Ramzy Baroud

With Syria still embroiled in its own war, Israel has been actively rewriting the rule book regarding its conduct in this Arab country. Gone are the days of a potential return of the illegally occupied Golan Heights to Syrian sovereignty in exchange for peace, per the language of yesteryears. Now, Israel is set to double … Continue reading “As Israel Plots Endgame in Occupied Golan, Bennett Must Remember Lessons of the Past”

At the outset, the Israeli military decision to revise its open-fire policies in the occupied West Bank seems puzzling. What would be the logic of giving Israeli soldiers the space to shoot more Palestinians when existing army manuals had already granted them near-total immunity and little legal accountability? The military’s new rules now allow Israeli … Continue reading “Why Is Israel Amending Its Open-Fire Policy: Three Possible Answers”

Haaretz’s investigative report – "Classified Docs Reveal Massacres of Palestinians in ’48 – and What Israeli Leaders Knew" – is a must-read. It should be particularly read by any person who considers himself a "Zionist" and also by people who, for whatever reason, support Israel, anywhere in the world. "In the village of Al-Dawayima (…), … Continue reading “‘Previously Unknown Massacres’: Why Is Israel Allowed To Own Palestinian History?”

For whatever reason, some mistakenly perceive the Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, as liberal, progressive and even "pro-Palestinian". Of course, none of this is true. This misconstrued depiction of an essentially Zionist and anti-Palestinian newspaper tells of a much bigger story of how confusing Israeli politics is, and how equally confused many of us are in understanding … Continue reading “On ‘Gassing the Arabs’ and Other Diseases: Is Israel a ‘Sick Society’?”

At a recent New York event, the President of the Foreign Press Association Ian Williams declared, before an approving audience, that it is time "to reclaim the narrative on Palestine." This phrase – "reclaiming the narrative" – is relatively new to the Palestinian discourse. Years ago, the concept, let alone its implementation, were quite alien: … Continue reading “We Do Exist: Why the Palestinian Voice Should Take Center Stage”

On October 21, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz announced the issuance of a military order designating six prominent Palestinian human rights groups as "terrorist organizations." Gantz claimed that they are secretly linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a socialist political group that Israel considers, along with most Palestinian political parties, … Continue reading “Raids, Arrests and Death Threats: Israel’s Strategy of Silencing Human Rights Defenders”

The revelation, a few years ago, that the US National Security Agency (NSA) has been conducting mass surveillance on millions of Americans has re-ignited the conversation on governments’ misconduct and their violation of human rights and privacy laws. Until recently, however, Israel has been spared due criticism, not only for its unlawful spying methods on … Continue reading “From Pegasus to Blue Wolf: How Israel’s ‘Security’ Experiment in Palestine Became Global”

Those who are not familiar with how Israel, particularly the Israeli military occupation of Palestine, is actively and irreversibly damaging the environment might reach the erroneous conclusion that Tel Aviv is at the forefront of the global fight against climate change. The reality is the exact opposite. In his speech at the UN Climate Change … Continue reading “Bill Gates Should Know Better: How the Israeli Occupation Ravages the Environment in Palestine”

The international uproar in response to Israel’s approval of a massive expansion of its illegal settlement enterprise in the occupied Palestinian West Bank may give the impression that such a reaction could, in theory, force Israel to abandon its plans. Alas, it will not, because the statements of "concern," "regrets," "disappointment" and even outright condemnation … Continue reading “Words Without Action: The West’s Role in Israel’s Illegal Settlement Expansion”

When Joe Biden was declared the winner in the US elections last November, expectations in Ramallah were high. A Biden Administration, compared to the brazenly pro-Israel Trump Administration, would surely be much fairer to Palestinians, was the conventional wisdom at the time. Hence, unsurprisingly, Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas, was among the first world leaders … Continue reading “Jerusalem’s ‘Liveliest Parties’: Has Biden Proved Different From Trump on Palestine?”