Ramzy Baroud

The dramatic, earth-shattering events in Palestine starting on October 7 have taken many people by surprise. However, attentive observers are not. Few expected that Palestinian fighters would be parachuting into southern Israel on October 7; that instead of capturing a single Israeli soldier – as done in 2006 – hundreds of Israelis, including many soldiers … Continue reading “‘We Will Come to You in a Roaring Flood’: The Untold Story of the October 7 Attacks”

When Zionist militias, using advanced Western arms, conquered historic Palestine in 1947-48, they expressed their victory through the deliberate humiliation of Palestinians. Much of that humiliation targeted women, in particular, knowing how the dishonor of Palestinian females represents, according to Arab culture, a sense of dishonor to the whole community. This strategy remains in use … Continue reading “Urinating on Prisoners: Why Humiliation is Functional in Israel’s War on Palestinians”

What is taking place in Gaza is meant for the history books: an epic tale of a small nation under a long, brutal siege for many years, facing one of the greatest military powers in the world. And yet, it refuses to be defeated. Not even the legendary tenacity of Leo Tolstoy’s ‘War and Peace’ … Continue reading “‘Let It Be a Tale’: On Refaat Alareer and the Martyrdom of the Gaza Intellectual”

Gaza was among the main topics on the agenda of Russian President Vladimir Putin as he arrived in the Middle East region on Wednesday, December 6. Some news reports referred to the trip as ‘rare’, especially since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022. We know that the situation in Gaza, namely the … Continue reading “Moscow and Gaza: Is Russia Ready for a Major Shift in Its Middle East Policy?”

There is a reason why Palestinians are keen on releasing their prisoners, despite the heavy price they continue to pay for their freedom. It may seem rational to ask the question: what is the point of releasing a few Palestinian detainees from Israeli prisons, if the price of doing so is the death of over … Continue reading “Dying to Be Free: Releasing Palestinian Captives Is Not a Numbers Game”

Those unfamiliar with Gaza and its history are likely to always associate Gaza with destruction, rubble and Israeli genocide. And they can hardly be blamed. On November 3, the UN Development Program and the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) announced that 45 percent of Gaza’s housing units have been destroyed or … Continue reading “History of Gaza: On Conquerors, Resurgence, and Rebirth”

Shortly after the start of a four-day ceasefire in the war on Gaza, the prime ministers of Spain and Belgium, Pedro Sanchez and Alexander De Croo, appeared in a joint press conference at Rafah Crossing. While Sanchez described “what is happening (as) a disaster,” De Croo called for a “permanent cessation of hostilities” and for … Continue reading “United for Gaza: Time Now for Palestinians to Protect Their Collective Sumud”

It is simply inaccurate to claim that the ongoing Israeli attempt to displace all, or many Palestinian refugees from Gaza to Sinai is a new idea, compelled by recent circumstances. Displacing Palestinians, or as it is known in Israeli political lexicon, the ‘transfer’, is an old idea – as old as Israel itself. In fact, … Continue reading “The Old and New Nakba: Forced Expulsion of Palestinians Must Be Rejected”

The ongoing discussions on the Israeli military objectives in Gaza are largely focused on whether Israel is planning a long or a short-term military reoccupation of the Strip. Israelis themselves are fueling this conversation, with 41 percent of Israelis wanting to leave Gaza following the war and another 44 percent wanting the Gaza Strip to … Continue reading “The Strip is Already Occupied: The Two Gazas That Israel Cannot Break”

On Saturday, November 11, Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari claimed in a press conference that Israel had killed a “terrorist” who had prevented 1,000 civilians from escaping the Shifa Hospital. The allegations made little sense. Even by the standards of Israeli propaganda, falsifying such a piece of information while providing no context and no evidence, … Continue reading “Rape, ISIS, Mein Kampf and Other Lies: How Israel Lost All Credibility”