Darren Conway. The East Mediterranean covers a region that stretches from Italy's heel tip eastward to the Levant. Israeli, Palestinian officials discuss violence in West Bank, Outrage in France after police shoot 17-year-old in Paris suburb, Stuck in limbo: Despair and frustration at the Sudan-Egypt border, Activists seek to confront UKs plan to ban boycotting Israel, Arm us or protect us: PAs role questioned amid settler attacks, Photos: Hajj at maximum capacity for first time since pandemic, Sudanese army declares unilateral ceasefire on first day of Eid, Israeli complicity in Sri Lanka war crimes must be investigated, Tunisia struggles to progress under cumbersome bureaucracy. The latest news, analysis, and data from the country each week. Dr. Kerry also notes how COVID-19 may lead to an increase in all-cause mortality by diverting resources away from essential goods and services while also discouraging people from seeking necessary care because they are afraid to do so. The indiscriminate launching of rockets towards Israeli population centres violates international law and must stop immediately, Mr. Wennesland underscored. Following the launches, Israeli authorities closed the Israeli Erez crossing to Palestinian workers and traders. const askQuestionLink = button.parentElement.parentElement.querySelector( '.bigfoot-footnote__button' ); The Gulf rivals have declared a truce, but fundamental issues that divided them persist, and unless those are fully resolved, their differences could cause another breach. People board a truck as they leave Khartoum, Sudan, Monday, June 19, 2023. Sudan has been rocked by fighting for more than two months as the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces battle for control of the country. "trigger": "hover", Amanda Blair, The Middle East is in turmoil, with civil wars raging in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Libya. He has reported from more than 40 countries, written two books and previously covered migration and the Middle East for The Guardian. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. There were no casualties reported and the UNInterim Forcein Lebanon (UNIFIL) continues to engage with the Lebanese Armed Forces to increase its counter rocket launching operations to prevent further such incidents and contribute to stability along the Blue Line. "options": [ As of late August 2020, the United States has dedicated nearly $32.4 million to assist with the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.8 A portion of this funding was designated explicitly for the SDF, dealing with the detention of around 10,000 ISIS fighters in approximately two dozen facilities throughout northeast Syria.9 This funding is not enough. Similar concerns are expected to slow Mr. Netanyahus efforts to form formal ties with Saudi Arabia, despite a major push by the Biden administration to forge such a deal. The United Nations says International donors have promised Monday almost $1.5 billion in additional aid to conflict-stricken Sudan. Palestinian outlets reported that at least nine other Palestinian villages were attacked by settlers who smashed shop windows, threw stones and sometimes set up roadblocks, assaulted Palestinians and fired bullets at them. The territory is the focus of recurrent violence because its Palestinian residents want it to form the backbone of a Palestinian state. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the settler attacks unacceptable, saying: The State of Israel is a state of law. In all, 12 Israelis, including two women, as well as three foreign nationals, were killed and 82 Israelis, including some six children and four women, as well one foreign national, were injured by Palestinians in shooting, stabbing and ramming attacks, clashes, the throwing of stones and Molotov cocktails, and other incidents, Mr. Wennesland said. Violence, provocations, and incitement must stop immediately and be unequivocally condemned by all. Dr. Kerry warns that making these kinds of investments will require a change in value systems, both at home and abroad. Alarming Military Build-up Underway in Libya, as COVID-19 Heightens Insecurity, May 19, 2020, UN News, https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/05/1064422. Nadwa al-Dawsari, Foe Not Friend: Yemeni Tribes and Al-Qaeda in the Arabia Peninsula, Washington DC: Project on Middle East Democracy, February 2018, https://pomed.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Dawsari_FINAL_180201.pdf. It has denied that. 1763 N St. NW, Washington D.C. 20036. 26. The donations were pledged following a U.N.-sponsored meeting co-hosted by Egypt, Germany, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the African Union in the Swiss city of Geneva. That year, there were 58 conflicts in the region, of which 28 were violent . AI is already impacting warfare and deterrence, and the immense amount of computing power required to stay ahead of the curve is driving foreign-policy choices for major economies. The industry leader for online information for tax, accounting and finance professionals. Simply Explained By My Olive Tree | February 26, 2020 The Middle East conflict is one that has been discussed to the point of confusion. atcb_action( { 7. "iCal", 23. Imad K. Harb, Saudi Arabia Is Planning to End the War in Yemen, Al Jazeera, April 12, 2020, https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2020/4/12/saudi-arabia-is-preparing-. const button = document.querySelector( '#register-1117204' ); 2020. 