Human Rights

HEBRON (Ma’an) — Israeli forces on Saturday suppressed a march protesting the recent purchase by Israeli setters of a church compound in the southern West Bank. The 38 dunam compound, known as Beit al-Baraka, is located to the north of al-Arrub refugee camp between Bethlehem and Hebron. It has been in the spotlight since an […]

Iraq

Weapons of the Wet: ISIL/ Daesh Cuts water to Iraqi Towns south of Ramadi

contributors

Ben Wedeman | (CNN Video) | – – “Baghdad, Iraq (CNN) ISIS has closed off a dam to the north of the Iraqi city of Ramadi — seized by its forces last month — cutting water supplies to pro-government towns downstream and making it easier for its fighters to attack forces loyal to Baghdad, local […]

Featured

Iraq needs another National Party: Tariq Aziz’s Baath Party Ruined the Country

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | — Tariq Aziz, the former deputy prime minister and former foreign minister of Iraq, is dead at 79. He died in prison in the custody of the Shiie-dominated government he tried to forestall. Aziz was born Mikhael Yuhanna (Michael John) into a Chaldean Catholic family. He gravitated to […]

Displaced and Refugees

Yemen: Saudi Airstrikes kill 58, including dozens of Women and Children

contributors

RT | (Video report) — “Saudi-led coalition warplanes are continuing to pound Houthi targets in Yemen despite the rebels agreeing to UN-backed peace talks. The strikes have killed 58 people across the country over the past two days, according to the Houthis. And the humanitarian situation is getting worse by the day, according to the […]

Apartheid

The Wrath of Netanyahu: What does Orange Telecom’s departure from Israel really Mean for BDS?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Stephane Richard, the CEO of the French telecommunnications company Orange embroiled himself in an international incident on Wednesday during a visit to Cairo, when he said that his company would withdraw its logo from the Israeli market “tomorrow” if he could. The reason is that the […]

Displaced and Refugees

Caught in ISIL crossfire, 8.2 Million Iraqis In Need of Emergency Humanitarian Assistance

contributors

By Kanya D’Almeida | – UNITED NATIONS (IPS) – As fighting drags on between Iraqi armed forces and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), millions of refugees caught between the warring groups are in dire need of humanitarian assistance. Speaking at an appeal launch at the European Parliament in Brussels Thursday, Lise […]

censorship

On eve of Turkish Election, Leftist Women Turn backs on Pres. Erdogan in Twitter Campaign

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – In Turkey, left of center and Kurdish women took to Twitter on Wednesday to post pictures of themselves turning their backs to President Tayyip Erdogan. The campaign came after Kurdish women supporting the HDP (People’s Democratic Party) turned their back to the president at a rally […]

Displaced and Refugees

Syrian Refugees Blocked, Stranded in Jordan Desert

contributors

Human Rights Watch | – – (Beirut) – Jordanian authorities have severely restricted informal border crossings in the eastern part of the country since late March, 2015, stranding hundreds of Syrians in remote desert areas just inside Jordan’s border. Human Rights Watch analyzed satellite imagery and interviewed international aid workers. They said the Syrians have […]

Balkans

“Nationalism and terrorism are constructed things to divide us”: Macedonian elections and a Balkan “War on Terror”

contributors

By Frances Trix | (Informed Comment) | – Now it appears, thanks to EU mediation, there will be new national elections in Macedonia next April 2016. In one sense it is quite early—there were national elections in April 2014 in which Nikola Gruevski, president since 2006, was once again elected. But in another sense, these […]