Middle East Press on: Israel, ICC, Syrian, Migrants, Anti, Semitism: New Age Islam's Selection, 20 December 2024
By New Age Islam Edit Desk
20 December 2024
Israel, Do Not Abandon Those Suffering From Trauma
An Ode To Israel’s Heroes
Head Of Israel’s ‘Dream Team’ Ridiculed Over Ignorance Of Basic ICC Jurisdiction
The Straw Man Of ‘Anti-Semitism’ Is Used To Ban Anti-Israel Protests In Australia
Outside Interference In Post-Assad Syria Is Inevitable
Is Israel’s Next Target Türkiye?
From Exile To Homecoming: Syrian Migrants Start Their Return
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Israel, Do Not Abandon Those Suffering From Trauma
By Jpost Editorial
December 20, 2024
A handful of research, reviews, and data have come out in the aftermath of October 7, exposing the mental health crisis Israel is currently experiencing, and it is devastating.
Out of the thousands of lone soldiers who have served in the reserves since the start of the war and who need treatment, only 500 have received treatment.
The Hostage Family Forum revealed that the psychological harm of captivity was as great or greater than the intense physical harm suffered by the hostages.
Around half of the Israeli public does not feel safe in public spaces. Some 63% of female respondents reported not feeling safe in a study by the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel, compared to 42% of men.
Professionals who receive answer calls of distress from the Israeli population on a daily basis warn that in light of the continuation of the wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and beyond, they expect an increase in suicide risk rates, according to a University of Haifa study.
In January, Walla reported that 1,600 IDF soldiers had shown symptoms of combat-related PTSD since the start of the war. Of those, 76% returned to combat duties after receiving treatment from mental health officials attached to their units stationed near combat zones.
So many are suffering from the consequences that war has; not only war, but watching friends, family, and loved ones be decimated on October 7.
Suicide rates
Eliran Mizrahi, a 40-year-old father of four, reported for duty to the Gaza Strip shortly after the October 7 massacre. He did not come back the same, his family told CNN in October.
Mizrahi struggled with PTSD for six months after his return and died by suicide shortly before he was supposed to be redeployed.
Shirel Golan, a survivor of the Hamas massacre at the Nova music festival, was found dead in her apartment on her 22nd birthday later that month.
According to her family, Golan suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder due to the horrific events she experienced at the festival on October 7, when Hamas invaded Israel, massacring some 1,200, including in the Nova Music Festival area, and kidnapping around 250.
Her family said they did not receive adequate assistance from state authorities to get her the necessary treatment to deal with her experiences.
Indeed, the state has not been prioritizing support for the survivors of mass casualty events such as the Nova Massacre.
In November, it was revealed that the state would stop funding psychological assistance to the families of hostages who have returned from captivity.
According to the law, as soon as a hostage returns, the captive’s family is no longer entitled to psychological assistance financing. Still, the National Insurance Institute (NII) has not implemented this procedure so far, and now the families have received a notice that the assistance will stop.
Combat navigator Maj. (res.) Asaf Dagan was another reservist who took his own life earlier this year. His sister, Inbal, criticized the government over what she called its outdated, absurd policies regarding traumatized war veterans.
She emphasized her mother’s relentless efforts to help Asaf, noting that her pleas to the Defense Ministry and various other organizations fell on “deaf ears.”
“According to the outdated protocols of the Defense Ministry… Asaf was supposed to ‘reach out by himself’ to ask for help,” she wrote.
The state, simply put, cannot abandon those suffering from trauma. We are in a critical time in which the needs of soldiers, for example, are written on the wall; they are not yet post-traumatic, but rather, still within the trauma itself. The state has an opportunity and an obligation to get ahead, prepare, and tackle the issue head-on.
Unlike previous mass casualty events, many victims and their families were exposed to real-time footage through social media, creating the need for trauma treatment that addresses both direct trauma and digital exposure.
Many survivors were evacuated to different locations across Israel, creating a need for coordinated mental health services across multiple jurisdictions.
The volunteer first responders who handled body recovery faced particularly graphic scenes, requiring specialized mental health support that bridges both psychological and religious perspectives.
Children need long-term support that helps them rebuild their sense of safety.
