Middle East Working Group
Focuses on developments in the countries of the Middle East (including Afghanistan; excluding Israel/Palestine) and combatting U.S. intervention in those countries (whether by invasion, sanctions, covert action, weapons sales, military aid, “democracy promotion”, etc).
Policy Goal: Educate the public about key developments in the Middle East and mobilize support for peace and against U.S. intervention in the area when crises develop.
2023 Objective:
Sort out the meaning of recent major changes in the area, carry out public education on these changes (via articles and webinars) and organize campaigns against various forms of U.S. and Israeli intervention starting with a campaign against U.S. occupation of and sanctions against Syria.
Activities
Activities planned in 2023 to further policy goal: webinars on key developments starting with May 15 webinar on Repression of Human Rights in the Middle East: The U.S. role; articles written by working group members for the newsletter calling attention to important developments (staring with Tom Huff’s piece on trends of concern involving Iranian-Americans; organize campaign against U.S. sanctions and occupation against Syria (writing, webinars, congressional work) ; support peace negotiations in Yemen
Coalition work: when appropriate work with NIAC, CodePink, FCNL.
Organization
Convener: Paul Shannon
How to Contact the Working Group? mideast@masspeaceaction.org
Specialists
Val Moghadam – Afghanistan
Tom Huf – Iran
Jeff Klein – Syria
Paul Shannon – Yemen and U.S. foreign policy in the area
Prasannan – U.S. sanctions
Assaf Kfoury – Human Rights in the region
