Middle East

International medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF, Doctors Without Borders) has said that more than 1,000 Gazans shot by Israel are at risk of infection, which could lead to permanent disabilities or death. In a statement released today, MSF said that “the huge numbers of patients with complex and serious gunshot wounds are overwhelming the […]

Featured

Senate Rebukes Trump, Saudis on Yemen, Advances Withdrawal Bill

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The Senate slapped the Trump administration around on Wednesday, voting 63-37 to bring to the floor a proposal to end US involvement in the Saudi-led war on Yemen. I should declare my own interest by saying that I was one of 50-some Middle East experts and policy-makers who signed a […]

Saudi Arabia

On Saudis and Khashoggi, Trump Gave away US Leverage, Emboldened Bad Behavior

The Conversation

By Steven Feldstein | – (The Conversation) – After weeks of ratcheting tension about who authorized the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, President Donald Trump sought to put an end to the debate. He issued a blunt public statement asserting that “we may never know all of the facts surrounding the murder of Mr. […]

Saudi Arabia

Once a Celebrity, Saudi Crown Prince gets Cold Shoulder Abroad

Anuj Chopra

by Anuj Chopra Riyadh (AFP) – Once feted on the world stage, Saudi Arabia’s powerful crown prince faces the cold shoulder abroad as he struggles to shrug off the lingering stigma of a critical journalist’s murder. Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been on an Arab tour before he attends the Group of 20 summit in […]

Donald Trump

Trump wants out of Mideast, blames Oil and Israel for Having to Stay

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – In an interview with The Washington Post on Tuesday, Trump bruited the notion of removing US troops from the Middle East. He said that Israel and oil were the only reasons the US was in the region and that oil no longer justified the US military presence. The Post reported: […]

Israel/ Palestine

Trump cuts Palestinians off at Knees, Ending $5 bn in US AID Support

TeleSur

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced that all operations in the West Bank and Gaza will close by early 2019. Half of the agency’s staff are expected to be let go in the coming weeks. USAID is one of the largest aid organizations in the region, supplying around US$5.5 billion to […]

Saudi Arabia

Kushner vastly overstated $14.5 bn. in US Arms Purchases by Saudis as $110 Bn

Middle East Monitor

The reason behind US President Donald Trump’s reluctance to hold Saudi Arabia responsible for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi was an ambitious $110 billion arms deal between Washington and Riyadh which had been inflated at the direction of his adviser and son-in-law, ABC News reported Monday. Jared Kushner pushed State and Defence Department officials to […]

Tunisia

Tunisia Demos: “The people want Bin Salman to be judged”, “No to the killer of Yemeni children”

AFP

Tunis (AFP) – Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held talks in Tunisia on Tuesday as hundreds of protesters rallied against his visit, urging justice over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and condemning the Yemen war. Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader, who flew in from Cairo, met with Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi before […]

Featured

Bowing to Saudi Pressure, Trump stops UN Yemen Ceasefire (-CNN)

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – CNN reports that the Trump administration has turned against a UN Security Council resolution calling for a Yemen ceasefire and is now blocking it. The five permanent members of the UNSC have the ability to veto resolutions, so US hostility to it is fatal for the measure. Annual Informed Comment […]