Ellen Massey

One West Bank Town’s ‘Unarmed Courage’

Ayed Morrar is just one man. A quiet man, of small stature, whose kind but intense eyes look out from behind wire-rimmed glasses. But he is a man who has become the face of the Palestinian non-violent resistance movement. Morrar is the central figure in the recently released film Budrus, about the people of the … Continue reading “One West Bank Town’s ‘Unarmed Courage’”

US Policy in Gaza Remains Unchanged

One year ago Thursday, the last Israeli tanks were lumbering out of the Gaza Strip, ending the 22-day Gaza War and leaving in their wake a decimated landscape and population. A year later, the humanitarian and security situation in the devastated coastal enclave remains dire, yet the Barack Obama administration continues to overlook the crisis … Continue reading “US Policy in Gaza Remains Unchanged”

Hard Line on Hezbollah Clashes with Political Reality

Lebanese President Michel Sleiman visited Washington last week, for his first visit with President Barack Obama. The meeting was a quick one, tucked in amongst the myriad of domestic issues that are demanding Obama’s attention. Yet despite its brevity, the meeting touched upon issues that strike at the heart of the U.S.-Lebanon relationship — U.S. … Continue reading “Hard Line on Hezbollah Clashes with Political Reality”

US Credibility as Peace Broker Eroding by the Day

In the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, movement in the standoff between the two sides can be as often backward as it is forward. The past couple of weeks have seen moves from both sides that have garnered the attention of the world, but forward progress remains elusive. Not least among these moves was Israel’s announcement Tuesday that … Continue reading “US Credibility as Peace Broker Eroding by the Day”

Iraq’s Religious Minorities Hit From All Sides

In the months leading up to the U.S. invasion of Iraq in March 2003, scholars from around the world urged the war planners in Washington to take steps to protect Iraq’s priceless archaeological heritage. But the widespread looting of museums and other cultural sites happened anyway. Now, warnings from minority communities in Iraq are also … Continue reading “Iraq’s Religious Minorities Hit From All Sides”

Will US Finally End Cluster Bomb Exports?

At the end of June, a few members of the US Congress made a discreet move to limit this country’s exports of cluster bombs, a weapon that has been used around the world since the Second World War to devastating humanitarian consequences. Sen. Patrick Leahy, a Democrat from Vermont, included a provision in the Foreign … Continue reading “Will US Finally End Cluster Bomb Exports?”

Iraqi Women Resist Return to Sectarian Laws

As Iraq struggles to define its future, there is one important group that has been largely left out of the process: women. But they are refusing to be left behind. With little international support or media attention, a network of more than 150 women’s organizations across Iraq is fighting to preserve their rights in the … Continue reading “Iraqi Women Resist Return to Sectarian Laws”