The Middle East is on a hot plate. Do you think Iran will respond to the strike launched by Israel?And what is the expected impact of these skirmishes on the economies of the Middle East and surrounding countries?
The initial response has already taken place, although unfortunately further military actions by either side in the conflict can be expected and they are more than likely. The situation cannot be considered from the point of view of geopolitical or economic rationality. A full-scale war entails repercussions which, in the current very sensitive economic situation, could lead to serious economic perturbations. In particular, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping - uniformly for different estimates - will entail an oil price on commodity exchanges in excess of at least 130 US dollars per barrel. It should be emphasised that oil remains the most important energy and industrial commodity in the world. Let us hope that the threat of serious economic consequences moderates to some extent the partisan actions of at least some politicians.
An interesting article from Zeteo by Harrison Mann, which outlines, to a good degree, and with some good evidence, how the pre-emptive attack, was based on some very shaky evidence.
Kindly see link https://zeteo.com/p/seven-lies-about-israels-attack-on?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=2325511&post_id=165892551&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=3kqrlp&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email
An interesting article from BBC on Iran's possible nuclear capabilities
Kindly see link: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn840275p5yo
An interesting short history of Israel's (seemingly) development of nuclear weapons (WMDs)
Kindly see link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_weapons_and_Israel
Israel has kept an 'opacity' strategy over its development of nuclear weapons over the decades as per the link above.
However, one question looms on this matter...were there any pre-emptive strikes on Israel to delay and/or stop their (supposed)development of nuclear weapons?
An interesting article from Zeteo. The article considers what life is like for Palestinians in Israel under Iran's self -defence strategy of missile attacks
Kindly see Link: https://zeteo.com/p/what-life-is-like-for-a-palestinian
Indeed, one question comes to mind: hypothetically should Iran develop a nuclear capability and be able to deliver it, would it kill also Palestinians living within Israel? Would it also affect Palestine (occupied West Bank and Gaza)? Thus, and very ironically, it seems that Palestinians, living within Israel, and in Palestine, are the best nuclear deterrent Israel has, in that how can the Iranian government ever justify killing millions of Palestinians with a nuclear strike on Israel? ...
A most Intersting report from IAEA dated 9th June 2025 on Iran, that was seemingly the spark for the Israel air force to bomb Iran
Kindly see: https://isis-online.org/isis-reports/detail/analysis-of-iaea-iran-verification-and-monitoring-report-may-2025/
On 13th June 2025 the Director General of the IAEA made a statement on the situation in Iran after the first Israeli bombings took place
Kindly see Link: https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/statements/statement-on-the-situation-in-iran-13-june-2025
Quoting directly from the statement by the Director General of IAEA:
' This development is deeply concerning. I have repeatedly stated that nuclear facilities must never be attacked, regardless of the context or circumstances, as it could harm both people and the environment. Such attacks have serious implications for nuclear safety, security and safeguards, as well as regional and international peace and security.'
'In this regard, the IAEA recalls the numerous General Conference resolutions on the topic of military attacks against nuclear facilities, in particular, GC(XXIX)/RES/444 and GC(XXXIV)/RES/533, which provide, inter alia, that “any armed attack on and threat against nuclear facilities devoted to peaceful purposes constitutes a violation of the principles of the United Nations Charter, international law and the Statute of the Agency”.'
'Furthermore, the IAEA has consistently underlined that “armed attacks on nuclear facilities could result in radioactive releases with grave consequences within and beyond the boundaries of the State which has been attacked”, as was stated in GC(XXXIV)/RES/533.'
Martin Hilmi I wonder... wasn't the timing of this particular attack being easier to explain by Netanyahu trying to avoid loosing vote of non-confidence? I mean if one takes his official statements at face value, Iran has been just one step away from building nuclear weapon for the last 2 or 3 decades, so nothing has changed here. On the other hand, public opinion in case of war is going to rally around flag, what would be really handy for him.
I'd rather consider as both flawed ethic and flawed geopolitical thinking that the West is allowing itself to be dragged in this aggression.
Marcin Piotr Walkowiak Thank you for your interesting insights and wise words. Indeed, the BBC provided a good short news analysis, provided on 18/06/2025, on how close is Iran to a nuclear bomb
Kindly see link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMpaHFpWW_g
It provides some good evidence of how over the past three decades Netanyahu has kept on saying that Iran was on the door step of producing a nuclear bomb !!
