Modern Middle East History

Foreign Affairs Article

This article discusses how the population growth outside the fence in Israel could affect future peace agreements. It says that it is not the settlements that are growing,at least not physically, but the populations already living within them that are growing. This could possibly make any future peace agreements more costly as well as more politically difficult as more people would likely be “forced or induced to move.” The article then goes on to discuss how any appointments Netanyahu makes for minister positions will affect settlement policies.

The reliability and accuracy of this story is still to be determined  as no major sources are reporting on the topic. The story claims that a police chief in the Helmand province received documents in which both groups declared Jihad against each other.

https://www.khaama.com/isis-taliban-announced-jihad-against-each-other-3206

The warships are being deployed to monitor Iranian cargo ships, which may be delivering arms to Houthi rebels.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/20/politics/iran-united-states-warships-monitoring/

A US led airstrike in March targeted a convoy of cars in northern Iraq. Unknowingly at the time Abu Bakr al Baghdadi was in one of them. He was severely injured and was thought to be on his deathbed. While he has recovered now, the interesting part of the article is that other ISIS leaders had to hold a meeting about a possible successor. First this means that they did not already have one planned, and also a caliph by definition has to have Quraysh blood. This bloodline is the same that Muhammad is from and allows Baghdadi to claim the Caliphate. All other Caliphs in the past and many Middle Eastern monarchs have had this bloodline as well.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/21/isis-leader-abu-bakr-al-baghdadi-wounded-air-strike

The European Parliament backed a motion on Wednesday that calls the massacre a century ago of up to 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman Turkish forces a “genocide”, days after Pope Francis triggered fury in Turkey by using the same term.

http://news.yahoo.com/turkeys-erdogan-says-disregard-european-view-armenian-killings-083736104.html

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/13/middleeast/syria-yarmouk-isis-shubert/index.html

“Besieged and bombed by Syrian forces for more than two years, the desperate residents of this Palestinian refugee camp near Damascus awoke in early April to a new, even more terrifying reality — ISIS militants seizing Yarmouk after defeating several militia groups operating in the area.”

The largest Palestinian refugee camp in Syria, created in 1957 as a result to those fleeing the Arab-Israeli conflict, now leaves people in need of major help as they are left without food and the only working hospital at the camp has been bombed…

It was confirmed that on the 8th of April, over 200 Yazidis, a group of Kurdish descendants of whom are also one of the oldest religious communities in the world based out of northern Iraq, were released by ISIS. The group of Yazidis released were primarily made up of women, children and sickly individuals. The Yazidis, of whom were received by the Peshmerga ( a military force who defend Northern Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region), were then sent onto Irbil, a large Kurdish city in the region. CNN reported on the news.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/08/world/isis-yazidis-released/index.html

I made a post yesterday discussing how Turkey had blocked Twitter and YouTube. As of this morning (4/7/15), Twitter has complied with Turkeys request and removed the image of the gunman holding a gun to the Turkish prosecutor’s head. As a result of Twitter removing the image,  Turkey has lifted the ban on Twitter. However, YouTube still remains blocked.

On another note, Turkey has threatened to ban Google from the country if they do not remove links to the image from its search website. It will be interesting to see if the image is still available on the internet in a few days.

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-32194913

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/06/us-turkey-twitter-idUSKBN0MX0JG20150406

http://armeniangenocidecentennial.org.Armenian Genocide Centennial Events in Washington, DC

This is an Armenian newspaper:

In 1994 it became the first Armenian newspaper with a web site on the Internet with http://www.Massisweekly.com

By Florence Avakian
Preparations for the Genocide Centennial to take place in Washington D.C. from May 7 to 9 are proceeding with speed as details emerge daily. The unique event will present a united Armenian-American community, bolstered by dedicated supporters from the American and worldwide religious, diplomatic and governmental fields.
This Commemoration is the work of the Armenian Dioceses and the Armenian Prelacies in the United States working together on all levels, including the organizational and fundraising efforts.
Leading the commemoration will the Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, and Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I, throughout the three-day historic event. This will be their first appearance together after the inspiring ceremony in Holy Etchmiadzin on April 23, which will anoint the martyrs of the Armenian Genocide as saints.
Also attending the Commemoration will be President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sarkisian. President Barak Obama and members of Congress have been issued special invitations by both the National Council of Churches, and the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops.
Appreciation, Unity, Awareness, Revival
The weekend will begin at Washington’s famed National Cathedral on Thursday evening, May 7 at 7 PM., with Catholicos Karekin II and Catholicos Aram I jointly leading clergy of the Armenian Church, and heads of other faiths in prayers of remembrance, respect, unity and revival. The keynote speaker in the Cathedral will be the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, Rev. Olav Fyske Tviet.
On Friday evening, May 8, at 8 P.M., at the Music Center at Strathmore, a special program entitled, “A Journey through 100 Years of Armenian Music” will be presented. A group of compositions, both classical and contemporary by the beloved Komitas Vartabed, framed especially for the Genocide Centennial will be presented. A surprise grand finale awaits the presentation.
Among the acclaimed musicians taking part are the renowned Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Hover Chamber Choir of Armenia. Also performing will be celebrated sopranos Isabel Bayrakdarian, and Hasmik Papian, pianists Sahan Arzruni and Serouj Khradjian, violinists Levon Chilingirian, Ara Gregorian, and Ida Kavafian, cellist Alexander Chaushian, and clarinetist Narek Arutunyan.
On the morning of Saturday May 9, starting at 10 A.M., at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, which holds 3000 seats, Catholicos Karekin II and Catholicos Aram I will lead a magnificent rendering of the Holy Badarak (Divine Liturgy), sung by more than 150 members of choir representatives from Armenian churches in the United States. The choir will be conducted by New York’s St. Vartan Cathedral choir director Maestro Khoren Mekanejian, with St. Vartan Cathedral Dean the Very Rev. Fr. Mamigon Kiledjian accompanying on the organ.
Mark J. GeragosMark Geragos to MC Banquet
“A Time to Give Thanks” will be the theme of the banquet taking place at the Marriott Marquis Hotel on Saturday evening, May 9 starting with a reception at 6 P.M. Those dedicated individuals and institutions which helped and supported the Armenians in the past, and the present, will be honored. Master of Ceremonies for this auspicious event will be the well-known California lawyer Mark Geragos. Among the evening’s musical performers will be the Zulal Acapella Trio. Entertainment activities for children will be provided during the banquet.
Throughout the three-day weekend, a number of related events will be taking place, including a tour, and a lecture at the Library of Congress, and a tour of the American Indian Museum. There will also be a series of workshops, films and exhibits throughout Washington D.C., and at the Marriott Marquis Hotel. Activities will also present projects for young adults.
For hotel and event reservations, the website is www.armeniangenocidecentennial.org

Author Explores Armenian Genocide ‘Obsession’ And Turkish Denial

Writer Meline Toumani grew up in a tight-knit Armenian community in New Jersey. There, identity centered on commemorating the mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks during World War I, a history that’s resulted in tense relations between Armenians and Turks to this day.

In her new book, There Was and There Was Not, Toumani recounts her attempts to understand Turkey and the Turkish people — people she was always taught were her bitter enemy. She also explores what she calls the Armenian community’s “obsession” with genocide recognition, which she herself. (See Link)

Her Book received excellent reviews and you may consider reading fellow students. Thank you, Ruby