Ramzy Baroud

History never truly retires. Every event of the past, however inconsequential, reverberates throughout and, to an extent, shapes our present, and our future as well The haunting image of the bodies of Salvadoran father, Oscar Alberto Martinez Ramirez and his daughter, Valeria, who were washed ashore at a riverbank on the Mexico-US border cannot be … Continue reading “Who Killed Oscar and Valeria: The Inconvenient History of the Refugee Crisis”

Those who are still hoping that the new American agenda on Palestine and Israel is temporary, or reversible, should abandon this false hope. Washington’s complete adoption of Israel’s messianic, extremist policies regarding Occupied Palestine has been a long time in the making. And it is here to stay. Despite the unmistakable clarity in the American … Continue reading “The Book of Palestine: National Liberation vs. Endless Negotiations”

Calls for the annexation of the Occupied West Bank are gaining momentum in both Tel Aviv and Washington. But Israel and its American allies should be careful what they wish for. Annexing the Occupied Palestinian Territories will only reinforce the current rethink of the Palestinian strategy, as opposed to solving Israel’s self-induced problems. Encouraged by … Continue reading “The Day After: What if Israel Annexes the West Bank?”

The United Nations’ World Refugee Day, observed annually on June 20, should not merely represent a reminder of "the courage, strength and determination of women, men and children who are forced to flee their homeland under threat of persecution, conflict and violence." It should also be an opportunity for the international community to truly understand … Continue reading “‘World Refugee Day’: Palestinians Keep Their Right of Return Alive Through Hope, Resistance”

In a TV interview on June 2, on the news docuseries "Axios" on the HBO channel, Jared Kushner opened up regarding many issues, in which his "Deal of the Century" was a prime focus. The major revelation made by Kushner, President Donald Trump’s adviser and son-in-law, was least surprising. Kushner believes that Palestinians are not … Continue reading “Kushner as a Colonial Administrator: Let’s Talk About the ‘Israeli Model’”

Palestinian groups, Fatah, Hamas and others should not confine themselves to simply rejecting the Trump Administration’s so-called "Deal of the Century". Instead, they should use their resistance to the new American-Israeli plot as an opportunity to unify their ranks. Leaked details of the "Deal of the Century" confirm Palestinians’ worst fears: the "Deal" is but … Continue reading “Resurrecting the PLO Is Palestine’s Best Response to the ‘Deal of the Century’”

On May 4, Israel launched a series of deadly airstrikes on the besieged Gaza Strip, prompting a response from various resistance groups. At least 25 Palestinians were killed and nearly 200 people wounded in the Israeli attacks. Four Israelis were also killed by Palestinian rockets. The clashes were instigated by Israel, when the Israeli military … Continue reading “Israel’s Common Denominator: Why Israel Will Continue To Bomb Gaza”

The International Conference on Palestine held in Istanbul between April 27-29 brought together many speakers and hundreds of academics, journalists, activists and students from Turkey and all over the world. The Conference was a rare opportunity aimed at articulating a discourse of international solidarity that is both inclusive and forward thinking. There was near consensus … Continue reading “The Two Narratives of Palestine: The People Are United, the Factions Are Not”

A recent statement made by the outgoing French Ambassador to the US regarding the nature of Israeli apartheid accentuates a larger ailment that has afflicted the European Union foreign policy. The EU is simply gutless when it comes to confronting Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. Ambassador Gerard Araud was, of course, right when he told … Continue reading “France and the EU Recognize Yet Support Apartheid Reality in Palestine”

As the 300-foot spire of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris tragically came tumbling down on live television, my thoughts ventured to Nuseirat Refugee Camp, my childhood home in the Gaza Strip. Then, also on television, I watched as a small bulldozer hopelessly clawed through the rubble of my neighborhood mosque. I grew up around … Continue reading “Notre Dame of Gaza: Our Mosques and Churches Are Also Burning”