Resource Author: Nancy Okail

TRT World: One Year Since October 7

On October 9, TRT World interviewed CIP President and CEO Nancy Okail about the Middle East crisis a year after the October 7th attacks by Hamas and the ongoing response from Israel. 

She discussed the crisis, paths not taken, and how the continued lack of a ceasefire will factor in the US presidential election in November.

“We have lost our moral compass and none of this has been inevitable. All of it could have been avoided,” said Okail.

She continued:

The first step to take is to abide by US values and US moral standing, and that means abiding by the rule of law. When I say the rule of law I’m not just talking about international humanitarian law; I’m also talking about US laws that should prohibit arms to any country showing indications that there are violations for international humanitarian law 

Watch Okail on TRT World:

UNGA reflections: US-Israeli relations and UN reform

On September 26, CIP President & CEO Nancy Okail joined a TRT World panel on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York to discuss the Middle East crisis and the broader issue of structural challenges at the United Nations.

Discussing the Israel-Palestine conflict and the escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, Okail said:

“[President Biden] has been just giving the bear hug to Netanyahu since day one. And he has not moved an inch.”

She urged President Biden to stop applying a double standard to Israel when it comes to enforcing the law:

“The crimes that are being committed in Gaza are so clearly committed and recorded by credible organizations. Yet we have not been able to see like a real movement towards conditioning aid or suspending arms even in order to have a fair and credible assessment of the situation. So why would Netanyahu stop right now, because there are no consequences in the war?”

Okail and the panelists also highlighted frustrations with UNGA regarding the power wielded by the five permanent members with veto rights, even when the rest of the world reaches a unanimous decision.

“They need structural changes,” stressed Okail, noting that “if there’s no will, they will be forced to do it. Because either it’s going to become more and more irrelevant and just a a nice building out there that people just gather in, or they will need to respond to all the calls for the reform.”

Asked if the UN should be replaced, Okail concluded, “It’s not about replacing one organization with another one. It’s more about having an equitable structure.” She cited access and accountability as two major obstacles, pointing to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees in the Near East:

“Its funding has been suspended, their members have been killed and there are no consequences. […] We’re talking about people’s access to medicine, to food, to safety. It’s just very difficult to see that this is happening yet they can’t do anything about it. Where is the accountability?”

Watch the full discussion on TRT World here.

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[Video] Military Expenditure in MENA: Implications for Human Rights, Governance, and Socio-Economic Development

August 28
10am – 11:30am ET

In 2023, the number of violent armed conflicts has reached its highest level since 1946, coinciding with the highest recorded levels of military expenditure worldwide. These figures reflect the recent significant deterioration in global peace and security. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region exemplifies this escalating volatility, where the numerous ongoing conflicts have had dire consequences for political stability, human security, humanitarian conditions, and sustainable development. The issue of military expenditure and, by extension, the military is front and center to these regional developments. Data from the latest SIPRI Military Expenditure Database (updated April 2024) shows that military spending for countries in the MENA region totaled $252 billion in 2023, 12% higher than 2022 and almost double the world growth rate. This 12% increase was the second fastest behind Europe. In addition to the high and rising levels of military expenditure, countries in the MENA region have the highest military burden (military spending as a share of GDP) and highest military spending as a share of government spending compared to all other regions in the world.

Arab Center Washington DC (ACW), in partnership with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s (SIPRI) Military Expenditure and Arms Production Programme (MILAP), are organizing this webinar to present highlights from the latest data and discuss possible drivers of military spending and its implications for transparency and accountability, socio-economic development, political power of the military, and the rights and freedoms of domestic populations. Who are the major military spenders in the region? What are the trends of military expenditure in MENA countries? Are there insights into what the military expenditure is being spent on? How transparent and accountable are these military budgets? How significant is the role of external military assistance in the region? Given the high military burden and government priority placed on the military, what are the potential developmental impacts in the region? Is there a link between military expenditure and authoritarian tendencies and the declining rights and freedoms of domestic populations? What are some recommendations to ensure transparency and accountability in military expenditure, along with sufficient investments in human and socio-economic development and democratic governance?

Continue reading “[Video] Military Expenditure in MENA: Implications for Human Rights, Governance, and Socio-Economic Development”

The Killing of a Hamas Leader Is Part of a Larger War

The assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, presumably by Israel, is the latest deliberate provocation in a series of deliberate provocations to keep the conflict going. Yet every provocation risks wider regional conflagration, and so long as US policy continues to shield Israel from the consequences of its actions, instead of pushing it to the negotiating table, the situation becomes more precarious.

