Middle East

Ma’an News Agency | – – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — The European Union on Saturday called on Israel to stop demolishing Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank, and reiterated “the EU’s firm opposition to Israel’s settlement policy.” In a statement, the EU said Israel’s most recent moves in the occupied West Bank — from settlement […]

Israel/ Palestine

Israeli forces begin construction over Bethlehem-area Roman historical site

contributors

Ma’an News Agency | – – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli forces on Wednesday began construction work on top of a historical site in the occupied West Bank town of Beit Jala, the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said. The PA ministry condemned the Israeli authorities for allowing work to begin on a road […]

Saudi Arabia

Says Syria: Any invading Saudi Troops Would Return Home in ‘Coffins’

contributors

TeleSur | – – The Syrian foreign minister also accused Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar of undermining the U.N. peace talks. Any ground troops who would “attack or violate” Syria’s sovereignty would return to their countries in a “wooden coffin,” the Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem told reporters Saturday, a few days after Saudi Arabia […]

Archaeology

The Deep History of Iran – Arabian Relations (I)

contributors

By Khodadad Rezakhani | ( Mizan ) | – – This essay is an attempt at collecting some thoughts on an important historical event and its related historiographical questions. It is not written with the intention of providing definitive answers to the larger questions surrounding the Arab conquests or the specific case of the fall […]

Bashar al-Assad

Syria Rebels face Collapse as Thousands flee North Aleppo

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – On Friday, the Syrian Arab Army and its Hizbullah and Iranian/ Afghan allies made further progress in taking the area just north of Aleppo. They were apparently mainly fighting al-Qaeda, which had a stronghold in the city of Ratyan. The Russians subjected it to intensive bombing […]

censorship

End of Research in Egypt? The murder of my friend Giulio Regeni is an attack on academic freedom

contributors

By Neil Pyper | (the Conversation) | The body of Giulio Regeni was discovered in a ditch in Cairo on February 2, showing evidence of torture, and a slow and horrific death. Giulio was studying for a PhD at the University of Cambridge, and was carrying out research on the formation of independent trade unions […]

Kurds

Turkey descends into civil war as conflict in southeast escalates

contributors

By Joris Leverink | (Inter Press Service) | – – ISTANBUL, Turkey, (IPS) – – The latest footage to come out of Sur, the historical district in Diyarbakir that has been under total lock down by Turkish armed forces for the past sixty days, shows a level of devastation one would sooner expect in Syria. […]

Israel/ Palestine

Brazil opens Palestine Embassy after rejecting Israeli Squatter Envoy

contributors

TeleSur | – – The inauguration comes weeks after Brazil rejected Israel’s ambassador, a former leader of West Bank settlers. The Palestinian Authority inaugurated its first embassy in the Western Hemisphere in Brasilia Wednesday amid a diplomatic row between Brazil and Israel. Representatives of Arab countries and Arab Brazilians attended the event, hosted on land […]

Bashar al-Assad

Syria: The Mother of all Battles for Aleppo is Joined

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Aided by a massive Russian bombing campaign and Hizbullah and Iranian (or likely actually Afghan) reinforcements, the Syrian Arab Army has broken out of the siege imposed on West Aleppo by rebel forces toward the north, and now seems positioned to besiege East Aleppo, which is […]