Extreme Right in Netanyahu’s Government Won’t Dent Western Support

The most disturbing outcome of Israel’s general election this week was not the fact that an openly fascist party won the third-biggest tally of seats, or that it is about to become the lynchpin of the next government. It is how little will change, in Israel or abroad, as a result. Having Religious Zionism at … Continue reading “Extreme Right in Netanyahu’s Government Won’t Dent Western Support”

Westerners Live in Denial, Convinced They’re the Good Guys

No one took responsibility for the explosion over the weekend that ripped through a section of the Kerch Bridge that links Russia to Crimea and was built by Moscow after it annexed the peninsula back in 2014. But it was not just Kyiv’s gleeful celebrations that indicated the main suspect. Within hours, the Ukrainian authorities … Continue reading “Westerners Live in Denial, Convinced They’re the Good Guys”

Can Europe Afford To Turn a Blind Eye to Evidence of a US Role in Pipeline Blasts?

Reprinted from Mint Press News with the author’s permission. The sabotage of the two Nord Stream pipelines leaves Europeans certain to be much poorer and colder this winter, and was an act of international vandalism on an almost unimaginable scale. The attacks severed Russian gas supplies to Europe and caused the release of enormous quantities … Continue reading “Can Europe Afford To Turn a Blind Eye to Evidence of a US Role in Pipeline Blasts?”

Europe, More Than Putin, Must Shoulder the Blame for the Energy Crisis

Outraged western leaders are threatening a price cap on imports of Russian natural gas after Moscow cut supplies to Europe this month, deepening an already dire energy and cost-of-living crisis. In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Europe will “freeze” this winter unless there is a change of tack. In this back-and-forth, the … Continue reading “Europe, More Than Putin, Must Shoulder the Blame for the Energy Crisis”

Why Is Amnesty Apologizing for Telling the Truth About Ukrainian War Crimes?

Should a human rights organization apologize for publishing important evidence of war crimes and human rights abuses? If it does apologize, what does that suggest about its commitment to dispassionately uncovering the truth about the actions of both parties to war? And equally, what message does it send to those who claim to be “distressed” … Continue reading “Why Is Amnesty Apologizing for Telling the Truth About Ukrainian War Crimes?”

In Britain, Contenders for Boris Johnson’s Crown Stress Fealty to Israel

As Israel unleashed a surprise wave of air strikes on Gaza last Friday, the two remaining Conservative politicians vying to replace disgraced Prime Minister Boris Johnson publicized letters vowing fealty to Israel. Their timing underscored the degree to which British politicians on both sides of the aisle have now joined their American counterparts in making … Continue reading “In Britain, Contenders for Boris Johnson’s Crown Stress Fealty to Israel”

How the Pentagon Dictates Hollywood Storylines

In what should have been an extraordinary television confession this month, John Bolton, national security adviser in the previous administration of President Donald Trump, admitted to CNN in passing that he had helped to plot the overthrow of foreign governments while in office. Dismissing the idea that Trump had attempted a coup at the Capitol … Continue reading “How the Pentagon Dictates Hollywood Storylines”

NATO: By Making China the Enemy, the Alliance Is Threatening World Peace

As the saying goes, if you only have a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. The West has the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a self-declared “defensive” military alliance – so any country that refuses its dictates must, by definition, be an offensive military threat. That is part of the reason why NATO issued … Continue reading “NATO: By Making China the Enemy, the Alliance Is Threatening World Peace”

Shireen Abu Akleh: US Media Probes One Killing but Not Countless Other Israeli Crimes

The New York Times published this week the conclusion of its investigation into the killing of the Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. It was the fourth major US news organization to look in detail at what happened to Abu Akleh during an Israeli army raid into the Palestinian city of Jenin last month. The New … Continue reading “Shireen Abu Akleh: US Media Probes One Killing but Not Countless Other Israeli Crimes”

Israel Calls the Nakba a Lie. So Why Do Its Leaders Threaten a Second One?

Here is a puzzle. What did Israel Katz, an Israeli legislator and until recently a senior government minister, mean when he threatened Palestinian students last month with another “Nakba” if they continued to wave the Palestinian flag? He urged them to “remember 1948” and speak to their “grandfathers and grandmothers.” “If you don’t calm down,” … Continue reading “Israel Calls the Nakba a Lie. So Why Do Its Leaders Threaten a Second One?”