Middle East Research and Information Project

Critical Coverage of the Middle East Since 1971

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COVID-19 Exposes Weaknesses in Syria’s Fragmented and War-Torn Health System
Workers sew protective face masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at a factory in the rebel-held city of Idlib , Syria, May 11, 2020. Khalil Ashawi/Reuters
MER Article

COVID-19 Exposes Weaknesses in Syria’s Fragmented and War-Torn Health System

The COVID-19 pandemic could not have come at a worse time for Syria. The country’s health care system has already been devastated by nearly ten years of violent conflict, leaving much of the health infrastructure in ruins and health care workers overwhelmed. The health system is not only decimated,
Aula Abbara • 9 min read
Illness as Metaphor and Reality in Syria
Health workers wear face masks inside a hospital to prevent the spread of COVID-19, in Damascus, Syria, with the face of President Bashar al-Asad in the background. March 19, 2020. Omar Sanadiki/Reuters
MER Article

Illness as Metaphor and Reality in Syria

The regime’s narrative of infection, disease and germs is symbolic and constituent of its internal logic. Using the metaphor of illness, the state justifies killing dissenters (labeled terrorists) by portraying them as germs that must be eradicated in order to ensure the survival of the country as e
Noura Chalati • 10 min read
The Dilemmas of Practicing Humanitarian Medicine in Gaza
Osama Tanous examining patients and training physicians in Gaza while on a humanitarian medical aid trip in January 2020. Courtesy of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights.
MER Article

The Dilemmas of Practicing Humanitarian Medicine in Gaza

Humanitarian medical aid was developed to provide life-saving assistance to populations suffering from war and disease. What happens when this model is applied to help those living under occupation and coping with chronic deprivations and long-term siege conditions? Osama Tanous, a Palestinian pedia
Osama Tanous • 14 min read