Brief analysis
Israel knows it will get away with the attack on Shireen Abu Aqleh’s funeral
May 16, 2022 | The Guardian
any were shocked by the images of Israeli border police attacking the funeral procession of the prominent Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh – not merely by the police’s cruelty, but also by their willingness to ride out the reputational damage from the attack. Abu Aqleh’s killing, Continue Reading
April 01, 2022 | New Statesman
European leaders have vowed to impose further sanctions on Russia after the appearance of images from Bucha of bound Ukrainian civilians being killed by Russian forces. These would be in addition to the sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine, which the US treasury secretary called “unprecedented”. Continue Reading
How Israel’s Occupation Came Home
June 16, 2021 | newlinesmag
The violence that erupted across Israeli cities in May was unprecedented. At no time since Israel’s independence has the country witnessed such violence among ordinary civilians. Continue Reading
Yes, Assad won reelection last week. But Syria’s elections serve another purpose.
June 01, 2021 | washingtonpost
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his wife cast their ballots in the May 26 presidential election in the town of Douma, a suburb of the capital city of Damascus. The location was not coincidental — Assad’s forces lost control of Douma in 2012 and regained it only after years of Continue Reading
How the Syrian Regime Undermines the Response to COVID-19
October 13, 2020 | cgpolicy
The Syrian regime appears to have given up the effort to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, as the real number of infections across the country have soared in recent months. Continue Reading
How Europe should talk with non-state armed groups in the Middle East
November 10, 2020 | cgpolicy
The Middle East and North Africa region is increasingly dominated by non-state armed groups wielding significant military and governance power. Continue Reading
August 20, 2020 | The conversationalist
When the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) announced on August 13 that it would normalize relations with Israel, under a U.S.-sponsored agreement,Continue Reading
Is this the end of the Palestinian cause?
August 20, 2020 | The conversationalist
The Israeli-Emirati deal establishing formal diplomatic relations is merely the latest blow dealt to the Palestinian people. Continue Reading
Has Turkey’s Incursion into Syria Opened the Door for an Islamic State Comeback?
February 21, 2020 | The conversationalist
People who travel north through these areas bid their family goodbye, in case they do not return,” said Samir, a lawyer living in Hajjin, Continue Reading
Has Turkey’s Incursion into Syria Opened the Door for an Islamic State Comeback?
March 05, 2020 | The conversationalist
Residents of Idlib, the last opposition-held stronghold of Syria, most of them living in displacement and with sparse electricity, Continue Reading
Russia has killed more Syrian civilians than ISIS. Why are they getting away with it?
February 24, 2020 | Forward
When Aaref Watad, a Syrian photographer, arrived at the scene of a recent Russian air force attack in western Aleppo, he found a car completely pierced by shrapnel and nine corpses. Four of them were children. Continue Reading
Analysis: The walls are closing in on Idlib. We cannot ignore the humanitarian crisis.