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-834213
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An Ode to Israel’s Heroes
By Eyal Salti
DECEMBER 19, 2024
Every Israeli remembers a time they had to enter a shelter during a missile barrage. During the most recent one, I was on Instagram, video chatting with a family member who lives in the Netherlands, when the sirens began to wail.
Without finishing my sentence, I sprinted to the nearest shelter—a routine that has become all too familiar. That call marked my first of nearly fifty rushes to safety during this war, as Hezbollah’s missiles rained down on my city, far from any military installation. Terrorists, as we Israelis know too well, make no distinction between civilian and military targets.
People who message me on social media call me brave, a hero even. But I’m no hero—I’m simply fortunate. Being an Israeli teenager, living in central Israel, I have access to institutions and infrastructure that others don’t. The real heroes are the tens of thousands of children and teens who were forced to flee their homes along Israel’s northern and southern borders, where they lived under the constant shadow of radical Islamic terror groups. These young Israelis never asked for anything except what should be guaranteed: the basic human right to safety. We failed them.
Youth shouldn’t have to be heroes. They shouldn’t have to experience war at all. Yes, there’s currently a ceasefire in the north, but history has taught us the fragility of such arrangements. From the Second Lebanon War in 2006 until October 8, 2023, we had a ceasefire too. Yet, during that time, we failed to secure lasting safety for these children.
To protect our young heroes now, we must step up as leaders our country desperately needs.
Recently, I learned of an anonymous Jewish family who donated 12 shelters to 9 Arab-Israeli cities—a profound act of humanitarian leadership that transcends political and ethnic divisions. This gesture crystallized a crucial truth: each one of us has the power to reshape our reality. While not everyone can donate shelters, we all can become Israel’s heroes by strengthening our communities through mutual responsibility and collective action.
We’ve witnessed our other heroes, our brave young soldiers, sacrifice everything—sometimes their very own lives—to protect our nation’s future. As their civilian counterparts, we must match their dedication by building stronger, more resilient, and more united communities. This means putting collective welfare above individual interests, whether through volunteer work, community organizing, or political engagement. Leadership isn’t just about holding positions of power; it’s about taking responsibility for the world we want to create.
My heroes of this past year are the young, resilient children who were forced from their homes as terrorists attacked their homes and communities, the civilians who stepped up to help one another in times of need, and our courageous soldiers who defend us and our values. None of them chose to be heroes—they all simply wanted to live peaceful lives. To honor their sacrifice and protect their legacy, we must become the leaders they deserve: leaders who work tirelessly to ensure that future generations won’t need to be heroes.
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-834224
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Head Of Israel’s ‘Dream Team’ Ridiculed Over Ignorance Of Basic ICC Jurisdiction
By Nasim Ahmed
December 19, 2024
Controversial American lawyer Alan Dershowitz, reportedly assembling a “legal dream team” to defend Israel at the International Criminal Court (ICC), has faced widespread criticism for displaying ignorance of the court’s jurisdiction. Dershowitz accused the ICC of double standards for failing to prosecute former Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad while issuing arrest warrants against Israeli leaders. His remarks have been widely ridiculed by legal experts who pointed out fundamental flaws in his argument.
Commenting on X, Dershowitz – who, as a Jew, is granted automatic right by the state of Israel to settle in the illegally occupied territories, a right not granted to Palestinians ethnically cleansed from their homeland – said: “The ICC has never indicted Assad. Of course, not because he’s neither Israeli nor Jewish. Ireland, South Africa, Canada, and all the other bigoted nations that enable the ICC don’t care about the hundreds of thousands murdered or tortured by Assad. Hypocrisy on stilts!”
The 86-year-old lawyer, known as Israel’s “attack dog,” implied that the ICC’s decision to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant was rooted in anti-Semitism rather than legal considerations. Critics, however, were quick to challenge his claims.
One such critic, legal expert Dr Alonso Gurmendi, took to social media to highlight Dershowitz’s ignorance of international law, sarcastically wishing “luck” to Israel for placing its faith in someone who lacked a basic understanding of ICC jurisdiction. Gurmendi’s remarks reflected a broader consensus among legal experts, many of whom pointed out that Dershowitz’s accusations ignored the ICC’s legal limitations and misrepresented its role in international justice.
