International

Israel rubber-stamps UAE peace agreement

Published

3 years ago

October 15, 2020

Israel’s Knesset on Thursday voted overwhelmingly in favor of the U.S.-brokered peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Israeli lawmakers voted 80 to 13 to approve the historical deal, paving the way for peace and an economic relationship between the two nations. The UAE is the third Arab country to recognize the State of Israel, following the leads of Egypt and Jordan, who recognized it in 1979 and 1994 respectively.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet, according to U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and the Jerusalem Post, has unanimously okayed the agreement.

After unanimous approval in the cabinet, Israel – UAE peace now approved by an overwhelming margin in the Knesset. We are so gratified by the warm reception that both nations have given to this diplomatic breakthrough. #AbrahamAccords
— Chargé d’Affaires (@USAmbIsrael) October 15, 2020

This agreement between Israel and the UAE, alongside a separate agreement between Israel and Bahrain, are together dubbed the Abraham Accords. Both were brokered by the U.S. and when it was announced that all three Middle Eastern countries had agreed to the Accords, they celebrated it at the White House back in September.

The Abraham Accords were a much-needed foreign policy victory for President Donald Trump in his re-election bid, who, according to the polls, has been struggling to beat his Democratic opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden.

It has been heavily predicted by experts that this Israel-UAE agreement will help bolster the economies of these two influential countries, hopefully impacting the wider regional economy in a positive manner. Additionally, the agreement opens the door for increased security cooperation between the two countries, which could potentially impact the balance of power in the region on a dramatic scale.

You can follow Douglas Braff on Twitter @Douglas_P_Braff.

International

Mental health crisis spikes among Afghan women after Taliban regained control two years ago

Published

5 days ago

September 21, 2023

Sara Carter Staff

The women of Afghanistan are suffering a mental health crisis since the Taliban regained power two years ago. According to a joint report from three U.N. agencies released Tuesday, approximately 70% of women experience feelings of anxiety, isolation and depression.

The numbers continue to rise, as there has already been a significant jump between April and June of this year alone, with an increase from 57% the preceding quarter.

The report, conducted by U.N. Women, the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, interviewed women online, in-person and in group consultations as well as individual telesurveys.

592 Afghan women in 22 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces took part in the study. The Associated Press reports:

They have barred women from most areas of public life and work and banned girls from going to school beyond the sixth grade. They have prohibited Afghan women from working at local and non-governmental organizations. The ban was extended to employees of the United Nations in April.

Opportunities to study continued to shrink as community-based education by international organizations was banned and home-based schooling initiatives were regularly shut down by the de facto authorities — a term use by the U.N. for the Taliban government.

Afghanistan is the only country in the world with restrictions on female education and the rights of Afghan women and children are on the agenda of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The report also served as a vessel for Afghan women to send a message to the rest of the world: do not validate the Taliban government. Forty-six percent of women said international recognition of the Taliban government should not happen under any circumstances, while 50% warned that recognition should only occur under specific conditions contingent on improving women’s rights.

The report notes that the women expressed concern that recognition would only encourage the Taliban government to continue becoming stricter in their policies and practices against women and girls.

Afghan women had specific ideas and suggestions: they “urged the international community to continue political and economic sanctions against the Taliban, including by not granting exemptions to a travel ban. They urged an increase in engagement with the Taliban on gender equality and women’s rights, including by engaging community and religious leaders in awareness and advocacy efforts” writes the Associated Press.