SHORT-LIVED CEASEFIRE IN GAZA WAR
An Egyptian-sanctioned ceasefire between Israel and Hamas lasted only six hours after Israel claimed that Hamas had fired 123 rockets into Israel during the proposed “de-escalation” period, and resumed airstrikes. One of the rockets fired from the Hamas-controlled Gaza strip caused the first Israeli fatality of the conflict. Meanwhile, an Israeli government official stated that the country will be adding an additional three Iron Dome missile defense batteries. Israel currently has seven batteries actively operating and in the past officials have claimed they would need at least thirteen batteries to adequately protect their citizens from the Palestinian, Lebanese, and Egyptian threats. (Reuters July 15, 2014).
IRAQ NAMES NEW SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT
Iraqi politicians recently named a moderate Sunni politician as Speaker of Parliament, a move that many hope is the first step in quelling the sectarian violence spreading throughout the country. The Iraqi constitution states that the prime minister will be part of the Shi’ite majority, the speaker of parliament from the Sunni minority, with the presidency going to a Kurd. Sitting Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has once again come under fire after remarks that the Kurdish Regional Government is somehow cooperating with the Sunni terrorist group the Islamic State. The comments prompted Kurdish officials to boycott the parliament and the Kurdish Regional Government subsequently seized two more oil fields in the north. Maliki then reportedly removed Kurdish Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari from his office. (Reuters July 15, 2014; CNN July 11, 2014).
UN: AID TO SYRIA WITHOUT ASSAD CONSENT
On July 15 the UN Security Council authorized humanitarian aid to rebel-controlled areas of Syria without consent of the Assad government. Negotiations for this kind of resolution have been underway for the past month with China and Russia adamantly opposing any resolution that would threaten the sovereignty of Syria. Western powers managed to get the resolution passed after watering down the language and weakening the threat of further measures against the Assad government should it refuse to comply with the distribution of aid. In the past, the Assad government has refused to distribute aid to rebel controlled areas. (Reuters July 14, 2014).
U.S. AND QATAR STRIKE $11 BILLION ARMS DEAL
U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Qatari Defense Minister Hamad bin Ali al-Attiyah signed an agreement this month to sell Qatar Apache attack helicopters and Patriot and Javelin air-defense systems. The agreement is valued at $11 billion, making it the largest US arms sale this year. The announcement of the deal follows a trip by Hagel in December where he and Attiyah signed a 10-year Defense Cooperation agreement. The Defense Cooperation agreement also allows for the continued cooperation and stationing of American troops in the region. (Al JazeeraJune 15, 2014).
YEMENI TRIBESMEN BLOW UP MAJOR PIPELINE
This week Yemeni tribesmen struck a major blow to their government’s revenue stream after blowing up a major oil pipeline. The pipeline carries close to 100,000 barrels daily and the attack has disrupted the transportation of oil from the interior to the Ras Isa export terminal on the Red Sea. It is the second attack on the same pipeline this year. Elsewhere the government scored a minor victory when, Shi’ite Houthi rebels from the country’s north reportedly agreed to withdraw from the city of Amran, which they seized earlier this month on their march to the capital. Units from the Yemeni army are expected to retake control of the city after the Houthi withdrawal. (BBC July 12, 2014).