Middle East

By Ali Bilgic | – As Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States, speculation was rife that one of the first things his administration would do would be to seek re-entry to the Iran nuclear deal that had been quit by his predecessor in the White House. The Joint […]

Epidemics

Israeli Ministry of Health Study finds Pfizer Vaccine stops 89.4% of Virus transmission, Raising Hopes of Return to Normalcy: Der Spiegel

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Israel’s national health system, an artefact of its past as a country founded by socialists, has allowed the country of 9 million to vaccinate almost half of its citizens already, the most progress made by any country in the world. This accomplishment (which unfortunately excludes the five million stateless Palestinians […]

Feminism

Saudi women’s activist Loujain al-Hathloul released and tweeting

Global Voices

She remains restrained by a travel ban and limits on public appearances

Israel/ Palestine

Could Israel Target the Hague over ICC Prosecution?

Asa Winstanley

( Middle East Monitor) – It has been a long time coming. Earlier this month, a panel of judges ruled that the International Criminal Court (ICC) could investigate Israel for war crimes in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. A coalition of Palestinian human rights lawyers celebrated the “landmark” ruling as “a critically important […]

Israel/ Palestine

Could the Int’l Criminal Court Curb Israeli War Crimes against Occupied Palestinians?

Middle East Monitor

By Belal Yasin | – ( Middle East Monitor ) – On 5 February the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a ruling in which it agreed to investigate possible war crimes by the Israeli occupation in the Palestinian territories and decided that its jurisdiction extends to the territories controlled by the Israeli occupation since the […]

Armenia

In Challenge to U.S., Putin’s Eurasian Union seeks to Incorporate Iran

Nikola Mikovic

Belgrade (Special to Informed Comment) – Iran is hoping to join Russia-dominated Eurasian Union by the end of February. The Islamic Republic could also soon get a new rail connection with the Russian Federation, and such an action would additionally strengthen economic and political ties between the two countries. Such a major infrastructural project would […]

Featured

Biden’s Saudi Game of Thrones: Is he trying to Sideline crown prince Bin Salman?

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – BBC Arabic reports that Saudi Twitter has gone wild with responses to the apparent sidelining by President Biden of Saudi crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman, with many Saudis considering it a humiliation. White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said this week that Biden wishes to “recalibrate” the U.S. relationship with Saudi […]

Israel/ Palestine

As Israel aims for 1 mn. Squatters on Palestinian Territory, Settler Violence against Indigenous Palestinians Spikes

Middle East Monitor

By Osama Othman | – ( Middle East Monitor) – Terrorist attacks by Israeli settlers have become more frequent in the occupied West Bank. One of the latest victims was Bilal Shehadeh Bawatna, 52, from Al-Bireh, who was killed last Friday when he and his companions were run over by a car driven by a […]

Houthi

Biden seeks peace in Yemen, but will the warring factions come on board?

Brian Whitaker

( Al-Bab.com) – The US State Department confirmed on Friday that it is revoking a last-minute decision by the Trump administration to designate Yemen’s Houthi movement as a terrorist organisation. The issue is not whether the Houthis deserve to be designated – their atrocities are well known – but Trump’s action, just days before leaving […]