KAREN E.

MEDINA
IS24

Syrian Refugee Crisis

INTRODUCTION:
The conflict in Syria began as an offshoot of the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings.
Sparked on April 29th in the town of Daraa by a group of 13 year old boys
who wrote on the side of their school "The Government must go!", the
movement began as a uprising for democracy. But in the past four years, it
has since disintegrated into a cauldron of competing rebel groups, terrorist
elements, international powers, and religious factions--all with a quarter
million Syrians killed with millions displaced.
More than 250,000 Syrians have lost their lives in four-and-a-half years of
armed conflict, which began with anti-government protests before escalating
into a full-scale civil war. More than 11 million others have been forced from
their homes as forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and those opposed
to his rule battle each other - as well as jihadist militants from Islamic State.
CONCLUSION:
Syria, or the Syrian Arab Republic, is a multiethnic country ruled by a
minority ethnic group since 1970, when Hafiz al-Assad launched a bloodless
coup and authoritarian rule. He installed loyalists in key government
positions, many of whom were from his Alawite sect (an offshoot of Shia
Islam), and he suppressed dissent violently. Power transferred to Hafiz alAssads son, Bashar al-Assad, upon the formers death in 2000, but hopes for
political reform were not fulfilled. Beginning in 2008, though, Syria gradually

began to improve its foreign affairs, and the economy grew rapidly amid
economic liberalization
Syria crisis: Fast facts

13.5 million people in Syria need humanitarian assistance.1

4.6 million Syrians are refugees, and 6.6 million are displaced within

Syria; half are children.2

Most Syrian refugees remain in the Middle East, in Turkey, Lebanon,
Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt; slightly more than 10 percent of the refugees

have traveled to Europe.3

Children affected by the Syrian conflict are at risk of becoming ill,
malnourished, abused, or exploited. Millions have been forced to quit
school.

Why are Syrians fleeing their homes? Three reasons

Violence: Since the Syrian civil war began, 320,000 people have been
killed, including nearly 12,000 children. About 1.5 million people have
been wounded or permanently disabled, according to the Syrian
Observatory for Human Rights.5 The war has become more deadly

since foreign powers joined the conflict.

Collapsed infrastructure: Within Syria, healthcare, education systems,
and other infrastructure have been destroyed; the economy is

shattered.
Childrens safety: Syrian children the nations hope for a better
future have lost loved ones, suffered injuries, missed years of
schooling, and witnessed violence and brutality. Warring parties
forcibly recruit children to serve as fighters, human shields, and in
support roles, according to the U.S. State Department.

RECOMMENDATION:

What are the refugees greatest needs?

Syrians fleeing conflict need all the basics to sustain their lives: food,
clothing, health assistance, shelter, and household and hygiene items.
They need reliable supplies of clean water, as well as sanitation facilities.
Children need a safe environment and a chance to play and go to school.
Adults need employment options in case of long-term displacement.
Winter threatens their lives: refugees need warm clothing, shoes, bedding,
heaters, and heating fuel.

We need to address the urgent needs of the Syrian People. Everyone can
help for example by sharing the story of what's really happening in Syria so
that the crisis will be spread around the world and the world will be aware of
their status and they can help also by starting a campaign , turn your
knowledge into action.
Everyone can help even in simple ways, the more you know about the crisis
that's going on, the more we can do together to help those people in need.
Helping others to service conflict and build their bright futures is only
possible with our knowledge and our support.

Israeli and Palestinian Conflict

INTRODUCTION:
The three regions on the map (Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank) were once
known as Palestine. Ownership of the land is disputed primarily between two
different groups: Israel Jews and Palestinian Arabs (who are chiefly Muslim,
but also include Christian and Druze)
After the Arab-Israeli War of 1947-1948, Palestine was divided into the areas
you see here. Jewish, whose ancestors began migrating to the area in the
1880s, say their claim to the land is based on a promise from God, and also
for the need for a safe haven from widespread hostility toward Jewish people
(known as anti-Semitism). The Palestine Arabs say they are the rightful
inhabitants of the land because their ancestors have lived there for hundreds
of years.
The Gaza Strip is a rectangle along the Mediterranean coast between Israel
and Egypt. The majority of its approximately 1.4 million residents are
Palestinians refugees, many of whom have been living in refugee camps for
decades; 80 percent were estimated to be living in poverty in mid-2007.
Under the Oslo peace accords signed in 1993, Gaza was turned over to the
newly created Palestinian Authority, to form one wing of an emerging
Palestinian state, along with the West Bank and a potential land corridor
between them. But two different parties rules these two regions - the militant

Hamas controlled Gaza and Fatah ruled the West Bank. Many Israeli settlers
remained in Gaza.

