Sea levels are rising faster than for 3,000 years because of the climate crisis. António Guterres, secretary-general of the UN, warned that this may lead to “a mass exodus of entire populations on a biblical scale”.
Read the full story on The Guardian:
World Economic Forum has published Global Risks Report 2023. In top 10 risks ranking, “Cost-of-living-crisis” is considered to be the most severe global risk over the next two years, while “Failure to mitigate climate change” is considered to be the most severe global risk over the next 10 years. All six environmental risk categories are in the top 10 risks over the next 10 years. “Biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse” is considered to be one of the fastest deteriorating global risks over the next decade.
Read the full report here:
Last year the five largest western oil and gas companies – Exxon, Chevron, Shell, British Petroleum and TotalEnergies – made combined 200 billion dollars in profits, the year was the most profitable in their histories. President Biden said that the profits were “outrageous” and he criticized the companies for enriching the shareholders instead of helping to alleviate rising gasoline costs for drivers. António Guterres, secretary-general of the UN, also criticized the “monster profits” of the fossil fuel companies and said, “If you cannot set a credible course for net-zero [emissions], with 2025 and 2030 targets covering all your operations, you should not be in business. Your core product is our core problem. We need a renewables revolution, not a self-destructive fossil fuel resurgence.”
Read the full story on The Guardian:
It has been heartbreaking to watch the devastation and suffering after the strong earthquakes hit Türkiye and Syria on Monday. The scale of the disaster is enormous. The death toll is still rising and WHO estimated that 23 million people are affected by the earthquakes. Al Jazeera published a good graphical analysis of the disaster:
TRT World gave very good information about the ways you can help:
https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/here-s-how-to-help-türkiye-and-syria-earthquake-victims-65261
References:
“Turkey declares state of emergency as WHO warns 23 million affected by earthquake” The National News 7.2.2023
Three years have gone since I wrote to this blog the last time. So much has happened. I was lucky to be in Türkiye, when the COVID-19 pandemic started and all borders were closed. Türkiye handled the pandemic very well compared to many Western countries. The terrible war between Ukraine and Russia is still going on. The American-Israeli alliance and its allies have several other operations around the world. Far-right has become stronger and more aggressive in many countries, for example in Israel, where the new far-right government is considered to be a serious threat to the country. Xenophobia, racism, Islamophobia, misogyny and other forms of hate are still on the rise. In spite of all the negative and horrible events and phenomena there have also been some positive and interesting developments especially regarding the new emerging world order. This year may be particularly eventful in world politics.
International sustainability network Future Earth has published a report based on a survey that was conducted among over 200 leading scientists from 52 countries. According to the report, the world is facing series of interlinked emergencies. The combination of those crises creates a “perfect storm” that threatens humanity unless action is taken.
Read the full story on The Guardian:
Information about Future Earth:
Now that it seems clear that the right-wing Israelis want more land for Israel with the help of right-wing Americans and other allies, we should pay attention to the idea of Greater Israel. I will enclose some links where you can find more information and writings about the idea of Greater Israel. It’s been said that the article written by Israeli official and journalist Oded Yinon in 1982 has influenced the American-Israeli right-wing politics for decades, it is often called the Yinon Plan.
1) Oded Yinon: “Strategy for Israel in the Nineteen Eighties” translated by Israel Shahak (1982)
https://www.slideshare.net/erikayred/the-zionistplanforthemiddleeast
2) “Greater Israel”: The Zionist Plan for the Middle East” GlobalResearch 28.12.2019
https://www.globalresearch.ca/greater-israel-the-zionist-plan-for-the-middle-east/5324815
3) Black, Ian: “The quest for a greater Israel” The Guardian 25.8.2009
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/aug/25/quest-for-greater-israel
4) Chomsky, Noam: “The one state/two state debate is irrelevant as Israel and the US consolidate Greater Israel” Mondoweiss 24.10.2013
https://chomsky.info/20131024/
5) Becker, Ted – Polkinghorn, Brian: A New Pathway to World Peace: From American Empire to First Global Nation (2017)
6) Kurtzer, Daniel C.: “Choices Facing the United States: Greater Israel or Global Israel?” Israel Studies Vol. 23 No. 3 Fall 2018 pp. 246-252
https://muse.jhu.edu/article/699560
7) Zimmerman, Simone: “American Jews Are Funding the Far-right Dream of Greater Israel. We Have to End This – Now” Haaretz 21.10.2018
8) Erekat, Saeb: “It’s Time To Admit That The US Is Signing The Checks For Greater Israel” Forward 1.7.2019
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation OIC has rejected President Trump’s Middle East plan. The OIC said in a statement that it “calls on all member states not to engage with this plan or to cooperate with the US administration in implementing it in any form.”