February 20, 2020 | The World
The walls are closing in on the three million residents of Idlib, the last pocket under the control of Syria’s armed opposition. The ongoing Syrian regime campaign in Continue Reading
Desperate, Thousands of Syrians Flee Toward Turkish Border
February 10, 2020 | Foreign Policy
As snow fell on northern Syria this past week, it covered thousands of fleeing families unable to find even a piece of tarp to shelter themselves. Continue Reading
Your Partisanship Is Blinding You To The Truth About Iran
January 17, 2020 | Forward
Two weeks after the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s foreign operations and the Qods Force, Iran’s political subversion unit, tensions are winding down. Despite doomsday predictions, Iran chose Continue Reading
Civilians see no future in Idlib as Syrian forces tighten grip
January 6, 2020 | The New Humanitarian
With nearly 300,000 people fleeing bombing and fighting in and around Idlib province since mid-December, civilians in the area told The New Humanitarian they had taken everything they own with them. Continue Reading
The Syria Withdrawal’s Other Victims
October 24, 2019 | The Soapbox
In Deir Ezzor, the largest city in eastern Syria, on the banks of the Euphrates River, protesters last week chanted and raised signs calling for the downfall of Bashar al-Assad’s dictatorial regime. But they also raised U.S. and French flags, hoping the anti-ISIS coalition might keep its forces in the region. “I remember when we were taught at a young age about the French colonialist occupier, when the Continue Reading
The Human Rights Abuses Behind Erdogan and Trump’s Syrian ‘Safe Zones’
October 22, 2019 | Haaretz
U.S. President Donald Trump hailed the recently announced deal between the United States and Turkey concerning the Turkish invasion into northeastern Syria as Continue Reading
Idlib Faces a Fearsome Future: Islamist Rule or Mass Murder
September 19, 2019 | Foreign Policy
In recent months, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the radical Islamist group that now controls Idlib—the last redoubt of Syria’s armed opposition—has shown a growing Continue Reading
September 05, 2019 | The National News
After a week of violence between Israel and the Lebanese militia Hezbollah, tensions have simmered down. The situation was quite different last Sunday, when hundreds of cars packed with terrified civilians fleeing Continue Reading
Uncertainty, violence, and the fear of fostering extremism in Syria’s al-Hol camp
August 27, 2019 | The New Humanitarian
It was just one sign of what became clear to me during the two days I spent at al-Hol last month: the camp’s civilian administration, the security personnel, and the dozens of aid NGOs are under-resourced and overwhelmed, and tensions Continue Reading
Who will write our history? The world looks away while Idlib awaits its fate
August 09, 2019 | Conversationalist
On July 22 Russian jets bombed the market in Maarat al-Numan, a town near Idlib in northwestern Syria, killing 40 civilians. According to an eyewitness named Um Abdullah, the bombing was Continue Reading
The progressive case for staying in Syria, for now
August 05, 2019 | Middle East Institute
My family packed their belongings after Trump’s tweet … and prepared for displacement,” said Abdul Muin, an activist from Shheel, Deir Ezzor, referring to Continue Reading
In the Islamic State’s Former Stronghold, a Secret Yearning for Assad
July 26, 2019 | Foreign Policy
RAQQA, Syria—The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces that liberated this war-ravaged city from the Islamic State—which had declared Raqqa its capital—are having a tough time Continue Reading
Kurdish-Arab Power Struggle in Northeastern Syria
July 24, 2019 | Carnegieen Dowment
The destruction of ISIS as a territorial entity in March 2019, has allowed the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an umbrella Continue Reading
Oh My God, Why Are They Doing This?’ Northeastern Syrians Await Their Fate
October 13, 2019 | Forward
A massive humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Syria. Over 130,000 civilians have been displaced in a once relatively stable region. Dozens of civilians have been killed or injured. Horrific videos showing field executions by Turkish-backed armed factions have begun to circulate on social media. The fate Continue Reading
A better path forward for Syrian refugee return
October 01, 2019 | mei.edu
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan used his speech at the annual gathering of the UN General Assembly to advocate for a plan that would see the return of over one million Syrian refugees from Turkey to a strip along the Turkish border in northeastern Syria. While Turkey should not Continue Reading
Netanyahu’s Loss Is Israeli Democracy’s Gain
September 19, 2019 | Forward
For Israelis, myself included, imagining the end of Netanyahu’s era as prime minister has long seemed like a useless theoretical exercise. That all changed after this week’s election.
The end is nigh. “King Bibi” Continue Reading
Netanyahu’s Loss Is Israeli Democracy’s Gain
September 19, 2019 | Forward
For Israelis, myself included, imagining the end of Netanyahu’s era as prime minister has long seemed like a useless theoretical exercise. That all changed after this week’s election.
