Before we commence with our discussion and to better understand the new geopolitics of the Middle East, we must first question:
How did the Middle East and North Africa region transition from a time of possible political reform to a time of turbulence, conflict, and as the title of this discussion suggests “growing rifts”?
Demographically speaking, over 6% of the world’s population live in the Middle East, including Muslims and Christians, Arabs and Kurds.
Of those, 57.6 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance and 17.7 million are either internally displaced or refugees fleeing conflict and oppression.
Yes, it is important to discuss the balance of power at a time of rising tensions between regional players, but it is even more critical to discuss the fates of the millions of families and communities living under oppression in the Middle East.
The region has already been under the spell of a major destabilizing factor, namely the continuous escalation and compounded siege against the Palestinian people. The absence of a just solution, and the lack of hope in any corrective move from the international community to end one of the last occupations on earth, is in itself, a destabilizing factor in the Middle East.
Tyranny is the driving force behind social and political marginalization, violent oppression, and more importantly, the rise of transnational terrorism.
It generated an atmosphere of wide ranging violations of human rights, chaos, and uncertainty. This in turn invited and provided a suitable incubator for all kinds of destructive interests, starting with terrorist organizations that found a breeding ground among the disappointed and disadvantaged masses.
And in the case of Syria, the unprecedented brutality of the regime and the failure of the international community to protect civilians against massive bombardment has had two major consequences: one, the militarization of an originally civil revolution and its transformation. Two, the rising influence of external groups that have exploited the power vacuum and gained territory in both Syria and Iraq.
The coexistence of different religions, sects, and ethnicities has been historically an enriching factor of our culture and society. However, politicizing the sectarian differences is a modern phenomenon, that is, regrettably, used and reproduced by regional and international powers and encouraged by interstate rivalries.
It is our firm belief that to handle the repercussions of the changing geopolitics of the Middle East, we need a dual approach to our collective international efforts. We need to simultaneously address the root causes of the conflicts, namely oppressive regimes, while countering violent extremism and combatting terrorism.
Let me assure you that a shared vision of an inclusive future for the Middle East, based on respect for human rights and rejection of terrorism and tyranny alike, is our only hope to protect the fates of the people of the region.