( Tomdispatch.com ) In July 2025, the Massachusetts legislature’s Judiciary Committee heard testimony on a bill to make it the 38th state to follow the federal government, 45 other countries (almost all of them in the global North), and more than 50 U.S. local governments in adopting a strange definition of antisemitism. In 2016, the […]
Archives for August 2025
Israel’s Shifting Politics
Orono, Maine (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) – PM Benjamin Netanyahu has alienated many in Israeli society, some of whom now revile his leadership: The Times of Israel reported on a Pew Survey finding that in April, 2025, 53% Of Americans had an unfavorable view of Israel compared to 42% in 2022, and “over half don’t trust PM Benjamin Netahyahu […]
A new Youth-led Lawsuit is challenging Trump’s Fossil Fuel Orders
In Lightiser v. Trump, 22 young people are using the protections of the Constitution to demand a livable future. Davin Faris ( Waging Nonviolence ) – This summer, kids are taking the climate crisis to the courts. The 22 plaintiffs of Lighthiser v. Trump, a lawsuit filed in May, range from 7 to 25 years […]
Why UK Recognition of a Palestinian State should not be conditional on Israel’s Actions
By Karen Scott, University of Canterbury (The Conversation) – The announcement this week by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on the recognition of a Palestininian state has been welcomed by many who want to see a ceasefire in Gaza and lasting peace in the region. In contrast to other recent statements on the status of […]
Britain, which created the Israeli-Palestinian Mess, will Finally Recognize Palestinian State
Oxford (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) – The dam has burst. Netanyahu and his far-right regime have gone too far. Public pressure on politicians in Europe and many other countries has become irresistible, forcing them to change course. Most countries, 147 of the UN’s 193 members, have formally recognized a Palestinian state, and last week, […]
The World Court just ruled Countries can be held liable for Climate Change Damage – what does that mean for the US?
By Lauren Gifford, Colorado State University and Daimeon Shanks-Dumont, University of California, Berkeley (The Conversation) – The International Court of Justice issued a landmark advisory opinion in July 2025 declaring that all countries have a legal obligation to protect and prevent harm to the climate. The court, created as part of the United Nations in […]
Stop the War Now: Middle East Studies Faculty, Ben-Gurion University
Stop the War Now! Statement from the Faculty of the Department of Middle East Studies, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev We, the faculty of the Department of Middle Eastern Studies at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, issue this statement to unequivocally call for an immediate end to Israel’s war crimes in Gaza. We say this […]
Gaza’s “Walking Corpses:” Jewish Law does not Permit ignoring Atrocities
Silver Spring, Md. (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) – Jewish law does not permit us to look away when atrocities are being committed. It is painful beyond words to see the hollow eyes and bloated bellies of dying children and infants in Gaza—but we must look. The Torah commands: “Do not stand idly by the […]
The quiet War: What’s fueling Israel’s Surge of settler Violence – and the Lack of State Response
By Arie Perliger, UMass Lowell Since Oct. 7, 2023, as Israel’s war against Hamas drags on in the Gaza Strip, a quieter but escalating war has unfolded in the West Bank between Israelis and Palestinians. While precise figures are elusive, United Nations estimates indicate that Jewish settlers have carried out around 2,000 attacks against Palestinians […]
© 2025 All Rights Reserved