Etiket arşivi: war in Gaza

Peace in Gaza

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October 14, 2025

After two years of war, the implementation of the first phase of President Trump’s 20-point peace plan has sparked great joy in Israel and Gaza, along with “cautious optimism” worldwide because the plan leaves much to be negotiated among the parties. Regardless, with the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners and detainees, yesterday’s Knesset session, and the Gaza summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, where the leaders of Egypt, Qatar, Türkiye, and the US signed “The Trump Declaration for Enduring Peace and Prosperity”, October 13, 2025, will be remembered as a notable date, perhaps the “Trump Day” in Middle East history.[i] Why the Trump Declaration was signed only by the four leaders and not more is a question.

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The New Year Begins with Uncertainties

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January 2, 2025

Toward the end of 2024, Germany and France were engulfed in domestic political problems. Romania’s constitutional court annulled the country’s 2024 presidential election. Georgia remained in political turmoil. South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law created havoc, and the National Assembly impeached him in a second vote. The US and its European allies continued providing Ukraine with economic and military assistance. Their motto has always been “as long as it takes”. However, such references became increasingly questionable. Mobilization became unpopular in Ukrainian society. By contrast, Russia regained momentum. Though welcomed, the fall of the Assad dynasty created anxiety not only in Syria but also in the Middle East. The war in Gaza continued with no end in sight.

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Foreshocks of a Bigger Middle East Earthquake?

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October 6, 2024

Tomorrow will mark the first anniversary of the Hamas the Hamas onslaught of October 7 that left 1,200 Israelis dead. Since then Israel has been fighting its longest war. With nearly 42,000 dead and almost 100,000 wounded, mostly women and children, the tremors of the Gaza earthquake continue. The Strip has been reduced to rubble and winter is approaching. Moreover, some 800 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank. With the beginning of IDF operations, Lebanon is now the major battleground. IDF’s recent airstrikes in Lebanon have so far killed over 1,400 people and displaced more than 1,200,000. And the risks of Lebanon turning into a second Gaza are growing if strikes were to continue at this pace.

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The Incremental Cost of the Wars in Ukraine and Gaza

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April 30, 2024

The world remains focused on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and the Iran-Israel confrontation. The former defines relations between Russia and the West and unfortunately, there is no path yet for a negotiated solution. The latter two are more of a challenge for the US, with Russia and China watching on the sidelines. How the Gaza conflict would evolve is likely to impact Washington’s standing in the world. In brief, these are not great times for global powers to stand up together against other global threats such as ISIS, a radical group that has proved its outreach on numerous occasions.

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A Critical Year

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March 4, 2024

The anxiety reflected in the major headlines of the past week has confirmed that 2024 is going to be a critical year for the West.

It seems that a growing number of Americans are not happy with the looming Biden-Trump rematch. The latter’s threatening remarks to European allies about their inadequate defense spending have added to worries in European capitals on the future of their relations with Washington.

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Iraq and Syria Refuse Being Made Punching Bags

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February 5, 2024

On January 3, twin blasts near the burial site of Qasem Soleimani, the former head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, killed a hundred people and injured scores in the southern Iranian city of Kerman adding to concerns about a widening regional conflict. President Raisi’s political deputy, Mohammad Jamshidi, blamed Israel and the US for the attack. Later, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei vowed a “harsh response” to the attack but did not mention either Israel or the US.

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2024: Another Challenging Year for the West

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January 2, 2024

On May 7, 2021, China initiated a virtual discussion at the UN Security Council on the future of the Organization and the international order. 

In remarks to the Security Council, Secretary Blinken, after thanking China for the initiative, underlined respect for international commitments, particularly the legally binding ones such as the UN Charter, treaties and conventions, UN Security Council resolutions, international humanitarian law, and the rules and standards agreed to under the auspices of the World Trade Organization and numerous international standard-setting organizations.

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The West, Neither at War nor at Peace

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November 4, 2023

On November 29, the statement issued by the NATO-Ukraine Council at the level of Foreign Ministers said that allies remain steadfast in their commitment to further step up political and practical support to Ukraine as it continues to defend its independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, and will continue their support for as long as it takes.[i]

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