Contrary to Dershowitz’s claims, the ICC’s jurisdiction over the West Bank and Gaza Strip stems from Palestine’s accession to the Rome Statute in 2015. In 2021, the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber confirmed its territorial jurisdiction over Palestinian territories occupied by Israel since 1967, enabling investigations into alleged war crimes in these areas. This decision was based on Palestine’s status as a state party to the Rome Statute, which granted the ICC jurisdiction over crimes committed within its territory, regardless of the nationality of the alleged perpetrators.
In stark contrast, the ICC lacks jurisdiction over Syria because it is not a party to the Rome Statute. The only alternative mechanism for ICC involvement in Syria would be a referral by the UN Security Council. However, such efforts have been repeatedly blocked by Russia and China, both of whom wield veto power and are staunch allies of Assad’s regime. In 2014, a resolution to refer Syria to the ICC was vetoed, effectively shielding the Syrian government from accountability under international law. These legal and political realities debunk Dershowitz’s claim that the ICC’s inaction on Assad is evidence of bias or hypocrisy.
Dershowitz’s accusation that the ICC is motivated by anti-Semitism also fails to consider the proactive efforts made by individual European nations to prosecute war criminals under the principle of universal jurisdiction. This legal doctrine allows national courts to prosecute individuals for serious international crimes, such as genocide and crimes against humanity, regardless of where they were committed. In recent years, European countries have taken significant steps to hold Syrian officials accountable, undermining Dershowitz’s portrayal of international apathy toward Al-Assad’s atrocities.
For instance, French judges issued international arrest warrants in 2023 for Bashar Al-Assad, his brother Maher Al-Assad, and two senior military officials, accusing them of complicity in crimes against humanity, including chemical attacks in 2013. Similarly, Germany has been at the forefront of prosecuting Syrian war crimes. In June 2018, German prosecutors issued an arrest warrant for Jamil Hassan, the head of Syria’s Air Force Intelligence Directorate, accusing him of overseeing torture, murder and other crimes against humanity. These efforts culminated in the landmark trial in Koblenz, Germany, where a former Syrian intelligence officer was convicted of crimes against humanity in 2022, marking the first such conviction for a high-ranking official from Assad’s regime.
These cases demonstrate that the international community has not turned a blind eye to Assad’s crimes. Instead, they highlight how legal frameworks, such as universal jurisdiction, can complement international efforts to pursue justice when the ICC’s hands are tied. Dershowitz’s failure to acknowledge these developments underscores the inadequacy of his argument and raises questions about his credibility as a defender of international law.
Dershowitz’s claims also ignore the potential for future ICC involvement in Syria. Legal experts suggest that a post-Assad Syrian government could retroactively join the Rome Statute, granting the ICC jurisdiction over crimes committed during the civil war. This would enable the court to investigate and prosecute Al-Assad and his collaborators for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. However, significant challenges remain, including Russia’s likely refusal to extradite Al-Assad, even under a new Syrian regime.
Domestically, Syria’s transitional government could pursue justice through its own legal system, provided it undergoes significant reform. Experts recommend incorporating provisions for war crimes and crimes against humanity into Syria’s penal code to enable credible prosecutions. A hybrid model, blending Syrian judicial structures with international expertise, may be necessary to ensure the fairness and legitimacy of such trials. Evidence preservation will be a critical factor in these efforts. Mass graves, secret service documents and prison records must be professionally handled to prevent the loss or destruction of crucial evidence.
Dershowitz’s comments also ignore the broader context of international justice, where political and logistical challenges often impede accountability for high-profile crimes. The ICC’s focus on Israeli-occupied territories reflects its jurisdictional mandate rather than bias, as Dershowitz suggests. By contrast, the court’s inability to prosecute Al-Assad stems from Syria’s non-membership in the Rome Statute and the geopolitical realities of the UN Security Council.
The disparity in how crimes in Israel-Palestine and Syria are addressed is not evidence of double standards but a reflection of the limitations of the international legal system. While the ICC has jurisdiction over Israeli leaders due to Palestine’s legal status, it cannot act in Syria without the cooperation of the Syrian government or a Security Council referral. Even so, European nations have stepped in to fill the gap, despite failing to do so in the case of Israel’s Gaza genocide, demonstrating a commitment to accountability that Dershowitz conveniently overlooks.
