United Against Israel: Time To End World’s Longest Occupation

Left to its own devices, Israel would never grant Palestinians their freedom. In the past, some, whether ignorantly or not, claimed that peace in Palestine can only be achieved through ‘unconditional negotiations’. This mantra was also championed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, when he cared enough to pay lip service to the ‘peace process’ … Continue reading “United Against Israel: Time To End World’s Longest Occupation”

On Air, Biden Walks Back His Own Rafah ‘Red Line’ in Real Time

Reprinted with permission from Responsible Statecraft. In a Sunday interview on MSNBC, President Biden warned the Israeli government that an assault on Rafah would cross a red line, but then immediately undermined that message with contradictory statements. The president stressed that the “defense of Israel is still crucial, so there’s no red lines [where] I’m … Continue reading “On Air, Biden Walks Back His Own Rafah ‘Red Line’ in Real Time”

Biden’s Pier for Gaza Is a Hollow Gesture That Will Accomplish Nothing

A few observations on President Biden’s building of a “temporary pier” – or what his officials are grandly calling a “port” – to get aid into Gaza: 1. Though no one is mentioning it, Biden is actually violating Israel’s 17-year blockade of Gaza with his plan. Gaza doesn’t have a sea port, or an airport, … Continue reading “Biden’s Pier for Gaza Is a Hollow Gesture That Will Accomplish Nothing”

Ukraine Has Received Mega-Billions From US, Other Countries

As of mid-January, global aid to Ukraine has reached what the Kiel Institute for the World Economy described as the “staggering” amount of $278 billion. This means that Ukraine has actually had more money than Russia has been able to spend on this war. Russia’s total GDP of $1.8 trillion is just slightly over California’s … Continue reading “Ukraine Has Received Mega-Billions From US, Other Countries”

Four Myths That Are Preventing Peace in Ukraine

If diplomacy is to have a chance at settling this bloody conflict, then four persistent myths about the war in Ukraine need to be exposed and refuted. Myth #1: If Putin is Not Defeated in Ukraine, He Will Roll into Europe Both Ukrainian and American officials have repeatedly warned that Ukraine is not just a … Continue reading “Four Myths That Are Preventing Peace in Ukraine”

Business as Usual: The US and Israel in the Middle East

Revolutionaries in Iran in the 1970s referred to the United States as the “Great Satan” and to its ally, Israel, as the “little Satan.” The truth of their rallying cry resounds today as Israel executes, unimpeded, its scorched-earth policy in Gaza. The Israeli war on Gaza has been oiled by the military, financial and diplomatic … Continue reading “Business as Usual: The US and Israel in the Middle East”

‘Mother of Maidan’ To Resign

The common opinion, at least in the West, about the starting date of the current crisis that might escalate into nuclear WWIII is February 24, 2022, with Putin’s “unprovoked” invasion of Ukraine. However, many unbiased observers believe that it began with the Western-backed regime change coup in Ukraine eight years earlier. Victoria Nuland, at that … Continue reading “‘Mother of Maidan’ To Resign”

On Solidarity and Kushner’s Shame: How Gaza Defeated US Stratagem, Again

Jared Kushner, a former US official whose relationship to power is that he married the wealthy daughter of a man who was later to become the US president, once attempted to teach Palestinians how to handle their own struggle for freedom. In 2020, he advised Palestinians to stop ‘doing terrorism’, summing up the Palestinian problem … Continue reading “On Solidarity and Kushner’s Shame: How Gaza Defeated US Stratagem, Again”

Putin’s Draft Treaty Between Russia and Ukraine Did Exist

On June 13, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia and Ukraine had “reached an agreement in Istanbul” and that the agreement had been initialed by both sides. On June 17, Putin held up the draft agreement and showed it to a delegation of African leaders. Representatives from each side of the negotiations have … Continue reading “Putin’s Draft Treaty Between Russia and Ukraine Did Exist”