The end is nigh. “King Bibi” Continue Reading
Think Social Media Should Be Government Regulated? Check Your Privilege
May 15, 2019 | Forward
We’re used to hearing people moan about how much time they waste on social media. But recently, there’s been a shift in the focus of the discussions about social media use, from focusing on harm to our productivity to focusing on the damage wrought by social media companies themselves. Continue Reading
Among Displaced Iraqis, One Group Is Worse Off Than the Rest
April 29, 2019 | foreignpolicy
MOSUL, Iraq—Thousands of Iraqis with perceived family ties to the Islamic State are facing extreme poverty and abuse in displacement camps across the country, with little or no chance of returning home. Continue Reading
U.S. Withdrawal From Syria Threatens Revival of Kurdish Language, Too
April 23, 2019 | haaretz
QAMISHLI and AL-MALIKIYAH, Northern Syria — The students at Rojava University rise to welcome their Kurdish literature professor. The large room is dimly lit by indirect sunlight because the electricity is cut off most hours of the day, and the lecturer, Continue Reading
Trump’s Golan Heights Tweet Is a Gift to the Far Right
March 22, 2019 | The New Republic
With a few strokes on his keyboard on Thursday, President Trump undermined one of the fundamental norms of international law. “After 52 years,” he tweeted, “it is time for the United States to Continue Reading
How Did Israeli Elections Get So Racist?
January 30, 2019 | Forward
A disturbing new trend has emerged in the political ads of the Israeli elections. Campaign ads seem to be competing over which candidate has killed the most Palestinians. Continue Reading
‘Scared to Death’: Syria’s Kurds Feel Trapped Between Threats From Assad and Erdogan
Dec 21, 2018 | haaretz
U.S. President Donald Trump’s sudden announcement this week that the United States’ military presence and humanitarian aid in northeastern Syria would be ending surprised and disappointed the Kurds in the region who rely on U.S. support. They weren’t the only ones to be surprised.Continue Reading
Mar 15, 2018 | Publications Atlantic Council
As in previous Syrian government sieges that ended in “reconciliation,” submission to the regime did not end the human rights abuses of local residents in eastern Ghouta. In the aftermath of the enclave’s gradual fall into government hands, the area witnessed the largest forced population transfer recorded throughout the Syrian civil war, a crime against humanity in and of itselfContinue Reading
Death notices fortify barrier of fear in Syria
August 28, 2018 | Atlantic Council
Over recent weeks, as the Syrian regime updated its civil registries across the country, hundreds of families discovered that their relatives died in detention. Tens of thousands of Syrians were arrested in the early years of the uprising and their families continued to hold on to hope that they were still alive. Syrian human rights organizations documented a significant rise in the number of Continue Reading
Why Do Israelis Care So Much About Syrians But Not About Palestinians?
July 24, 2018 | Forward
On Saturday night, the Israeli Defense Forces released footage of a rescue operation, in which over 400 humanitarian aid workers in Syria, known as White Helmets, were evacuated by Israel along with their families and ferried through the Golan Heights to safety in Jordan. Continue Reading
Israel’s Airstrikes In Syria Were A Message
March 10, 2018 | Forward
Israel’s bombing campaign against dozens of Iranian, Hezbollah and Syrian Army targets across Syria last night was the most extensive Israeli operation in Syria in over 40 years. Through these strikes, Israel is signaling to Tehran that it will not accept Iranian entrenchment in Syria and attempting to compel the Assad regime to rein in Iran’s activities in the country. Continue Reading
The Left Only Cares About Palestinians When It Can Blame Israel
May 04, 2018 | Forward
For the past two weeks, horrifying images of Palestinians being murdered have surfaced on social media. Jets have dropped bombs, sending flames and black smoke into the air, followed by helicopters dropping improvised and unguided barrel bombs. On the ground, in the besieged Palestinian camp, buildings collapsed burying civilians alive underneath them. Continue Reading
The Left Only Cares About Palestinians When It Can Blame Israel
April 18, 2018 | Forward
In a popular Syrian news group on Facebook, a Syrian activist recently shared a video of Ahed Tamimi, the Palestinian teenager in jail for slapping an Israeli soldier. Across the world, Tamimi has become a cause celebré, a symbol of the Palestinian resistance to Israel’s occupation. But when the activist posted the Amnesty International video about Israel’s policy of detaining children and Tamimi in particular, most of the group’s members — all of them Syrian — reacted dismissively. Continue Reading
The Syrian War Started Exactly 7 Years Ago. How Did Israel Get So Involved?
