EN 
NL Syria at a crossroads: hope for democracy or a facade of elections?
Source: Pexels It has been over 10 months since the posters of former dictator Bashar Al Assad were torn down from the streets in the capital Damascus in celebratory fashion. After a gruesome 50 years under the dictatorial rule of the Assad family, in which hundreds of thousands of Syrians have been displaced, murdered, mistreated and scattered across several [...]
Revival of Arab Social Democratic Women's Union in Sulaymaniyah
Photo: Progressive Alliance On 27 August 2025, a conference of the Social Democratic Alliance in the Arab World (SDA-AW) was held in Sulaymaniyah, in the Kurdish region of Iraq. The central theme was the re-establishment of the Arab Social Democratic Women Union. On behalf of the Max van de Stoel Foundation, Diandra Monhemius attended. Below is her report: On [...]
Silence on sexual violence by Israel makes Netherlands complicit
This opinion piece originally appeared on Joop-BNNVARA It is almost unbearable to read: Palestinian women being raped in front of their families, forcibly stripped publicly and sexually humiliated by heavily armed soldiers. These are all facts gathered in the UN report More than a human can bear, published on 13 March 2025 by [...]
The reconstruction of Mosul through the eyes of Omar Mohammed
Source: Anadolu Agency, Getty Images In 2014, the northern Iraqi city of Mosul fell into the hands of terror group Islamic State (IS). What followed was a period of extreme repression, destruction and violence. IS destroyed religious and cultural heritage, murdered thousands of residents and drove entire communities to flee. Mosul was liberated in 2017, but the consequences of [...]
Between hope and fear: An uncertain future for minorities in Syria
Photo: Photos of President Bashar al-Assad on display during the civil war in pro-regime areas of Syria - Store Norske Leksikon With the fall of Assad's regime, a new era has dawned for Syria, but the joy of liberation is overshadowed by uncertainty and violence. Syria is currently facing the deadliest outbreak of violence since [...]
A stifling reality: Thijs Reuten on his experiences in Israel and Palestine
Thijs Reuten visiting Fakhri's demolished house in Al Bustan, East Jerusalem MEP Thijs Reuten (GL-PvdA) visited Israel and Palestine and saw for himself the enormous impact of the conflict. From Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and from Bethlehem to Hebron in the West Bank, the situation on the ground left a deep [...]
From destruction to reconstruction: The forgotten consequences for Lebanon
Lebanese woman stands amid the ruins of conflict - Flickr From the Israeli ground invasion on 1 October 2024 to the ceasefire on 26 November, Lebanon turned from intense conflict to a period of (relative) relief and (hopeful) return home. But the country - mainly the south and the capital [...]
The bustling activities of the FMS
As the FMS we support people in their quest and journey towards and with social democracy. Throughout multiple events we have been able to connect with our partners and participants in a wonderfully wide range. This past weekend, the FMS organised five events focussed on supporting social democratic movements with our partner parties. One of [...]
Opinion: Even if relocation of the Dutch embassy to Jerusalem does not go ahead, damage has already been done
Former Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a meeting in Jerusalem - ANP / EPA This opinion piece originally appeared in the Volkskrant Contradiction, chaos, contradiction, and fierce (internal) discussions are by now familiar to our current cabinet. The cabinet's decision, at the insistence of PVV leader Geert Wilders, to remove the Dutch embassy in Israel [...]
Elections in Jordan: new reforms, anger over Gaza and economic concerns
Photo: cityscape Jerash, city north of Amman - Flickr On 10 September, Jordan held its first parliamentary elections since major reforms in the electoral system and also since the start of the current Israel-Gaza conflict. As a neighbouring country, Jordan has been diplomatic towards both sides, but the situation in the region has both social [...]