Dr. Mark O'Doherty

The Legacy of Abdel Fatah al-Sisi and Cairo's Military Dictatorship - A Study of Democratic Deficit, Human Rights Abuses and Militarism in the Arab Republic of Egypt Dr. Mark O'Doherty

After 10 years of siege the 2 million people of Gaza, living packed on a tiny strip find themselves without work, their economy killed off, without the bare essentials for decent life and without any hope of freedom. The siege is fracturing minds, pushing the most sensitive and vulnerable to suicide in numbers never seen before; such as the suicide of Mohanned Younis, a 22-year-old student in Gaza, being symbolic of the misery and despair of the siege. Also, 250 children having been hit with live bullets by the Israeli military since Gaza protests began, and over 1200 Palestinian children having been killed since 2008. Hence it is imperative that the Gaza blockade is finally lifted; and that all parties concerned start working towards a just and fair Middle East peace plan. So in the current situation everything must be done to avoid violence between Israel and Palestine. And the solutions can only be found in a political process - meaning through dialogue, mediation and constructive peacebuilding.