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Reposted by Seth Binder

American Committee for Middle East Rights @acmer.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

“In a moment when there’s a national conversation around ending assistance to Israel, this is going the complete opposite direction, doubling down in its support and then some,” ACMER’s @sethbinder.bsky.social told the Wall Street Journal. www.wsj.com/world/middle...

wsj.com

Top Democrat Opposes Trump’s Planned Sale of Heavy Bombs to Israel

The administration has options to bypass the objection, but the move highlights a sensitive issue ahead of the midterms.

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Seth Binder @sethbinder.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

.@jayapal.house.gov introduced an amendment during the ongoing State Dept Reauthorization markup in the House Foreign Affairs Committee that would condition $1 billion of the $3.3 billion in US military aid to Israel on human rights benchmarks. A 🧵

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Seth Binder @sethbinder.bsky.social · 11/09/2025

Israel bombed multiple countries across the Middle East in recent days. US military aid makes this possible. In our new factsheet we breakdown the $21.7B provided to Israel since Oct 7 & privileges it receives that allows it to carry on its war machine. mideastdc.org/publication/...

mideastdc.org

Extraordinary Sums and Privileges: U.S. Security Assistance to Israel Since October 7, 2023 - MEDC

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Seth Binder @sethbinder.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

In a new piece by me and @stimsoncenter.bsky.social's Elias Yousif, we discuss the risks of the admin's legally dubious decision not to release detailed accounting for how the government intends to spend future foreign assistance. A 🧵 mideastdc.org/publication/...

mideastdc.org

President Trump is Undermining Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability - MEDC

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Reposted by Seth Binder

Middle East Democracy Center @mideastdc.org · 18/06/2025

🚨 Saudi Arabia executed a prominent journalist who exposed corruption. The world should act before other dissidents are next. Read our commentary on the shocking execution of Turki Al-Jasser by @aalodah.bsky.social, @sethbinder.bsky.social, Sheridan Cole & Haydn Welch: mideastdc.org/publication/...

mideastdc.org

Saudi Arabia Executed a Prominent Journalist who Exposed Corruption. The World Should Act Before Other Dissidents are Next. - MEDC

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Reposted by Seth Binder

Middle East Democracy Center @mideastdc.org · 20/05/2025

"The billions in military aid compared to the pennies in democracy assistance really puts into perspective the priority of US governments, not just this administration who have eliminated even the pennies," MEDC’s @sethbinder.bsky.social tells Middle East Eye. www.middleeasteye.net/news/usaid-i...

middleeasteye.net

USAID implosion leaves Middle East activists at mercy of political crackdowns

Human rights defenders across Middle East and North Africa were reliant on US for small grants to help them relocate and resettle abroad

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Reposted by Seth Binder

Forum on the Arms Trade @forumarmstrade.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

@sethbinder.bsky.social @mideastdc.org "...In just these 100 days, the Trump administration may have caused irreparable harm to U.S. interests, in which the full cost is only still coming into focus." #100days Read full quote at www.forumarmstrade.org/trump100days...

forumarmstrade.org

Assessing Trump's First 100 Days

To mark the first 100 days in office, experts independently assess aspects of the Trump administration's policies.

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Reposted by Seth Binder

Middle East Democracy Center @mideastdc.org · 14/02/2025

President Trump's foreign aid freeze has been nothing short of chaotic & staggering in its wholesale disruption & cost to US interests, particularly in the MENA region, write MEDC's @sethbinder.bsky.social, Sheridan Cole & Haydn Welch's in @justsecurity.org: www.justsecurity.org/107929/us-fo...

justsecurity.org

The Foreign Aid Freeze's Costs to the US in the Middle East and North Africa

The Trump administration's dismantling of USAID poses significant threats to security in the Middle East and North Africa.

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Reposted by Seth Binder

Just Security @justsecurity.org · 14/02/2025

US #ForeignAid to the Middle East and North Africa has been integral to US “safety, strength, and prosperity” – Secretary of State Rubio’s stated test for fulfilling President Trump’s America First agenda. From @sethbinder.bsky.social, Sheridan Cole and Haydn Welch: #MENA

justsecurity.org

The Foreign Aid Freeze's Costs to the US in the Middle East and North Africa

The Trump administration's dismantling of USAID poses significant threats to security in the Middle East and North Africa.

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Seth Binder @sethbinder.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

While former US Senator Bob Menendez is sentenced to 11 years in prison for a corruption scheme in partnership with the Egyptian government, the Trump administration is allowing Egypt to continue receiving US military aid despite a global foreign aid freeze.

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Reposted by Seth Binder

Middle East Democracy Center @mideastdc.org · 21/01/2025

Egyptian poet & writer Abdulrahman al-Qaradawi has been forcibly disappeared since his extradition to the UAE from Lebanon on January 8. We call on Emirati authorities to disclose his location & immediately #FreeAbdulrahman. Read our joint statement: mideastdc.org/publication/...