In September 2005 the Israeli prime minister at the time, Ariel Sharon,
withdrew all Israeli settlers from Gaza, making it the first territory completely
in Palestinian hands. Israel, however, kept tight control over all border
crossings and continued to conduct raids.
In January 2006, Hamas won a surprise victory in the Palestinian
parliamentary elections ousting the Fatah government. Then in a burst of
fight in June 2007 in which more than 100 people were killed, Hamas
gunmen routed the Fatah forces, and seized control of Gaza outright. Israel,
which had refused to recognized the Hamas government, responded by
clamping down even tighter on the flow of goods and people in and out of
the territories.
By June 2008, Hamas and Israel were both ready to reach some sort of
accommodation, and the six-month truce was declared, although never
formally defined. Their job, the Hamas officials said, was to stop rocket
attacks on Israel not only from its own armed groups, but also from others
based in Gaza, including Islamic Jihad and Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades.
It took some days, but they were largely successful. Hamas imposed its will
and even imprisoned some of those who were firing rockets. But the goods
shipments, while up some 25 to 30 percent and including a mix of more
items. Never began to approach what Hamas thought it was going to get.
Israel said it planned to increase the shipments in stages, and noted that the
rockets never stopped completely.

After the truce lapsed on Dec. 19, rocket firing stepped up quickly, and Israeli
air strikes soon followed. The death toll on the first day was estimated at
225; by Dec. 29, it had topped 300. On Jan. 3 a land invasion of Gaza began,
and by Jan. 8, the death toll was 660.

CONCLUSION:
The persecution of the Jews for centuries in Europe was the worst of many
stains on the European record, and the Zionists' desire for a place of
sanctuary is certainly understandable. Like all other colonial enterprises,
however, Zionism was based on the total disregard of the rights of
indigenous inhabitants. As such, it is morally indefensible. And, as previously
stated, all subsequent crimesand there have been many on both sides
inevitably follow from this original injustice to the Palestinians.
Given the damage that has been done to the Palestinian people, Israel's
obligation is to make whatever amends possible. Among these should be
assisting the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state in the entire West Bank
and Gaza with its capital in East Jerusalem. Israel should not object to this
state and, in addition, should help with its foundation via generous
reparations. Besides being the right thing to do, this would stop the sporadic
acts of violence against Israel, as the Palestinians' legitimate desire for their
own state would be realized. Moreover, all laws that discriminate against
non-Jews living in Israel should be repealed. All citizens should enjoy full and
equal rights, as should any Palestinians who wish to return to their ancestral
homeland. These refugees should, as a matter of principle, be compensated
for their lost homes and land.

A special obligation to see that justice is done in this matter. U.S. financial
aid to Israel has been, and continues to be, enormous; and our diplomatic
support is the crucial factor allowing Israel's continued occupation of Arab
territories.

We

strongly

recommend

that

you

contact

your

elected

representatives in Washington and urge them to insist that, as a preconditon

of continued support, Israel must abide by the consensus of world opinion
and withdraw to its 1967 borders, as demanded in numerous UN votes.
American Jews in particular have a special responsibility to acknowledge the
Palestinian point of view in order to help move the debate forward.
In the long run, only by admitting their culpability and making amends can
Israelis live with their neighbors in peace. Only then can the centuries-old
Jewish tradition of being a people of high moral character be restored. And
only in this way can real security, peace and justice come to this ancient
land.
RECOMMENDATION:
There is an urgent need to resolve this conflict. Violence, killing and maiming
occur in the occupied territories. southern Lebanon and Israel virtually every
day. Palestinian human rights are violated routinely. Israel's soldiers, settlers
and citizens live in an armed camp. The proliferation and thickening of Israeli
settlements is creating geographic and demographic changes that threaten
to foreclose compromise and peace. These developments jeopardize the
local support Palestinian negotiators have for continuing negotiations and
provoke further escalation of violence. The unresolved conflict fans extremist
movements, both secular and Islamic, that threaten regional stability. All of
this commands U.S. attention, because every American is involved through
U.S. military, economic and political support for Israel. This support is meant
to honor the special U.S. commitment to the survival of Israel within secure

and recognized borders. However, U.S. unwillingness to take firm stands with
Israel over critical issues is in fact jeopardizing both Israeli and U.S. interests.
State

of

Palestine

and

Israel

should

engage

in

discussions

that

simultaneously address issues of concern to both.

The U.S. president and his secretary of state need a firm command of history
and law regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict and a clear. Principled vision for
the future of the Middle East. They will have to select their advisers with care
so that they are not captive to any special interest. They will need to
convince the Congress that the policy outlined above is necessary for U.S.
interests, as well as the interests of Arabs and Israelis. In this effort, they can
count on the support of the American people if they present the case clearly
to them. Ultimately, the president himself must remain actively involved in
the peace process in order to communicate to all parties that his
administration is serious about achieving a just and lasting resolution of this
conflict.