Dershowitz’s attempt to frame the ICC’s actions as anti-Semitic also fails to account for the broader complexities of international law and politics. His remarks suggest a lack of understanding of the challenges involved in prosecuting sitting heads of state and high-ranking officials, particularly in the face of geopolitical obstacles. Far from exposing bias, his comments reveal his own misapprehensions and undermine his credibility as a legal expert.
Dershowitz’s criticism of the ICC reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of how international law operates and disregards the substantial efforts made by nations to pursue justice for war crimes. His claims of anti-Semitism not only lack evidence but distract from the realities of legal constraints and geopolitical challenges. Far from being ignored, Al-Assad and his regime have been targeted through European legal actions, while the ICC’s jurisdiction over Israeli-occupied territories is grounded in clear legal precedent. Dershowitz’s remarks, rather than exposing bias, highlight his failure to grasp basic facts.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20241219-head-of-israels-dream-team-ridiculed-over-ignorance-of-basic-icc-jurisdiction/
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The Straw Man Of ‘Anti-Semitism’ Is Used To Ban Anti-Israel Protests In Australia
By Dr Binoy Kampmark
December 19, 2024
A spate of incidents in Australia recently delighted Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, who has shown himself to be merrily divisive in attacking protestors acting in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza over their horrific suffering since October last year. “If you allow these lunatics to continue their protests at university campuses and you allow them to spew their hatred and affiliate with a listed terrorist organisation, and there [is] no consequence,” said Dutton, “of course we’ll see the sort of outcomes we have seen, which most recently has culminated in the firebombing of a synagogue in Melbourne.”
The 6 December attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne, while awful, was elevated immediately to a level of concern warranting an emergency, at least according to Dutton and his acolytes. Attacks on mosques and their worshippers, a feature of Australian public life for some years now, hardly warranted a mention. A 2021 joint study by three Australian universities surveying 75 mosques found that 58.2 per cent had experienced violent attacks between 2014 and 2019.
Dutton also had inspiration from another source. “The burning of the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne is an abhorrent act of anti-Semitism,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on social media. “I expect the state authorities to use their full weight to prevent such anti-Semitic acts in future.” Netanyahu, of course, has an International Criminal Court arrest warrant out in his name on charges of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Ever the opportunist, though, he saw a chance to see unsubstantiated links between the bombing in Melbourne, Australian foreign policy and anti-Semitism. “Unfortunately, it is impossible to separate this reprehensible act from the extreme anti-Israeli position of the Labour government in Australia, including the scandalous decision to support the UN resolution calling on Israel ‘to bring an end to its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as rapidly as possible’, and preventing a former Israeli minister from entering the country.” The conclusion was childishly simple, and devilishly misleading: “Anti-Israel sentiment is anti-Semitism.”
It isn’t, of course, but this unbridled nonsense had its effect. In the aftermath of the synagogue attack, Australia’s anti-Semitism envoy, Jillian Segal, got busy. On the Australian public broadcaster SBS, she took the rather authoritarian view that Australian cities were no place for protests against Israeli policies towards the Palestinians. “There should be places designated away from where the Jewish community might venture, where people can demonstrate.” Presumably, pro-Palestinian protestors needed to be given caged areas to engage in their activities, like smokers, leaving the pure and docile populace safe to go about their business.
In Segal’s view, the weekly protests held in solidarity for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank had become “something more sinister”. Not only were they “intimidatory”, but they had also “morphed into attacking the Jewish community.” Without much by way of evidence for this, she pointed to the display of “flags from a terrorist organisation” and “anti-Jewish sentiments” seen and heard at rallies. Demagogy always resists context.
Amnesty International Australia, issued a statement on 13 December in which it expressed its strong opposition to Segal’s call to ban pro-Palestinian protests from city centres. “Protests advocating for a ceasefire, the protection of human rights, and an end to Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza are an essential and protected outlet for Australians to freely express their views.” It was vital to distinguish between instances of “hateful acts, and calls for justice, freedom and human dignity.”
