Middle East

By Scott Lucas, University College Dublin (The Conversation) – A new vision for Middle East peace emerged this week which proposes the withdrawal of Israel from Gaza and the West Bank, the disarming and disbanding of Hamas and the creation of a unified Palestinian state. The plan emerged from a “high-level conference” in New York […]

Academic Freedom

Protesting CUNY for Letting 4 Adjunct Faculty Go over Palestinian Rights and Suspending a Student

Committee on Academic Freedom

Committee on Academic Freedom | Middle East Studies Association of North America | – Letter to the City University of New York protesting the non-reappointment of four adjunct faculty members and the suspension of a student Félix V. Matos Rodríguez Chancellor, City University of New York felo@cuny.edu . . . Dear Chancellor Matos Rodríguez and […]

Climate Crisis

In Syria, Women are Bearing the Brunt of Climate Breakdown

Middle East Monitor

by Zahra Zaman ( Middle East Monitor ) – Syria had been embroiled in a protracted conflict and plagued by authoritarianism for decades. While the brutal regime of Bashar al Asad has collapsed, the ordeal is far from over for Syrians as they are now confronted with the rapidly accelerating threat of climate change looming […]

Israel/ Palestine

Enabling the Nightmare in Gaza: Defining Criticism of Israel as “Antisemitic”

Aviva Chomsky

( 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 […]

Featured

Israel’s Shifting Politics

Hugh J. Curran

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 […]

Israel/ Palestine

Why UK Recognition of a Palestinian State should not be conditional on Israel’s Actions

The Conversation

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 […]

Featured

Britain, which created the Israeli-Palestinian Mess, will Finally Recognize Palestinian State

Farhang Jahanpour

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, […]

Israel/ Palestine

Stop the War Now: Middle East Studies Faculty, Ben-Gurion University

contributors

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 […]

Featured

Gaza’s “Walking Corpses:” Jewish Law does not Permit ignoring Atrocities

Shamai Leibowitz

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 […]