An Interesting documentary provided by the BBC, provided on 12/02/2025, and considers the Iran-Iraq war from 1980 to 1988. In particular, it tells the stories of various child soldiers from Iran during this war.
Kindly see Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHZRvpuW8QM
The BBC documentary is just one example of the Iranian character in terms of when Iran is attacked by foreign forces.......................
An interesting article from Middle East Eye, published on 18/06/2025. It covers how actually people in Iran are rallying to defend Iran.
Kindly see Link: https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/israel-attacks-are-backfiring-iranians-rally-around-flag-why
Indeed, the attacks on Iran were also meant to try and have a government change in the country. Something which has backfired.....
Seeing the free hand of massacring civilian populations in other countries, see Syria, Palestine, Yemen and now Iran, the question that is raised... who is next? Egypt? Jordan? Lebanon? Türkiye?
An interesting article from Middle East Eye, raises this question... is Türkiye next?
Kindly see link: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/turkey-are-we-next-after-israel-attack-iran
An interesting article which provides some good evidence in how democracy in Iran was toppled in 1953 with the ousting of Iranian Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh
Kindly see link: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/in-first-cia-acknowledges-1953-coup-it-backed-to-overthrow-leader-of-iran-was-undemocratic
In 1979 at the Guadlupe conference there was another coup in Iran that removed the Shah from power
Kindly see link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guadeloupe_Conference
A most interesting article on Iran in 1979 and how the regime change in Iran was effectively agreed
Kindly see link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-36431160
During the Iran-Iraq war, how Iran was getting weapons to fight the war
Kindly see link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_support_for_Iran_during_the_Iran%E2%80%93Iraq_war
Thus, and from the above evidence, it seems that government change in Iran is heavily influenced by foreign powers…much like Iraq….WMDs are one of the many excuses that are used to topple governments …thus it seems that Victorian era type colonialism has never really ended …
Seems that Trump bombed underground nuclear complex (not sure whether damaged anything of value), received in exchange a cheapskate salvo of rockets on his bases (clearly nothing damaged) and while negotiating a shaky cease fire, declared a victory. Looks like... highly original approach to foreign policy, highly compatible with short attention span in era of social media, though this whole brinkmanship could have ended badly.
I wonder how other US presidents would balance out expectations of public opinion with lobbying of AIPAC in such situation (Biden hasn't been especially assertive), as in overall picture this particular scenario most likely still counts as one of less damaging outcome.
A short new cast from the BBC on the '12 day war' between Iran and Israel. From the news, it seems that the supposed Iranian nuclear programme has only been set back a few months. It seems also the enriched uranium had been moved days before.
Kindly see link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjdEHFULexI
A brief news from CNN, which also provides that the strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities has only been set back by a few months in terms of the supposed nuclear programme .
Kindly see link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK-xBsIqrt8
A chilling body count of the '12 day war'
Kindly see link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casualties_of_the_Iran%E2%80%93Israel_war#:~:text=During%20the%20Iran%E2%80%93Israel%20war,4%2C000%20people%20have%20been%20wounded.
A very interesting video discussion from Zeteo about what Iranians really think and view on the so called '12 day war'
Kindly see link: https://zeteo.com/p/what-the-media-isnt-telling-you-about?utm_source=podcast-email&publication_id=2325511&post_id=166846638&utm_campaign=email-play-on-substack&utm_content=watch_now_button&r=3kqrlp&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email
A good analysis by CNN on the impact of US bombings on Iran nuclear sites
Kindly see link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctQwCGsJuhs
A short news analysis from DW, which considers how now the IAEA will have possibly considerably difficulties in monitoring Iranian nuclear activities.
Kindly see link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjwHwVFK-Pg
Hence it seems that the objective of not enabling Iran to develop nuclear weapons has actually backfired. In other words, now Iran has seemingly more motivation to develop nuclear weapons..... If this should be the case, thus the Israeli strategy of pre-emptive strikes makes the country actually more vulnerable and less safe. This is very much the same that has been provided by the war in Gaza. Israel now is far from safe and far from stable.
An interesting documentary from DW on the Iran, Isreal and USA endless war. It was originally released in 2020.
