Middle East

Middle East Monitor | – – Palestinian teen Ahed Tamimi is to serve eight months in an Israeli jail after reaching a plea bargain, Israeli newspaper Haaretz has reported. Details have yet to be made public after the court held a closed session today, however the paper reported that Tamimi would plead guilty to four […]

Displaced and Refugees

Turkey: Mass Deportations of Syrians to dangerous Areas

contributors

Human Rights Watch | – – EU Should Raise Issue, Pledge Aid at Conference (Brussels) – Turkish security forces have routinely intercepted hundreds, and at times thousands, of asylum seekers at the Turkey-Syria border since at least December 2017 and summarily deported them to the war-ravaged Idlib governorate in Syria, Human Rights Watch said today. […]

Featured

Syria: A Market bombing kills 38 and Explains why Government won Syria War

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – A rocket fired by rebel forces at a market, Kashkul, in the Jaramana suburb of Damascus on Wednesday killed dozens of people. It strikes me that this incident encapsulates the deep tragedy of the Syrian civil war. Jaramana is a mixed Christian and Druze neighborhood 3 […]

BDS Occupied Territories

Actor Cynthia Nixon, NY Governor Hopeful, attacked over Israel Boycott

contributors

Middle East Monitor | – – A leading pro-Israel activist is attempting to derail an American actor’s bid to become the governor of New York over her support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign against Israel. Cynthia Nixon, one of the stars of the “Sex and the City” television series and movies, announced on […]

Authoritarianism

French Ex-President Sarkozy arrested over Libya Campaign money Charges

Juan Cole

TeleSur | – – Sarkozy has categorically denied receiving any campaign funding from the North African country. Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was detained by police officers early Tuesday, Reuters reported. The ex head of state was being questioned by magistrates in relation to allegations he received US$61 million in funding for his 2007 election […]

Iraq War

On Seeing America’s Wars Whole: Six Questions for the New York Times

contributors

By Andrew J. Bacevich | ( Tomdispatch.com) | – – Dear Mr. Sulzberger: Congratulations on assuming the reins of this nation’s — and arguably, the world’s — most influential publication. It’s the family business, of course, so your appointment to succeed your father doesn’t exactly qualify as a surprise. Even so, the responsibility for guiding […]

Israel/ Palestine

Rights group says Past Year was the worst year in Gaza’s history

contributors

Middle East Monitor | – – The Director of Al-Mezan Centre for Human Rights said on Sunday that 2017 was the worst year in the history of the Gaza Strip in terms of political, economic, cultural, social and health conditions, Felesteen.ps has reported. Issam Younis told journalists in the besieged territory that the coming days […]

Featured

Turkey takes Afrin, pulls down Statue Now-Ruz Revolutionary Kaveh

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Tuesday, March 20, is the spring equinox this year. Iranians, Kurds, Central Asians and many in Pakistan and India celebrate the equinox as the New Year, which after all makes a lot more sense than starting it in the dead of winter. Spring is symbolically the […]

astronomy and outer space

A Prototype Mars Colony in the Middle East: Dubai’s Mushrif Park

contributors

Middle East Monitor | – – The United Arab Emirates continues to build the world’s largest space city at a cost of $136 million, Director General of UAE Space Agency, Dr. Mohammed Nasir al-Ahbabi said. Dr. Al- Ahbabi posted on Twitter that the city is a viable prototype that can be replicated on Mars which […]