March 14, 2018 | Forward
February was one of the bloodiest months since the start of the Syrian civil war, seven years ago this Thursday. All throughout the past month, the Assad regime, along with pro-Iranian militias and Russia, escalated their assault on the rebel-held eastern Ghouta suburb of Damascus. Continue Reading
Israel’s Deepening Involvement with Syria’s Rebels
February 14, 2018 | warontherocks
As it becomes clear that Bashar al-Assad has stabilized his rule over the ruins of Syria, outside powers are stepping up their intervention in the country in an effort to shape an outcome that will secure their interests. Israel, which has remained relatively less involved than other actors, is now faced with regional rivals – Iran and its proxies – that have never been more powerful and emboldened. Israel is left to defend its interests with targeted airstrikes and by supporting ragtag rebel militias in southern Syria whose interests partially align with those of the Jewish state. Continue Reading
REVIEW: We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled – Voices from Syria
January 20, 2018 | Middle East Eye
The conflict in Syria continued to rage in 2017, even though the slight decrease in daily casualties, media fatigue after six years of war, the defeat of Islamic State in Syria and a near halt in refugees heading to neighbouring countries and Europe all contributed to a shift in public attention. Continue Reading
U.S. Attack on Assad Regime Brings Hope to Rebels: ‘First Time Syrian Children Were Not Abandoned’
April 09, 2017 | haaretz
Even though it caused limited damage, the U.S. reprisal attack on a Syrian air base undermined the objective of Tuesday’s chemical attack at Khan Sheikhoun – to break the spirit of the regime’s opponents. After two days of despair, distress and suicidal Continue Reading
Seven Months after ‘Liberating’ Palmyra, Residents Still Cannot Return
October 13, 2016 | Atlantic Council
Even though it caused limited damage, the U.S. reprisal attack on a Syrian air base undermined the objective of Tuesday’s chemical attack at Khan Sheikhoun – to break the spirit of the regime’s opponents. After two days of despair, distress and suicidal Continue Reading
Israel’s Deportation Policy Forces Asylum Seekers to Choose Between Prison and Persecution
November 18, 2015 | News Week
A recent decision by an Israeli district court paved the way for the indefinite incarceration of Eritrean and Sudanese asylum seekers who refuse to leave Israel to be resettled in Rwanda and Uganda. If this decision is upheld by the High Court of Justice upon appeal, refugees fleeing dictatorship and genocide will be forced to choose between remaining in prison forever and leaving to countries that do not guarantee their most basic rights.Continue Reading
The New Torture Camps for Eritrean Asylum-Seekers
October 06, 2015 | hotline
The halt in operation of the Sinai torture camps has not stopped the abuse of Eritrean asylum-seekers. Thousands of Eritreans flee their homeland every month due to the dictatorial nature of the regime in Asmara and the indefinite forced-labor service all Eritreans must perform. Eritreans and other migrants and asylum-seekers are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, as they travel through unknown lands with no legal protection.Continue Reading
April 10, 2018 | haaretz
The letter sent by United States President Barack Obama to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, which contains a proposal to cooperate in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS), attests to a lack of understanding in the top echelons of the U.S. administration.Continue Reading
March 30, 2016 | nytimes
One cannot stir a hornet’s nest and claim self-defense when the hornets start biting. This is how the latest round of fighting between Israel and Hamas commenced.Continue Reading
A Futile Gagging Order for the ‘Prisoner X’ Scandal
February 26, 2013 | isnblog.ethz
After Australia’s ABC aired an exposé on ‘Prisoner X’ on February 12, Israeli media was quick to follow up on the shocking claims that Ben Zygier, an Australian-born Israeli citizen who worked for Mossad, was secretly detained in a maximum-security prison for months before allegedly committing suicide in 2010. However, reports on the scandal were pulled soon after they emerged. The Prime Minister’s Office called an urgent meeting of the editors of all major Israeli news outletsContinue Reading
