Oxford, U.K (Special to Informed Comment) – Although Iran is one of the few countries in the Middle East that has regular presidential, parliamentary and local council elections, those elections are far from free and fair when judged by the standards of advanced democracies. The June, 2021 polls will be even more flawed, in large […]
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Middle East
Israeli-Palestinian conflict: A primer on the long-standing dispute over Gaza (Video: U-Michigan Interviews Juan Cole)
“Since May 10, more than 200 Palestinians and a dozen Israelis have died in fighting in Israel and the occupied territories. Juan Cole, the Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History, studies the ongoing political change in the Middle East and is author of the blog Informed Comment. He discusses the history behind the current […]
In Victory for American Freedom, Judge Mark Cohen Calls “Unconstitutional” Georgia’s Ban on Boycotting Israel for Brutalizing Palestinians
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Ross Williams at the Georgia Reporter writes that federal judge Mark Cohen on Monday characterized as unconstitutional a Georgia state law that prohibited contractors for the Georgia state government from boycotting Israel. Cohen is United States District Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. This […]
Stop comparing Israel to Apartheid South Africa; it is worse
( Middle East Monitor ) – It is common these days to compare the institutional racism in Israel, and its occupation of Palestine, to Apartheid South Africa. Up to a point, it’s a reasonable comparison. Up to a point. For all its horrors and brutality, the apartheid regime in South Africa never used fighter jets […]
Gaza Hostilities Underscore Role of Int’l Criminal Court
By Balkees Jarrah | – Associate Director, International Justice Program | – ( Human Rights Watch ) – Israeli forces have launched relentless airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, while Hamas and Palestinian armed groups in Gaza have fired rockets at Israeli population centers. At least 227 people, including 64 children have been killed in Gaza, […]
Irish Parties and People demand Expulsion of Israeli ambassador, Fines for importing Settler-made Goods
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The recent Israeli assault on the Palestinians in Jerusalem and the West Bank, and the bombardment of Gaza, has stirred passions in the Irish Republic, where public opinion has swung around to be strongly in favor of Palestinian rights and critical of the Apartheid, Occupation government of Israel. Rallies have […]
Let Lebanon be Lebanon: Paris should Stop Threatening Beirut with EU Sanctions
John Hickman “Governing Lebanon is surely more daunting than governing France.”[1] That pearl of wisdom in an essay defending consociational democracy by University of Pennsylvania political scientist Brendan O’Leary has never been more accurate. A delicate balance of domestic interests with institutional vetoes at the best of times, Lebanese politics has been stalemated for months […]
Eman Askar’s TikTok deep-history ‘Song for Palestine’ goes Viral with 10 mn Views in 48 Hours
“A song telling the story of Palestine has gone viral on social media. TikToker Eman Askar – @emmasworld.101 – rhymes off of historical facts with her lyrics.” TRT World: TikToker sings for Palestine
As Boteach comes for Dua Lipa, has Tactic of Smearing People as anti-Semites for Backing Palestinian Human Rights jumped the Shark?
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Orthodox Rabbi Shmuely Boteach has come after the brilliant, Grammy-award-winning Kosovar-British pop star Dua Lipa with an ad in the New York Times accusing her of anti-Semitism for supporting Palestinian rights. She vigorously denied the charge and denounced the ad. She should also sue for libel. Boteach is a huge […]








