Middle East

Israel’s Abu Ghraib – Omer Bartov part 1/2

Israel’s Abu Ghraib – Omer Bartov part 1/2

ByTalia Baroncelli

In a much-anticipated ruling, the ICJ has unequivocally denounced the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip as illegal. Israeli-American historian and genocide scholar Omer Bartov contextualizes Israeli society’s widespread justification of the occupation and how Israeli politicians and mainstream media pundits are cheering on the torture of Palestinian detainees. He discusses the recent release of footage documenting the rape of Palestinians at the Sde Teiman detention center and the storming of several detention sites by Israeli far-right mobs in defense of Israel’s “right to torture.”

War Criminal Netanyahu’s Reckless Provocations – Omer Bartov part 2/2

War Criminal Netanyahu’s Reckless Provocations – Omer Bartov part 2/2

ByTalia Baroncelli

In part two, historian and genocide scholar Omer Bartov discusses Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decisions to prolong the plight of the Israeli hostages and the slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza in order to remain in power. Bartov also derides the U.S. billionaires who pressured university presidents to break up pro-Palestine student encampments.

Netanyahu Hell-Bent on a Wider War – Trita Parsi

Netanyahu Hell-Bent on a Wider War – Trita Parsi

ByTalia Baroncelli

The assassination of Hamas’ top political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, on Iranian soil was an embarrassment to the Iranian regime and its new president, Masoud Pezeshkian. Trita Parsi, Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, lays out how Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking to corner Kamala Harris – should she win the presidency – into steering U.S. policy in the direction of an all-out war in the Middle East. Yet neither is her bearhug of Netanyahu, nor a war, inevitable.

Beyond Genocide in Gaza: Settler Violence in the West Bank – Omer Bartov

Beyond Genocide in Gaza: Settler Violence in the West Bank – Omer Bartov

ByTalia Baroncelli

As Israel continues its campaign of destruction in Gaza, the situation in the West Bank has deteriorated, with the Israeli Defense Forces as well as settlers killing over 500 Palestinians in the West Bank since October 7. Holocaust and genocide studies scholar Dr. Omer Bartov unpacks Israel’s genocidal strategy in the Gaza Strip, and describes the surge of settler violence towards Palestinians. Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has not only armed the settlers but has been incorporating them into Israeli forces operating in the West Bank. 

Biden’s Loyalty to Israel Rooted in Cold War & Laced with AIPAC Money – Adolph Reed pt 2/2
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Biden’s Loyalty to Israel Rooted in Cold War & Laced with AIPAC Money – Adolph Reed pt 2/2

ByPaul Jay

Paul Jay welcomes Adolph Reed, an academic, author, activist, and organizer, for part two of their discussion. Reed says there should be no illusions about corporate Democrats’ aggressive foreign policies, especially in Gaza and Ukraine, but there should also be no illusions that Trump won’t be dangerously worse.

Why Did Biden Slam ICC Over Israeli-Hamas Arrest Warrants? – Assal Rad 

Why Did Biden Slam ICC Over Israeli-Hamas Arrest Warrants? – Assal Rad 

ByTalia Baroncelli

The Biden administration has denounced ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan for seeking arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Ismael Haniyeh, and Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri. Middle East analyst Assal Rad underscores the U.S. government’s complicity in Israeli war crimes in Gaza by arming Israel despite numerous ICJ rulings calling for Netanyahu’s government to adhere to its commitments under the Genocide Convention, and most recently, to immediately halt its operation in Rafah. She also discusses the potential implications of the recent deaths of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. 

Bellicose British Foreign Policy in Ukraine and Gaza – Tom Stevenson part 2/2
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Bellicose British Foreign Policy in Ukraine and Gaza – Tom Stevenson part 2/2

ByTalia Baroncelli

In part 2, journalist Tom Stevenson discusses the nuclear threat posited by the ongoing war in Ukraine, with Russia recently staging tactical nuclear exercises close to the Ukrainian border, allegedly in response to provocative statements made by U.K.’s Foreign Secretary David Cameron endorsing Ukraine’s potential use of British-supplied weapons to strike Russian territory.  He also breaks down Israel’s destructive aims in Gaza and why certain bloody conflicts, such as the war in Tigray, have been forgotten.

Someone Else’s Empire: British Illusions and American Hegemony – Tom Stevenson part 1/2
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Someone Else’s Empire: British Illusions and American Hegemony – Tom Stevenson part 1/2

ByTalia Baroncelli

The post-World War II era was characterized by decolonization in Asia and Africa, with resistance movements leading to the unraveling of the British empire in colonies such as former British Kenya, where the Mau Mau launched a lengthy uprising between 1952-1960, as well as in former British India, with the dissolution of the British Raj and creation of an independent India and Pakistan in 1947. Journalist Tom Stevenson provides historical examples illustrating how the rise of American hegemony following the decline of Britain’s imperial power was bolstered by British foreign policy at every juncture. 

Genocide in Gaza: When Does the History Begin? – Paul Jay 

Genocide in Gaza: When Does the History Begin? – Paul Jay 

ByNorth of 48

Israel’s objective is to maintain Jewish-Israeli dominance in the region by imposing inhumane conditions on Palestinians, resulting in the forced displacement of the entire population of Gaza. Paul Jay, the founder of theAnalysis, states that in order to understand the Israel-Palestine conflict, one has to view it from the context of U.S. global hegemony and monopoly capitalism. 

Defunding UNRWA to Starve Gaza – Sari Hanafi part 2/2 

Defunding UNRWA to Starve Gaza – Sari Hanafi part 2/2 

ByTalia Baroncelli

Israel’s accusations against a total of 19 UNRWA staff members alleging their involvement in the October 7 attacks prompted 16 countries to pause or suspend $450 million in funding to the agency. A UN investigation resulted in one of the 19 cases being closed and four suspended due to a lack of evidence. Of the 12 staff members initially accused by Israel, 10 of them were fired by UNRWA, while the other two were killed. Israeli claims that 10% of UNRWA employees have ties to Hamas have yet to be substantiated. As Sari Hanafi explains, UNRWA provides critical infrastructure, housing, and education to Palestinians in Jordan, Lebanon, the West Bank, and Gaza. 

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