Middle East

Portland, Or. (Waging Nonviolence) – Contrary to widespread stereotypes regarding the nature of Palestinian resistance, there has long been a tradition of unarmed civil resistance against Israeli occupation — a tradition renewed with Israel’s construction of the so-called “separation barrier” (a.k.a. “apartheid wall” [Palestinians] or “security fence” [Israelis]) that separates many West Bank Palestinian villages […]

Israel/ Palestine

Israel arrests 9 Bedouin Protesters as it Prepares to Bulldoze their Village

AFP

Khan al-Ahmar (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) – Scuffles broke out on Wednesday between Israeli authorities and protesters who feared preparations were underway to raze a Bedouin village in a strategic part of the occupied West Bank, despite international calls for a reprieve. Protesters, including some waving Palestinian flags, tried to block a bulldozer and scuffled with […]

Featured

Trump sidelined as UN Security Council plus Germany Meet Iran’s Rouhani in Vienna

Juan Cole

The five foreign ministers, minus US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, of the countries signatory to the 2015 Iran deal on curbing its civilian nuclear enrichment program, will meet in Vienna on Friday to explore ways of preserving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action after the treaty was violated by the Trump administration. The JCPOA […]

Iran

No New Revolution: Iran’s Grand Bazaar is now a Pillar of Establishment

The Conversation

By Arshin Adib-Moghaddam< | - - (The Conversation) - - Too often, news about Iran is tainted by the politics of the day, particularly in the US. Recent protests by the bazaar merchants of Tehran were a case in point. Major news outlets in the US and elsewhere were quick to imply that Iran may […]

Syria

As Syrian Government advances on Daraa, 250,000 Civilians Flee in Panic

Mohamad Abazeed

Daraa (Syria) (AFP) – More than a quarter of a million people have fled a Russian-backed government onslaught on southern Syria, the United Nations said Monday, in the latest civilian exodus in the seven-year war. For nearly two weeks, regime forces and their Russian allies have battered rebel-held parts of southern Syria with air strikes, […]

Syria

Regime reclaims more ground in south Syria: monitor

AFP

Daraa (Syria) (AFP) – A string of rebel-held locations in southern Syria passed into regime control Sunday as the government regained more ground under Russian-brokered deals, a war monitor said. Talks involving rebels, local officials and regime ally Russia saw agreements struck for four villages and a strategic town near the border with Jordan, extending […]

Donald Trump

Trump Luminaries at Iranian Jihadi Cult Conference in Paris while Excluding Nice Iranians from Immigration

Juan Cole

Many Trump stalwarts have a peculiar, paid position as lobbyists for the People’s Jihadi Organization (Mojahedin-e Khalq), the Iranian expatriate group aiming to overthrow the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Hence we find Rudy Giuliani addressing their annual convention and pledging regime change in Iran. Giuliani only has experience of two kinds of […]

Israel

As Assad Advances on South, Israel Warns Syrian Army away from Occupied Golan

Middle East Monitor

Israel beefed up its tank and artillery deployment on the Golan Heights frontier with Syria on Sunday, reports Reuters, cautioning Damascus’ forces to keep a distance as they sweep rebel-held areas over the border. Backed by Russia, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad launched an offensive last month to regain the southwestern Deraa region, driving thousands of […]

Turkey

Is Turkey headed for Stongman Rule?

Arzu Geybullayeva

Ankara (GlobalVoices.org) – In the latest test of his leadership, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan proved once more why he is Turkey’s most preeminent politician, and its most dominant leader since Mustafa Kemal Attaturk. Simply, he is prepared to do whatever it takes. The June 24 presidential election did not have to go to a second […]