Middle East

Washington, D.C. (Otherwords.org) – No words can describe the anger and anguish I feel as a Palestinian in America watching this unfold. On May 14, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin smiled for pictures in front of the new U.S. embassy in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “Big day for […]

Israel/ Palestine

Israeli Supreme Court Lets Army Shoot Unarmed Protesters in Violation of anti-Nazi Geneva Accords

AFP

Jerusalem (AFP) – Israel’s Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the military’s use of lethal force against Palestinians during protests and clashes on the Gaza border. In the 41-page ruling published by the justice ministry Thursday night the panel of three justices unanimously rejected a petition by Israeli and Palestinian rights groups to restrain the army’s […]

Antisemitism

On how there is no Tradition of anti-Semitism in Islam

Peter Wien

College Park, Md. (Qantara.de) – Some are suggesting that Muslims are bringing anti-Semitism to Europe. However, it was in fact Europeans who took anti-Semitism to the Arab world in the first place. Diplomats in particular played an contemptible role. Holy books are what people make of them: after all, even the word of God needs […]

Israel/ Palestine

Why the Youth of Gaza Protest: It is their Squalid Open Air Prison, not Hamas

Reese Erlich

San Francisco (The Progressive) – On my most recent reporting trip to Gaza, I stayed with a family living just a short walk from the Israeli border. At dusk we watched a beautiful sunset over the Mediterranean and could forget the ongoing conflict for just a few minutes. Living conditions for the family have gotten […]

Syria

Syria’s New Map: War Has Created Ethnic Cantons, Massively Displaced Communities

Maya Gebeily

Co-author: Rouba El Husseini | – – Beirut (AFP) – Seven years of war and massive displacement have redrawn Syria’s demographic map, erecting borders between the country’s ethnic, religious, and political communities that will be hard to erase. Displaced Syrians, analysts, and rights defenders have described to AFP a divided country where regime opponents have […]

Featured

Khamenei, in reply to Trump, gives Europe 6-point Ultimatum on Nuclear Deal

Juan Cole

Iran’s clerical Leader, Ali Khamenei, weighed in on Trump’s violation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or Iran nuclear accord of 2015, which the US signed off on along with the rest of the UN Security Council and Germany (informally representing the European Union). Speaking frankly to Iran’s European trading partners, the ayatollah […]

Israel/ Palestine

Wrong: Netanyahu thinks Massive Israeli PR can cover up Occupation & end of Peace Process

Paul Duffill

Sidney (The Conversation) – The opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem last week represented a major PR coup for Israel, a move the country had sought for decades. It also came hot on the heels of another celebrated Israeli PR victory – the win by Israeli singer Netta Barzilai in the hugely popular Eurovision […]

Saudi Arabia

Saudis to let women drive but Jail a dozen Women’s Rights Activists

AFP

Dubai (AFP) – Saudi authorities have widened a crackdown on women’s rights advocates, detaining at least three more activists a month before the kingdom lifts its decades-old ban on women drivers, campaigners said Tuesday. Saudi authorities on Saturday announced the arrest of seven people, mostly identified by rights groups as women who have long campaigned […]

Featured

Palestine takes Israel to Int’l Criminal Court at Hague over Gaza Massacre

Juan Cole

Palestine has submitted a formal referral to the International Criminal Court in the Hague over Israeli sniping with live fire at peaceful Gaza protesters this spring, which killed some 60 persons and literally wounded thousands. Palestine, which is a cautious and timid government, had earlier declined to go to the ICC, in hopes instead of […]