news Report -10/02
Middle East impacted as the US freezes aid
On Friday, January 24, the US State Department ordered a 90-day freeze on more than $60 billion in foreign assistance. Experts warn that without this aid, humanitarian efforts globally could collapse, “putting millions of lives at risk,” reported The Washington Post. This impacts the MENA region, as in 2023 the US provided $10.6 billion in aid to the region. President Trump has issued a waiver for the security funding to Israel and Egypt, the recipients of largest amounts of security funding from the US in 2023, reported The Washington Post. According to The Guardian, some humanitarian organizations have been able to apply for a blanket waiver while the administration reviews which aid projects will continue. The humanitarian situations for example in Syria, Jordan and the Palestinian territories have raised concerns. The Guardian reported that humanitarian groups fear that north-east Syrian camps will lose basic amenities, with Kurdish officials warning of an Islamic State resurgence if US aid cuts come into effect after waivers expire. In Jordan, the suspension of aid has caused “ripple effects” across Jordan’s aid-relient economy, and “will have a devastating effect on human security and stability in Jordan and beyond” with “‘double devastation’ for the underprivileged and marginalised, including refugees,” stated an anonymous head of a large Jordanian NGO, cited The National. In Northern Gaza, no “major impacts” of aid cuts by the US were observed by UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram, who was cited by NBC. She warned that the “brief moment of relative stability” amid the ceasefire was “fragile,” noting that humanitarian organizations play a critical role in providing basic services.
Sources: The Washington Post, The Guardian, The National, NBC
De facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa named Syria’s president for transitional period
On Wednesday, January 29, Syria’s de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa was named president for the country’s transitional phase, seven weeks after al-Sharaa led the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, stated the BBC. The spokesperson for Syria’s new de facto government’s military operations sector, Hassan Abdel Ghani, announced that the country's 2012 constitution has been canceled, and that the new president has been given permission to form a temporary legislative council. The transitional period and the role of the legislative council will last until a new constitution is adopted. Abdel Ghani stated that all armed factions that resisted the regime during the civil war will be “dissolved… and integrated into state institutions,” reported Al Jazeera. Al-Sharaa plans the transition to involve the establishment of a national conference, an inclusive government and eventual elections, which according to him “could take up to four years to hold,” as per Al Jazeera. Syria’s post-Assad era has seen international support, for example with the European Union planning a ‘roadmap’ for easing sanctions on Syria. According to EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas, cited by Le Monde, lifting sanctions “could give a boost to the Syrian economy and help the country get back on its feet.” The sanctions would first be lifted “starting with key sectors such as energy where relief is needed most urgently,” stated Le Monde. The sanctions were also discussed between French president Emmanuel Macron and Al-Sharaa in a phone call. Macron has invited the new president to visit France, reported Reuters. Al-Sharaa previously met with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman on his first official foreign trip, of which he stated that Saudi Arabia had “a genuine desire to support Syria in building its future,” cited Al Jazeera.
Sources: BBC, Al Jazeera, Le Monde, Reuters
US President Trump envisions the US controlling Gaza in new controversial plan
On Tuesday, February 4, US President Donald Trump stated his vision of US control over the Gaza Strip in a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to Trump, the US would take control of the Gaza Strip and "do a job with it,” reported the BBC. According to Al Jazeera, Trump envisions “rebuilding and redeveloping” Gaza as the “Riviera of the Middle East.” The plan would include the forced transfer of Palestinians, as Trump suggested that they would “love to leave” Gaza. The Times of Israel cited Trump suggesting that “the only reason the Palestinians want to go back to Gaza is they have no alternative.” A day later the White House stated that the transfer would only be temporary, reported Al Jazeera. In an interview with Fox News, cited by The Times of Israel, Netanyahu called Trump’s proposal “the first good idea that I’ve heard” and that it “should be examined, pursued, and done.” The idea has been widely rejected by different actors. According to Al Jazeera, the Palestinian Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority both rejected any calls to displace Palestinians, echoed by states such as Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Iran. According to the Guardian, UN Secretary General António Guterres warned against “ethnic cleansing” after Trump’s proposal. Germany noted that Trump’s idea would violate international law, Brazil called it “incomprehensible” and China expressed its opposition to “forced transfer.” UN special rapporteur on Palestine Francesca Albanese rejected the idea of achieving peace through “economic development”, stating that “the only way to stop the violence is to give peace a chance through freedom,” reported Al Jazeera.
Sources: BBC, The Guardian, Al Jazeera, The Times of Israel
