Click here for the “Study Guide”

Topic A: The Crisis in Yemen

Yemen, located at the southern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, is one of the Least Developed Countries with an ineffective central government, religious and social tensions, and armed tribal factions in outlying areas. A number of challenges currently plague this country, and key amongst these is the growing threat of terrorism in the region. Since September 11, Yemen pledged to assist the US government in its War on Terror. However, despite its best efforts, it is widely believed that terrorists units are still alive in Yemen and corporations based in Yemen are thought to have funded the Bin Laden terrorist network. Incidents such as the bombing of the navy destroyer U.S.S. Cole in the Yemeni port of Aden in October 2000 have sparked international concern, and major powers have committed to supporting Yemen in its fight against Al-Qaeda by strengthening its counter-terrorism capabilities. Recent events involving terrorist activities in Yemen have reignited international interest, and on January 19th 2010, the UNSC sanctions committee added Al-Qaeda’s Yemen-based wing and two of its leaders to a U.N. blacklist, aiming at weaken these factions. On 27th January 2010, an international high-level meeting in London took place under the auspicious of the UN, regarding the increasingly deplorable security situation in Yemen. Yemen’s problems, however, are multiple and so inextricably linked that a simple crackdown on Al-Qaeda affiliates will not be a solution to the country’s problems.

Since 2004, government forces in Yemen have been engaged in fierce fighting with members of the Shiite Al-Houthi rebel group in the northwest, displacing a total of 250,000 people. In 2009, the conflict spilled over into the neighboring southern region of Saudi Arabia, which reacted by increasing its forces along the boarder and artillery shelling. The conflict is increasingly becoming a danger to regional stability as various countries are said to be indirectly involved. While Iran is suspected to promote the rebel groups, the United States administration stated to increase its military assistance for the Yemenite government to $140 million in 2010. Beside an increasing intervention of foreign powers, Yemen faces other significant challenges, including a possible Shiite revolt in the north, secessionist unrest in the south, water shortages, poverty and growing militancy.

The United Nation’s Humanitarian Response Plan for    2010 calls for the provision of $177 million to Yemen for assistance, but only 1% percent has been arranged for so far. The significant security, economic and humanitarian problems faced by Yemen are not just a threat to its internal stability, but a severe concern for the international community. Yemen might become a new terrorist haven, slide into a vast civil war, break apart, and, thus, destabilize the entire region. Because of its proximity to Somalia, a second failed state at the Bab el-Mandab street, which connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea, will pose a serious threat to Western oil supply and international trade. It is pertinent that the global community, as represented by the Security Council, recognizes the magnitude of the crisis in Yemen and develops a more holistic approach to the problem, which incorporates improving the economy, battling poverty, and fighting terrorism to promote internal and external stability for Yemen under one interlinked framework.

Topic B: Aftermath of the Gaza War and Unresolved Conflicts between Israel and Palestine

A climate of mistrust has existed between Israel and Palestinians since half a century, and is prevalent even today due to conflicts over settlement expansion, forced evictions, military incursions, rocket fire and the closure of border crossings between the two states. Amongst these key unresolved crisis, the Gaza War of 2008-2009 and the events that followed take a central position. About a year ago, Israel fought for three weeks in Gaza to stop the shooting of thousands of rockets from there into its southern communities. About 1,400 people were killed and 4,000 homes were destroyed in this war. The UNSC Resolution 1860 aimed to resolve this conflict by calling for “an immediate ceasefire in Gaza leading to a full Israeli withdrawal, unimpeded provision through Gaza of food, fuel and medical treatment, and intensified international arrangements to prevent arms and ammunition smuggling”.

The conflict however did not end then and there. Not only was this resolution largely unsuccessful, a multitude of new problems arose with the publishing of the Goldstone Report. Under the UNHRC, a fact-finding mission investigated the atrocities committed during the Gaza War, and in the report that followed, accused mainly Israel, but also Hamas, which controls Gaza, of possible war crimes during the three-week war. Israel was also accused of deliberate attacks against the civilian population of Gaza, and of willful destruction of civilian infrastructure, a violation of international law. Furthermore, the report called for “appropriate investigations that are independent and in conformity with international standards” into what it called “serious violations” of international law. Israel quite adamantly rejected the Goldstone report on the grounds of it being biased, and sent a letter to the UN Secretary General defending the credibility of its own internal military investigation into the Israeli Army’s conduct during this war. Needless to say, Israel’s reaction was not taken in good spirit by the international community, which widely supports the Goldstone Report.

Beside the clash in Gaza, other unresolved conflicts between Israel and Palestine are also reinvigorating, particularly border conflicts and creation of new settlements by Israel. In the West Bank the Israeli security barrier, which cuts through the lands of the village of Nilin is at the center of an Israeli arrest campaign. While the existence of this barrier itself is a source of conflict between the two states, the arresting activities have aggravated the crisis. Furthermore, while Israel has ceased the creation of new settlements in the West Bank under the ‘freeze’ agreement, it refuses to do the same in East Jerusalem and several Palestinian families have been evicted. The Quartet (U.S., EU, Russia and the UN) has criticized Israeli building plans for East Jerusalem, but insists that Palestine should not back out of talks as a result of this construction. Several issues still plague the region of Israel and Palestine. While the Road Map for Peace has been chalked out, the real test is the implementation of this framework. While atrocities have been conducted by both Israel and Palestine during the Gaza War and otherwise, the only way to move forward is to comply with UN resolutions and reports for this region. Especially with the Obama government completely backing a two-state solution and focusing interest on the region again, it becomes pertinent to resolve this conflict before it escalates into another war.