Most crucially, the United States has plenty of existing leverage over the actions of Israel that the Biden administration could pursue, most immediately by adhering to, instead of sidestepping, US legal limits on arms sales to the country.

There’s another way, Matt Duss and Nancy Okail write for The New York Times:

At the time of this writing, a ground war in Lebanon and devastating, sustained missile barrages may still be staved off, but to do so will require deft, immediate diplomacy and actionable changes on the pipeline of arms to Israel. That will necessitate more action than we have seen in the last 10 months, leading us to worry that the conflagration may occur as much as the Americans would like to wish it away.

The time is late, but it is essential now for President Biden to finally apply real pressure to stop this war, by halting the supply of offensive arms, facilitating the return of hostages to Israel and enabling the provision of desperately needed humanitarian aid into Gaza. The United States must state loudly and clearly that the country will no longer support this war. And then show that it means it.

Read the full piece.

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ICJ Determination of Violations in Israeli Occupation of Palestinian Territories a Welcome Step

The Center for International Policy welcomed today’s advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) determining that Israel’s conduct in and policies toward the Occupied Palestinian Territories and its Palestinian residents constitute multiple serious violations of international law. In response, CIP president and CEO Nancy Okail issued the following statement:

“The Court’s advisory opinion affirms what virtually the entire world has recognized for decades – that Israel’s 57 year occupation of the Palestinian Territories has long served as a project to illegally dispossess the Palestinian people and annex their land.

International law allows for occupation as a temporary measure in a time of active conflict. It does not allow for occupation as a cover for relentless land theft, apartheid and other grave violations of the national and human rights of an entire people. The Israeli Knesset’s unequivocal rejection this week of any Palestinian state west of the Jordan River only provides additional conclusive evidence supporting the Court’s opinion.

While the ICJ’s action is non-binding, countries that seek to uphold international law should respect the Court’s determination and take all appropriate steps to counter the injustices of the occupation and bring it to a peaceful end. At a minimum, countries should not engage in actions which help to perpetuate the occupation and its discriminatory, annexationist goals. In particular, the United States must end the unconditional supply of arms that Israel uses in connection with the dispossession and settlement of Palestinian land and other violations of Palestinian rights.

We also reiterate the importance of rejecting all attempts to delegitimize, intimidate or penalize the ICJ or its officers in light of this or any of its other proceedings. The security and rights of people around the globe hang in the balance as the institutions tasked with upholding international law are being attacked by right-wing nationalist and autocratic figures worldwide. Disagreements with the Court’s actions may be expressed appropriately and challenged through the established processes, but attempting to undermine or criminalize the multilateral legal bodies that are a core part of the rules-based international system threatens essential US and global security interests.”

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[Video] America’s Forever Wars: Centering Communities Impacted By War

Over the past decade, there have been calls from both political parties to end America’s forever wars. Despite these promises and the tumultuous withdrawal from Afghanistan, America’s foreign policy and military are increasingly entangled in overseas conflicts, from Yemen and Gaza to Ukraine and beyond. This panel brings together leaders from communities of color profoundly affected by America’s foreign policy. They will explore pathways to disengagement from war, emphasize the importance of robust diplomacy, and advocate for redirecting resources back home. Central to their discussion will be the imperative of welcoming refugees displaced by American policies abroad.

Register here to join the conference in-person or virtually.
Learn more and view the agenda here.

Friday July 12, 2024
2:45pm – 3:45pm
(in-person & streaming*) Netroots Nation, Baltimore MD

*The session will be streamed live through the event app, making it accessible to all attendees, including those participating virtually.

SPEAKERS

Continue reading “[Video] America’s Forever Wars: Centering Communities Impacted By War”

CIP Condemns COVID Vaccine Disinformation Campaign by Pentagon

In response to the shocking report that the Pentagon initiated a social media manipulation-based disinformation campaign under the Trump Administration to discredit Chinese-origin vaccines and protective equipment among the Filipino public in an effort to undermine perceptions of China in the Philippines in the midst of the COVID pandemic, Center for International Policy President & CEO Nancy Okail issued the following statement:

“Americans should be outraged that their government launched a disinformation campaign under Donald Trump that essentially weaponized the COVID pandemic, imperiling the lives of countless innocent people in the Philippines and beyond.

