I strongly applaud US senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) for urging FIFA to reconsider Saudi Arabia as the host of the 2034 World Cup due to its poor human rights record. In a letter from the two senators to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, they wrote, “Approving Saudi Arabia’s bid this December endangers workers, athletes, tourists, and members of the press, and it runs counter to FIFA’s own human rights policies.” As they warn, approving the Saudi bid risks repeating the labor abuses seen in Qatar before the 2022 World Cup and makes FIFA also responsible for human rights abuses. Saudi Arabia is among the countries most criticized for its repression of women, LGBTQ+ discrimination, and labor rights violations.
#FIFA #SaudiArabia #HumanRights #Labor
Since it is customary for Israelis to coalesce in times of danger regardless of their political and ideological leanings, Netanyahu needs to perpetuate enmity. To that end, he has routinely oppressed the Palestinians to maintain their hostilities toward Israel.
#Israel #IsraeliPalestinianConflict #Palestine #Palestinians #WestBank #Gaza #MiddleEast #Netanyahu
We have not yet discerned whether Kosovo PM Kurti’s current policies toward Serbia will change. In fact, his policies might have worsened the situation over the past couple of years with the Serb-dominated northern municipalities, evidenced by the increased tension and violence. That said, Kurti’s action or inaction is motivated by the upcoming election. He seems to enjoy broad public support for his policies, which he cannot afford to lose if he wants to be reelected. It should be noted, however, that while Kosovo’s allies criticize Kurti for his policies, Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani feels that the EU and the US “approach was imbalanced.” Finally, notwithstanding criticism from Kosovo’s allies, the EU and the US continue to support Kosovo’s sovereignty and integration into the EU. However, they will work with whichever government may be formed after the elections in February 2025. They will undoubtedly resume the Serbia-Kosovo dialogue in continuing efforts to mitigate their conflict and promote regional stability.
#Kosovo #Kosova #Serbia #Balkans #ConflictResolution
Children as young as 12 are being recruited by the Revolutionary Youth Movement of Syria in the country’s northeast. These children are forcibly removed from their homes and schools, severing all family contact, and subjected to indoctrination for eventual involvement with armed groups. These children deserve protection, and world authorities must act as the voice for the voiceless to prevent further harm.
#Syria #SyrianCivilWar #HumanRights #ChildrensRights
Given the reign of horror that was inflicted on the Syrian people, the new leaders appear to be committed to a new beginning that the public is yearning for, not simply replacing the ruthless Assad dictatorship with a new one. They want to write a new chapter that would end the public’s pain, suffering, and despair, especially over the past 14 years since the outbreak of the Arab Spring, and bring hope for a better and promising future. On the whole, it appears as though a new era has dawned on Syria. These positive signs, however, are not free from the many challenges in regime change, which include integrating the armed groups into a unified structure and preserving all state institutions, as well as laborious negotiations between the numerous opposition groups with different ideologies and loyalties. There are also concerns that hasty changes might invite other militant groups to emerge and plunge the country once again into a civil war and destroy what was left under Assad. Read more from my latest article here: alonben-meir.com/writing/the-fall-of-the-assad-regime-the-rebels-prospect-for-success-or-failure/
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The Syrian rebels’ leader, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, met with the outgoing prime minister Mohammed al-Jalali to discuss the transition of power in Syria to demonstrate his desire to work with experienced officials to ensure a smoother power transfer and temporarily supervise the bureaucracy. Hadi al-Bahra, president of the Syrian National Coalition, outlined plans for an 18-month transitional period and extended his hand to help draft a new constitution and hold elections as desired by the rebel leaders. To show the rebels’ leaders’ commitment to justice, they swore to hold accountable many army officers who were involved in torture and commit themselves to establishing “a state of freedom, equality, rule of law and democracy,” as Syria’s UN ambassador Koussay Aldahhak stated. Click here to read more: alonben-meir.com/writing/the-fall-of-the-assad-regime-the-rebels-prospect-for-success-or-failure/
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Perhaps it is premature to determine whether or not the Syrian rebels will keep their word with respect to their promises to be inclusive and treat every citizen, regardless of their ethnicity, equally before the law. However, there are important and positive signs that the new leaders are likely to follow what they have been saying to demonstrate that they are committed to establishing responsible and legitimate governance. To that end, they called for national unity and a peaceful transfer of power. Continue reading here:
The Fall Of The Assad Regime: The Rebels’ Prospect For Success Or Failure - Alon Ben-Meir
alonben-meir.com
The Fall Of The Assad Regime: The Rebels’ Prospect For Success Or FailureSee the Arabic translationThe fall of the Assad regime is a historic watershed event that will have significant regional and ...0 CommentsComment on Facebook
It is hard to exaggerate the jubilation of the Syrian people when they heard the news about the fall of Bashar al-Assad, which ended a 52-year-old ‘dynasty’ that will be remembered as the darkest chapter of the country’s existence. How long the public’s jubilation will last, and whether normalcy will be restored to a shattered country, will depend on whether the new government fulfills its promise to be inclusive, focusing on rebuilding the country and seeking peace and reconciliation, or simply replaces one ruthless dictatorship with a new one. Read more here: alonben-meir.com/writing/the-fall-of-the-assad-regime-the-rebels-prospect-for-success-or-failure/
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Kalojë një regjim kriminal ; erdhi një regjim kriminal; populli si gjithnjë viktim.