Kindly see the link: part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1x5psFk9io
Kindly see link: Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p41oz5x0Dok
An interesting scientific paper, published in 2023, which focuses on how the sanction regime against Iran has seen little effects on the Iranian government, but has impacted the civilian population far more.
The paper is: Kahalzadeh, H. 2023. Iran under sanctions: civilian pain without a significant political gain: an overview of Iran's welfare system and economic sanctions, The SAIS Rethinking Iran Initiative, Johns Hopkins University, Washington, D.C.
Kindly see link: https://scholarworks.brandeis.edu/esploro/outputs/workingPaper/Civilian-Pain-Without-a-Significant-Political/9924282979701921/filesAndLinks?institution=01BRAND_INST&index=0
The Holocaust Memorial Trust (HMT)has developed a conceptual framework to define what is a genocide. It is a based on stages
Kindly see link https://hmd.org.uk/learn-about-the-holocaust-and-genocides/what-is-genocide/the-ten-stages-of-genocide/
Most interestingly the premise of this conceptual framework is this: 'Genocide never just happens. There is always a set of circumstances which occur or which are created to build the climate in which genocide can take place.'
Interestingly in using such a model as provided by HMT as a checklist and applying it to the current matters in Palestinian regions of Gaza and the West Bank it is more than evident with hard fact evidence that a genocide is taking place.
Further there is now, using still the HMT model, that the same is going for the people of Iran.
Very sadly and tragically, the next step of the genocide of Palestinians is being implemented
Kindly see link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWZfEupwPv8
As a follow-up to the above post: A very interesting short documentary from Al Jazeera that exposes the next steps in the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza: Displacement and concentration camps
Kindly see link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-3vexeKrGE
A short documentary from Al Jazeera which considers: why are aid seekers in Gaza being killed?
Kindly see link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_NMYWsbw3o
A chilling and tragic recount in an article by Al Jazeera on the children in Gaza
Kindly see link: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/longform/2025/3/26/gazas-stolen-childhood-the-thousands-of-children-israel-killed
Quoting from the article ' a child in Gaza every 45 minutes. That is an average of 30 children killed every day over the past 535 days.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has killed at least 17,400 children, including 15,600 who have been identified. Many more remain buried under the rubble, most presumed dead.'
A news brief from Al Jazeera which provides for the recent Israeli air bombings in Syria
Kindly see link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXhK7MJfpa8
From the news brief it seems the intent of Isreal is to fragment Syria and create civil unrest. Isreal also went as far as bombing the Syrian defence ministry in Damascus. Can Syria now invoke the right to self-defence? Very sadly, Palestinians, Iranians, Yemeni and Syrians are all being bombed. The main question that clearly rises is who is next? Maybe Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Türkiye, South and North Cyprus?
Palestine and the Middle East After the Iran-Israel war
The Middle East in recent months has witnessed multiple military and ideological confrontations. Historic changes in regional power balances signal new strategies by Israel, Syria, Hezbollah, Yemen, and Iran. Many of the current dynamics appear to be continuations of past trends, albeit with heightened degrees of violence, cruelty, and criminality (most notably in the US-Israel joint-venture genocide against Palestinians and attacks on Iran).
The unfolding transformations will affect numerous dimensions of conflict in the Middle East, including relations between major Arab powers and Iran, the actions of Iranian-assisted armed Islamist resistance groups, Turkey’s influence, and the role of great powers (the United States, Russia, and China) in the region. But a closer look suggests that all these phenomena are linked to a long-standing core issue: the rights and fate of the Palestinian people. Indeed, the Palestine-Israel conflict remains central to regional aspirations for stability, justice, and development...
https://arabcenterdc.org/resource/palestine-and-the-middle-east-after-the-iran-israel-war/
A sad and tragic brief from OCHA on the body count in the Gaza region of Palestine as per 15th June 2025
Kindly see link: https://www.ochaopt.org/content/reported-impact-snapshot-gaza-strip-2-july-2025
Yet another chilling report on the body count in the Gaza region of Palestine as per 18thJuly 2025
Kindly see link: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/world/news/2025-07/gaza-israel-palestinians-war-un-general-assembly-resolution.html
It should be noted that the majority of victims are women, children and the elderly
Dear Martin Hilmi , You have written about genocide on Palestinians in one of your previous replies. Let me recommend the following article:
Genocide’s legal limitations: what the Srebrenica massacre can teach us about Gaza
https://theconversation.com/genocides-legal-limitations-what-the-srebrenica-massacre-can-teach-us-about-gaza-261129
A news short from Al Jazeera on the displacement plan for Palestinians and how the UN has condemned such a plan
Kindly see link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb5IBtQrquY
From Al Jazeera, an interesting discussion programme, on how also food is being used for genocide in Gaza
Kindly see link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkOpTiBgDHU
A news short from Al Jazeera on how starvation is affecting children in the Gaza territory of Palestine
Kindly see link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YASjrBhQFK8
Tragically and sadly starvation for children in the Gaza territory of Palestine has been going on for months. A documentary from Al Jazeera from 9 months ago titled ‘ starving Gaza’
Kindly see link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51BvCUpcBTc
Please note the above famine genocide campaign is advocated by some Israeli parliamentarians openly.