Spreading dangerous lies about vaccines and personal protective equipment among an especially hard-hit population is inhumane in and of itself. To have done so for the sole purpose of eroding public perceptions about China in a partner country, while callously disregarding the certainty that it would jeopardize the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocents, is utterly indefensible.

We are glad that the Biden Administration appears to have ended the campaign within its first few months of taking office. We call on relevant Congressional committees and leaders to seek a thorough investigation of this disinformation campaign and hold those responsible for it fully accountable.

It is dangerous to let an abstract geopolitical concept override the urgent necessity of saving human lives. The outrage and distrust of the United States this cruel gambit is already beginning to engender demonstrates some of the inherent dangers of the ‘great power competition’ mindset that is  shaping US foreign policy across the globe. Rather than cooperating in areas like global health where US and Chinese interests align, the obsession with undercutting China on every issue and in every region leads to outcomes that ultimately harm US standing and security. The United States can be clear-eyed about the need to address China’s destabilizing actions and repressive policies, while at the same time better serving our essential interests by engaging China in a manner that reduces dangerous tensions rather than exacerbating them.”

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CIP Welcomes ICC Prosecutor Moves on Israel-Palestine

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to the International Criminal Court seeking arrest warrants for senior leaders for events in Israel and Palestine beginning October 7, the Center for International Policy’s President and CEO Nancy Okail issued the following statement:

“We welcome the International Criminal Court Prosecutor’s application seeking arrest warrants for senior Hamas and Israeli officials for numerous violations of the Rome Statute.

International law protecting civilians in conflict must be applied consistently and impartially. The failure to adhere to or enforce the laws of war not only contributes to an environment of impunity in the current conflict in Gaza, but undermines the rights and safety of people around the world. Today’s move by the ICC’s prosecutor is an urgently needed step toward restoring accountability under, and reinforcing the legitimacy of, international humanitarian law.

CIP calls upon countries, including the United States, to fully cooperate with – and in no way impede – the ICC process currently underway on this matter. One need not agree with the prosecutor’s allegations to respect and defend the legitimacy of the court, its processes and the law which it is tasked to enforce. Any attempt to penalize or intimidate the court or its officers must be categorically condemned.

The United States should also fulfill its own obligations and immediately cease military support enabling the violations of human rights and international law enumerated in the requested ICC warrants.” 

CIP Responds to UN General Assembly Vote Backing Palestinian Bid for Membership

In response to the UN General Assembly’s adoption of a resolution enhancing Palestine’s status in the United Nations and encouraging the Security Council to admit Palestine as a full UN Member State, Center for International Policy (CIP) president and CEO Nancy Okail issued the following statement:

“Today’s resolution is a welcome step. Further integrating Palestine into multilateral institutions and binding it to the privileges and obligations of statehood affirms international law and  Palestinians’ right to self-determination. It bolsters diplomacy in stark contrast to the horrific violence of the last seven months and the injustice of decades of occupation.

The United States has a moral duty and strategic interest in expanding opportunities for peaceful diplomatic engagement. Attempts to force the United States to cut off funding to the UN in response to this move are unjustified and counterproductive. 

We reject false assertions that passage of this resolution triggers outdated and injurious US laws defunding Palestinian relief and UN contributions if Palestine gains the same standing as full members of the UN. The measure adopted today expressly states that it does not confer such status upon Palestine and claims that it does serve to advance a longstanding rightwing effort to delegitimize Palestinian rights and the United Nations. 

It’s regrettable that the United States cannot support full Palestinian membership without jeopardizing US funding for the UN system, but it should still support the enhanced status this resolution confers on Palestine.”

Peace or Instability? Examining the Impact of the Abraham Accords

Two successive U.S. administrations have made the normalization of relations between Gulf states and Israel under the framework of the Abraham Accords a pillar of their Middle East Policy, despite warnings from human rights advocates that such deals would only embolden autocratic leaders. Now, as the war in Gaza enters its seventh month and risks wider regionalization by the day, peace and stability seem more elusive than ever. Are the Abraham Accords bringing the region closer toward peace and stability or just further enabling authoritarianism?

Join the Middle East Democracy Center (MEDC), Center for International Policy (CIP), and the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies (CCAS) at Georgetown University, in collaboration with the Arab Rights and Research Center‘s “Quest for Democracy in Saudi Arabia” conference, for a panel discussion that aims to answer these questions. The panel will examine the current democracy and human rights challenges in the region amid fears of a broadening regional conflict and the “normalization deals.”

Continue reading “Peace or Instability? Examining the Impact of the Abraham Accords”