Middle East

The International Court of Justice delivers an order on South Africa’s genocide case against Israel on January 26, 2024, in The Hague, the Netherlands.

The ICJ’s Ruling Was the First Crack in Israel’s Armor of Impunity The ICJ’s Ruling Was the First Crack in Israel’s Armor of Impunity

Even as the Israeli government dismisses the ruling, the international community has sent a message that Israel no longer enjoys the immunity that’s protected it since 1948.

Feb 5, 2024 / Meron Rapoport

American military helicopter wreckage in Mogadishu

The US Military Ignores and Neglects the Civilian Victims of Its Air Strikes The US Military Ignores and Neglects the Civilian Victims of Its Air Strikes

The United States can find time to issue orders for new air strikes but not to issue apologies for past errant attacks.

Feb 2, 2024 / Nick Turse

Is Derek Penslar the Wrong Kind of Jew for Harvard?

Is Derek Penslar the Wrong Kind of Jew for Harvard? Is Derek Penslar the Wrong Kind of Jew for Harvard?

He’s a distinguished scholar, director of Harvard’s Center for Jewish Studies, and former president of the American Academy for Jewish Research. But Bill Ackman doesn’t like him.

Feb 2, 2024 / Eric Alterman

Pro-Palestinian supporters react in celebration after watching the International Court of Justice deliver its decision following a hearing of the case against Israel brought by South Africa in The Hague at the Embassy of Palestine in Pretoria on January 26, 2024.

The Complex Politics of South Africa’s Genocide Case Against Israel The Complex Politics of South Africa’s Genocide Case Against Israel

The ANC’s legal fight at The Hague is based on sincere principles—but it’s also given South Africa's beleaguered government a crucial boost in an election year.

Feb 1, 2024 / Peter Fabricius

George Bush Mission Accomplished Banner

Israel Is Using Bush’s War on Terror Playbook Israel Is Using Bush’s War on Terror Playbook

Israel has given itself license for unfettered state violence under the guise of an unprecedented existential threat. Sound familiar?

Feb 1, 2024 / Maha Hilal

Members of Jewish Voice for Peace and the IfNotNow movement staged a rally in the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, DC, on October 13 to call for a cease-fire in the Israel–Hamas war.

Calling for Respect, Freedom, and Security for All Is Not Antisemitic Calling for Respect, Freedom, and Security for All Is Not Antisemitic

My obligation to critique the Israeli state comes from my own Jewish tradition, a tradition which had to defend itself from genuine antisemitism.

Feb 1, 2024 / Marshall Ganz

Barbara Lee at a California Senate debate on October 8, 2023.

The Absolute Clarity of Barbara Lee’s Senate Bid The Absolute Clarity of Barbara Lee’s Senate Bid

On matters of war and peace, the representative is prepared to tell presidents that they must follow the Constitution—even Democratic presidents.

Feb 1, 2024 / John Nichols

Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt speaks during 2023 National Action Network (NAN) Triumph Awards at the Lincoln Center in New York.

The Anti-Defamation League: Israel’s Attack Dog in the US The Anti-Defamation League: Israel’s Attack Dog in the US

Posing as a civil rights group, the ADL has long operated as an intelligence organization targeting Israel’s critics. So why does the media still treat it as a credible source?

Jan 31, 2024 / James Bamford

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators in Cairo on October 20, 2023.

Arab Citizens Are Livid Over Gaza. The US Ignores Them at Its Peril. Arab Citizens Are Livid Over Gaza. The US Ignores Them at Its Peril.

Ordinary people across the Middle East are being crystal clear about the depth of their opposition to the White House’s Israel policy—and that of their own governments.

Jan 30, 2024 / Dana El Kurd

President Joe Biden at the pulpit of the St. John Baptist Church

The Abject Failure of Biden’s Quiet Diplomacy Is Spreading Middle Eastern Chaos The Abject Failure of Biden’s Quiet Diplomacy Is Spreading Middle Eastern Chaos

The president’s promise of restraint is repeatedly belied by the reality of continued escalation.

Jan 29, 2024 / Jeet Heer

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