Human Rights

By Kenneth Roth | (Human Rights Watch)– Published in: Los Angeles Times The Israel exception to Western governments’ human rights principles has been starkly on display in the reaction to the Palestinian Authority’s decision to join the International Criminal Court. In Washington, Ottawa, Paris and London, as well as Tel Aviv, the response has ranged […]

Apartheid

Gaza: Bringing War-Disabled Palestinian Youth back into Society

contributors

By Khaled Alashqar | (IPS) — Samah Shaheen (right), one of Gaza’s many disabled young people, joined the Irada programme to acquire expertise, learn computerised wood carving and escape social marginalisation. Credit: Khaled Alashqar/IPS GAZA CITY, Jan 17 2015 (IPS) – The Israeli attacks that the Gaza Strip has suffered in recent years have left […]

Apartheid

As ICC launches Israel War Crimes Probe, PLO & Hamas Applaud

contributors

RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday said it welcomed the decision to open an initial probe on Israeli war crimes at the International Criminal Court. The ministry said in a statement that the ICC decision was a positive and important step towards achieving justice and guaranteeing respect of international law. Palestine […]

Featured

French Pres. Hollande: Anti-Muslimism is as bad as Antisemitism: Muslims Must be Protected

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) French President Francois Hollande addressed the Institute of the Arab World on Friday, in a bid to reassure French Muslims, who fear being the victims of a collective guilt campaign or reprisals after the attack of radicals on Charlie Hebdo. Hollande said: “It is the Muslims who are the […]

Apartheid

Gaza – reduced to Rubble by Israel – suffers cold, hungry winter: ‘conditions catastrophic’

contributors

RT | — “Many thousands of Gazans face a freezing winter living in tents pitched amid the rubble of their ruined homes – as the UN is urging half a billion dollars in emergency aid for shelter to the war-battered region.” RT: “Cold, dark & hungry: Gaza suffers through winter, ‘conditions catastrophic’”

Culture

Civilization’s Advance has depended on “Blasphemy” of Thinkers & Mystics

contributors

By Farhang Jahanpour The Wednesday edition of Charlie Hebdo (a week after the barbaric attack by two deranged terrorists on its premises) carried a cartoon of Prophet Muhammad, with a caption “Je Suis Charlie”, with a tear drop on his face announcing, “all is forgiven”. It is not clear who is forgiven and for what, […]

Boko Haram

Do Nigerians Matter to World Press? – 2,000 feared dead in Boko Haram Attacks

contributors

By Andrea Germanos, staff writer | Commondreams.org As many as 2,000 people are feared dead in Nigeria from what has been described as Boko Haram’s deadliest attack amid ongoing bloodshed a UN official says “should be searing the conscience of the world.” The militant group reportedly carried out attacks starting January 3 on the northern […]

Apartheid

Settlers, Olives, and Occupation: Voices from the West Bank

contributors

Vice News | — “In response to last year’s Gaza conflict, the Israeli government announced the construction of further settlements in the West Bank — a move condemned by the international community for escalating tensions that were already highly fraught. The expansion of the settlements has consumed privately owned Palestinian land, causing the destruction of […]

censorship

Paris Rally: Charlie Hebdo Team regret not Parading Caricatures of Hypocritical World Leaders

Juan Cole

Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) Le Monde reported on the Charlie Hebdo team at the Paris rally on Sunday, the largest demonstrations in France since the end of World War II. They were emotionally exhausted, having lived through a nightmarish week that saw 10 of their colleagues murdered in cold blood. (One of the staffers […]