US Gives a War Criminal the Honor of Speaking to Congress

On Wednesday July 24, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to a joint session of Congress. As he was speaking, the war in Gaza was continuing, with more than 39,145 Palestinian killed at the time of writing this piece, 89,800 injured, with 70 percent of all casualties being children, women, and old men. 129 people … Continue reading “US Gives a War Criminal the Honor of Speaking to Congress”

A Standing Ovation for Genocide

There’s no mention of their duty to the people in the oath of office that members of Congress take. It says they will support and defend the Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic. Maybe, in some regard defending the Constitution would mean doing their job: representing the people that elected them. But today, the … Continue reading “A Standing Ovation for Genocide”

What’s Behind Israel’s War Against UNRWA?

Targeting a school during a war could be justified as, or at least argued, to have been a mistake. But striking over 120 schools, and killing and wounding thousands of civilians sheltering inside, can only be intentional, with each attack a horrific war crime in its own right. Between 7 October last year and 18 … Continue reading “What’s Behind Israel’s War Against UNRWA?”

The Politics of Water Under Occupation: Israel in Palestine

The International Court of Justice released its historic advisory opinion on 19 July 2024 just as I was finishing my essay on Israel’s theft and abuse of the water resources of Palestine. The 80-page opinion, “Legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem,” unequivocally states … Continue reading “The Politics of Water Under Occupation: Israel in Palestine”

Houthis Only Emboldened by Israeli Attacks

Reprinted with permission from Responsible Statecraft. Israeli forces attacked “vital civilian infrastructure” at the port of Hodeidah in Yemen on Saturday in response to a Houthi drone strike in Tel Aviv, according to Mwatana, a leading independent Yemeni human rights organization. The Israeli military claimed that it hit “military targets,” but Mwatana reports that the … Continue reading “Houthis Only Emboldened by Israeli Attacks”

Deflating Biden’s Boast on NATO

Editor’s Note:  This article was written just before President Biden announced he would not be seeking re-election. U.S. President Joe Biden’s signature defense of his accomplishments and record is that he energized NATO and put together a coalition of fifty countries to oppose Russian President Vladimir Putin. But it was not Biden that reenergized NATO, … Continue reading “Deflating Biden’s Boast on NATO”

Assessing the Flames of Protest

Reprinted from TomDispatch. From Gaza to the West Bank to the Israeli-Lebanese borderlands, it’s been a genuine nightmare. The devastation in Gaza remains surreal and almost impossible to take in. Housing, hospitals, schools, religious institutions, you name it – they’re all now a “maze of rubble” while the fighting just goes on (and on and … Continue reading “Assessing the Flames of Protest”

The True Purpose of NATO Remains US Hegemony

At the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s 75th anniversary summit in Washington, DC, last week China was a big part of the agenda. The NATO summit’s final declaration mentioned the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) 14 times. It noted that “the PRC continues to pose systemic challenges to Euro-Atlantic security” and China’s “stated ambitions and coercive … Continue reading “The True Purpose of NATO Remains US Hegemony”

When Supporting Israel Is a Liability: Is Gaza Changing the West?

Much has been written about the political earthquakes in Britain and France, the first resulting in the crushing defeat of the Conservative Party and the latter in the overpowering of the far right, by a largely leftist coalition. But these were not the only important outcomes of the July 4 and July 7 general elections … Continue reading “When Supporting Israel Is a Liability: Is Gaza Changing the West?”