Creating new perspectives since 2009
Items by Jessica Purkiss
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Aleppo: The theatre for regional and international conflicts
On Sunday, US secretary of state John Kerry announced that a “provisional agreement” on the terms of a “cessation of hostilities” in Syria had been reached between the US and Russia. This follows the “cessation of hostilities” agreed in Munich a fortnight ago, which failed to come into force on…
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The shrinking space for pro-Palestinian activism in the UK
In Luton, school boy Rahmaan Mohammadi was questioned for wearing a “Free Palestine” badge to class and carrying a leaflet advocating Palestinian rights by pressure group Friends of al-Aqsa- a group that recently had their bank account shut down without explanation by a UK bank. Meanwhile, news was surfacing of a…
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What we forget about the Kindertransport
Today Britain marks the 71st anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest of the Nazi death camps. We remember Britain’s response to the Jewish refugees and look at its response to today’s refugee crisis. In the dead of night, herds of parents watched their children embark on a train…
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Can the new UN-backed government solve Libya’s problems?
A new UN-backed Libyan government was unveiled earlier this week. It is the result of over a years worth of mediation on the part of the United Nations in efforts to stabilise the country. It is tasked with ending the civil war and stemming its side effects, such as the…
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The decline of the FSA
This is the second article of a three part series examining the Syrian revolution and the five years that followed it. Part I looks at the beginnings of the Syrian revolution. Read Part I here. Part II The Free Syrian Army announced its formation with the stated aim of protecting…
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The beginnings of the Syrian revolution
This is the first article of a three part series examining the Syrian revolution and the five years that followed it. Part II looks at the decline of the Free Syrian Army. Read it here. Part I The uprising in Syria did not begin in one of its major cities…
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Life after torture for Jordan’s refugee population
Ibrahim owned a shop located near several security and intelligence offices in the Syrian town of Deraa. He was arrested there on three separate occasions simply because of his shop’s location. While in prison, he was beaten with the barrel of a rifle and still has broken teeth. He was…
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Dimming Bethlehem’s Christmas celebrations
Normally around this time in Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, Christmas festivities are in full swing. This year, however, the municipalities decided to tone down their public Christmas celebrations amid escalating violence in the Holy Land. In Bethlehem, while the famous tree lighting ceremony went ahead, albeit with messages…
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Do we overestimate Daesh’s capabilities?
John Kerry has branded the members of Daesh as psychopathic monsters; François Hollande calls them barbarians; and David Cameron describes them as a death cult. Simultaneously, they have been described as the greatest threat facing the US by Kerry, while Cameron has said that Britain will “never be safe” until…
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Cameron enters war without military strategy or exit plan
On Wednesday, British MP’s voted overwhelmingly in favour of Prime Minister David Cameron’s proposal to extend airstrikes into Syria. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn vehemently opposed the proposal, claiming that the PM had failed to answer crucial questions on issues such as military strategy and British security. Examining these questions leads…
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5 women who have sacrificed in the defence of human rights
November 29 marked International Day of Women Human Rights Defenders, here MEMO remembers some of the female activists who have paid heavily this year for their dedication to human rights. In 2015, human rights defenders still face intimidation, arrest and death for their work. Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) face…
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Israel’s arms sales have a questionable past, present and future
There are many examples of Israel committing war crimes in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The UN has said that the building of settlements in the territories contravenes international law and could amount to war crimes. A UN report on Israel’s most recent war against Gaza also said that it found…
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Responses to Paris attack are playing into the terrorists’ hands
In revenge for last week’s terrorist attack in Paris, the French air force dropped 20 bombs in one night on the Syrian city of Raqqa. It may well be the headquarters of Daesh, but Raqqa is also home to 500,000 civilians; the French bombing destroyed a command centre, training camp…
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The latest attack on NGO freedoms in Israel
Human rights groups and non-governmental organisations (NGO’s) have expressed concern over a new bill that imposes several requirements and restrictions on Israeli NGOs that receive international funding. Proposed on Sunday by Israel’s right-wing Minister of Justice Ayelet Shaked, the “Transparency Bill” includes a requirement that representatives of these NGOs wear…
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Palestinian security cooperation with Israel
Set up under the 1993 Oslo Accords, security coordination involves the sharing of intelligence between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The PA was also established under Oslo. Before the official signing of the agreement, the two sides had agreed on a “Declaration of Principles”, which included a pledge from PLO…
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What constitutes a ‘security threat’ in the OPT
The video above captured the moment that six Israeli soldiers stormed an East Jerusalem grocery store and arrested a Palestinian boy. Shortly after the boy walked into the store, a soldier enters, grabs him and violently tackles him to the ground. Five other soldiers follow suit. At one stage, one…
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All Palestinians suffer under Israel’s occupation
Things are continuing to hot up at one of the most explosive holy sites in the world. Israeli claims to the Noble Sanctuary of Al-Aqsa, in the heart of Jerusalem’s occupied Old City, have turned it into a flashpoint of clashes which have intensified over recent months. Palestinian President Mahmoud…
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More symbolism at the UN, but is it enough for Palestine?
On Wednesday, 30 September, the Palestinian flag was raised for the first time at the United Nations headquarters in New York after the General Assembly voted overwhelming in favour of the move earlier in the month. “This is a day of pride for Palestinians around the world,” said UN Secretary-General Ban…
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The dangers facing journalists in Palestine
Last Sunday, the Israeli army announced the suspension of the officer who was in charge during an incident in the occupied West Bank, when soldiers assaulted two Agence France-Presse (AFP) journalists and took their equipment before destroying it. Italian video journalist Andrea Bernardi and Palestinian photographer Abbas Momani were covering…
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The British charities struggling against a tide of suspicion
Since the civil war erupted in 2011, millions of Syrians have left their homes in search of safety; some have journeyed to the overcrowded refugee camps of neighbouring countries, such as Jordan or Lebanon, while others boarded unsafe boats to cross the Mediterranean in the hope of finding refuge in…
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Will Russia turn its back on Assad?
The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, travelled to Russia to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Zhukovsky near Moscow last Tuesday. Putin was also hosting Jordan’s King Abdullah and Egyptian President Abdul Fattah Al-Sisi. While the official reason for the visits is the MAKS…
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Cremisan community battles construction of wall, yet again
In the Cremisan Valley, on the outskirts of Bethlehem, three Roman Catholic priests prayed as Israeli diggers set to work pulling out centuries old olive trees. The diggers had arrived on Tuesday to resume the construction of the separation wall in the Valley, despite a court ruling against further work…
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The reasons behind Danon’s appointment as Israel’s UN ambassador
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to appoint Science, Technology and Space Minister Danny Danon as Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations. Danon is expected to arrive in New York in late September for an orientation period before commencing his new role. His appointment to the position has sparked criticism…
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PA not without blame for Duma attack
In the aftermath of the arson attack which took the lives of 18-month-old Ali Saad Dawabsha and his father in a village in Duma, West Bank, Palestinian residents are volunteering to start unarmed night patrols. The patrols are a response to an increasing number of settler attacks, combined with a…