Middle East
Migration and identity crisis
Whether we like it or not, immigration is the reality of our world today. This fact, in addition to the fact that it can become an opportunity with proper individual and organizational management, also has its own challenges. Among other things, one of the challenges that arise for immigrant communities and the immigrant generation is the identity crisis. The crisis of identity is a broad and multidimensional debate, but with a simpler view, this crisis among the second and third generation of immigrants is caused by a duality – on the one hand, they inevitably have to reject the relatively strict traditional-religious behavior of their parents, and on the other hand, they cannot fully absorb the secular and civil values of the host society.
At the same time, these second and third generation immigrants need a series of rituals, education and ceremonies in which they can feel themselves and find a sense of belonging. Because they have rejected the worn-out advice of their parents, they lose their respect, attention and empathy.
But on the other hand, they are not respected outside when they face the more important and larger part, that is, the host society. That is, because they cannot be successfully absorbed into the host society, they do not attract attention and respect from there and are isolated. While as human beings they need attention and respect from others – to be someone for themselves and to be known and honored with the title they like. If we want to explain the identity problem in simple language, this is it. Of course, this is not a general case. There are so many young people who are successfully recruited and busy with their daily work and are in positive interaction with institutions and human groups in their field of work every day. This is a huge success in terms of integration. But naturally, there are those whose absorption process in the host society is disturbed due to various reasons.
They are thirsty for attention and seeking respect because of the aforementioned emptiness. In this case, they are waiting hard for someone, an institution or a group to be found under its order to become meaningful signifiers even at the cost of obeying or blindly following. Because following also reminds at least that they are human and some people need to follow them.
Immigrants want to be respected by the host countries as it strengthens the sense of belonging to the community
Due to this need, many addresses with religious, ethnic and cultural names have been created among immigrants and usually they all offer some kind of identity product. Because they know that the immigrant community needs things to remind them that they belong to a certain nation, race, or religion in times of identity crisis. They have a special past and history, and based on their ancestral religion, they will be treated in a special way in heaven.
Also, in this world, angels always have a good opinion of them. When they feel that they have been rejected from the reality of society due to the difficulties of immigration, it is natural for them to take refuge in imaginary sources and ask for respect and attention from there.
This seemingly makes their existence meaningful and strengthens their sense of belonging to the same group, but on the other hand, it further separates them from the main body of the host society. This separation is not only deep, but sometimes becomes a factor resistant to assimilation and integration.
Efforts should be made so that the situation does not reach a point where that vacuum is formed or reaches a critical level. The way to avoid this gap is absorption and integration. Being absorbed is not easy for immigrants; Therefore, a practical solution should be considered for it. For this, it is good to ask: What helps us to become like the society or people of our host country or second home? What do they have? What do we have in common?
In response, it should be said: Our first and most important contribution is in “citizenship”. That we are citizens of a certain country and being a citizen requires commitment and sacrifice. If we reach this civic understanding that citizenship is a principle prior to other elements of identity such as religion, religion, language and ethnicity, I think we have traveled an important part of the way. It is the only umbrella that can cover everyone equally, so that no one feels left out.
The good thing about this umbrella is that in order to join it, no immigrant needs to become a Christian first to become a citizen of a certain country, or to be white first to qualify for citizenship. It is enough that they respect the rights and freedoms of the members of the society.
This is the result of the maturity of human history, which is steered by Western civilization, and now Western countries also consider themselves obliged to comply with it.
Of course, this has not always been the case in the West. For example, more than half a century ago in Germany, Jews were legally ineligible for German citizenship as long as they insisted on their Jewishness. The granting of citizenship, which is actually the granting of the right to live again, regardless of religion, ethnicity and region, based only on being “human”, is an unprecedented achievement in human history, which is implemented in first world countries.
The identity loss and wandering shows itself in various forms.
The phenomenon of migration and the lack of compatibility of new arrivals with the new environment is not a new thing. For example, after the industrial revolution in the 19th century, these same countries faced the problem of identity crisis. Due to the impact of the industrial revolution, people suddenly moved from the surrounding areas to the cities, and those who had just arrived in the city had exactly the same situation as today’s immigrants, who are thrown from the third world countries to the center of the largest cities of the first world countries, and it is impossible not to get lost.
This identity loss and wandering shows itself in various forms. The problem of internal migration in Western countries in the 18th and 19th centuries, caused by the mass migration of rural people to the cities, was solved by gradual integration. Today, the challenge of immigration to these countries can only be managed with sustainable and intelligent integration.
