UN experts urge release of Azerbaijani rights defender
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Saudi Gazette
20 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
31 Arab, Islamic nations condemn Netanyahu's ‘Greater Israel' remarks and settlement expansion
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Foreign ministers from 31 Arab and Islamic countries, along with the heads of three regional organizations, issued a joint statement strongly condemning recent remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the concept of a so-called 'Greater Israel,' calling them a serious violation of international law and a threat to regional and global stability. The statement, issued following coordinated diplomatic efforts, described Netanyahu's comments as a 'flagrant and dangerous affront' to the rules of international order and a direct challenge to the sovereignty of nations and collective peace. The ministers also condemned Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's approval of settlement expansion plans in the sensitive E1 area and his rejection of the establishment of a Palestinian state, calling such actions a breach of UN resolutions, particularly Security Council Resolution 2334. 'These actions represent a grave threat to the two-state solution and an illegal encroachment on the right of the Palestinian people to establish a sovereign state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital,' the statement read. The signatories warned that the continued expansion of Israeli settlements, attacks on Palestinian cities and refugee camps, and violations of Muslim and Christian holy sites—particularly the Al-Aqsa Mosque—are inflaming tensions and undermining any prospects for peace. The statement reiterated total rejection of forced displacement of Palestinians under any justification and urged an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. It demanded the lifting of the blockade on the enclave and called for unfettered humanitarian access to address what the ministers described as 'deliberate starvation used as a method of genocide.' The foreign ministers affirmed that Gaza is an inseparable part of the occupied Palestinian territories and called for the Palestinian Authority to resume full governance in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem under a unified legal and political framework backed by Arab and international support. The statement urged the international community—especially permanent members of the UN Security Council, with emphasis on the United States—to uphold their legal and moral responsibilities. It called for holding Israel accountable for its actions, ensuring international protection for Palestinians, and supporting their right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state. The joint statement was issued by the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Gambia, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. It was also endorsed by the Secretary-General of the Arab League, the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
Arab News
21 hours ago
- Arab News
How Azerbaijan-Armenia deal benefits Turkiye
A long-standing impasse in the South Caucasus is finally beginning to break. After three decades, the borders between Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as Turkiye and Armenia, are closer to reopening than ever before. When that day arrives, it will be a game-changer for the region. Armenia and Azerbaijan last week signed a peace framework in Washington. The two neighbors, long divided by territorial disputes, agreed to end hostilities, normalize relations and respect each other's territorial integrity. Besides the signatories, no other country will likely be more pleased with the peace declaration between Yerevan and Baku than Turkiye. As a close ally of Azerbaijan, Turkiye has also been engaged in normalization talks with Armenia in recent years. This process of normalization could now gain significant momentum. Ankara welcomed the peace declaration between Azerbaijan and Armenia and said it hoped a planned strategic transit corridor, which could boost its exports of energy and other resources through the South Caucasus, will open soon. The new agreement replaces the original Zangezur Corridor plan with the 'Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity.' This marks the beginning of a new era in the South Caucasus, which has long been vulnerable to instability and tension Dr. Sinem Cengiz I see this as far more than just a strategic or a political development. It holds deep significance for the three nations and their people. It marks the beginning of a new era in the South Caucasus, which has long been vulnerable to instability and tension. The small states of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia are encircled by larger neighbors, namely Turkiye, Iran and Russia, each of which have critical stakes in the region. The challenge in the South Caucasus lies in the involvement of multiple actors, both regional and nonregional. Moreover, a range of material and nonmaterial issues have long complicated the situation in the region, making it an equation with several intersecting issues. Brokered by US President Donald Trump, the peace framework is a significant step toward solving many of these issues. However, there is a long path ahead that is fragile, given that this agreement and its outcomes do not align with the interests of all regional actors. As several analysts have noted, Russia and Iran are seen as the losers of Trump's peace victory. Both have responded to the deal in a similar tone. While they 'welcomed' the US-brokered peace agreement, they also warned against 'foreign interference' — the US — that could further complicate the already-fragile situation in the South Caucasus. Russia has long been a key player in the Azerbaijan-Armenia talks. However, in recent years, the relationships between both nations and the Kremlin have experienced a significant decline. Perhaps it was not surprising to see that the breakthrough was not brokered in Moscow. While much credit is given to the US mediation of this deal, the souring of Moscow's relations with both Baku and Yerevan was certainly the major driver. The road to the Azerbaijan-Armenia deal passed through Abu Dhabi, Istanbul and Washington. The UAE's involvement highlights the growing influence of the Gulf states in the South Caucasus, while Turkiye has emerged as a key player, especially as Iranian and Russian influence has faded. Here, the most significant point is that Turkiye's growing role in the South Caucasus is fully aligning with US interests. Ankara was in close coordination with Washington during the latter's efforts to finalize this peace framework. Even when the possibility of escalation flared up in April between Azerbaijan and Armenia, it was Turkiye that stepped in to prevent further conflict. Again, it was Ankara that