As Australia lacks a human rights charter protecting the right to lawful assembly and free speech, parliaments at both the federal and state level can show sneering contempt for protests when they wish to do so. Wishing to jump to the aid of Segal and the unspecified fearful in the Jewish community, Victoria’s Premier Jacinta Allan has done just that, proposing legislation that targets pro-Palestinian protests. “Anti-Semitism,” she stated solemnly, “thrives in extreme and radical environments, and we are giving police more powers to control protest and making it harder for agents of violence and hate to hide.”
Allan gives the impression that the proposed laws are universal in nature. “Doesn’t matter if you’re Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, you all deserve the right to simply be who we are.” However, things become very clear with the explicit mention “that Jewish people increasingly feel the promise of a modern and multicultural Victoria is being denied them.”
The ludicrously named Anti-Vilification and Social Cohesion Bill 2024 will not only, as the premier noted, ban the flags and symbols of designated terrorist organisations (Hamas and Hezbollah included), undefined “white nationalists” (presumably those of other colours slip under the radar), “and more”; the statute will also focus on the decorative and dramatic nature of protest. Masks “used by agitators to shield identities and hide from personal accountability” are to be banned, along with glue, rope, chains, locks and other devices “used to cause maximum disruption and endanger Victorians.” This shows that protestors of all stripes, including those concerned with climate change and environment, will also be targeted.
Showing a conventional loathing for Victoria’s own Charter of Human Rights, which has a paper tiger protection for freedom of assembly, Allan condescendingly shreds it: “The right to protest is balanced against the right of people to live safely – free of danger, discrimination and harassment.”
These moves replicate the Commonwealth Criminal Code Act 1995, as amended by the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Prohibited Hate Symbols and Other Measures) Bill 2023 passed last year. As if Australia’s citizenry needed to have more strangulating laws, these measures already criminalise the display and trade of prohibited symbols, along with the Nazi salute, which includes “a prohibited terrorist organisation symbol.” Police-minded bureaucracies, whatever their level, adore duplication.
The beneficiaries in all of this are the noisy, bellicose members of the pro-Israel lobby, a divisive federal opposition keen to capitalise on hatreds it claims not to have, and the State of Israel itself. However murderous, genocidal and cruel its policies might be against the Palestinians, the belief shared by many of its defenders is that the Jewish state is faultless, and beyond the moral and soiling reach of any protest. To think otherwise would equate, as Netanyahu barkingly insists, to “anti-Semitism”.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20241219-the-straw-man-of-anti-semitism-is-used-to-ban-anti-israel-protests-in-australia/
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Outside Interference In Post-Assad Syria Is Inevitable
Christopher Phillips
December 18, 2024
After the sudden collapse of Bashar Assad’s dictatorship, many people have understandably urged foreign powers not to meddle in Syria’s affairs. “Syria’s future must be determined by Syrians, not outside powers,” wrote the Hagop Kevorkian Center’s Mohamad Bazzi for The Guardian, while International Crisis Group declared that outside powers “need to avoid destabilizing interference.” These sentiments are laudable.
Ever since protests erupted against Assad in 2011, outsiders have sought to bend the ensuing civil war in a favorable direction. And Syria would almost certainly benefit from the same forces leaving the country alone as it transitions away from Baathist rule. However, while Syrians should be the ones who determine the shape of their country, it is unrealistic to expect outside powers to suddenly cease their interference. Foreign involvement is a reality Syria’s new government must deal with and manage as best it can.
Syria’s strategic location has long meant it attracted outside meddling. In the 1950s, rivals Egypt and Iraq backed different factions, as did Britain, the US and USSR. This pattern resurfaced after 2011, when Russia and Iran supported Assad in the civil war while Turkiye, Qatar and others backed the rebels. The US sponsored a selection of rebel groups but mostly the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces to fight Daesh. Meanwhile, Israel, though not backing a faction, took advantage of the chaos to launch airstrikes on Iran-linked targets. Nor was it only state governments involved, nonstate actors like Daesh and the PKK weighed in to further their interests.
As a result, Syrians hoping to rebuild after Assad face a devastated, war-torn state. But they also face a country that has been deeply penetrated by outside interests. Some foreign actors are willing to act with little or no regard for Damascus. Already in the week since Assad’s fall, Turkiye, Israel and the US have launched military operations on Syrian territory. Turkiye has continued its attacks on the SDF, which it regards as a terrorist entity, Israel has occupied more land surrounding the occupied Golan Heights and destroyed Syrian military assets fearing they will fall into hostile hands, while the US has hit Daesh in the east.