But what is important is the implementation of this integration in the healthiest way and with the least cost for the host society and the immigrants. Integration is inevitable, it just needs to be managed well. If integration does not take place, urban life with its own nature and the whole issue of government-nationality and national identity of these countries will face danger and no country likes this.
One can think about those who just arrived in the city two centuries ago, how it was hard for them to lose their local dialects and customs and religious and regional traditions, but now their current generations who were born in the city, grew up and educated in the city, are basically urban and they do not have the accent of their great-grandfathers nor their customs. They are either from London or from Manchester or from Birmingham and all of them are English and they have nothing to do with their villages.
Current immigrants also have to go through such a process. That is, they should be absorbed in the urban life and civic values and nationality of the host countries. As Fukuyama, a contemporary political scientist, says “although with the victory of the Iranian revolution in 1979 and the Salafist movement in Saudi Arabia in the same years, the assumption that Muslim immigrants in Western countries should maintain their independent religious institutions was strengthened.”
Several decades of bad experiences of some migrants in West have led to the creation of far-right parties and their stance against immigrant
Even today, this strategy is being implemented by the Islamic Republic in all parts of the world under various titles under the guise of religion and under the name of religious freedom. But the result of creating an island and intervening and demanding the isolation of same-religious groups from the rest of the host society is creating a rift and the illusion of a dual identity, which, if it becomes acute, can even create security problems for the host society.
From the point of view of isolated groups and individuals, citizenship does not have a special meaning, nor does it bring duties and obligations. According to them, religion or ethnicity is the factor of unification, not citizenship. The occurrence of religiously motivated terrorist attacks in Western countries, as well as the joining of second and third generation Muslim immigrants from Western countries to extremist groups in the Middle East, can be understood under this logic.
Several decades of bad experiences of Muslims in Western countries have led to the creation of far-right parties and their stance against immigrants and Muslims in those countries. The emergence of populist nationalism is due to the feeling of danger that immigrants have taken their identity from them and they don’t want to be confused with immigrants.
That is, in the host countries, which are mostly western, there is also a group that does not like immigrants, especially Muslim immigrants, to be integrated into them. According to them, Muslim immigrants should not pollute their culture and identity – so to speak.
But again, due to the blessing of the secular age and the secular government, their words are not taken into account, and they are willing to give citizenship to Muslims and follow the policy of multiculturalism, with all the possible dangers and sometimes bad memories of some of them – that one day maybe the important principle of “citizenship” will be institutionalized in them.
A source speaking to the Syria-based independent news site Al Jumhuriya claimed the meeting between the Israeli National Security Advisor and al-Sharaa was “an important step for Syrian-Israeli negotiations.” According to the source, this was not the first time the two have met.
It was already known that Israel and the government of Ahmed al-Sharaa, which established an interim administration after overthrowing the Assad government with the leadership of HTS, were conducting normalization talks. According to a report by Ynet News based on diplomatic sources, the “quiet” talks between Syria and Israel are not aimed at full normalization but rather at a limited security agreement between the parties.
The report suggests that the common ground for this process is the Syrian leader’s goal of attracting foreign investment and securing the easing of sanctions, combined with Israel’s concerns about the security of its northern borders. The process is expected to be based on a security-focused compromise without full normalization, rather than a warm peace or the opening of mutual embassies.
A source familiar with the matter defined the limits of these expectations, stating, “Anyone who thinks they’ll be eating falafel in Damascus can keep dreaming.”
A potential agreement between the two countries could reportedly include clauses on security guarantees, joint commitments against terrorist activities, limiting Iranian influence, and restricting armed groups in areas near the border. It has been previously claimed that Israel used Syrian airspace for its attacks on Iranian targets, suggesting some form of covert, if not official, coordination between the two nations.
According to Ynet, the Israel-Syria talks are based on the 1974 Agreement on Disengagement, which ended the 1973 war. This agreement defined borders, troop deployments, and surveillance mechanisms. Israeli officials argue that if Syria significantly distances itself from Iranian influence, this agreement could be updated and adapted to address current threats.
Approximately two months ago, US President Donald Trump met with Ahmed al-Sharaa, marking the first meeting between a US President and a Syrian leader in 25 years. A White House statement reported that Trump asked al-Sharaa to normalize relations with Israel and expel Palestinian armed groups. In his remarks following the meeting, Trump stated that the US was considering steps toward normalization with Syria’s new government, a process initiated by this high-level contact. He added that easing sanctions was intended to give Syria a “new beginning.”
Following the historic meeting, al-Sharaa declared, “Syria is determined to be a country open to peace and cooperation. It will remain faithful to every hand of goodwill extended to it.” He continued, “Syria will no longer be an arena for power struggles or a stage for foreign ambitions. We will not allow our country to be fragmented or fall prey to the narratives of the previous regime that sought to divide our people. Syria belongs to all Syrians.”
