki-moon not welcome in Lebanon
As the secretary-general of the UN is set to arrive in Lebanon on Friday, Sheikh Mohammad Yazbek, head of Hezbollah’s Shura Council, said that Ban Ki-Moon is not welcome. This follows Ban’ criticisms of Hezbollah, saying that the group was a threat for the stability of Lebanon. The Daily Star, Lebanon Click here for the … Continue reading
Interview: Hans Blix, former Chief of International Atomic Energy Agency
Nothing can stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons, but the country does not have them yet, and has probably stopped trying to make them. That’s according to Hans Blix, former Chief of International Atomic Energy Agency, who headed the organization from 1981 to 1997. Blix also argued, threats by hawks in Israel and the US … Continue reading
Gaza’s thriving tunnel imports unleash building boom
Thanks to hundreds of tunnels in the sandy soil of the border zone, a construction boom has buoyed Gaza’s otherwise crippled economy, according to a United Nations report. Reuters, United States Click here for the full story
Israeli policies under fire at Security Council
Diplomats at the UN Security Council have voiced frustration over the lack of progress towards restarting Israel-Palestine negotiations and called for an immediate halt to Israeli settlement activity in the Palestinian territories. Al Jazeera, Qatar
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