25. Uganda immediately put border surveillance measures into effect, required quarantines, and already had the lab capability and human resources to test individuals so long as tests were supplied. Protests erupt after teenager shot dead in Paris suburb of Nanterre after allegedly refusing to stop car for police. Delivered Wednesday. "Google", Conflict Between Turkey and Armed Kurdish Groups Middle East Conflict | History, Timeline & U.S. Involvement - Video The latest news and investigations from the Middle East, including Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, UAE, Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Northeast Syria, where more than 3 million people are currently living in refugee camps, reported its first case of COVID-19 on July 9, 2020.3 There are reports that the virus has been spreading rapidly through camps in the countrys northwest regions.4 At the Atmeh refugee camp, one of the largest in northwest Syria, at least 40 percent of people tested have COVID-19. Crisis Group's President Robert Malley lists the Ten Conflicts to Watch in 2021. In a statement, the Israeli police acknowledged shooting one Palestinian, but said that its officers had opened fire only after Palestinian rioters disrupted efforts to put out fires. const button = document.querySelector( '#register-1117049' ); Moreover, Israeli settlers or other civilians perpetrated 66 attacks against Palestinians resulting in nine injuries and/or damage to Palestinian property. 52. Will India Surpass China to Become the Next Superpower? Alphabet-owned Google on Tuesday said it is cutting jobs at mapping app Waze as it merges the app's advertising system with Google Ads technology, without giving details on the number of layoffs. Yemens health sector is already overwhelmed by a surge in the COVID-19 death rate, which has been projected to surpass that of its wartime fatalities.19 With only 51 percent of health centers fully functional and a dearth of qualified medical personnel or operational equipment, the humanitarian situation will continue to worsen, creating vulnerabilities ripe for exploitation by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and ISIS-Yemen.20 For example, these groups are likely to target increasingly distressed Yemeni civilians as potential recruits with the promise of a salary or even basic essentials, like food, water, and medicine. The countrys health care system has been shattered by years of conflict and is woefully inadequate in the face of a global pandemic. Before that point, American combat operations in the . For ancient conflicts, see List of conflicts in the Near East. Delivered Wednesday & Sunday. As these overlapping rivalries crisscross the region, competitions are likely to become more unpredictable, as will the pattern of tactical alliances. 28. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (C), Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (R) attend a joint press conference in Ankara on Sept. 16, 2019. In turn, that might invite meddling by Russia, which has already proved adept at exploiting the regions fissures to its advantage. FP subscribers are encouraged to send in questions in advance. At least one Palestinian was shot and killed, and 12 others were injured, some of them in clashes with the Israeli security forces, according to the Palestinian health ministry. The effects of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic highlight the need for more robust international stabilization efforts to achieve long-term peace and self-sufficiency in the Middle East. }. Bassem Mroue, Islamic State Prisoners Agree to End Riot in Syria Jail, ABC News, May 3, 2020, https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/islamic-state-prisoners-. This is a list of modern conflicts in the Middle East ensuing in the geographic and political region known as the Middle East. Thank you in advance for agreeing to participate in our survey so we can improve and tailor our products to your needs. H.J. The governor of Darfur has called for an international investigation into violence against residents of the region, which has experienced some of the worst fighting in Sudans ongoing conflict. Variables for the Middle East region, Islamic countries, and oil depen-dence are not significant. Erdogan has been for some time suggesting that Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was wrong to give up Ottoman Arab territories as far south as Mosul. Download the FP mobile app to read anytime, anywhere. Libya Health Sector: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Preparedness and Response Plan for Libya, WHO, IOM, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNFPA, UN Habitat, IMC, HI, TDH, MSF-Holland, MSFFrance, Emergenza Sorrissi-Naduk, IRC, PUI, April 12, 2020, https://reliefweb.int/report/libya/libya-health-sector-coronavirus-dise. Social media campaigns are now a regular tool of Middle Eastern governments, and they are used as well by governments like Russia seeking to influence the Middle East. All of a sudden, everyone is talking