Interntional intervention in Syria appears to be imminent. Is it practical or legal
Intervention in Syria (238 KB, PDF)
• Chemical weapons have been used in Syria and have changed the position of major Western governments
• Their use in Syria was illegal under the 1925 Geneva Protocol, which Syria ratified in 1968, and under customary international law
• A UN inspection is under way
• The illegal use of chemical weapons does not affect the legality of outside intervention in Syria, which remains unclear without a Security Council resolution
• The options for military intervention are complicated and expensive
• Public opinion in the UK is firmly against intervention other than humanitarian
• Syria has one of the largest arsenals of chemical weapons in the Middle East
Intervention in Syria (238 KB, PDF)
A Westminster Hall debate on Land rights for religious minorities including Baha’is in Iran is scheduled for Thursday 22 April from 1.30pm until 3.00pm. The debate will be led by Jim Shannon MP.
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has been in power in Egypt since 2013. Concerns continue to be raised regarding human rights in the country and the treatment of Sisi's political opponents. Internationally, Egypt's relationship with Sudan and Ethiopia have been strained since the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam began in 2011, but there is opportunity for greater stability in its relations with Libya, Turkey and the Gulf States.
Israel held Parliamentary elections on 23 March 2021. No single party gained a majority and incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was tasked with forming a coalition government.