But alongside a willingness to use their own forces unilaterally, the years of civil war have seen multiple outsiders develop new networks across Syrian society. Some are overt, such as the Syrian National Army, which is sponsored by Turkiye, and the SDF, with its links to the US. Others are more covert or not currently active. Iran and Russia, for example, will still have ties with some former Assad loyalists, after years of collaboration. The Gulf states likewise built relationships with various oppositionists early in the war that might be reactivated in the future. Daesh, similarly, retains cells across Syria. As well as having the military tools to directly infringe on Syrian sovereignty, these networks and relationships give outsiders further opportunities to interfere.
It seems unlikely that the outside actors that have meddled for years will suddenly discover a benevolent side, check their involvement and put Syrians’ long-term interests over their short-term needs. Instead, it will more likely fall on Syria’s new rulers to carefully navigate a perilous geopolitical situation to ensure that foreign interference remains peripheral and does not undermine transition efforts. While there are numerous things Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham and the new government can do to mitigate the risks, two stand out.
The first is to rapidly develop diplomatic skill and capacity. HTS, when it ruled Idlib, showed a surprising talent for managing external actors, whether the UN, Turkiye or aid providers. It has also made positive efforts to reach out to Turkiye, Arab and European governments since taking Damascus. It will hope to swiftly upscale this, perhaps drawing in other talents from the diaspora and former officials to give Syria a stronger voice internationally.
Damascus already faces a chorus of outsiders making demands of the new government, including renouncing terrorism and chemical weapons, protecting minority and women’s rights and calling elections. It will take considerable diplomatic skill from Ahmad Al-Sharaa, or whomever ultimately leads the government, to appease enough of these to win sufficient foreign acceptance, all the while maximizing Syria’s independence.
The second is to minimize the chances that Syrians become disaffected with the post-Assad government, making them susceptible to outsiders wanting to use their networks to pursue their interests. For now, it seems that most Syrians have welcomed the fall of Assad and are willing to give the transitional government a chance, especially after HTS made positive noises about tolerance. However, this support could dissipate, especially if HTS does not go ahead with religious freedom, imposes excessive personal restrictions on society, refuses to share power and/or fails to deliver economic recovery. In such circumstances, it is plausible that disaffected elements become more open to either outside forces nudging them toward a more disruptive path or seeking out foreign support themselves.
It is far from clear whether Al-Sharaa, HTS and the new transitional government will be able to manage this. They have achieved a huge amount in a very short time, but navigating the harsh geopolitical environment post-Assad Syria finds itself in is a wholly new challenge. In an ideal world, meddling outside actors would leave Syrians alone to work through their new domestic reality unimpeded. But we do not live in such a world and Damascus should not be blinded to the realities it faces. Whether Syria’s new rulers have sufficient skill and foresight to minimize the damage of inevitable foreign interference remains to be seen.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2583520
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Is Israel’s Next Target Türkiye?
By İbrahim Karataş
DEC 20, 2024
Tensions are high in the Middle East, beginning with Hamas' surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which was fuelled by decades-long Israeli occupation and persecution. Since then, Israel has flattened Gaza, killed Palestinians in the occupied West Bank where there is no Hamas, killed all leaders of Hezbollah, pacified the group in Lebanon, regularly bombed Syria and conducted assassinations inside Iran.
Some may still think Israel is in a defensive position, but it is not. They may also assert that Israel can now relieve itself of its actions, but it will not. As it is clearer than ever, Israel is not the victim, but the source of the problem, and its actions show that it will continue to be the troublemaker as it enjoys endless U.S. support and Europe's as well as the Arab street's silence.
Hamas and Hezbollah are not in a position to fight Israel, while Syria is going through a revolution. Iran also seems to be avoiding a clash with Israel after the failure of its anti-Israeli stance, which has turned into nothing more than noisy rhetoric. However, Israel continues to massacre Palestinians, bomb Lebanon, now occupy southern Syria and destroy remnants of the Assad regime's weapons, despite the new Syrian government declaring that it does not want to fight Israel.
