Israel/ Palestine

By Ian Parmeter, Australian National University | – The mistaken killing of three Israeli hostages by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) at the weekend has substantially increased pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept a ceasefire in the war against Hamas. The Biden administration is exerting maximum pressure to convince the Israeli government […]

Djibouti

Gaza’s Second Front: Houthi Drones Drive Major Shipping Cos. out of Red Sea in Blow to World Trade

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – On Saturday, Muhammad al-Bakhiti, a member of the Politburo of the Helpers of God (Houthi ) government of northern Yemen, announced that it had completely closed off shipping to Israel via the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea. Actually, the Helpers of God have more or less closed Red Sea […]

Democratic Party

Rep. Rashida Tlaib joins with UAW to call for Gaza Ceasefire

Michigan Advance

By Jon King | – U.S. Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) speaking at Ceasefire Now rally in Washington D.C. 12/14/23 ( Michigan Advance ) – U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) on Thursday joined with United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain in Washington, D.C., in calling for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the […]

Israel/ Palestine

“If I must die, you must live to tell my Story:” On Gaza, Biden is Violating International Law

OtherWords

By Farrah Hassen | – ( Otherwords.org ) – “If I must die, you must live to tell my story,” wrote Dr. Refaat Alareer, a 44-year-old Gazan poet and literature professor. A few weeks later, Alareer was killed while sheltering in his sister’s apartment, along with six family members. In the densely populated Gaza Strip, […]

Featured

“Tell me how this ends” – Gaza Edition

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – General David Petraeus, as he prepared to help lead an invasion of Iraq, famously asked journalist Rick Atkinson, “Tell me how this ends.” No one doubted that the US could invade and occupy Iraq. It just wasn’t clear even to insiders what the US could possibly do to get back […]

Displaced and Refugees

US must Back UN Protection of Gaza’s Civilians, not Veto Resolutions to halt Mass Atrocities

Human Rights Watch

By Louis Charbonneau | – United Nations Director @loucharbon ( Human Rights Watch) – This week, US President Joe Biden warned Israel it was losing international support because of its “indiscriminate bombing” of Gaza, which are laws-of-war violations. The United States should now back those words by acting at the United Nations Security Council to […]

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria

Is Hamas the same as ISIL (the so-called ‘Islamic State Group’)? No . . . and Yes

Brian Glyn Williams

( The Conversation ) – In the aftermath of Hamas’ bloody raid into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, many Israelis and people around the world equated the newly ultraviolent and audacious Palestinian militant organization with the world’s deadliest terrorist group, ISIL or ISIS – the so-called “Islamic State group” in Iraq and Syria. Israeli Prime […]

Featured

The Plague as Life: 327,000 Stricken with Infectious Diseases in Gaza

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – In Albert Camus’ novel The Plague, a character at one point asks, “But what does it mean, the plague? It’s life, that’s all.” The plague has come to Gaza. What happens when you force 1.8 million people into a postage-stamp-sized territory and destroy or damage half of their dwelling places, […]

Featured

Why did Biden suddenly accuse Israel of War Crimes in Gaza?

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – On Tuesday, President Joe Biden de facto accused Israel of war crimes in Gaza. He said at a donor event, “Israel’s security can rest on the United States, but right now it has more than the United States. It has the European Union, it has Europe, it has most of […]