Israel/ Palestine

Palestinian Statehood is winning major new Supporters at UN – but symbolic Action won’t make it happen

By Maha Nassar, University of Arizona (The Conversation) – Recognition of a Palestinian state is likely to dominate proceedings at the U.N. beginning Sept 23. 2025, when world leaders will gather for the annual general assembly. Of the 193 existing U.N member states, some 147 already recognize a Palestinian state. But that number is expected […]

Donald Trump

Riyadh-Islamabad “Islamic NATO” to Check Israel in Shadow of US Decline

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – In a dramatic signal that the Arab Gulf nations have completely lost faith in the American security umbrella, on Wednesday September 17, Saudi Arabia signed a mutual defense pact with Pakistan. Mirroring the language of Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization charter, they announced that an attack on […]

Featured

Smotrich’s Apocalyptic “Decisive Plan” for Gaza

Dan Steinbock

Bezazel Smotrich is one of political leaders of Israel’s Messianic far-right. But he is also a shrewd administrator executing a biblical “decisive plan” of ethnic cleansing in Gaza, which he is incorporating into Israel. New York (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) – Notorious as an extremist both in Israel and overseas, yet beloved as a […]

Israel/ Palestine

The West Needs to Expedite Visas, Study Permits, Safe Passage for Palestinians in Gaza

Committee on Academic Freedom

Committee on Academic Freedom | Middle East Studies Association of North America | – Letter to Canadian officials about visas and study permits for Palestinian scholars The Right Honourable Mark Carney Prime Minister of Canada pm@pm.gc.ca . . . Dear Prime Minister Carney, Minister Metlege Diab and Minister Anadasangaree: We write on behalf […]

Featured

Assassinating Peace: How Bernadotte’s Murder Ended the Israel-Palestine Two-State Dream

Abdullah al-Ahsan

Chicago (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) – The UN General Assembly has just (September 12) endorsed the New York Declaration on the two-state solution between Israel and Palestine. A day earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed that a “Palestinian state will not be established.” Israel managed to secure 10 votes, including those of the United […]

Israel/ Palestine

Genocide as Spectacle: The Smartphone Era of War

Middle East Monitor

by Ismail Salahuddin ( Middle East Monitor ) – In an age where our phones glow with the endless stream of breaking news, short videos, and curated feeds, genocide itself has been transformed into consumable content. We live not simply in an era of wars but in what might be called the Netflix era of […]

Featured

France and the UN ride to Save the 2-State Solution, but Netanyahu Buried it in Gaza’s Mass Graves

H. Scott Prosterman

Oakland, Ca. (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) – French President Macron is taking the lead in a doomed bid to keep a two-state solution alive. On September 12, the UN General Assembly passed the “New York Declaration” by a vote of 142 for, 10 against, with 12 abstentions. Sponsored by France and Saudi Arabia, it […]

Featured

Israel’s Netanyahu starves 1 in 5 Gaza Children

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reports that 19 of every 100 Palestinian children in Gaza are malnourished. That is up from 15 in July. Even more worrying, UNICEF found an increase in cases of acute malnutrition. In July 8.5% of children examined manifested symptoms of the condition. In August, […]

Arab World

Beyond Diplomacy: Qatar’s strategic posture redraws the regional Map of Resistance

Middle East Monitor

By Yousef Ibrahim ( Middle East Monitor ) – The Israeli attempt to assassinate Hamas leaders in Doha was not simply an unsuccessful military operation—it represented a significant geopolitical fracture. It revealed the vulnerability of Gulf sovereignty, the limitations of Western alliances, and the pressing need for regional self-determination. Most crucially, it ignited a rare […]