Whether Syrians are hesitant to fight Israel or not, the latter does not feel the need to hold back from bombing surrounding countries at night. Israel seems intent on destroying its neighbours, who occupy their promised lands, and moving into their territories bit by bit, as it is currently doing in Syria. After its cruelty in Gaza, which has killed more than 45,000 people so far, another reason might be that a significant majority of Israelis have no mercy for Gentiles (non-Jews).
In such circumstances, what can be expected next? First of all, as mentioned above, Israel is not safer than before. Despite armed groups like Hezbollah and Hamas being paralyzed, Israel now has a new enemy: Syria, due to its occupation of southern Syria. The new Syria will avoid warring with Israel for now, but as soon as it heals its wounds, it will demand its occupied lands. A war may not be likely, but if forced to fight, Syria will do so and perform better than the armed groups. Even if Israel manages to occupy Syria, it will not remain there, as the country is too large to control, and the Syrian army will cause heavy losses to the Israeli military.
On the other hand, Türkiye has no apparent reason to clash with Israel, but Israel's atrocities are unbearable to both the Turkish people and the government. Moreover, Israel's expansionist policies and its likely support for the YPG, a PKK offshoot in Syria, are alarming Ankara. The Turkish government sees the PKK and its affiliates as an existential threat to itself and listens to no one when it comes to fighting PKK terrorism. Thus, Israel's direct or indirect support for the YPG, whether through America or otherwise, will make it an enemy of Türkiye. If Israel crosses Türkiye's red line, either in Syria or elsewhere, Türkiye will likely take a war stance.
It is almost certain that Türkiye will not go to war with Israel on behalf of someone else. However, a direct attack on Turkish troops (particularly the killing of soldiers) or involvement in Türkiye’s fight against terrorism by supporting terrorist organizations will make war inevitable. If such possibilities seem imminent, the Turkish state will not hesitate to go to war.
In sum, if Israel's arrogance leads its politicians to underestimate Türkiye’s power and influence in the region, a war between the two countries is likely. There is an apparent Israeli bravado in the region, which makes the state think it can target any country. This piece argues that this is not the case, as Israel has not yet faced (and there is no need for it to face) the biggest power in the region. One may point to Israel's arsenals, including nuclear weapons, but no one knows what Türkiye has in its military depots. However, what is decisive in wars is not weapons but the strategic mind of armies and their readiness to die for their honor and homeland.
Let’s hope that there will be no more wars but peace in the region and that every state will know its boundaries.
https://www.dailysabah.com/opinion/op-ed/is-israels-next-target-turkiye
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From Exile To Homecoming: Syrian Migrants Start Their Return
By Damla Taşkin
DEC 20, 2024
In 2010, Syria was the last stop where the winds of uprising that started with the Arab Spring protests in Tunisia blew the hardest. Syria, under the dictatorial regime of Bashar Assad, greeted these uprisings with great anger. Assad's anger soon led to the genocide of his own people and the beginning of a period of torture. The civilian population, who did not know what to do out of fear for their lives, fled their hometowns and tried to cling to life. The Assad regime punished anyone who disobeyed with death, threats and exile, as it was in Nazi Germany. It was challenging to escape. However, the people who managed to do it reached the border regions on foot and asked for asylum. The Republic of Türkiye was, of course, at the forefront of these regions.
Türkiye has both historical and geographical ties to Syria. In line with its tolerant and humane policy, Türkiye granted asylum to civilians fleeing the Assad regime and granted temporary protection status under the Law on Foreigners and International Protection. Syrians with temporary protection status benefit from all humanitarian practices in Türkiye, such as the right to free health care, the right to education, the right to life and the right to work. Those who meet the rules, security conditions and other criteria set by the migration administration have obtained citizenship.
Türkiye currently has the most significant number of Syrian refugees in the world. These are people with poor financial situations, belonging to multi-person families, with a high number of women and children. While Europe only accepts asylum-seekers with high economic status, Türkiye has accepted everyone who does not have security problems. Therefore, it has done what the European Union countries could not do. In fact, Türkiye was the first country to welcome this migration; on March 30, 2012, it published the "Directive on the Reception and Accommodation of Citizens of the Syrian Arab Republic and Stateless Persons Residing in the Syrian Arab Republic Arriving in Türkiye for Mass Asylum." It started all kinds of legal arrangements to manage the mass migration flow from Syria.
