On September 21, a coordinated effort by the Western nations of Britain, Australia, Canada, and Portugal aimed to promote a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by announcing their recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state. This decision happened amidst the escalating humanitarian crisis following continuous Israeli offensive attacks, which have caused global outrage over […]
Tag: Israel-Palestine
The Limits of Israel’s Wars
The Prussian General Carl von Clausewitz famously said “War is merely the continuation of policy with other means.” A state sets a definable list of objectives, and when diplomatic or conventional political means do not suffice, it turns to military means to achieve its goal. War may be accompanied by violence, destruction, and chaos. However, […]
Reaches and Limits of Papal Influence
In a recent statement regarding the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, Pope Francis, the leader of the Catholic Church, invoked anger when he suggested that the Ukrainians should have the “courage of the white flag” to come to the table and negotiate. That statement has been met with staunch rebuttal from the Ukrainians, with […]
In Myanmar, Military Drafts Scare Away the Educated
“There’s no future for the youth.” —Tun Myint, Professor of Political Science at Carleton College VOA In Myanmar, youth are forced to confront a deadly choice. The country’s precarious position is under constant threat from rebel groups. Since the 2021 coup that replaced democratically elected leadership with a military junta, Myanmar has teetered on the […]
South Africa Claims Genocide
Under the United Nations Convention on Genocide, “genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such: On January 26th, 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) released an interim ruling on South Africa’s case against Israel. In bringing […]
Violence and Disaster in the Middle East: An Analysis of October 7th
“The problem of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was always trust. This is just a case of broken trust, this is a case of broken everything.” –Professor Ron E. Hassner Conflict Breaks Out: A Timeline October 7th, 2023. Hamas, a terrorist group operating within the Gaza Strip, fired a cascade of around 2,200 rockets into southern Israel. […]
Will Backlash Over Pro-Palestine Protests Spark Change on College Campuses?
Immediately after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023—starting a regional war that continues today—college campuses across the US erupted in protest. Massive demonstrations were held at Columbia, UCLA, American University, and many other colleges. Most were in support of Palestine, calling for the US to stop giving aid to Israel […]
The Stakes of Egypt’s Next Presidential Elections
Amidst the latest atrocities in the Middle East, the world’s attention has again turned to commonly overlooked regional powers such as Egypt. Until recently, many of these powers had faded from political discussion since the end of the Arab Spring, superseded by the Saudi Vision 2030 seizing social media to highlight the progressive Gulf and […]
Unravelling the Israel-Palestine Conflict – Can We Collapse the Dialectic in This Generation?
Conflict stemming in the land of Israel and Palestine regurgitates toxic attitudes towards Zionists, Israelis, Arabs and Jews, with one group painting another as the oppressor or terrorist in the extreme cases. The picture shifts based on where in the various timelines an analysis begins. In Israeli and Palestinian governments, the question of how to […]
The Two State Solution Is Dead.
The holy grail of conflict management has always been between Israel and Palestine; it is the most shining accomplishment for any individual or state mediator. Since the establishment of the state of Israel, the most preferred solution to the Israel/Palestine problem has been the “Two State Solution,” which essentially proposes two sovereign states for two […]
Homeland: Life in the Disputed West Bank
Israeli-Arab diplomatic breakthroughs mean little for West Bank residents August 2020 —A crowd of hundreds marches towards the outskirts of the Palestinian town of Turmus’ayya. They are headed in the direction of an Israeli military checkpoint, located just 500 meters from the edge of their town. The goal of the Palestinian marchers: to pray on […]
Saudi Prince Signals Frustration With Palestinian Leadership
Saudi Arabia has been a crucial ally to the Palestinian struggle for statehood, supporting with diplomacy and finance essentially since the cause commenced in the early twentieth century. It comes as some surprise then that it might weaken its commitment with such a long standing cause for justice. Saudi Arabia has yet to enter “normalization” […]
A Precarious Peace: Israeli-Jordanian Relations
The 1994 Israeli-Jordan Peace Treaty ushered in an unprecedented era of diplomatic relations, brokering peace between an Arab nation and Israel in ways previously unimaginable. This peace process has enjoyed longevity into the present day; yet this historical peace was not without unease and will certainly crack under pressure if the United States and Israel […]
Everybody’s Zion: Israeli-Palestinian Conflict and Resolution
Driving by car, the entire State of Israel is less than six hours tip to tip. The world outside the window changes from barren desert to sudden, massive artificial forests, erected through donations by millions abroad who have “planted a tree in Israel” for fun, as a birthday gift, or for some other celebration; and […]
Breaking the Silence Over Israel
The political and publish backlash that Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) faced over her recent comments criticizing Israel and AIPAC shows a dire need for an active debate within Congress that would allow for legitimate criticism of Israel’s actions as well as serious discussion about anti-Semitic forces in the United States. The inability to foster a […]
When the Music Turns Off, Matisyahu’s Actions Begin
UC Berkeley’s spacious areas like Memorial Glade and Lower Sproul Hall serve as a center stage for concerts with big name performers. Last April, reggae singer Matisyahu performed a free concert to a large and engaged crowd on Lower Sproul hosted by the Berkeley Hillel and UC Berkeley’s Jewish Student Union. The concert was a […]