Kindly see link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7D-bRr17Mk
Dear Ljubomir Jacić thank you for the most interesting article. It raises some very good points, especially the point on impunity. Indeed in the current genocide in Palestine, it is hoped, that those responsible, will not go unpunished, be brought to justice and also shamed by history. Importantly it needs to be ALL those who have collaborated to this genocide, directly and indirectly, that need to be held accountable.
From TRT world a news short on the tragic starvation and malnutrition in the Palestine region of Gaza
Kindly see link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuKj2jE4108
A TRT world discussion on the effects of starvation on future generations of Palestinians
Kindly see link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHDMzz2rmyE
A Channel 4 short documentary of how the aid blockade leaves Palestinians and aid workers in starvation
Kindly see link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1qzbcmYLwQ
US, Israel recall teams from Gaza ceasefire talks after Hamas proposal
US special envoy Steve Witkoff accuses Palestinian group of showing ‘a lack of desire’ to reach a ceasefire in Gaza...
The current proposal under discussion has been reported to include a 60-day ceasefire in which Hamas would release 10 living captives and the remains of 18 others. In turn, Palestinians imprisoned by Israel would be released and aid supplies would be ramped up as the two sides held negotiations on a lasting truce.
Details of the current sticking point were not immediately clear, but officials from both sides have previously pointed to a dispute over what would happen in the wake of any new ceasefire...
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/24/us-israel-recall-teams-from-gaza-ceasefire-talks-after-hamas-proposal
An article from the Guardian that cites reports on starvation in the Palestinian territory of Gaza by Médecins Sans Frontières
Kindly see link: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/25/severe-malnutrition-under-5s-gaza-city--tripled-two-weeks-charity-msf
The BBC reports on the intention of France to recognise Palestine in September 2025
Kindly see link: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg5g4p3245o
An interesting discussion from Al Jazeera on how Palestinian journalists risk their lives in the Palestinian region of Gaza to report on the genocide
Kindly see link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeQD6spHyEU
Israel begins 10-hour pauses in fighting in some areas of Gaza
Israel has announced “tactical pauses” in fighting for “humanitarian purposes” from 10am to 8pm (07:00-17:00 GMT) in al-Mawasi, Deir el-Balah and Gaza City, starting on Sunday...
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2025/7/27/live-israel-intercepts-gaza-bound-handala-5-palestinians-starve-to-death
Why is Israel changing its tune on humanitarian aid in Gaza?
As we reported, the Israeli army has announced a daily 10-hour pause in fighting in three areas in Gaza and the establishment of “safe routes” for aid deliveries.
This comes as Israel faces mounting international pressure over the desperate conditions of Palestinians in Gaza as images of emaciated children make headlines around the world.
Doctors and humanitarian organisations in Gaza have emphasised the growing number of starving people reaching hospitals as extreme hunger affects all aspects of life.
In the past weeks, deaths from starvation have steadily increased with the death toll from malnutrition since the start of the war now at 127.
On Wednesday, more than 100 aid and human rights groups called on governments to demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire and the lifting of all restrictions on humanitarian aid.
Several countries – including France, Germany and the United Kingdom – have demanded that Israel remove restrictions on aid deliveries into Gaza...
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2025/7/23/live-israel-pounds-gaza-as-deaths-from-starvation-mount
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2025/7/27/live-israel-intercepts-gaza-bound-handala-5-palestinians-starve-to-death
Let Us Not Deceive Ourselves About a Deal to End the War in Gaza
Researcher Azar Gat examines in depth and questions the commonly held public arguments in favor of a deal that would bring an end to the war in Gaza...