leveraged its influence over Azerbaijan, pushing the parties toward this deal. Turkiye was concerned that any change in Armenia's leadership could tilt the regional balance back in Russia's favor. The most significant point is that Turkiye's growing role in the South Caucasus is fully aligning with US interests Dr. Sinem Cengiz This deal has three main significant gains for Turkiye. Firstly, its relations with the US and the EU. Turkiye's soured relations with Armenia were long a point of contention in Washington, where Armenian lobby groups have played a significant role. These lobbies have long been influential on issues related to Turkiye and Azerbaijan and they have historically had a strong influence on US politics. This influence even contributed to the tensions in Turkish-American relations during the 1980s. Turkiye was also butting heads with Brussels over its relations with Armenia. So, one of the most contentious issues between Turkiye and its Western allies is coming to an end with this deal. The second gain is predominantly economic, which is what brings all these nations on the table. The deal creates an opportunity to establish a new equation of regional cooperation. The corridor will link these nations to Europe via Turkiye and, as Ankara says, it will be 'a very beneficial development' for regional connectivity. Besides Turkiye, Armenia will keep legal control of the corridor, but it will gain from investment and transit revenue. Azerbaijan will gain faster, cheaper export routes for oil, gas and manufactured goods to the Turkish and European markets. Thirdly, the benefit to Turkiye's own normalization track with Armenia. Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan stated that this deal will create an 'important milestone' for normalization with Turkiye. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following the signing of the deal, has also noted that the atmosphere for the implementation of agreements between Ankara and Yerevan is more favorable than ever. Last year, during a discussion with Kostanyan on the sidelines of a regional summit, he said Turkiye and Armenia had never come this close to normalization. He is absolutely right. As a scholar who has been part of the Turkish-Armenian efforts, I believe the current context strongly favors both Ankara and Yerevan. • Dr. Sinem Cengiz is a Turkish political analyst who specializes in Turkiye's relations with the Middle East. X: @SinemCngz
Leaders
a day ago
- Leaders
Syria Coastal Violence Likely Involved War Crimes: UN
A recent UN report has accused Syria's interim government forces and Assad loyalists of likely committing war crimes during March's sectarian violence, which killed around 1,400 people, mainly civilians. The UN Syria Commission of Inquiry found no evidence that Damascus authorities ordered the attacks. However, it documented revenge killings, torture, abductions, and inhumane acts across Alawite-populated areas in Latakia, Tartus, Homs, and Hama. Systematic Targeting of Civilians Coastal violence in the Alawite heartland exposed divisions after Islamist-led rebels ousted ex-President Bashar al-Assad in December, beginning when former regime loyalists ambushed security forces, sparking clashes between largely Sunni government forces and mostly Alawite Assad loyalists. Authorities sent reinforcements, joined by thousands of fighters, turning the operation into sectarian revenge killings. After decades of Assad brutality in mainly Sunni Syria, many associate Alawites, 10% of the population, with the old regime. Furthermore, the commission urged the government to expand accountability efforts. 'The scale and brutality of the violence documented in our report is deeply disturbing,' said Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, chair of the UN Syria Commission of Inquiry. He called on interim authorities to pursue accountability for all perpetrators, regardless of affiliation or rank. While dozens of alleged perpetrators have been arrested, the violence's scale warrants expanding these efforts. The report warned of continuing retaliatory attacks amidst heightened fear, urging the interim government to address them urgently. It documented gross human rights violations in 16 Alawite-populated locations across Latakia, Tartus, Homs, and Hama governorates in early March. Sectarian Violence and Its Aftermath Perpetrators went door-to-door, asking if civilians were Alawite before taking men and boys away to execute. Most victims were Alawite men aged 20-50, but women and children as young as one were also killed in house raids. Armed individuals filmed themselves committing serious human rights violations, including severe beatings, executions, and walking alongside dead bodies. Fearful of reprisal, families kept their loved ones' bodies at home for days or left them in streets for later mass burials, with hospitals overwhelmed as corpses piled up. Thousands fled to neighboring Lebanon or a Russian airbase for safety, with the report stating that many survivors and Alawites have since relocated within Syria or sought refuge abroad. The report concluded that consistent patterns of targeted violence against civilians indicate these acts were not random or isolated. The commission conducted over 200 interviews with witnesses and victims and accessed coastal areas and affected communities. After 14 years of civil war and documented human rights abuses, rebels overthrew Assad in December, forming an interim government, led by former rebel Ahmed al-Sharaa. The report identified the post-Assad security vacuum and online disinformation and hate speech about Alawites as contributors to retributive attacks. As clashes escalated between former and pro-government factions, foreign fighters joined government forces mobilized to coastal regions. Government Response and Recommendations The government instructed civilians not to take up arms and warned fighters against harming civilians, establishing curfews. In Tartus, checkpoints prevented fighters from entering, sparing the city from violence seen elsewhere. Additionally, a July government inquiry identified 298 alleged perpetrators within military factions and 265 linked to former government fighters. In June, officials reported 42 arrests for alleged abuses and established a complaints office for security and police misconduct cases. The commission recommended strengthening the court system to ensure justice, providing reparations for survivors, and building community trust, among other measures. Sectarian violence has continued elsewhere in Syria since March, as hundreds died in Suweida clashes last month. Bedouin and Druze fighters and the Syrian army face accusations of killing civilians and extrajudicial killings. The government acknowledged reports of 'shocking violations' by individuals in military fatigues and told the BBC it would fully investigate all atrocity allegations. Short link : Post Views: 102
