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# Arab Awakening weekly Open Thread: Civil War?
- URL: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/north-africa-west-asia-weekly-open-thread-civil-war/
- Published: 2012-07-19T23:07:51.000Z
- Updated: 2026-04-16T19:28:12.000Z
- Description: Arab Awakening's weekly Open Thread provides an opportunity for our columnists, writers, and YOU to share what has caught your attention this week in the Middle East in the comments section.
- Author: Arab Awakening
- Tags: Conflict & security, #Migrated, Cultural politics, Middle East & North Africa, Politics & activism, You tell us, culture, Democracy and government, Syria, Civil Society, conflict, #en, #Import 2026-04-09 17:27, #ImagesUploaded

*Each week we offer up a couple of quotes and tweets that we think might generate a conversation in the comments section. And* [*our columnists*](http://www.opendemocracy.net/freeform-tags/you-tell-us) *who write* [*This Week's Window on the Middle East*](http://www.opendemocracy.net/arab-awakening/this-weeks-window-on-middle-east-july-2-2012) *will hopefully add a comment on what they are seeing unfold around them and what they are considering writing about for the following week.*  

*Why don't you comment below?*

[**Syria in civil war, Red Cross says**](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-18849362?ref=opendemocracy.net)

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says fighting in Syria is so widespread that the conflict is now in effect a civil war.

The change in status means combatants will now be officially subject to the Geneva Conventions, leaving them more exposed to war crimes prosecutions.

[*NorbertR in comments asks*](http://www.opendemocracy.net/arab-awakening/this-weeks-window-on-middle-east-july-16-2012#disqus%5Fthread)*: I used to think that the Syrian conflagration was a revolution as the Syrian opposition claimed. Now I hear however that the Red Cross maintains that it's a civil war. So which is it? Who's right?*

[Egypt's former spy chief, Omar Suleiman,](http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/19/egypt-omar-suleiman-dies-us?ref=opendemocracy.net)deposed president Hosni Mubarak's top lieutenant and dubbed by the media as the "the black box" has died, the country's official news agency reported. 

[**Chaos in Syria Adds to Israel’s Fears**](http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/20/world/middleeast/israel-worries-as-syria-deteriorates.html?ref=opendemocracy.net)

The devolution in Syria, while welcome, presents a series of intensifying problems for Israel, its neighbor to the south. Israel’s leaders are growing concerned about Syria’s stockpiles of chemical weapons falling into the hands of rogue groups equally opposed to Israel; about the prospect of throngs of refugees appearing at the border; and about the Golan itself “turning into a lawless area where terror elements might also operate,” as Mr. Barak put it. There is concern that the collapse of the Syrian government could lead to a civil war in Lebanon.

[**Tweet of the week:**](https://twitter.com/Avend93?ref=opendemocracy.net)

![Screen%20Shot%202012-07-20%20at%2012.46.55%20AM.png](https://www.opendemocracy.net/content/files/2026/04/Screen20Shot202012-07-2020at2012.46.5520AM_SY4s0HH-1776367168879.png)

Screen%20Shot%202012-07-20%20at%2012.46.55%20AM.png

**Now it is your turn!**

**What are you reading, what should we be covering, what is on your mind?**