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Middle East

Featured
Can Iraqi forces take back Saddam's Birthplace from ISIL?

Can Iraqi forces take back Saddam’s Birthplace from ISIL?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole Joint Iraqi and Kurdish forces began moving into Tikrit on Tuesday night into Wednesday after victories over the so-called Islamic State of Syria and the Levant in villages around Amerli, including Sulaiman Bek. Several previous attempts to take Tikrit this summer have failed. On Monday, allied Iraqi forces cleared the Shiite Turkmen […]

Apartheid
"Let my People Fish":  After the war, Israeli Blockade leaves Gaza Civilians Protein Poor

“Let my People Fish”: After the war, Israeli Blockade leaves Gaza Civilians Protein Poor

contributors

DW: “People in Gaza are trying to rebuild their lives as the ceasefire holds. Fishermen have returned to work [still under severe restrictions]; people salvage what they can from the wreckage of homes.” DW: “Gaza: Life After the War | Journal” There are no, zero, security reasons for interfering with Gaza fisherman out to 12 […]

Israel
Israel extends detention of Palestinian for Facebook posts

Israel extends detention of Palestinian for Facebook posts

contributors

HEBRON (Ma’an) — An Israeli court on Friday extended the detention of a Palestinian activist who was detained for political activities on Facebook for a week, a Ma’an reporter said on Saturday. An Israeli court in Petah Tikva extended the detention of Suhaib Zahida, 31, until Sept. 4, after he was arrested on Thursday for […]

Israel Lobby
Pro-Israel Attacker puts British MP George Galloway in Hospital

Pro-Israel Attacker puts British MP George Galloway in Hospital

contributors

UK Respect Party Member of Parliament George Galloway was assaulted by a pro-Israel fanatic on Friday evening, leaving him with a broken jaw, broken ribs, and other injuries. The attacker shouted about the Holocaust. Galloway had to spend the night in the hospital. The MP, who called for a boycott of Israeli goods during the […]

Featured
Iraq:   Is the Battle of Amerli a Turning Point?

Iraq: Is the Battle of Amerli a Turning Point?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole The Iraqi military is maintaining that it has successfully relieved the town of Amerli (pop. 15,000) in northern Iraq from a siege by ISIL (the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant). If true, this is the first success of the Baghdad military against ISIL since Mosul fell in early June. […]

Apartheid
Could a Palestinian Boycott Pinch Israeli Economy?

Could a Palestinian Boycott Pinch Israeli Economy?

contributors

NABLUS (Ma’an) — In the last two months, Palestinians across the West Bank have begun heeding calls to boycott Israeli goods in increasing numbers as popular campaigns have taken to the street to promote the campaign. Economic analysts say the campaign could potentially have a major negative effect on the Israeli economy, and buoy the […]

Iraq
Iraq Crisis:  Will Sunni Tribes of Besieged Falluja Turn on IS There?

Iraq Crisis: Will Sunni Tribes of Besieged Falluja Turn on IS There?

contributors

By Mustafa Habib | Fallujah | via Niqash.org Recently most of the attention has been on northern Iraq. But military action in western Iraq has been going on for months, after areas came under control of Sunni Muslim extremists and other anti-government groups. Some, like the city of Fallujah, have been under constant attack from […]

Featured
Israelis Alarmed as al-Qaeda Captures Golan, UN Peacekeepers

Israelis Alarmed as al-Qaeda Captures Golan, UN Peacekeepers

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole Israel now has a border with al-Qaeda! Israeli observers have been alarmed by the capture of the Quneitra checkpoint between Syria and the Israeli-Occupied Golan Heights by the al-Qaeda affiliate, the Succor Front (Jabhat al-Nusra). The Succor Front has also captured 44 Fijian UN peacekeeping troops and has surrounded some 75 UN […]

Bashar al-Assad
Obama, al-Assad and ISIL update FB Status:  It's Complicated

Obama, al-Assad and ISIL update FB Status: It’s Complicated

contributors

AJ+ AJ+ Will The US Bomb IS Group (AKA ISIS) In Syria?

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