Syria's liberation in 13 days
Thirteen years of captivity, persecution, death, torture and exile ended in 13 days. On Nov. 27, 2024, the uprising against the Assad regime was launched with "Operation Dawn of Freedom" organized by the anti-regime groups, the Syrian National Army (SNA) and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). The opposition took control of Manbij, Aleppo and the M4 highway on Nov. 30, 2024, and captured the city of Hama on Dec. 5. Damascus, the heart and capital of Syria and the center of the Assad dictatorship, was liberated entirely on Dec. 8, 2024. The rule of the Assad family and the Baath Party has become history.
The Syrian opposition groups, with popular support, ousted the regime from power in a very short time and took back their homeland. In Türkiye, countless Syrians gathered in the squares of the city centers. They celebrated the fall of the Assad regime with Turkish and Syrian flags, with hundreds of people taking to the roads to return to their country. In interviews they gave within these few days, they exclaimed their desire to return to their country immediately and said that they missed their homeland and other family members living there.
Voluntary and honorable returns
According to the statistics of the Directorate of Migration Management (2024), there are currently 2.9 million Syrians under temporary protection in Türkiye (excluding the number of Syrians who have acquired Turkish citizenship). Among this number, 1.2 million are from Aleppo, which constitutes 42% of the total. In addition, the total number of people from Idlib is 189,000, and from Deir el-Zour is 107,000.
This distribution helps us to understand the situation of voluntary returns over the years. It was observed that most of the people who could not return were from Aleppo, which was under the control of the Assad regime. We can say that Syrians who do not want to go to another city other than their hometown are more likely to return now that Aleppo has been taken.
It was announced that already in 2024, an average of 11,000 Syrians have voluntarily returned to safe areas of Syria cleared of terrorists by Turkish operations. Regions such as Aleppo, Homs, Hama and Damascus, which are mostly under the control of the Syrian National Army (SNA), if not all of Syria, as well as the regions in Türkiye's peace corridor, have begun preparations for the voluntary, safe and dignified return of Syrians.
As the PKK terrorist group's Syrian wing YPG, which took advantage of the Assad regime's flight from the country, loses power over time and the remnants of the war begin to recover, it will accelerate the mass return of Syrian families from Türkiye and other countries to their homeland. Migration has already started, and lines are forming at the border gates, as reported by all media outlets. Journalists and security forces broadcasting from the area have stated that the region is ready for migration and that they foresee a free Syria again. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's announcement that Syrians would be able to return to their country safely will also accelerate the reverse migration.
There are also places of great terror and genocide, like the Sednaya prison. Both the people trapped in Syria and the opposition soldiers rushed to Sednaya to free their family members. The prison, where countless people were subjected to irrational torture, is very similar to the Nazi camps. But there are still numerous people who remain in Assad's prisons. Many Syrian refugees have begun to return to Syria in search of their relatives in these death camps.
Türkiye's contribution to the process
With the end of Assad's rule, a significant process of change has begun in Syria. To make Syria a country ready for the return, various work, investments and arrangements have been started rapidly under the leadership of Türkiye. Administrative and organizational services, including security improvements, are also being developed.
As for the first steps, the Turkish Embassy in Damascus was reopened after 12 years. Türkiye's Ambassador to Mauritania Burhan Köroğlu was appointed as the interim charge d'affaires. Ibrahim Kalın, the head of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), with his team, visited and prayed at the Umayyad Mosque, one of the most important works of Islamic architecture.
Finally, on Dec. 16, 2024, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump made an important statement on Türkiye and Syria relations, saying, “Turks have realized their millennial dream. Turkey has become a very smart and powerful state and a key country in the region,” and congratulated President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for his achievements.
The next day, Dec. 17., Erdoğan received European Commission President von der Leyen in Ankara. During the meeting, von der Leyen announced that relations between Türkiye and the EU would be further strengthened, that Türkiye was a key country in the migration issue and that an extra 1 billion euros ($1.04 billion) would be provided for Syrian refugees for 2024. This new announcement could mean that the EU will continue to support Türkiye's migration management in 2025 financially.
https://www.dailysabah.com/opinion/op-ed/from-exile-to-homecoming-syrian-migrants-start-their-return
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