"Once the Israeli-Iranian exchange of blows ended impressively, the question of continuing the war in the Gaza Strip has returned to the center of public controversy in Israel, inextricably tied to the issue of the remaining hostages still held by Hamas. Disagreements and differing predictions about the future—always marked by uncertainty—are legitimate. So too are the value-based differences that guide decision-making, for which no objective resolution exists—only a decision about what norms to adopt and what not to, after weighing all possibilities and consequences, both factual and moral. At this stage, there is no assurance that continuing the campaign in the Gaza Strip—politically or militarily—holds promise. That said, before making difficult decisions, we must not deceive ourselves in evaluating the options currently on the table with regard to the proposed deals to end the war in Gaza."
https://www.inss.org.il/publication/gaza-deal/
An interesting article from The Guardian on how the Israeli government policy over the Palestine territory of Gaza has been a complete and utter failure.
Kindly see link: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/aug/01/gaza-israel-benjamin-netanyahu-palestine
As per the war in the Palestinian territory of Gaza, the total loss of life, according to Statisa is over 58,500 as per 16th July 2025. There are also 140,000 injuries
Kindly see link: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1616501/monthly-gaza-fatalities-injuries/
Al Jazeera, as per 1st August 20205, provides for a death toll in the Palestinian territory of Gaza as being 60,332 people, including at least 17,400 children. There are also at least 147,643 people injured.
Kindly see link: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/18/gaza-tracker
An interesting article from the Guardian on ‘ The mathematics of starvation: how Israel caused a famine in Gaza’
Kindly see link: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/31/the-mathematics-of-starvation-how-israel-caused-a-famine-in-gaza
Gaza is starving – how Israel’s allies can go beyond words and take meaningful action
Israel’s allies should look at what was done to isolate South Africa during the apartheid years...
https://theconversation.com/gaza-is-starving-how-israels-allies-can-go-beyond-words-and-take-meaningful-action-261783?
Genocide is a fundamentally political crime – here’s why that matters for Gaza
Protesters, activists and international law are doing their job, but only political action can end a genocide...
https://theconversation.com/genocide-is-a-fundamentally-political-crime-heres-why-that-matters-for-gaza-260628?
An interesting short video from Zeteo titled ‘ Debunked! Israel’s Top 10 Lies on Gaza’
Kindly see link: https://zeteo.com/p/debunked-israels-top-10-lies-on-gaza?utm_source=podcast-email&publication_id=2325511&post_id=169859091&utm_campaign=email-play-on-substack&utm_content=watch_now_button&r=3kqrlp&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email
This is interesting article on education war and academic freedom!
As Harvard’s feud with Trump escalated, so did tensions over an ‘education and Palestine’ issue of a prestigious journal. Scholars blame the ‘Palestine exception’ to academic freedom
In March 2024, six months into Israel’s war in Gaza, education in the territory was decimated. Schools were closed – most had been turned into shelters – and all 12 of the strip’s universities were partially or fully destroyed.
Against that backdrop, a prestigious American education journal decided to dedicate a special issue to “education and Palestine”. The Harvard Educational Review (HER) put out a call for submissions, asking academics around the world for ideas for articles grappling with the education of Palestinians, education about Palestine and Palestinians, and related debates in schools and colleges in the US.
“The field of education has an important role to play in supporting students, educators, and policymakers in contextualizing what has been happening in Gaza with histories and continuing impacts of occupation, genocide, and political contestations,” the journal’s editors wrote in their call for abstracts...
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/jul/22/harvard-educational-review-palestine-issue-cancelled
A very interesting article titled ' Israel's Gaza City occupation marks a shift in a blood-soaked, condemned war that didn't achieve its aims'
Kindly see link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-08/israel-occupying-gaza-city-marks-historic-shift-in-war/105627964
A BBC short news video on the thousands who marched in Israel against the permanent occupation of the Palestinian territory of Gaza
Kindly see link: https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/c5ylprlr3dzo
A short documentary by the BBC. It is an inquiry into the Israeli army snippers who have been assassinating children in the Palestinian territory of Gaza.
Viewer discretion is highly advised
Kindly see link: https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/cjelp738zd7o
This documentary provides for hard fact scientific evidence of the essence of evil.
