Human Rights

By ISSG Staff Introduction In a controversial move, Turkey has reportedly resettled around 10,000 Arab Palestinians in the Turkish-occupied Kurdish city of Afrin in Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava). This strategic demographic shift has significantly altered the ethnic composition of the region, diminishing the Kurdish majority and sparking concerns about the long-term consequences for the displaced population. Background Following the Turkish army's occupation of Afrin in March 2018, after a two-month conflict with Kurdish forces, a policy aimed at the Arabization of the Kurdish region was set in motion. The policy received financial support from various Arab nations, including Palestine. Demographic Changes Abdulrahman Apo, a Kurdish politician no longer residing in Afrin, revealed that in...

The move from the city's mayor follows pressure from pro-Palestinian, feminist, immigrant and LGBT+ organisations. Barcelona has severed ties with twin city Tel Aviv on the grounds that Israel’s treatment of Palestinians amounts to “apartheid”. Speaking at a press conference, Ada Colau, the city’s left-wing mayor, said: “More than 100 organisations and over 4,000 citizens have demanded that we defend the human rights of Palestinians and for this reason, as mayor, I have written to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to inform him that I have suspended temporarily the institutional relationship between Barcelona and Tel Aviv”. Spain's Jewish federation said in a statement in response to the move: "It is worrying to note that the actions and legitimacy of only one city and one count...

Turkey’s Controversial Resettlement Policy: Demographic Shifts in Afrin, Syrian Kurdistan

Barcelona cuts ties with twin city Tel Aviv citing Israeli ‘apartheid’