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Reposted by Seth Binder

Mary Lawlor @marylawlorhrds.bsky.social · 20/01/2025

Disturbed to hear of new charges against HRD & Director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, Hossam Bahgat, in connection with his work on prison conditions. He has been a strong, impartial HRD throughout 3 political leaderships & has been harassed for years. His targeting should end.

The national flag of Egypt, a tricolour consisting of the three equal horizontal red, white, and black. The flag bears Egypt's national emblem, the Egyptian eagle of Saladin, centred in the white band.

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Reposted by Seth Binder

Middle East Democracy Center @mideastdc.org · 13/01/2025

"Building production capabilities takes time & lots of funds—just look at the US struggles to increase capacity for globally needed munitions," MEDC's @sethbinder.bsky.social tells @mradamtaylor.bsky.social on Israel's push to produce heavy bombs domestically. www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...

washingtonpost.com

Israel moves to make heavy bombs, but U.S. reliance hard to shake, experts say

Israel said last week it would move to produce heavy bombs and raw materials for defense domestically, after learning “a central lesson from the war” in Gaza.

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Seth Binder @sethbinder.bsky.social · 07/01/2025

Last Sept, the Biden admin fraudulently certified Egypt’s gov made “clear and consistent” progress in releasing political prisoners in order to provide this $95 million to Egypt’s military. Congress blocked those funds from going to Egypt. Now it’s been reprogrammed to Lebanon.

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Reposted by Seth Binder

John Ramming Chappell @jwrchappell.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

"By almost every metric, the harm to civilians from the first month of the Israeli campaign in Gaza is incomparable with any 21st century air campaign. It is by far the most intense, destructive, and fatal conflict for civilians that Airwars has ever documented."

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Reposted by Seth Binder

Brian Dooley @dooleydooley.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

We at Human Rights First are hearing more & more reports of serious unrest in #Bahrain’s notorious Jau prison; that in Building 7 food, water & electricity have been cut for a week. Foreign diplomats should demand prison access to see & report the crisis for themselves @gulfcentre4hr.bsky.social

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Reposted by Seth Binder

Mai El-Sadany @maitelsadany.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

If you want to fill your Friday with something truly remarkable, take a moment to look at the images and videos from across Syria today, where Syrians are celebrating the first Friday following the fall of the 54-year Assad family rule. ✊❤️

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Seth Binder @sethbinder.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

"The administration never truly tested the proposition that it could both uphold its commitment to recalibrate the US-Saudi relationship, a process that would take significant time and effort, and simultaneously advance its other priorities, such as warding off China’s encroachment into the region."

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Reposted by Seth Binder

Middle East Democracy Center @mideastdc.org · 11/12/2024

Today’s confirmation of #SaudiArabia as host of the 2034 FIFA Men’s World Cup risks lives and exposes FIFA’s empty human rights commitments. Read our joint statement: mideastdc.org/publication/...

mideastdc.org

Joint Statement: Award of 2034 Men’s World Cup to Saudi Arabia Risks Lives and Exposes FIFA’s Empty Human Rights Commitments - MEDC

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Reposted by Seth Binder

Middle East Democracy Center @mideastdc.org · 09/12/2024

MEDC stands in solidarity with the Syrian people as they celebrate the fall of the Assad regime and is overjoyed to see all those wrongfully detained in Assad’s dungeons, including the infamous Sednaya Military Prison, be freed and reunited with loved ones.

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Seth Binder @sethbinder.bsky.social · 09/12/2024

In Feb 2021, State announced the "Khashoggi Ban" & placed visa bans on 76 Saudis for transnational repression. Today, State announced that nearly 4 years later it has only banned "over 100 individuals" and none are from a US partner country other than Saudi. www.state.gov/accountabili...

state.gov

Accountability Actions to Counter Global Corruption and Human Rights - United States Department of State

On International Anti-Corruption Day and on the eve of Human Rights Day the United States is taking the following actions to promote accountability for perpetrators of corruption and human rights abus...

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Reposted by Seth Binder

Brian Dooley @dooleydooley.bsky.social · 08/12/2024

Tomorrow is International Human Rights Defenders Day. Wouldn’t it be great if the Gulf regimes released their HRDs in prison? Abdulhadi Al Khawaja, Abduljalil Al Singace & others in Bahrain; Ahmed Mansoor, Mohamed Al Roken, Nasser bin Ghaith & others in the UAE; Mohammad Al Qahtani & others in Saudi

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Reposted by Seth Binder

Mai El-Sadany @maitelsadany.bsky.social · 08/12/2024

"The Syrian people topple the regime of Bashar al-Assad"

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Seth Binder @sethbinder.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Joint Statement: Egyptian Authorities Must Lift Punitive Measures Against EIPR Staff mideastdc.org/publication/...

mideastdc.org

Joint Statement: Egyptian Authorities Must Lift Punitive Measures Against EIPR Staff - MEDC

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Reposted by Seth Binder

John Ramming Chappell @jwrchappell.bsky.social · 03/12/2024

"On Capitol Hill, Sen. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN (D-Md.) and @repsarajacobs.bsky.social (D-Calif.) have advanced legislation to block U.S. arms sales to the UAE over its role in arming the RSF and worsening Sudan’s civil war." 1/ www.politico.com/newsletters/...

politico.com

Biden’s Sudan blind spot

The United Arab Emirates has allegedly helped arm and fund the Rapid Support Forces militia in Sudan that has been accused of widespread atrocities including ethnic cleansing, mass rape and torture.