Thousands of Israelis protest plans for Gaza City occupation
Tens of thousands of Israelis have protested in Tel Aviv against Israel's new plan to occupy Gaza City, fearing it will escalate the war and endanger hostages. Critics, including relatives of the 50 remaining Israeli hostages, are urging the government to pursue a peace deal instead.
International pressure is growing on the Israeli government to prevent famine in Gaza, where over 2 million people are at risk after 22 months of conflict...
https://www.dw.com/en/thousands-of-israelis-protest-plans-for-gaza-city-occupation/video-73592799
The ‘historical and moral context of 7 October’ revisited
Palestine: a century of oppression and resistance
A new wave of books by revisionist thinkers aims to counter the propaganda surrounding Israeli-Palestinian history and set the record straight.
On 7 November 2023, a month after the Hamas attacks on Israel and with prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s reprisals hitting the Gaza Strip hard, French publisher Fayard decided to stop selling its edition of Israeli historian Ilan Pappé’s book The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine. This despite an uptick in sales. Fayard (part of the Hachette group, acquired by far-right billionaire Vincent Bolloré in June 2023) claimed its contract with the original publisher, Oneworld, had lapsed.
The true reason was more likely the book’s political stance: Pappé, an anti-Zionist, is a prominent figure among the ‘new’ or ‘revisionist’ Israeli historians who have been exploding the national narrative on the creation of the state of Israel in May 1948. Subsequently reissued by La Fabrique in 2024, Pappé’s authoritative work sets out the origins of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the refugee question and the colonial dimensions of the Zionist movement, which began advocating for the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine in the late 19th century...
https://mondediplo.com/2025/08/04palestine
Al Jazeera journalists killed in Israeli strike on Gaza as Netanyahu defends war expansion
Prominent Al-Jazeera reporter Anas Al-Sharif was in a tent with other journalists near the entrance to the Al-Shifa Hospital when he was killed in the strike, according to hospital director Dr. Mohammad Abu Salmiya.
The tent was marked with a ‘Press’ sign, Abu Salmiya told CNN...
https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-gaza-war-al-jazeera-netanyahu-08-11-25
Transformative Interdependence: A Novel Framework for Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Thesis Transformative Interdependence: A Novel Framework for Resolv...
Wishing that the issue can be resolved.
A most interesting article from the BBC of 6th July 2025, titled Hamas security officer says group has lost control over most of Gaza
Kindly see link: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gk79xlzwjo
Effectively this has provided for a governance void in Gaza, which, according to the article is being contended between six rival groups. However, and overall, what this provides for is hard fact evidence, that Israeli policy and armed forces has failed, as Gaza is far from secured, Palestinians keep on fighting to attempt to stop the genocide, it clearly demonstrates very high levels of combat resilience and simply breeds more and more resistance: the more bombs, assassinations and starvation... the more Palestinians keep on rising up ............
An interesting article from Reuters on today's protest in Israel
Kindly see link: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israelis-stage-nationwide-protests-demand-end-gaza-war-release-hostages-2025-08-17/
Greater Israel: an Ongoing Expansion Plan for the Middle East and North Africa
"This article aimed to characterize the “Greater Israel” concept from a geopolitical perspective. After analyzing classical and revisionist theories on geopolitics, four indicators were defined to assess the historical evolution of this term from the beginning of 20th century until present. The indicators were: the dynamic characteristic of a state, the (degree of) state-centered approach to geopolitics, universalism as a hypothesis in demands and negotiations, but also in political speech, and the (degree to which) political discourse is employed as a tool in implementing geopolitical goals, including Greater Israel project.
Three major instances of Israel’s foundation and development as a state were analyzed: the foundation negotiations carried out by Theodor Herzl and his supporters, the Oded Yinon plan and the 21st century geopolitical concepts presented by Saul Cohen and other writers. The data analyzed indicates a systematic, long-term, desire to achieve a Greater Israel that would stretch from Egypt to Iraq, potentially including regions from Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan..."
https://mepei.com/greater-israel-an-ongoing-expansion-plan-for-the-middle-east-and-north-africa/
The Jerusalem Post provides for an interesting article on how Netanyahu nurtured Hamas for years.