In the wake of this process, the Trump administration first lifted sanctions against Syria and then announced that HTS would be removed from the US list of terrorist organizations.
Middle East
Israel details plan for ‘humanitarian zone’ in Rafah, called a ‘concentration camp’ by critics
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has announced that a plan is being developed to relocate the entire civilian population of the Gaza Strip to a closed “humanitarian zone” to be built on the ruins of Rafah. However, experts describe this plan as a “concentration camp” for all Palestinians in Gaza.
Katz stated that he has instructed the Israeli army to prepare a plan for establishing a “humanitarian zone” on the ruins of Rafah, adding that the ultimate goal of this artificial settlement is to house the entire population of the Gaza Strip.
According to Katz, approximately 600,000 Palestinians, primarily from the Al-Mawasi area, will be transferred to this zone in the first phase after security screenings. The defense minister also explicitly stated that the relocated civilians will not be permitted to leave the area.
Under the plan, security for the zone will be provided by the Israeli army, but military forces will not govern the area or distribute humanitarian aid. Katz noted that they are seeking international partners to manage the zone. The plan is being coordinated by Amir Baram, the Director-General of the Ministry of Defense and former Deputy Chief of the General Staff.
Message of an ‘impending migration plan’
In a briefing with journalists, Defense Minister Katz outlined Israel’s strategy to weaken Hamas, listing key objectives such as targeting the organization’s leadership, seizing territorial control, demilitarizing Gaza, and what he described as a “migration plan that will be implemented.”
Katz stated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is leading the process of identifying countries willing to accept Gazans.
However, according to an official who spoke to Haaretz, the Israeli government does not consider the population transfer plan to be realistic, and no preparations are currently underway to facilitate a mass migration from Gaza. Israel has reportedly offered to send Palestinian refugees to several countries, but none have accepted.
A crime against humanity
Michael Sfard, one of Israel’s leading human rights lawyers, said Katz’s plan violates international law.
“He (Katz) has laid out an operational plan for a crime against humanity. It is nothing less than that,” Sfard said. “This is nothing short of preparing for the transfer of the population to the southern tip of the Gaza Strip and their expulsion from the Strip,” he added.
Speaking to The Guardian, Sfard explained, “To expel someone from their homeland is a war crime in the context of war. If it is done on a mass scale, as he plans, it becomes a crime against humanity.”
Professor Amos Goldberg, a Holocaust historian at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, also stated that the defense minister has put forth clear plans for ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the establishment of “a concentration camp or transit camp before deporting the Palestinians.”
Professor Goldberg noted that Katz’s plan raises the question of what will happen to Palestinians who refuse to comply with Israel’s order to move to the new settlement. “What will happen if the Palestinians, not being completely helpless, do not accept this solution and revolt?” he added.
Contradiction with the General Staff’s statement
On the morning of the same day, the Israeli General Staff informed the High Court that the army was not carrying out forced population evacuations within or outside of Gaza. A statement from the office of Chief of General Staff Eyal Zamir claimed that objectives such as “displacing the population or concentrating them in specific areas” were not part of their operational plans.
However, this statement contradicts the “Gideon’s Chariots” operational order given to the army in May. According to this document, previously revealed by the Haaretz newspaper, one of the operation’s goals was explicitly stated as “managing and displacing the civilian population.” The Israeli army confirmed the details in the report but did not issue an official statement.
Meanwhile, speaking at the White House on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said that the US and Israel are working with other countries that will offer Palestinians a “better future.”
As he prepared for dinner with Trump, Netanyahu said, “If people want to stay, they can stay, but if they want to leave, they should be able to leave.”
Concentration camps under GHF’s purview
Separately, Reuters reported that the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US and Israeli-backed aid organization, has proposed the construction of camps described as “Temporary Humanitarian Settlement Areas,” which could be established both inside and outside of Gaza.
The relationship between this proposal and the plan announced by Katz is unclear, but Israel is known to be involved in the establishment and activities of the GHF.
The plan, uncovered by Reuters, aims to “end Hamas’s control over the population” by placing the people of Gaza in these areas.
This nearly $2 billion plan was presented to the Trump administration and was recently discussed at the White House. The presentation document, which is undated but contains photos from February 11, states that the GHF is trying to secure over $2 billion to build large-scale “Temporary Humanitarian Settlement Areas” inside and outside Gaza.
The plan reportedly began at the end of May with the GHF opening food distribution points in Gaza, with these camps being the second phase.
