Ramzy Baroud

On January 19, during one of its raids in the Occupied West Bank, the Israeli military arrested a Palestinian journalist, Abdul Muhsen Shalaldeh, near the town of Al-Khalil (Hebron). This is just the latest of a staggering number of violations against Palestinian journalists, and against freedom of expression. A few days earlier, the head of … Continue reading “Palestinians Are Not Liars: Confronting the Violence of Media Delegitimization”

In a self-congratulatory article published in the Atlantic in 2017, Yossi Klein Halevi describes Israeli behavior at the just-conquered holy Muslim shrines in Occupied East Jerusalem in 1967 as "an astonishing moment of religious restraint." "The Jewish people had just returned to its holiest site, from which it had been denied access for centuries, only … Continue reading “It Has Always Been a ‘Religious War’: On Ben Gvir and the Adaptability of Zionism”

Two years ago, Morocco and Israel signed the US-brokered "Joint Declaration," thus officially recognizing Israel and instating diplomatic ties. Though other Arab countries had already done the same, the Moroccan official recognition of Apartheid Israel was particularly devastating for Palestinians. Years ago, a close Moroccan friend told me that the "first time" he was arrested … Continue reading “The Price of Betraying Palestine: Moroccans Challenge Normalization With Israel”

Even before the new Israeli government was officially sworn in on December 29, angry reactions began emerging, not only among Palestinians and other Middle Eastern governments, but also among Israel’s historic allies in the West. As early as November 2, top US officials conveyed to Axios that the Joe Biden Administration is "unlikely to engage … Continue reading “Criticizing or Whitewashing Israel: Netanyahu’s New Government Accentuates West’s Hypocrisy”

Another critical year for Palestine has folded. While 2022 has wrought much of the same in terms of Israeli military occupation and increasing violence, it also introduced new variables to the Palestinian struggle – nationally, regionally and internationally. Palestine, the War and the Arabs The Russia-Ukraine war starting in February pressured many political entities, including … Continue reading “Culture of Hope: 2022 and the Margins of Victory in Palestine”

Just when Israel, and even some Palestinians, began talking about the Lions’ Den phenomenon in the past tense, a large number of fighters belonging to the newly-formed Palestinian group marched in the city of Nablus. Unlike the group’s first appearance on September 2, the number of fighters who took part in the rally in the … Continue reading “Lions’ Den Is Not a Fleeting Phenomenon: On Palestine’s Looming Armed Revolt”

 The recent decision by the United States Department of Justice to open an investigation into the killing, last May, of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh is not a game-changer, but important and worthy of reflection, nonetheless.  Based on the long trajectory of US military and political support of Israel, and Washington’s constant shielding of Tel … Continue reading “Symbolic but Significant: Why the Decision to Investigate Abu Akleh’s Murder Is Unprecedented”

US President Donald Trump’s so-called ‘Deal of the Century’ was meant to represent a finality of sorts, an event reminiscent of Francis Fukuyama’s premature declaration of the "End of History" and the uncontested supremacy of western capitalism. In effect, it was a declaration that "we" – the US, Israel and a few allies – have … Continue reading “End of the Deal: By Revoking Stance on Jerusalem, Australia Isolates Israel, Not Palestinians”

The moment that Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba was ousted by his own former military colleague, Captain Ibrahim Traore, pro-coup crowds filled the streets. Some burned French flags, others carried Russian flags. This scene alone represents the current tussle underway throughout the African continent. A few years ago, the discussion regarding the geopolitical shifts in Africa … Continue reading “The Other Russia-West War: Why Some African Countries Are Abandoning Paris, Joining Moscow”

Children of my Gaza refugee camp were rarely afraid of monsters but of Israeli soldiers. This is all that we talked about before going to bed. Unlike imaginary monsters in the closet or under the bed, Israeli soldiers are real, and they could show up any minute – at the door, on the roof or, … Continue reading “Strangers Behind the Trees: On the Death of Rayan Suliman and His Fear of Monsters”