Middle East

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Iran’s government has apparently discovered the real reason for the protests that swept its small towns and working class neighborhoods during the past couple of weeks. English was being taught to third graders in some schools. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the clerical Leader of the country, has […]

Donald Trump

Kushner’s financial ties to Israel raise further doubts over peace broker role

contributors

Middle East Monitor | – – Doubts have been raised as to the suitability of US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner for the role of Middle East peace negotiator, amid new revelations of his ongoing business ties to Israel. A report in the New York Times yesterday revealed that Kushner has […]

Israel/ Palestine

Israelis ‘Blacklist’ 20 pro-BDS groups, Including Quakers, Jewish Voice for Peace

contributors

TeleSur | – – U.S., European, South African and Chilean branches of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS) also featured on the blacklist. Israeli authorities, on Sunday, announced that members and representatives of 20 foreign nongovernmental organization are barred from entering the territory, noting the groups’ advocacy of boycotting the Israeli settler state over […]

Israel/ Palestine

Over 100 Artists Pen Letter Backing Lorde’s Israel Boycott

contributors

TeleSur | – – The well-known artists and authors expressed their support for the young singer for canceling her show in Israel after Palestinian calls for boycott. More than 100 writers and artists signed a letter in support of the New Zealand singer Lorde after she was harshly attacked over her decision not to perform […]

Iran

Trump & Neocons Are Exploiting an Iran Protest Movement They Know Nothing About

contributors

By John Feffer | ( Foreign Policy in Focus ) | – – Iranians are protesting conditions worsened by U.S. policies, but Washington’s hawks see only an opportunity for regime change. The last time Iranians went out onto the streets in large numbers, they were protesting what they thought was a stolen election. It was […]

Donald Trump

Trump Engineered Saudi Soft Coup, attack on Qatar, to Save Self

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Michael Wolff in his new book Fire and Fury makes a number of allegations about Trump’s role in the Gulf crisis that, if true, help explain the mess in that part of the Middle East. Wolff asserts that Trump and his then inner circle–Jared Kushner, Steve […]

Iran

The Five Pillars of Iran: Poetry of Protest

contributors

By Nassrine Azimi | (Informed Comment) | – – Hiroshima—Throughout the massive public demonstrations in 2009, Iranians protesting against the notorious government of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad were often airing their anger and frustration at the abuses of the regime in rhyme. During this past week, people’s seething discontent has again spilled onto the streets, starting in […]

Iran

Protests in Iran – A Different View

contributors

Dr. Mohammed Nuruzzaman | (Informed Comment) | – – The week-long protests in Iran, starting on December 29, have gradually died down. The Iranian government as well as the international community was caught by surprise, since the protests erupted suddenly, in a rather disorganized and leaderless fashion, in contrast to the 2009 Green Movement, and […]

Egypt

Egypt Promotes Jerusalem as Israeli Capital in Secret Calls

contributors

TeleSur | – – The private conversations stand in stark contrast with the government’s public position, in which it has consistently condemned the declaration made by US President Donald Trump. Four taped phone calls reveal Egyptian intelligence officer Capt. Ashraf al-Kholi telling popular talk-show hosts and one singer to promote a positive view of Jerusalem […]