[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Syria and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Syria Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week`s roundup to syria@jadaliyya.com by Monday night of every week.]
Regional and International Perspectives
Palestinians Torn Over the Syrian Crisis Nicolas Dot-Pouillard suggests that “a gradual change in Hamas’ position can be linked to the military radicalization of the Syrian conflict that had occurred: the clash between the regular army and the combatants of the Free Syrian Army in Homs have seemed, in effect, to augur a major turning point in the conflict and, thus, Hamas finds itself caught in a system of double-affiliation. “
Syrie. Qadri Jamil, chassé du gouvernement… pour siéger à Genève et diviser l’opposition Ignace Leverrier on the strategy behind the Syrian regime’s firing of Qadri Jamil.
Why are the rulers of Saudi Arabia losing their cool? Amhed E. Souaiaia writes about Saudi Arabia’s involvement in Syria.
Les villes petites et moyennes dans les revoltes arabes: un etat des lieux Eric Verdeil provides a review of Karine Benafla’s book.
Akkar and the Syrian Refugees: Love and Loathing Doha Shams asks: “How did Akkar’s erstwhile love affair with the refugees turn into loathing? The story begins – and ends – with material interests.”
Understanding racism against Syrian refugees in Lebanon Mohamad Ali-Nayel and Bassem Chit write: “To simply say that the Lebanese are naturally racist is shortsighted. This over-simplification tends to overlook factors that concentrate and divert people’s frustration against their own regime, towards scapegoating and discrimination against Syrian refugees.”
Atassi Denies Meeting Regime Figures in Moscow “The head of the Aid Coorination Unit (ACU), the Syrian National Coalition-affiliated body for relief and humanitarian support, Suhair Atassi has denied accusations she travelled to Moscow to meet with Syrian regime officials.”
Ayşe Gökkan Speaks from Ground Zero Pınar Öğünç speaks to Ayşe Gökkan, the female mayor of Nusaybin, who is trying to prevent the building of a wall at the Turkey-Syria border.
Turkey Must Refocus On Kurdish Peace Process Despite setbacks in the peace process emerging from the Syrian war, Turkey must recommit itself to achieve a solution, says Cengiz Çandar.
Syria Kurdish Leader: Solution Must Include Assad Salih Muslim, co-chairman of the Syrian Kurdish PYD, said no solution can be reached in Syria without involving President Assad.
Syria Exports its Problems to Turkey İhsan Dağı argues that Turkey’s Syria crisis is bringing the Alevi and Kurdish questions to the fore.
Syrian Narratives
The Civilian Administration of the Insurgency in Aleppo Adam Baczko, Gilles Dorronsoro and Arthur Quesnay provide a detailed report on developments in Northern Syria, arguing that “this experience of reconstructing an administrative system through the bottom-up has enabled to restart the public service system and constitutes the basis for an alternative to the Damascus regime. The management of Eastern Aleppo by the armed opposition thus constitutes both a strategic and a political challenge.”
“Jihad Against Assad is a Must for Muslims and Non-Muslims”: a Deraa sheikh says Johnny Abo writes about cleric Ahmed Sayasneh.
5 Historical Monuments Have Been Destroyed Forever During Syria`s Civil War A piece evaluating the damages on 1) The Umayyad Mosque in Aleppo, 2) Aleppo’s Souk al-Madina 3) Al-Omari Mosque 4) Crac Des Chevaliers and 5) Palmyra
Opinion: We must live with terrorism Mshari Al-Zaydi says “the creation of a terrorist cannot be stopped without destroying the social and cultural climate that facilitates its creation, and this climate cannot be destroyed without a hard look at ourselves.”
The Fight for Syria’s Border Crossings An overview of developments at various border crossings.
Who`s who: Farouk Sahraa, the obscure vice-president A profile by the Syrian Observer.
Syrie, prélude au pire Jean-Pierre Perrin shares a letter he wrote to the late Samir Kassir, about the developments in Syria since his death in 2005.
Confessions Of A Syrian Activist: “I Want Assad To Win” Mike Giglio meets with an activist who is disillusioned about the revolution, and who thinks “it needs to end”.
The Five “No”s “Former Coaliton spokesman Walid al-Bounni writes for The Syrian Observer on the significance of the five ‘No’s which were raised by the coalition President”
The Fall of Yaroubiya to the YPG In Context Aymenn Tawad al-Tamimi and Fadel al-Kifa’ee argue that “in the grand scheme of things in the conflict between the YPG and rival rebel factions, the takeover of Yaroubiya does not represent a decisive turning point but a further step towards the most likely overall outcome: namely, consolidation of existing positions”
Syria: What Chance to Stop the Slaughter? Kenneth Roth maintains that “a negotiated peace may well be the best way to avoid a complete collapse of the Syrian state.”
Amid New Setbacks, United Rebel Command in Doubt Alison Tahmizian Meuse says “The Free Syrian Army (FSA) suffered two blows over the past week: the loss of the key northern town of Safira to regime forces, and the subsequent resignation of a respected commander, Colonel Abdel Jabbar Okaidi.”
Inside Syria
Islamist Rebels Take Fight to Suburbs of Syrian Capital Sam Dagher reports from Damascus.
In Assad`s Damascus, Syrians fall prey to gun law A Reuters report on security in the capital, where there is a marked increased in gun circulation and petty theft.