Kindly see link: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-865058
Another interesting article, still from the Jerusalem Post about how Netanyahu’s government relies on the war in the Palestinian territory of Gaza
Kindly see link: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-865057
A town hall meeting of 1990 in New York, USA, with Nelson Mandela on Palestine
Kindly see link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5TiUhhm7cQ
An interesting documentary in two episodes from The Guardian titled ‘Along the green line’
Episode 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEiL_5h14pY
Episode 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jfsqzoApnU
Studying under siege: how HE is surviving in Gaza
University World News publishes a special report this week, leading with exclusive interviews with the presidents of Gaza’s three main universities. We report on the response to their call for practical support from global higher education, while Ahmed Kamal Junina outlines how education has survived...
https://www.universityworldnews.com/special-report.php?publication=global&report=WarinGaza
Gaza universities seek practical international support
The presidents of Gaza’s non-profit universities have issued a joint statement calling on the international higher education community to press for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and mobilise to support and protect Gaza’s higher education institutions. The three universities – Al-Aqsa University, Al-Azhar University – Gaza, and the Islamic University of Gaza – together account for the vast majority of Gaza’s students and faculty members. “The time for symbolic solidarity has passed,” they said. “We now ask for a practical, structured and enduring partnership.”
https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20250822104604962
Struggle to support Gaza universities as war intensifies
"Initiatives to support university students, academics and researchers in the beleaguered Gaza Strip are floundering as Israel intensifies its 22-month-long war on the enclave, despite an increase in student enrolment at certain universities. New initiatives and appeals are underway to provide critical support and ensure academia is not erased, including a European Commission-backed pilot project for Gazan researchers. In the months after the Israeli war on Gaza started, the Nablus, West Bank-based An Najah National University in partnership with the Mediterranean Universities Union (Unione delle Università del Mediterraneo, UNIMED), which comprises 184 universities from 25 countries, launched, in collaboration with other partners, a Technical Education Support Initiative (TESI) to support Gaza's students through virtual learning platforms and open or shared resources..."
https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20250822144233604
International solidarity must go beyond merely statements
"When the bombing began in Gaza in late 2023, lecture halls did not just fall silent; they disappeared. Universities were flattened, and libraries turned to rubble. Educators and students were displaced. What we witnessed was not only the destruction of infrastructure but also what scholars increasingly describe as scholasticide, the systematic targeting of education itself. By July 2024, universities in Gaza faced a stark realisation: the war was not a brief disruption but a prolonged crisis. In response, institutions made the difficult decision to resume teaching online, posing immense challenges for educators and students alike, many displaced, traumatised, and cut off from stable electricity and internet access. As head of the English Department at Al-Aqsa University in Gaza, I felt a responsibility not just to grieve what had been lost but to take action. I began reaching out to colleagues overseas, inviting them to support our students by teaching remotely. Remarkably, educators from Oman, Canada, Taiwan, Malaysia, and beyond generously answered the call, volunteering their time and expertise. What followed was neither formal nor fully structured. There were no virtual campuses, no reliable platforms. But there was human connection. And through that, learning endured, not because the system held, but because people did.
Higher education in Gaza adapted. It moved. It persisted, not by returning to normal, but by learning to function in the abnormal. In my recent article, “Displaced but not replaced: Challenges, adaptations and resilience of higher education in Gaza in the context of war and scholasticide”, I document how teaching and learning continued through immense difficulty, sustained by determination and resilience..."
Article Displaced but not replaced: challenges, adaptations, and res...
https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20250804174533304
An interesting article from the BBC that provides how famine was created in the Palestinian territory of Gaza
Kindly see link: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg4p90z1kxo
A most interesting short documentary from DW on how aid organizations are censoring their language under pressure from Israel
Kindly see link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esnH6FY2tUs
A documentary from Endever on ‘Inside ISIS $2 Billion Empire: The Hidden Economy of Terror’
Kindly see link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbLE2mFzeuM
Belgium to recognize Palestine, sanction Israel
Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot said the recognition would happen only after Hamas releases all Israeli hostages and no longer manages Palestine...
The recognition of Palestine would only be formalized if Hamas releases all remaining Israeli hostages kidnapped in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack and the militant group “no longer has any role in managing Palestine,” Prévot said.
