New York Times Cuts News of US terrorist Sanctioning of Earthquake aid .. makes U-turn after saying Syria can’t receive aid due to sanctions. US’ Caesar Sanctions Act on Syria and Lebanon
from thefreeonline 9 Feb, 2023 Source: /UPROOTED PALESTINIANS/Al Mayadeen English + Vanessa Beeley..
The New York Times goes in reverse and censors information about how sanctions on Syria blocking efforts to help people after the disastrous earthquake that hit it.
The New York Times quickly censored itself after saying in the summary of one of its new articles on the devastating earthquake that took place in Syria that the disaster-stricken state could not receive aid because of the sanctions imposed on it.
Screenshot showing the previous summary of the New York Times news article discussing the aid effort to Syria, February 7, 2023 (Social Media)
STOP Erdogan ‘Weaponizing’ Earthquake Aid against the Kurds in Syria and Turkey!
Two hours after it was published, the article said: “As the Syrian government tightly controls what aid it allows into opposition-held areas, border crossings with Turkey have been a lifeline.”
It previously said: “Syria is not able to receive direct aid from many countries because of sanctions, so the border crossing has been a lifeline.”
While aid is pouring into Turkey only a tricle has reached Syria by defying sacctions . After Syria requested provision of search and rescue teams on Wednesday some international agencies sent aid to the country, including shelter and medical support from the European Union, EU member states, and the United Nations, as well as an initial €3.5 million in emergency humanitarian assistance.
Earthquake Devastation—Unilateral Sanctions Against Syria Must End ...
The Syrian opposition of Turkish controlled mercenaries rejected all aid offered by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (SDF- AANES), North Press Agency reported.
Crippling sanctions prevent the arrival of international rescue aircraft to Syrian airports
An aid convoy consisting of six trucks will hopefullyt reach northwest Syria on Thursday, Reuters reported. This will be the first humanitarian aid that has reached the region which is under the control of Turkey and the Syrian opposition. The Turkish occupied Kurdish regions of Afrin and Azaz are close to the epicentre in Turkey, but receive little or no aid.
On Wednesday, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it has been in close coordination with Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF- AANES) to “surge support” to those affected by the earthquake.
On Wednesday authorities restricted access to Twitter across the birder in Tutkey, as well as other social media services, which received a great backlash nationwide, as those under the rubble had been asking for help by sharing locations using the apps on their mobile phones.
“It is cruelty to silence social media while tens of thousands are under the rubble, while hundreds of thousands are waiting for help in the freezing cold, while millions are trying to hear from their relatives,” said Pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chair Mithat Sancar.
Two hours after it was published, the revised article said: “As the Syrian government tightly controls what aid it allows into opposition-held areas, border crossings with Turkey have been a lifeline.”
It previously said: “Syria is not able to receive direct aid from many countries because of sanctions, so the border crossing has been a lifeline.”
The border crossing in question is the Bab Al-Hawa crossing that lies on the Turkish-Syrian borders, which has been pivotal for Syria over the past couple of days due to the harsh sanctions imposed on the country, preventing it from directly receiving aid.
Even before the terrible damage caused by earthquake in Syria and Turkey, there was a strong case for ending sanctions against Syria as the existing sanctions imposed by the USA and its close allies, continuing for several years, had already accentuated the humanitarian crisis greatly in Syria. Now in the post-earthquake situation, it would be nothing short of a crime against humanity if these sanctions against the Syrian people continue.
In 2020, then-US President Donald Trump signed into law the so-called Caesar Act, under which Congress authorized severe economic sanctions against Syria. In accordance with the sanctions, anyone doing business with the Syrian authorities is potentially exposed to travel restrictions and financial sanctions.
The US claims falsely that “the Caesar Act and other USW Syria sanctions do not target humanitarian assistance for the Syrian people” and that Washington will continue sending its alleged humanitarian assistance to Syrians. However, this was not the case following the devastating earthquake that struck Syria and was not mentioned anywhere in Biden’s remarks.
