( Roy Eidelson: Psychology for Human Rights) – Labeling criticism of Israel and expressions of support for Palestinian rights as “antisemitism” has apparently become the primary weapon of Israel advocacy organizations in the United States. These groups — among others, the Anti-Defamation League, Stand With Us, Canary Mission, Betar US and, in my own profession, […]
Archives for June 2025
How your Smartphone is Spying on You and giving You Attention Deficit Disorder
( Tomdispatch.com ) – Recently, I’ve been turning off my iPhone — all the way off! — for 10 to 30 minutes at a time. I leave it somewhere in the house, while I try to live IRL (“in real life”), washing dishes, hanging up laundry, or even going for a walk, phoneless. In this hyper-connected […]
Is there a Crack in Western Support for the Gaza Genocide?
( Code Pink ) – After twenty months of horror in Gaza, political rhetoric in Western countries is finally starting to shift—but will words translate into action? And what exactly can other countries do when the United States still shields Israel from efforts to enforce international law, as it did at the UN Security Council […]
Russia in Iran: The Times and Life of Diplomat Ivan Jakolevich Korostovetz
“Russia’s role in Iranian history since the nineteenth century is well known, to be sure. But especially for the period until World War I, it tends to be narrated in a patterned and somewhat reductionist manner, typically through the lens of the ‘Great Game,’ with Iran a mere buffer state between Russia and Great Britain, […]
A Two-State Solution is gaining Momentum again for Israel and the Palestinians. Does it have a chance of success?
By Andrew Thomas, Deakin University (The Conversation) – As Israel’s devastating war in Gaza has ground on, the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was thought to be “dead”. Now, it is showing signs of life again. French President Emmanuel Macron is reportedly pressing other European nations to jointly recognise a Palestinian state at a […]
The Freedom Flotilla: Bravely Breaking the Siege Against Gaza
A dozen unarmed activists are standing up against one of the world’s most powerful militaries. By Margaret Knapke ( Foreign Policy in Focus ) – Many people, armed only with moral and political convictions, would be too intimidated to confront an army or navy directly. But not all. Twelve nonviolent human-rights activists with the international […]
Avatar of Chaos, Cruelty and Death: Elon Musk’s Reign of Terror isn’t Over
Chicago (Special to Informed Comment) – Serving as gangster President Trump’s hatchet man, Musk promised a lean efficient government but gave us chainsaw-massacre firings that devastated government functionality. While gloating about solving the fabricated grift and criminality of US foreign aid, Musk terminated life-saving medications for dying babies and ended food supplies for starving children. […]
Lethal “Humanitarianism:” why Violence at Gaza aid Centers should not come as a Surprise
By Irit Katz, University of Cambridge (The Conversation) – At least 27 Palestinians were reported to have been killed on the morning of June 3 amid chaotic scenes at an aid distribution centre in the southern Gaza Strip. This follows a similar incident on June 1 when around 30 civilians were reportedly killed as people […]
The War on Trans People: White Christian Nationalism in the Age of Trump
By Aaron Scott, Liz Theoharis and Moses Hernandez McGavin ( Tomdispatch.com ) – This year, Pride Month arrives at an especially dire moment for the LGBTQ+ community. Under the second Trump administration, homophobic vitriol and violence are on the rise. On Elon Musk’s X platform, a “deepfake” video of Donald Trump canceling Pride Month has […]