15 Apr 2019 - NPWJ News Digest on Middle East and North Africa Democracy

Articles

Amnesty International silent on Al-Qaeda war crimes to criminalize Syrian government
RT Question More, 15 Apr 2019

Amnesty International’s biased and misleading report ignores the suffering of communities under attack from Al-Qaeda affiliates in Syria’s Idlib. Tensions are being ratcheted up in the north-westerly provinces of Idlib and Northern Hama and Western media prepares itself for the revival of the notorious “last doctor” meme.

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Europe urged to reject US Middle East plan if it is unfair to Palestinians
The Guardian, 15 Apr 2019

High-ranking former European politicians have condemned the Trump administration’s one-sided Israel-Palestine policy and called in a letter for Europe to reject any US Middle East peace plan unless it is fair to Palestinians. The letter, sent to the Guardian, the EU and European governments, was signed by 25 former foreign ministers, six former prime ministers, and two former Nato secretary generals.

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Four Prominent Pro-Israel Democrats Warn Israel Not to Annex West Bank
The Jerusalem Post, 13 Apr 2019

Four of the strongest supporters of Israel among House Democrats issued a rare public statement Friday, warning from a possible move by Israel to annex the West Bank. The four, Rep. Nita Lowey, chairwoman of the House committee on Appropriations; Rep. Eliot L. Engel, chairman of the House committee on Foreign Affairs; Rep. Ted Deutch, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and International Terrorism; and Rep. Brad Schneider, signaled that Democrats would oppose annexation, creating a potential future confrontation between the Israeli government and pro-Israel Democrats in Congress.

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Ten reasons why Tunisia’s transition model won't work in Algeria
Middle East Eye, 12 Apr 2019

Since Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika stepped down on 2 April following weeks of protests against his 20-year rule, comparisons have abounded with other North African countries which have gone through uprisings since 2011. Overcoming a political crisis through elections seems to be the ultimate democratic approach. So, some ask, why can't Algeria simply implement the same roadmap as Tunisia? Why make things complicated when you can keep it simple?

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The Israeli Election Put the Bigotry of its Political Class Front and Center
Human Rights Watch, 11 Apr 2019

Israeli elections have come and gone, delivering Benjamin Netanyahu a fifth term that soon will make him Israel’s longest serving prime minister. The toxic rhetoric that defined the weeks-long campaign, with candidates seeking to outdo each other in demeaning Palestinians and dismissing rights, will most likely endure.

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