According to the document reviewed by Reuters, the camps are described as “voluntary areas” where the people of Gaza can “be temporarily housed, de-radicalized, reintegrated into society, and prepared for resettlement if they wish.”
The presentation file obtained by Reuters delves into technical details, including how these camps would be built and their costs. According to a timeline in the presentation, a camp project would become operational within 90 days of its launch and would house 2,160 people, along with a laundry, showers, toilets, and a school.
A source involved in the project said this presentation is part of a planning process that began last year and envisions the construction of eight camps, each capable of housing hundreds of thousands of people.
However, the plan does not provide clear information on how or by what means Palestinians would be moved to these camps. It is also unclear where the camps might be established outside of Gaza. On a map, arrows pointing to Egypt and Cyprus, along with the phrase “other possible destinations,” are noteworthy.
The document states that these large-scale facilities will be used to “build a relationship of trust with the local population” and to “realize President Donald Trump’s vision for Gaza.”
The GHF has denied submitting such a proposal, stating that the slides in the document are not theirs and that they were only “exploring theoretical options for safely delivering aid to Gaza.”
However, the cover of the presentation features the GHF’s name, and some slides mention SRS (Safe Reach Solutions), a company founded by former CIA agent Philip Reilly that provides logistics and security services for the GHF.
A source working on the project indicated that the plan has not progressed due to a lack of funding. Reuters previously reported that the GHF wanted to open a bank account in Switzerland to collect donations, but banks such as UBS and Goldman Sachs refused to work with the GHF.
On February 4, Trump publicly announced for the first time that they “want to take over Gaza and turn it into the Riviera of the Middle East,” which would require the relocation of 2.3 million Palestinians.
Tony Blair’s team also involved
Meanwhile, the Financial Times recently reported that the Tony Blair Institute (TBI), the think tank of former British Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair, is pursuing a project led by Israeli businesspeople that includes a manufacturing zone named after Elon Musk.
It was revealed that this project is the same plan that the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) worked on and presented to Trump, which envisions de-Palestinizing Gaza and redeveloping it as the “Middle East Riviera.” The TBI is reportedly partnering with BCG on this project. Both TBI and BCG have denied the allegations.
A spokesperson for Tony Blair said the former prime minister has not spoken with the planners and has not commented on the plans.
“The TBI team is in discussion with many different groups and organizations with ‘post-war plans’ for Gaza, but it has no involvement in the writing of this plan,” the spokesperson said.
A BCG spokesperson denied the claims, stating: “We completely deny this work. BCG has not received any payment for this work.”
Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the group that overthrew the Bashar al-Assad government in Syria and established a transitional government in Damascus, is set to be removed from the US list of foreign terrorist organizations despite its past connections to al-Qaeda and the al-Nusra Front. According to an internal US State Department memo, this decision was made concurrently with President Donald Trump’s lifting of sanctions against Syria.
The memo, signed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on June 23 and formalized on July 7, stated that “following consultations with the Departments of Justice and Treasury, the al-Nusra Front, also known as Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, will be removed from the list of foreign terrorist organizations.”
Established in 2012 as al-Qaeda’s Syrian branch, the al-Nusra Front later changed its name to HTS in an effort to evade US sanctions. Anti-Assad operations conducted by the Pentagon and CIA, which utilized al-Qaeda-like sectarian groups, plunged Syria into a 14-year proxy war that began in 2011.
The anti-Assad front, supported by countries including the US, Israel, the United Kingdom, France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Türkiye, achieved its objectives on the ground on December 8, 2024, when jihadist groups led by HTS seized control of Damascus.
Al-Shara declared interim President as Trump lifts sanctions
HTS leader Ahmed al-Shara, also known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, for whom the US had placed a bounty, declared himself interim president after taking control of Damascus. Following this development, the Western world began to ease the sanctions that were imposed during the Assad era.
Despite documented sectarian massacres in March, where groups affiliated with HTS killed over 1,600 civilians in coastal cities with large Alawite populations, US President Donald Trump announced his intention to lift sanctions during a visit to Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, in May. He met with HTS leader Ahmed al-Shara during the same visit.
Last week, Trump signed a presidential decree lifting sanctions on Syria. A White House statement claimed that this step “aims to support the path to stability and peace.”
US demands normalization with Israel and distance from Palestinian resistance
In exchange for lifting the sanctions, the US administration has made several demands of the new Syrian government. These demands include normalizing relations with Israel, severing ties with “foreign terrorists”—referring to Iran-linked groups—and banning Palestinian resistance organizations.
Sharaa reportedly met with Israeli official in Abu Dhabi
Israel details plan for ‘humanitarian zone’ in Rafah, called a ‘concentration camp’ by critics
US to remove Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham from terror list
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