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Reposted by Seth Binder

Patrick Zaki @patrickzaki.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

The United States vetoed the UN Security Council resolution for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, which received 14 votes in favor and one against. #Gaza

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Seth Binder @sethbinder.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

Written by my dear friend, Amr. Please ready his thoughtful and powerful piece.

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Reposted by Seth Binder

Mai El-Sadany @maitelsadany.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

Yesterday, Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah turned 43 years old, marking his 11th birthday behind bars, away from his family and friends. May it be the last one apart from his loved ones. Thinking of him as he is held illegally in custody beyond the completion of his sentence. #FreeAlaa

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Seth Binder @sethbinder.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

Before Biden's fist-bump with the Saudi crown prince in July 2022, he wrote: "The Middle East I’ll be visiting is more stable and secure than the one my administration inherited 18 months ago." U.S. policy since then deserves a lot of blame for why that sentence doesn't hold up.

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Reposted by Seth Binder

Human Rights Watch @hrw.org · 14/11/2024

NEW: Israeli authorities have caused massive, deliberate forced displacement of Palestinian civilians in Gaza since October 2023 and are responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Governments should adopt targeted sanctions and other measures, and halt weapons sales to Israel.

hrw.org

Israel’s Crimes Against Humanity in Gaza

Israeli authorities have caused the massive, deliberate forced displacement of Palestinian civilians in Gaza since October 2023 and are responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity, Human Ri...

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Reposted by Seth Binder

The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy @timep.bsky.social · 14/11/2024

TIMEP is proud to lead a coalition of 52 Lebanese and international NGOs to call for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon. Israel's war on Lebanon has killed over 3,000 and displaced over 1 million. The international community must urgently intervene to end the war: timep.org/2024/11/14/g...

timep.org

Global Coalition of NGOs Call for Immediate Ceasefire in Lebanon - The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy

In light of the recent and alarming escalation of indiscriminate and widespread Israeli attacks across Lebanon, we, the undersigned organizations, call on the international community to unequivocally ...

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Reposted by Seth Binder

Mai El-Sadany @maitelsadany.bsky.social · 13/11/2024

As Israel's war on Lebanon intensified, "many [Syrian] refugees are left with two perilous options: stay & relive the horrors of war in Lebanon, or return to Syria & face the dangers that drove them to flee in the first place." Don't miss this @timep.bsky.social piece: timep.org/2024/11/13/c...

timep.org

Caught Between Two Wars: The Risky Return of Syrian Refugees from Lebanon - The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy

Caught between the threat of Israeli bombardment in Lebanon and political dangers in Syria, Syrian refugees face tough choices for survival.

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Seth Binder @sethbinder.bsky.social · 06/10/2023

Today is Ayman Moussa’s 10th year in an Egyptian prison, of a 15-year sentence, simply for peacefully protesting. He is one of tens of thousands who remain locked behind bars in Egypt due to the regime’s cruelty. #FreeThemAll www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

washingtonpost.com

Opinion | My friend kept me human in prison. Please don’t forget him.

When the powers that be seek to stomp on the souls of political prisoners, only one act of resistance remains: to remember.

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Seth Binder @sethbinder.bsky.social · 22/09/2023

A newly announced $500 million arms sale to Saudi Arabia raises serious questions about misuse of equipment, provision of “offensive” weapons as defined by the admin, and the implementation of the new Conventional Arms Transfer policy. www.dsca.mil/press-media/...

dsca.mil

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Seth Binder @sethbinder.bsky.social · 18/09/2023

Senator Ben Cardin condemns admin for providing Egypt conditioned military aid: "If we want to show the world that respect for human rights is a core dimension of US national security interests, we need to do more in holding wayward governments accountable." www.cardin.senate.gov/press-releas...

cardin.senate.gov

Cardin Condemns Decision to Release Federal Aid to Egypt - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today issued the following statement about the release of federal dollars to Egypt amid a gro...

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Seth Binder @sethbinder.bsky.social · 17/09/2023

My thoughts on the sentence of Hisham Kassem and recent developments in Egypt: “The regime has definitely entered a renewed and heightened phase of its repression as the presidential election approaches and the economy continues to falter.” www.wsj.com/world/middle...

wsj.com

Top Egyptian Journalist Jailed Ahead of Elections

Hisham Kassem is imprisoned amid Sisi government’s silencing of influential critics ahead of next year’s election

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