about artificial intelligence. ] News Israeli Ambassador claims Palestinians are being taught to stab Jews Middle East Israel violence: One dead in bus station attack in Beersheba However, even countries like Uganda are only prepared to manage small outbreaks of disease. COVID-19 Impact on YemenUpdate, Geneva: ACAPS, April 8, 2020, https://www.acaps.org/sites/acaps/files/products/files/20200409_acaps_r. "The effects of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic highlight the need for more robust international stabilization efforts to achieve long-term peace and self-sufficiency in the Middle East.". "trigger": "hover", "startDate": "2023-07-14T10:00", Mustafagull/Getty Images Though the two main sects within Islam, Sunni and Shia, agree on most of the fundamental beliefs and practices of Islam, a bitter split between the two goes back some 14. Ahmad Gharabli/Agence France-Presse Getty Images. \nIn 2021, Michael Beckley argued in FP that Chinas demographic challenges and a decline in productivity would lead to economic stagnation. 48. Eric Oehlerich, Countering sectarian and religious conflict in the Middle East; The keys to preventing conflict between countries; Don't miss any update on this topic. Turkeys military support for Azerbaijan now aligns with Israels support for Baku, and Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE have found themselves in agreement worrying about the implications of Turkeys successful maneuver in that conflict. Announces $225 Million in Emergency Aid to Yemen, Reuters, May 6, 2020, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-yemen-aid/u-s-ann. For more than two decades, the United States has seen the politics of the Middle East as a tug of war between moderation and radicalismArabs against Iran. Well before the conflict began, two-thirds of Sudan's population was living below the poverty line, and one in three relied on humanitarian aid to make ends meet, according to UN figures. COVID-19 is now an additional factor on top of the violence and monumental international support tasks, all of which require a sustained commitment. Since 1989, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has been plagued by growing terrorist attacks and conflicts, fueling significant increases in the region's military expenditure (ME) (Sandler and George, 2016; SIPRI, 2019; Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) 2017, 2019).For instance, MENA's global share of terrorist attacks rose from 9.8 per cent during 1970-1989 to 36 . Information on exactly how COVID-19 is manifesting in fragile and conflict-affected states is limited, but studies from other settings around the world show how people who are immunocompromised are at much higher risk of having bad outcomes with COVID-19.51 Malnutrition, for example, is known to impair the immune system, and communities lacking access to stable food sources may be more vulnerable to COVID-19 as a result.52. "description": "For much of the past three decades, there was widespread consensus that Chinas continued rise was inevitable. If the Biden administration wants a lasting solution, it must involve Irans central bank governor. It depends who you ask. }. Predictably, Turkish expansionism runs up against Iranian regional interests in the Levant and the Caucasus in ways that evoke Turkeys imperial past. Ryan Browne, ISIS Seeks to Exploit Pandemic to Mount Resurgence in Iraq and Syria, CNN, May 8, 2020, https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/07/politics/isis-coronavirus-iraq-syria/ind. 10 key events and trends in the Middle East and North Africa in 2021 Ultimately reining in Irans proxies and limiting its missiles can be achieved through regional arms control and building a regional security architecture. Can you explain how the Middle East conflict started? The paramilitary force, commanded by Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, has occupied peoples houses and other civilian properties, according to residents and activists. Security Council Meets on Situation in Middle East, Including Palestinian Question, Receive daily updates directly in your inbox -, Middle East: No justification for terrorism or violence against civilians, Security Council hears, WithGazaviolenceescalatingas wespeak,UN envoy callsfor immediate stop, Middle East: Mounting violence leaving scores of Palestinian and Israeli casualties, Top UN officials call on parties to swiftly reduce ominous surge in Israeli-Palestinian violence, Israel-Palestine: No substitute for legitimate political process, UN envoy tells Security Council, UN chief encouraged by engagement between Israeli and Palestinian officials. Middle East - BBC News Explore the benefits included in your subscription. The Israeli military said it had acted to prevent clashes between Israelis and Palestinians, and condemned the violence by settlers. Conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Yemen lead to millions of displaced migrants in the Middle East since 2005, Pew Research Center, October 18, 2016, https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2016/10/18/conflicts-in-syria-iraq-a. Khannas plan includes reducing trade deficits and tensions, improving communication, and bolstering deterrence. Reentry into the WHO under the new administration will