Israel Media Ratings War Spills into Conflict Coverage
December 19, 2012 | isnblog.ethz
Israeli media has undergone significant changes over the past few years. Growing economic strains have increased competition between media outlets fighting for a share of advertising revenue. However, because the market that media outlets operate in is relatively small many are experiencing serious financial problems. This includes the daily newspaper Maariv, which was recently sold to a right-wing publisher.Continue Reading
Asylum seekers can now face years in prison over false accusation
August 25, 2012 | 972mag
In early July 2012, the Ministry of Interior and the Israel Police decided to allow asylum seekers with a vaguely defined “criminal background” to be detained under the new Prevention of Infiltration Law. Following the expansion of prisons to hold thousands more migrants, Israel began enforcing the law on June 3. Since then, all newly arrived asylum seekers, including children and torture survivors,Continue Reading
Israel: Defense Budget vs. Social Justice
July 06, 2012 | 972mag
One of the major results of the social justice protests in Israel in the last year has been a renewed debate about the budgetary priorities of the state. The social justice movement (also known as #j14) demanded a more equal distribution of wealth in Israel, including funneling a greater share of the budget to welfare services for the population such as subsidized housing, free education, and better Continue Reading
EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Syrian national on life under constant fear
February 11, 2012 | 972mag
The Syrian uprising reached its deadliest phase this week, with over 600 people killed by the Syrian regime, most of them in the central city of Homs, which has been bombarded with tanks and surface-to-surface rockets throughout the entire week. While Assad’s forces use increasingly violent methods to put down the uprising, Syrians continue to come out to protest against the regime and against the foreign governments backing President Bashar al-Assad. The Chinese and Russian veto Continue Reading
Israel: Netizens Strongly Object to the Prospect of a Strike on Iran
November 02, 2011 | Global Voices
Several Israeli media reports in recent days have discussed the possibility of an imminent Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. The reports stated that Israel’s security establishment, the IDF, Mossad and Shin Bet object to attacking Iran, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Continue Reading
Migrants tell of grim conditions in holding facility for children
June 22, 2011 | 972mag
Two Israeli NGOs have launched a campaign against the deportation of migrant children, following the deportations of 26 children and their mothers and disturbing reports about the conditions in the holding facility in which the families are being held before being deported. The deportations are the result of a government decision Continue Reading
Court ruling forbids deportation of migrant workers who gave birth
April 16, 2011 | 972mag
In a landmark ruling, the Israeli High Court of Justice declared last week that the Israeli government’s “pregnant worker regulation” is “unconstitutional”, “disproportional and therefore unreasonable” and “must be abolished”. The regulation entails deporting female migrant workers once they have given birth and allowing their re-entry only if they leave their child behind. Continue Reading
Israelis view the street protests in Egypt with both fear and indifference
January 29, 2011 | 972mag
In a landmark ruling, the Israeli High Court of Justice declared last week that the Israeli government’s “pregnant worker regulation” is “unconstitutional”, “disproportional and therefore unreasonable” and “must be abolished”. The regulation entails deporting female migrant workers once they have given birth and allowing their re-entry only if they leave their child behind. Continue Reading
Myths about refugees and migrant workers
October 01, 2010 | 972mag
The public debate raging in Israel today about migrant workers and refugees is full of misleading statistics, slogans and bombastic headlines, which makes it hard to get to the core of the debate. Are migrant workers “taking over” cities across Israel, driving the crime rate up? Are the African “infiltrators” actually migrant workers exploiting Israel? Do migrant workers come to Israel to have Continue Reading