Read the full story on Al Jazeera:
On Tuesday, President Trump unveiled his Middle East plan, also dubbed as “deal of the century”, with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu (1). As expected, this blatantly biased plan didn’t get many glowing reviews. Here are some examples of the reactions.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 28.1.2020 (2):
“It’s a great plan for Israel. It’s a great plan for peace. Frankly, Mr. President, given all that you have already done for Israel, I’m not surprised. You have been the greatest friend that Israel has ever had in the White House.”
“Your historic decisions to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital; to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights; to reaffirm Israel’s legal claims in Judea and Samaria; to stand up to Iran; to pull out of that dangerous Iran deal; to confront — “confront” is not the word — to eliminate Qasem Soleimani — to support and encourage unbelievable cooperation between Israel and the United States in the military and strategic and intelligence fields — all this bear testament to the friendship and depth of your leadership and commitment to Israel.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson 29.1.2020 (3):
“No peace plan is perfect but this has the merit of a two state solution. It is a two state solution. It would ensure that Jerusalem is both the capital of Israel and of the Palestinian people.”
EU High representative Josep Borrell 28.1.2020 (4):
“The European Union will study and assess the proposals put forward. This will be done on the basis of the EU’s established position and its firm and united commitment to a negotiated and viable two-state solution that takes into account the legitimate aspirations of both the Palestinians and the Israelis, respecting all relevant UN resolutions and internationally agreed parameters.“
UN Secretary-General, note to correspondents 28.1.2020 (5):
“The Secretary-General has seen the announcement of the United States plan for the Middle East. The position of the United Nations on the two-State solution has been defined, throughout the years, by relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions by which the Secretariat is bound.
The United Nations remains committed to supporting Palestinians and Israelis to resolve the conflict on the basis of United Nations resolutions, international law and bilateral agreements and realizing the vision of two States – Israel and Palestine – living side by side in peace and security within recognized borders, on the basis of the pre-1967 lines.”
UN Special Rapporteur Michael Lynk 31.1.2020 (6):
“The Trump plan on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a lopsided proposal entirely in favour of one side to the conflict.”
“What the Trump plan offers is a one and a half state solution. This Potemkin state – lacking most of the commonly understood attributes of sovereignty beyond the right to fly its flag and issue stamps – would become an entirely new entity in the annals of modern political science.”
“This is not a recipe for a just and durable peace but rather endorses the creation of a 21st century Bantustan in the Middle East. The Palestinian statelet envisioned by the American plan would be scattered archipelagos of non-contiguous territory completely surrounded by Israel, with no external borders, no control over its airspace, no right to a military to defend its security, no geographic basis for a viable economy, no freedom of movement and with no ability to complain to international judicial forums against Israel or the United States.”
Turkey’s National Security Council (MGK) 30.1.2020 (7):
“The U.S.’ so-called peace plan aims to legitimize occupation, destruction and oppression of Palestine.”
“The only solution is the establishment of an independent Palestine on the basis of the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
The Arab League, part of statement 1.2.2020 (8):
“(The Arab League) rejects the US-Israeli ‘deal of the century’ considering that it does not meet the minimum rights and aspirations of Palestinian people.”
The Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit 1.2.2020 (9):
“The plan leads to a status that amounts to a one-state situation that comprises two classes of citizens, that is apartheid, in which the Palestinians will be second-class citizens, deprived of the basic rights of citizenship.”
