Middle East

By Juan Cole On June 16, 1976, some 20,000 students rose up to protest in the slum of Soweto on the outskirts of Johannesburg. Here is a summary of the June 18 NYT article on the repression of the protests: “Rioting continues for 3d day in Soweto, black township outside Johannesburg, with rioters, mostly young, […]

Israel Lobby

Veiled Mona Lisa, Missiles over Big Ben: Israeli War Propaganda Hits New Lows

contributors

By Lior Sternfeld It has been a month since the current war in Gaza started. The number of casualties is beyond our ability to comprehend. Every Israeli or Palestinian that dies breaks not only the heart but also any chance for rapprochement in the foreseeable future. While both sides are attempting to shape public perceptions […]

art and photography

Gaza and the Art of War: Palestinians Illustrate their Suffering

contributors

By Mariam Elba via Waging Nonviolence A breathtaking piece of art highlighting the struggles of Palestinians in Gaza (Bushra Shanan) It’s hard to find the words to encapsulate how infuriating and sorrowful the situation is getting to be in Gaza. As of this writing, over 750 Palestinians — the overwhelming majority are civilians — have […]

Christianity

In Orgy of Destruction, IS Radicals reduce Ancient Iraqi Holy Sites To Rubble

contributors

By RFE/RL The Islamic State initially exhibited some restraint after entering northwestern Iraq in June, focusing on establishing control of the territories it held and gaining the trust of local Sunni communities. But as the self-declared caliphate has grown more comfortable in its surroundings, it has revealed its radical aims by destroying anything that conflicts […]

Featured

Israel Bombs Gaza back to Stone Age: Razes only Power Plant & Plunges Strip into Darkness

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole Israel launched a 7-hour campaign of intensive bombing of Gaza on Tuesday, destroying its only power plant. Gaza can no longer generate its own electricity. Without electricity, the water purification plants cannot operate and the drinking water ends up being mixed with sewage or salt water. Without electricity, patients on life support […]

Israel

Gaza: Palestinians “Philosophical,” Israel “foils Foreign Infiltration” during 1957 Occupation (British “Report”)

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole This British “report” suggests that Palestinians in Gaza were all right with being militarily occupied by the Israeli army in 1956-1957 before an absolutely furious President Dwight Eisenhower forced PM David Ben Gurion to withdraw. (Israel, Britain and France had jointly launched an unprovoked war of aggression on Egypt in late October, […]

Apartheid

Israel seeks to force 400,000 People from Homes in North Gaza

contributors

GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — The Israeli military on Monday evening sent text messages and phone calls to residents of all cities in the northern Gaza Strip and parts of Gaza City telling them to evacuate their homes “immediately,” potentially displacing more than 400,000 people. The military said in a statement that it had told the […]

Christianity

The Persecution of Christians by ISIS contradicts idea of a Caliphate

contributors

By Erica C D Hunter, SOAS, University of London – via The Conversation ISIS conquests across northern Iraq have been comprehensive in recent weeks. Taking control of large parts of the region, they declared a Caliphate last month. And one group who have especially suffered at their hands are the Christians that have been a […]