Middle East

Bezazel Smotrich is one of political leaders of Israel’s Messianic far-right. But he is also a shrewd administrator executing a biblical “decisive plan” of ethnic cleansing in Gaza, which he is incorporating into Israel. New York (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) – Notorious as an extremist both in Israel and overseas, yet beloved as a […]

Iran

“And those who husbanded the Golden Grain:” FitzGerald’s Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám 1:15

Juan Cole

Stanza 15 of the first edition of Edward FitzGerald’s Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám has for its theme a denial of the afterlife and resurrection. XV. And those who husbanded the Golden Grain, And those who flung it to the Winds like Rain, Alike to no such aureate Earth are turn’d As, buried once, Men want […]

Israel/ Palestine

The West Needs to Expedite Visas, Study Permits, Safe Passage for Palestinians in Gaza

Committee on Academic Freedom

Committee on Academic Freedom | Middle East Studies Association of North America | – Letter to Canadian officials about visas and study permits for Palestinian scholars The Right Honourable Mark Carney Prime Minister of Canada pm@pm.gc.ca . . . Dear Prime Minister Carney, Minister Metlege Diab and Minister Anadasangaree: We write on behalf […]

Climate Crisis

The Middle East faces Climate Breakdown, but its Media ignores it

The Conversation

By Marianna Poberezhskaya, Nottingham Trent University; Imad El-Anis, Nottingham Trent University, and Marwa Mustafa, Nottingham Trent University (The Conversation) – The Middle East is experiencing a period of intense political and economic turbulence, with several countries in the region embroiled in conflict. These conflicts are taking place against the backdrop of an escalating climate crisis. […]

Featured

Assassinating Peace: How Bernadotte’s Murder Ended the Israel-Palestine Two-State Dream

Abdullah al-Ahsan

Chicago (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) – The UN General Assembly has just (September 12) endorsed the New York Declaration on the two-state solution between Israel and Palestine. A day earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed that a “Palestinian state will not be established.” Israel managed to secure 10 votes, including those of the United […]

Iran

“Like Snow upon the Desert’s dusty Face:” FitzGerald’s Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám 1:14

Juan Cole

Quatrain 14 emphasizes how short life is, even with all the good things the earth offers us (of which we should take advantage while we can). XIV. The Worldly Hope men set their Hearts upon Turns Ashes — or it prospers; and anon, Like Snow upon the Desert’s dusty Face Lightning a little Hour or […]

Israel/ Palestine

Genocide as Spectacle: The Smartphone Era of War

Middle East Monitor

by Ismail Salahuddin ( Middle East Monitor ) – In an age where our phones glow with the endless stream of breaking news, short videos, and curated feeds, genocide itself has been transformed into consumable content. We live not simply in an era of wars but in what might be called the Netflix era of […]

Featured

France and the UN ride to Save the 2-State Solution, but Netanyahu Buried it in Gaza’s Mass Graves

H. Scott Prosterman

Oakland, Ca. (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) – French President Macron is taking the lead in a doomed bid to keep a two-state solution alive. On September 12, the UN General Assembly passed the “New York Declaration” by a vote of 142 for, 10 against, with 12 abstentions. Sponsored by France and Saudi Arabia, it […]

censorship

Protesting Claremont Colleges Library Censorship of “Policing Palestine”

Committee on Academic Freedom

Committee on Academic Freedom | Middle East Studies Association of North America | – Letter to the Claremont Colleges library condemning the censorship of the title and abstract of Professor Bilal Nasir’s scheduled lecture in the Claremont Discourse series Katie Kohn STEM Librarian Chair, Claremont Discourse series committee The Claremont Colleges Library Katie.Kohn@claremont.edu Janet […]