Middle East

By Omer Bartov, Brown University | – (The Conversation) – In 1903, a local mob killed 49 Jews, including several children, and raped and wounded 600 others, in the city of Kishinev, then part of the Russian Empire. These three days of violence later became known as the Kishinev pogrom. A few days later, the […]

Donald Trump

Does Biden’s Hypocritical Middle East Policy now Threaten our Own Democratic Stability?

H. Scott Prosterman

Oakland, Ca. (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) – The political fallout from Israel’s response to the invasion, murders and kidnappings of its innocent civilians is impacting the American electorate as never before. Indirectly, US foreign policy in Israel-Palestine has become a threat to our own democracy. Young people, especially of color are turning away from […]

Iran

Will Iran attack Israel over Gaza Bombardment?

Shahram Akbarzadeh

By Shahram Akbarzadeh, Deakin University | – (The Conversation) – Iran has warned Israel of severe consequences from “multiple fronts” if it does not halt its relentless bombardment of the Gaza Strip. This warning is widely interpreted as a declaration of intent for Iran to enter the conflict via its allies and proxies. The Hezbollah […]

Featured

Netanyahu declares a Holy War of Annihilation on Civilians of Gaza, Citing the Bible

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – In his speech on Saturday, October 27, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu made reference to the Bible’s instructions about the Amalekites, a favorite trope of his when he has argued that Israel is under existential threat and must respond with lethal and devastating force. He has talked about Iran this way, […]

European Union

Ireland, a leader on Human Rights, Backs UNGA call for Gaza Humanitarian Ceasefire

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The situation in the besieged Palestinian Gaza Strip grew even more dire on Friday, as Israel bombed internet and telecommunications facilities, plunging the occupied territory into an information black hole, as Israeli military incursions began. All day Friday the Israeli Air Force subjected the desperately poor, densely populated cities of […]

Anti-intellectualism

From Palestine to Slavery, Ron DeSantis’ Muzzling of Universities is dooming Florida Higher Education

Florida Phoenix

Diane Roberts ( Florida Phoenix ) – The American Association of University Professors recently conducted a survey of faculty in Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, and Texas, finding the state of higher education in the South is not strong — in fact, it’s in crisis. One-third of those surveyed say they’re looking for a job in […]

Israel/ Palestine

Gaza conflict: the US has learned from its ‘forever wars’ – but Israel has not

The Conversation

By Rob Geist Pinfold, Durham University | – (The Conversation) – After Hamas’s deadly attacks on October 7, a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) appeared inevitable. Benjamin Netanyahu’s government apparently had little choice, given that the attack shocked Israel to its very core. The IDF failed to prevent […]

Featured

The Fate of the Children of Gaza under Israeli Bombardment

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Of the 2.2 million people living in the Gaza Strip, about half of them are minors. This datum is why the rightwing Israeli talking point that Palestinians in Gaza as a whole are responsible for backing Hamas is outrageous. Hamas was elected in 2006 when most people in Gaza now […]

Bashar al-Assad

Domicide: the Destruction of Homes in Gaza reminds me of what happened to my City, Homs

The Conversation

By Ammar Azzouz, University of Oxford | – This article accompanies an episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast featuring an interview with the author, Ammar Azzouz. The Israeli bombardment of Gaza following the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7 has forced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians out of their homes. At least 43% […]