World View: Palestinians Commemorate 'Al Nakba' — 'The Catastrophe'

This morning’s key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com

• U.N. General Assembly condemns Syrian regime for violence
• Palestinians commemorate ‘Al Nakba’ — ‘The Catastrophe’
• Tensions escalate between Taiwan and the Philippines
• Eurozone recession deepens even further than forecast

U.N. General Assembly condemns Syrian regime for violence

France’s ambassador Gerard Araud speaks to U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday (AFP)

Ignoring bitter opposition from Russia and Syria, the United NationsGeneral Assembly approved a non-binding resolution condemning theregime of Syria’s president Bashar al-Assad for using heavy militaryweapons on civilians, and for systematic violations of human rights.

Syria’s permanent Envoy to the UN Bashar al-Jaafari addressed theGeneral Assembly with a bitter attack on the Arab League, whichsponsored the current resolution and which, in the past, has expelledthe Syrian government representative from the Arab League and replaceit with a representative of the opposition:

“Giving Syria’s seat to the al-Doha [Qatar] coalitionin the Arab League and the attempt to get the UN involved bygiving a [delusional] representation to its aim at breaking offthe road in front of the solution to the crisis and tearing downthe Syrian state.

We bring your attention to the destructive role of the ArabLeague, led by Qatar and Saudi Arabia in addition to Turkeyagainst Syria as the Arab League has given legitimacy to providethe terrorists with weapons.”

The Saudi envoy responded by repeating many of the horrors thatthe al-Assad inflicted on innocent civilians — from bloody massacresof peaceful protesters to mass slaughter of innocent students intheir college dormitories while they were asleep.

The General Assembly approved the measure by a vote of 107 to 12, with45 member states abstaining. The “yes” vote was a lot lower than thevote last August on a similar resolution, where 133 states votedsupported the resolution this time is because many of them arebeginning to believe that with help from Russia and Iran, al-Assad isgoing to win the war, war crimes and all.

From the point of view of Generational Dynamics, that expectation isnot realistic. Syria is in a generational Awakening era, like Americain the 1960s, and the young Sunni fighters are not going to capitulateto the Shia Alawite regime. VOA and Al-Jazeera

Palestinians commemorate ‘Al Nakba’ — ‘The Catastrophe’

On Wednesday, Palestinians all over the world commemorated the 65thanniversary of the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 — aday that they refer to as Youm al-Nakba or “Day of Catastrophe.” Thespeeches and protests and demonstrations demanded a “right of return”to lands acquired by Israel in 1948 and 1967, and full recognition ofPalestine as a nation. In the West Bank, demonstrators clashed withIsraeli police, resulting in 75 injuries and 25 Palestinian arrests.Al-Ahram (Cairo) and Jerusalem Post

Tensions escalate between Taiwan and the Philippines

Taiwan has rejected as “insincere” an apology from the president ofthe Philippines for the Thursday’s accidental shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman by the Philippinescoast guard in a disputed region of the South China Sea. In responseto increased anti-Philippine nationalism in the Taiwanese public,Taiwan has issued a travel warning telling citizens not to visit thePhilippines, has frozen Philippine applications for work permits inTaiwan, and is carrying out military exercises in the disputed regionof the South China Sea. BBC

Eurozone recession deepens even further than forecast

The eurozone economy shrank more than economists forecast in the firstquarter of 2013. There have now been six consecutive quarters ofrecession, a record. The recession is now affecting even theso-called “core nations.” The German economy, Europe’s largest, didexpand, but less than forecast. France’s economy went into arecession, adding to the political troubles of the Socialist presidentFrancois Hollande. Euro zone unemployment has reached a record 12.1%as governments increase taxes and cut spending to contain publicdeficits. Bloomberg

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