Taking the Lead, Hizballah Girds for Key Syria Battle on Assad’s Behalf Aryn Baker and Rami Aysha claim that “in Qalamoun, a strategic region that has been in rebel hands for most of the war, the Iranian-backed Lebanese militia Hizballah is preparing to take on rebels in a drawn-out fight that could dictate the outcome of the Syrian conflict.”
Starvation; the Catastrophe Reaches Eastern Gouta in Damascus Suburbs The Violations Documentation Center in Syria present their findings on the deteriorating situation in Eastern Ghouta.
Beleaguered Syrian Christians fear future, increasingly targeted by jihadis A report by the Associated Press from Damascus.
The Mysterious Fall of Raqqa, Syria’s Kandahar Firas Al-Hakkar explains how “the tyranny that people rose up against has now returned, more morbid than before.”
Iraqis in Syria: No Choice But Damascus reporting from Damascus Ahmad Hassan explains why, 20 000 Iraqis (UNHCR numbers) “preferred to return to Syria despite the fierce fighting. Jaramana remains their destination of choice.”
Opposition Activists in Damascus Give Views on Peaceful Solution “Damascus Bureau surveyed the opinions of political activists and members of opposition parties in Damascus on their views on a political solution in Syria”
Arts and Social Media
Geneva 2: A Dialogue Stained with Blood جنيف٢:حوار ملطخ بالدماء
Step by Step (Khutwa, Khutwa) A piece providing a brief review and summary of this 1979 movie by Ousamma Mohammad, depicting the lives of Syrians in the mountainous coastal village of Rama.
Syrian Children Draw What Used to be Home A report by Lina Sergie Attar
Infographic: Palestinian Refugee Children in Syria Visualizing Palestine offers a useful visual about Palestinian refugee children in Syria and neighboring countries.
Syria, or the revolutionary masses will decide their own future…Syria Freedom Forever condemns Tareq Ali’s position toward the uprising, and maintains that “the Syrian revolution is still alive, as well as its objectives for democracy, social justice and no to confessionals.”
TV star figures in Syria uprising and pays a price Jamal Halaby on various actors’ fates following their opposition to the regime.
Statement of the Raqqa Information Center in protest of the continued harassments by ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) “we declare that we will cease all media, journalistic and documenting activities and that we will shut down the center’s page, asking god for safety to all of our brothers and sisters in Syria, and also to all of our media activist colleagues, noting that one page in particular in Raqqa carried out propaganda and a smear campaign against us accusing us of “Secularism” among many other things to force us to shut down , and now we yield to their demands.”
Policy and Reports
Le journalisme en Syrie, une mission impossible ? Reporters Without Borders consolidates a report on the state of journalism in Syria, suggesting that “information is a collateral victim of the conflict.”
UN Should Mandate Unhindered Humanitarian Access To and Within Syria says the International Crisis Group (ICG).
20 Million Children In Syria, Surrounding Countries To Receive Polio Vaccination
Economy and Agriculture
An Economic Campaign to Show That Syria is OK “Economist analyst Adnan Abdulrazzak writes for The Syrian Observer on the regime’s efforts to show that Syria is capable to control its economic difficulties”
Oil In A Week – The Syrian Conflict, Energy, And The Interests Of Countries Walid Khadduri, a consultant for MEES Oil & Gas (MeesEnergy) explains how Syria is now exporting petroleum products.
Syria’s civil war and the business community Jihad Yazigi suggests that “the position of Syria’s businessmen towards the uprising is based on a number of factors including their closeness to, or dependence for the conduct of their business on, the circles of power; the size of their business outside Syria and the autonomy this gives them towards the regime; the impact on their business of government economic policy in the last decade; as well as their sectarian, geographic or ethnic affiliations”
Arabic
"توضيح بشأن عمليات التشاور حول"جنيف2
Fateh Jamous, the founder of the Communist Labour Party in Syria, tells the story behind the rejection of his visa to Switzerland, which he needed in order to attend the “Geneva 2” conference.
مواسم الهجرة إلى المجهول
حول معوقات الذهاب الى جنيف 2: أستاذ ماجد حبو
Majed Hebbo talks about the obstacles facing Geneva 2.
السوريون ومشكلة المساعدات الإنسانية
جنيف - 2 أو الدمار الشامل
المصنف رغماً عنه
الليرة السورية تقفز بعد حملة أمنية على المضاربين
جهل مركب أم حملة إعلامية ظالمة
اكراد سورية مع الحقوق القومية بدون حدود
مسلم لـ «الحياة» بعد لقائه بوغدانوف: «جنيف-2» لن يعقد قبل بداية 2014
سوريا: الحرب كاقتصاد سياسي أوّلاً
العواء في سبيل الخبز
!مأزق الائتلاف
معركة استنزاف لا حسم في القلمون
آل سعود... العداء للإسلام والعروبة
مدرسة" الأخضر الإبرهيمي: دبلوماسية الاختمار"
نعم لاستمرار الثورة، لا لمؤتمر جنيف
طيفور: المشروع الوطني هو استراتيجية إخوان سورية
The deputy to the leader of the Syrian National Coalition expresses the views of the organization on Geneva 2
النظام السوري يبدأ بأضخم عملية تسليح لعرب الحسكة
According to the mouthpiece of the Kurdish party (the PYKS), the Syrian regime has started a large operation arming the Arabs of al-Hasaka