likely facilitate cooperation that can help manage the ongoing crisis. Israeli extremists caused widespread damage in a wave of attacks on Palestinian towns that lasted from Tuesday night until Wednesday night in revenge for the killing of four Israelis by Palestinian gunmen outside a nearby settlement in the territory. What does it mean for critical minerals and mining? In total, Palestinians perpetrated 104 attacks against Israeli civilians resulting in injuries and/or damage to Israeli property. Which theory is correct? How Middle Eastern conflicts are playing out on social media In reviving Turkish interest in those territories, Erdogan is claiming greater patriotism than that of the founder of modern Turkey and making clear that he is breaking with the Kemalist legacy in asserting Turkish prerogatives in the Middle East. Around 24.7 million people, more than half of Sudans population, are in need of humanitarian assistance, the U.N. says. The number of conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa as well as Afghanistan fell marginally from 2020 to 2022. Join FPs Ravi Agrawal for a timely debate between Beckley and Jin. Palestinians in Gaza continue to suffer as a result of years of severe economic and movement restrictions resulting from the Israeli closure regime, as well as the nature of Hamas rule and the ongoing threat of violence. "MicrosoftTeams", The province of West Darfur has experienced some of the worst violence. But Arab states have been sliding deeper into paralysis and chaos since the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, followed by the failed Arab Spring, leading to new fault lines. The emerging competitions for power and influence have become severe enough to disrupt the post-World War I order, when the Ottoman Empire was split into shards that European powers picked up as they sought to control the region. 41. FP subscribers are encouraged to send in questions in advance. Build the strongest argument relying on authoritative content, attorney-editor expertise, and industry defining technology. Together with his Danger Zone co-author Hal Brands, Beckley made the term Peak China mainstream. 47. In interviews broadcast by the Palestinian news media, one resident said that her home had been set on fire while children were still inside. Katja Keul, minister of state at Germanys Federal Foreign Office, said Berlin would pledge 200 million euros (nearly $219 million) of humanitarian assistance to Sudan and the region. Hundreds of thousands of people were killed last year alone, and the number of children forced to fight as soldiers has doubled. 9. While many of these initiatives have been effective in achieving their narrow goals, Dr. Vanessa Kerry, CEO of Seed Global Health and senior fellow at Yale Universitys Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, argues that investing more holistically in these countries health care systems would result in better outcomes, especially in the face of crises like COVID-19.50 For example, Dr. Kerry points to Uganda as a fragile state that developed the infrastructure needed to detect and respond to the Ebola crisis in 2014. Turkeys current regional postureextending into Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and the Horn of Africais in direct conflict with policies pursued by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt. UN: International donors promise $1.5 billion in aid to Sudan. Stabilization efforts will be critical to assist with COVID-19 response over the coming months and also to ensure long-term peace and stability in the region. Middle East: Countries and Current Events (Video) | HISTORY Sudans warring parties have begun another attempt at a cease-fire after more than two months of brutal fighting and ahead of an international conference to raise funds for humanitarian assistance. "Google", "Microsoft365", 10. "background": false, To discuss his lead essay in FPs summer print issue, The Scramble for AI, join FPs Ravi Agrawal in conversation with Paul Scharre, author of Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Middle East - The New York Times John Yang discusses the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with Shibley Telhami a professor at the University of Maryland who's been an advisor to the State Department and the U.S. mission to the United . atcb_action( { Explanations have become so complicated that it is difficult to understand the truth. askQuestionLink.classList.contains( 'is-active' ) ) ) { Iran is a harder problem. More importantly, can it change? The 2018 U.S. National Defense Strategy (NDS) specifically directs our military to build and maintain partners and allies worldwide.2 Generally, the United States and its partners have focused on stabilizing the Middle East, fighting terrorists, and working with local partners to build long-term governance and peace. Eric Oehlerich is a retired U.S. Navy Commander (SEAL) from the Naval Special Warfare component of the USSOCOMs Joint Special Operations Command. '", Libyas health system is also fragile after years of conflict and is consequently at high risk of being overwhelmed by the COVID-19 crisis. Sudan has been rocked by fighting for over two months as the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces battle for .