Syria and the Neutrality Trap: The Dilemmas of Delivering Humanitarian Aid through Violent Regimes

The Syrian war has been an example of the abuse and insufficient delivery of humanitarian assistance. This book discusses the political and moral considerations of how to respond to a brutal and complex crisis while adhering to international law and practice. It sheds light on the UN's credibility crisis and the wider implications for the development of international humanitarian and human rights law.

Format: Hardback
Length: 200 pages
Publication date: 17 June 2021
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

The Syrian war has exemplified the misuse and inadequate provision of humanitarian aid, in violation of international norms. Typically, humanitarian assistance should be channeled through a state government responsible for its citizens. However, in Syria, the majority of relief efforts were directed through Damascus, while the regime was responsible for the vast majority of civilian casualties. Should the United Nations have severed its cooperation with the government and neglected its humanitarian duty to assist all those in need? Decision-makers encounter these challenging policy dilemmas, often falling into the "neutrality trap." This book delves into the political and ethical considerations of responding to a brutal and complex crisis while adhering to international law and practice. The author, a scholar and senior diplomat involved in the UN peace talks in Geneva, draws from firsthand diplomatic, practitioner, and UN sources. He sheds light on the UN's credibility crisis and its broader implications for the development of international humanitarian and human rights law. This includes addressing the critical questions posed by Western diplomats, NGOs, and international organizations, such as: Why did the UN not confront the Syrian government more assertively? Was it not only legally correct but also morally justifiable to provide humanitarian aid to regime areas where rockets were launched and warplanes started? Why was it so challenging to facilitate cross-border aid where it was desperately needed? The meticulous account of current international practice provides both insightful and disturbing insights. It uncovers the painful lessons learned and offers recommendations for future challenges where politics fails and humanitarians step in to fill the moral void.

Weight: 454g
Dimension: 164 x 241 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780755641383