“(The U.S. proposal) does not bring about stability or build peace, but sows the seeds for another 100 years of conflict and suffering.”
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, regarding cutting all ties with USA and Israel 1.2.2020 (10):
“We’ve informed the Israeli side … that there will be no relations at all with them and the United States including security ties.”
“I will never accept this solution. I will not have it recorded in my history that I have sold Jerusalem.”
References:
1) “This is what Donald Trump’s Middle East plan looks like” Al Jazeera 28.1.2020
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/01/donald-trump-middle-east-plan-200128192550276.html
2) “Remarks by President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu of the State of Israel in Joint Statements” White House 28.1.2020
3) “Boris Johnson praises Donald Trump’s plan for peace in the Middle East as he hits out at Jeremy Corbyn for being ‘characteristically negative’ about the blueprint” Daily Mail 29.1.2020
4) “EU responds to Trump’s Middle East peace plan” Euractiv.com 29.1.2020
https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/eu-responds-to-trumps-middle-east-peace-plan/
5) “Note to correspondents: In respond to questions on the Middle East” United Nations Secretary-General 28.1.2020
6) “Israel / OPT: UN expert alarmed by ‘lopsided’ Trump plan, says will entrench occupation” United Nations OHCHR 31.1.2020
https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=25513&LangID=E
7) “Trump’s Mideast plan aims to legitimize destruction of Palestine: Turkey’s National Security Council” Daily Sabah 30.1.2020
8) “Arab League rejects Trump’s Middle East plan” Al Jazeera 1.2.2020
9) “Trump’s Mideast plan amounts to ‘apartheid’, Arab League says” Daily Sabah 1.2.2020
https://www.dailysabah.com/mideast/2020/02/01/arab-league-rejects-trumps-mideast-plan
10) “Palestine cuts all ties with Israel and US” Daily Sabah 1.2.2020
Curiously enough, many important and dramatic events this week have something to do with the American-Israeli alliance.
Jerusalem hosted its largest-ever political gathering during the World Holocaust Forum before the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and the International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Monday (1, 2, 3). It is important to remember what kind of horrors the all-engulfing hatred led to during the 1930s and later on. I haven’t visited Auschwitz, but I visited former Dachau concentration camp near Munich in November 2008 and that somber memory will stay with me the rest of my life.
We see again the rise of right-wing populism and extremism. Antisemitism has increased in many countries. However, just like during the 1930s, also many other ethnic, religious and other groups are targeted.
The OSCE ODIHR hate crimes data gives some idea of the nature and amount of hate crimes in various countries. Here are just some examples of the hate crimes statistics from year 2018 (4):
On the left hand side of the table you can see in brackets the total amount of hate crimes recorded by police in each country.
The hate crimes statistics don’t necessarily give the whole picture of the situation. For example, a large survey conducted by Citizens UK, a British umbrella organisation of faith and community groups, suggested that the huge amount of hate crimes in 2018 was just a tip of the iceberg (5). Famous political scientist Cas Mudde pointed out in 2018 that even though victims have reported hate crimes in USA, many law enforcement agencies haven’t necessarily classified them as hate crimes. Almost one in five law enforcement agencies didn’t submit any hate crime reports during years 2009-2014. The National Crime Victimization survey suggested that there may have been as many as 250 000 annual hate crimes in USA during years 2004-2015. (6, 7)
References:
1) “Jerusalem hosts largest-ever political gathering for Holocaust forum” The Guardian 22.1.2020
2) “World leaders gather for Holocaust commemoration, 75 years after the liberation of Auschwitz” NBC News 23.1.2020
3) UNESCO – International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2020
https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/holocaustremembranceday
4) OSCE ODIHR Hate Crime Data 2018
5) “Hate crimes double in five years in England and Wales” The Guardian 15.10.2019
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/oct/15/hate-crimes-double-england-wales
6) “Hate crimes are as American as apple pie” The Guardian 27.12.2018
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/dec/27/hate-crimes-america-cas-mudde
7) “Hate Crime Victimization, 2004-2015” Bureau of Justice Statistics June 2017
IDIS Observer 