To add salt to injury, Damascus International Airport is still undergoing repairs and maintenance following the latest Israeli terrorist airstrike on the facility on January 2. The airport is the target of repeated Israeli occupation assaults and airstrikes that put it out of service. This fact cannot be ignored as any humanitarian aid to land in the country will definitely be hindered.
Due to the inhumane sanctions imposed on Syria, the country is being deprived of humanitarian aid. At a time that calls for unity, Western nations turned away from Syria.
In these defining moments and amid this humanitarian catastrophe, it was expected that all political rifts and rivalries would be brought aside for a short while at least, mainly because the destructive event has directly affected civilians.
Following the earthquakes, several Western countries mobilized rapidly to send aid and rescue workers to Turkey but decided to exclude Syria and neglect it, by only offering condolences and merely expressing readiness to support the affected Syrians, with nothing done on the ground, in a clear show of double standards.
The death toll from the devastating earthquake in Syria has risen to more than 2,800, while rescue teams continue extensive search efforts to find survivors under the rubble.
On Monday, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine, killing thousands, mainly in Turkey and Syria, and leveling houses and other facilities, including public infrastructure.
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Lift Your God Damned Sanctions
Independent journalist Vanessa Beeley posted a report from a northern Syrian resident, Bashar Murtada, on her Telegram channel: “International cargo planes are unable to land at Syrian airports as a result of the U.S. blockade, and countries require Syrian airlines to transport aid on board their civil planes!!!
As is well known, the so-called Caesar Act comes in the context of practicing economic terrorism and it is considered one of the most dangerous types of crimes against humanity.”
Vanessa Beeley [Source: youtube.com]
Beeley posted another statement from Aleppo businessman and former MP Fares Shehabi: “Lift your God damned sanctions so we can open our airports to receive international aid! In Aleppo alone more than 50 buildings have been destroyed resulting in more than 160 deaths so far and thousands of injuries. Thousands of families are now without shelter! What kind of evil governments pose economic & travel sanctions on earthquake devastated nations?!”
Fares Shehabi [Source: marktaliano.net]
So Sanctions May Not Turn into a Crime Against Humanity
Shehabi’s response was echoed by the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), which called for the immediate lifting of sanctions imposed on Syria, charging that the current blockade has prevented their organization from carrying out relief operations for the earthquake throughout the country. “We urge the immediate lifting of sanctions on Syria and allowing access to all materials, so sanctions may not turn into a crime against humanity,” said the attendees of the Council in a statement.
Three prominent Christian leaders in Syria released a statement to similar effect, as did the UN Resident Coordinator in Syria, Mostafa Benjamilh, and the President of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, Khaled Hboubati, who said during a press conference in Damascus that “the evacuation process and rescue operations are restricted due to obstacles resulting from the severe sanctions. We have shortage in heavy machines and equipment needed to lift the rubble. I don’t mean trucks or bulldozers, I mean specific machines that lift rubble without injuring people trapped under the rubble…. Now, with this natural disaster, it’s time to lift the sanctions.”
John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and Youssef Al-Absi, Patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church of Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem, make plea to end the sanctions and embargo imposed by the U.S. and other countries on Syria because they are hindering earthquake relief efforts and costing Syrian lives. [Source: mecc.org]
A Most Barbaric Response to Human Tragedy
Colonel (Ret.) Richard Black, who flew 299 combat missions in Vietnam and served in the Virginia State Senate as a Republican from 2012 to 2020, has been one of the few former high-ranking military officers or government officials to speak out against U.S. military intervention in places like Syria and Ukraine.
A day after the earthquake, Col. Black characterized the Biden administration’s response as “an act of vengeance against Syria’s rejection to submit to the U.S. regime-change war and sanctions imposed on their country for the past 12 years.”
[Source: youtube.com]
Col. Black continued: “I have got to tell you, I have never seen such a barbaric response to a tragedy where you literally have people in Aleppo city, Syria who are looking up at piles of concrete, their lives are coming to an end, they’re freezing in the cold. They’re there without food, without water, and they’re dying. Meanwhile, the State Department takes that opportunity to re-emphasize the fact that we are bitter because we could not impose our will on the Syrian people.
The Free 