Policy & Advocacy
Backgrounder on the Middle East, February 2013
Background on the Middle East, February 2013
The Arab Spring transformed the Middle East, producing fragile transitions from authoritarian rule to unstable, often sectarian politics. Major challenges for U.S. policy include widespread violence, humanitarian crises, rising refugee flows, regional destabilization, and stalled peacemaking efforts.
Syria
- The 2011 uprising devolved into a full-scale civil war with over 60,000 dead and more than 600,000 refugees, plus large internal displacement.
- Fighting has spread geographically and risks drawing neighboring states, notably Turkey, into deeper involvement.
- The Syrian opposition remains fragmented despite attempts to unify; the conflict is marked by sectarian and ethnic divisions, with Alawite rule under Assad opposed by a Sunni majority and Christians caught between factions.
- U.N. reports allege war crimes by both sides.
- U.S. policy has been cautious, focusing on humanitarian aid for refugees and displaced persons and calling for peaceful resolution.
Iraq
- Post-U.S. withdrawal Iraq faces sectarian killings, political paralysis, and violence among Shiite, Sunni, and Kurdish factions.
- Iraqi Christians remain targeted and vulnerable.
- Influxes of refugees from Syria and previous Iraqi displacements strain Iraq’s weak institutions and recovery prospects.
Iran
- Tensions over Iran’s nuclear program prompted international sanctions and concerns about potential military action.
- Iran insists on continuing enrichment until sanctions are lifted and has threatened strategic chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz.
- Israel has warned it may strike if Iran’s nuclear activities continue; military strikes risk broader regional retaliation and U.S. involvement.
- U.S. policy statements urged diplomatic solutions to reduce proliferation risks while preserving regional stability.
Holy Land / Israeli-Palestinian conflict
- Longstanding Israeli–Palestinian tensions continue to block a two-state settlement. Key drivers include settlement expansion, checkpoints, the separation barrier, Gaza’s blockade, and recurrent hostilities with Hamas.
- Repeated cycles of rocket fire from Gaza and Israeli military responses produced high civilian casualties and infrastructure damage, deepening humanitarian crises, especially in Gaza.
- Regional dynamics—Syria’s war, Iran’s posture, changes in Egypt, and Israeli domestic politics—complicate peacemaking and stall progress toward negotiation.
USCCB stance and actions
- The USCCB calls for respect for the human dignity and rights of both Israelis and Palestinians and supports a viable two-state solution as the realistic path to lasting peace.
- USCCB activities include advocacy with U.S. officials, pastoral visits and solidarity to vulnerable Christian communities, ecumenical statements, and appeals for humanitarian assistance and diplomatic engagement.
- Recommendations emphasize renewed international leadership, protection of civilians, humanitarian relief, and diplomatic, not military, approaches to nuclear and regional disputes.