Arab World

By Juan Cole The Arabic press widely and favorably reported the news that the Vatican has recognized Palestine as a state in a new treaty with it, despite a strong protest from Israel. The recognition was of Palestine within 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as its capital. It came as part of a treaty between the […]

Displaced and Refugees

How Europe’s Post-Revolution Abandonment of Libya led to Mediterranean Crisis

contributors

By Ioannis Chapsos | (The Conversation) | – Libya has been in a state of chaos ever since the fall of its former dictator, Muammar Gaddafi, and the situation scarcely seems to be improving. But it’s not just a nightmare on land – Libya is starting to poison the Mediterranean too. Since a civil war […]

Apartheid

Obama: Palestinians deserve end to indignity of occupation

contributors

BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — President Barack Obama says the United States is “taking a hard look” at its approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, telling an Arabic language news source Wednesday that Palestinians “deserve an end to occupation.” Talking to the London-based Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, President Obama said that he would never give up hope for “peace […]

Bush

Did Jeb Bush just commit a War Crime in Justifying the Iraq War?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | — Jeb Bush’s people are trying to walk back his disastrous interview with Megyn Kelly in which he said that even if he knew then what we all know now, he would have launched the war on Iraq in 2003. It is true that he doesn’t seem to […]

Bashar al-Assad

Are the Houthis in Yemen really Iranian “Proxies”? What does that even Mean?

contributors

By Ari Heistein | (Informed Comment) — A 2014 al-Monitor headline declared “Yemen’s Houthis Proxy, not Ally for Iran” but then neglected to explain the difference. It is certainly unlikely that the Iranian-Houthi relationship is as strong as the U.S.-Israel or U.S.-Saudi relationship. Why then are the Houthis Iranian proxies but Israel and Saudi Arabia […]

Featured

Yemen: Fierce fighting in Lead-up to Saudi Ceasefire, Children at risk of Starvation

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – Heavy fighting continued in Yemen on Monday and Tuesday, despite the agreement reached between Houthi rebels and Saudi Arabia that a five-day ceasefire would begin on Tuesday at midnight. Humanitarian organizations have high hopes in the ceasefire as a time when aid can be gotten to the […]

Children

Now Yemen’s Houthi Rebels are forcing Children Into Battle

contributors

Human Rights Watch | – (Beirut) – The Houthi armed group in Yemen has intensified its recruitment, training, and deployment of children in violation of international law. Since September 2014, when the Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, took control of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, they have increasingly used children as scouts, guards, runners, and fighters, […]

Apartheid

Israel plans forced evacuation of Bedouin families east of Jerusalem

contributors

BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) – Dozens of Palestinian families living in the Bedouin Abu Nuwwar village to the east of Jerusalem will be forced from their land in less than a month, locals told Ma’an on Saturday. Israeli authorities are evacuating the families to clear way for the expansion of the illegal Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim, […]

Apartheid

Hanan Ashrawi: New Extremist Israeli Gov’t generates a Culture of Hate

contributors

By IMEMC | – PLO Executive Committee member Dr. Hanan Ashrawi stated: “Such a coalition betrays the true nature of the Israeli political system and promotes an anti-peace agenda and the language of racism, extremism and violence; it will further increase the isolation and deligitimization of Israel. In addition to the extremism in the Likud […]