In the meantime, Belgium will also impose “firm sanctions” on the Israeli government, Prévot said. The measures include a ban on importing products from illegal settlements, a review of public procurement policies with Israeli companies and restrictions on consular assistance to Belgians living in illegal settlements...
https://www.politico.eu/article/belgium-to-recognize-palestine-sanction-israel/
An Interesting article from 29th August 2025 that reports on Türkiye and its ban on trade with Israel
Kindly see link: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/29/turkiye-closes-airspace-to-israel-entirely-cutting-ties-over-gaza-war
Israel condemns EU’s Ribera as Hamas ‘mouthpiece’
European Commission executive vice president on Thursday issued Brussels’ strongest condemnation so far of Israel’s assault on Gaza...
https://www.politico.eu/article/israel-condemns-eu-teresa-ribera-as-hamas-mouthpiece-gaza/
A short news report from DW on the leaked post war plan for the Palestinian territory of Gaza
Kindly see link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpkGh8Q0NUM
France hits back at US over Gaza accusations
Messages on a new online disinformation account of the French foreign ministry targets statements made by U.S. secretary of State Marco Rubio...
Rubio said earlier this week that French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to recognize Palestinian statehood had blown any chance of successful ceasefire talks between Israel and the Hamas militant group, echoing similar accusations made last month. Hamas walked away from negotiations “the minute, the day that the French announced their thing,” according to Rubio.
The French Response account’s messages highlight the time stamps of social media posts by Macron and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to argue that “negotiations had already collapsed before France’s announcement.”
https://www.politico.eu/article/france-hits-back-at-us-over-gaza-accusations/
NEXT YEAR IN GAZA? A STORY OF THE THREE FACES: PUTIN, WEISS, BARGHOUTI
Such a flawless combination of evil and naivety can exist...
"...Barghouti is the only person who can beat Hamas in a free election on the West Bank and in Gaza. In contrast to Hamas, he advocates a peaceful two-state solution, while in contrast to the Palestinian Authority on the West Bank which is corrupted and totally under Israeli control, he retains full political independence. That's why he should remain in jail (or maybe even be liquidated) if Israel is to realize its goal of radical ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian territories organized by Daniella Weiss.
For almost two thousand years Jews were spiritually sustained by the famous motto "Next year in Jerusalem!" – if Palestinians are thrown out from Gaza, they will not be able to say "Next year in Gaza!" from Rwanda or South Sudan or wherever they will find themselves against their will because most of them are not even from Gaza but are refugees there already."
https://slavoj.substack.com/p/next-year-in-gaza-a-story-of-the
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n4hpS78mzjTYCKoE3LK0GKmZeAwui8mDYkXejzDNr90/edit?tab=t.0
Middle East leaders condemn Israel’s attack on Qatar as Netanyahu ends all talk of Gaza ceasefire – expert Q&A
The Israeli government is going for the kill with Hamas. Having staked his political and legal future on the “absolute destruction” of the organisation, Netanyahu cannot agree to a settlement in which it retains any place in Gaza, let alone power.
So he and some of his ministers have not engaged in negotiations for a ceasefire since the start of March. At that point, they pulled out of any discussion of a phase two, resumed the military assault on Gaza, and cut off humanitarian aid. They have only turned it back on in dribs and drabs. Aid distribution has been sporadic and all too often deadly for the people who queue for food. And it’s not enough to prevent widespread famine in Gaza.
But the problem for Netanyahu and his allies is that others continued to push for a resolution – both inside Israel, where citizens are beginning to get sick of endless war, and among Israel’s international allies, who are sickened by the images emerging from the Strip and under pressure from their own populations...
https://theconversation.com/middle-east-leaders-condemn-israels-attack-on-qatar-as-netanyahu-ends-all-talk-of-gaza-ceasefire-expert-qanda-264945?
An interesting short history on Hamas
Kindly see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3qEl9TR4xU
A most interesting documentary provided by the BBC, published about 10 months ago, and titled ' One year of war in Gaza: Life, death, and hope'
Kindly see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOEapxExQ84
A Sky News short documentary on the Palestinian territory of the West Bank, titled ' Armed settlers and segregation: Inside the West Bank'
Kindly see link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-Ahyy6_aS8
Israel kills 53 across Gaza, as UNSC condemns attack on Qatar
The United Nations Security Council has condemned Israel’s deadly attack on Qatar’s capital Doha, although it did not mention Israel in the statement that was agreed by all 15 members, including the United States.
Qatar’s emir has attended a funeral for the six victims of the attack as the prime minister calls for Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu to be “brought to justice” for “state terrorism”...
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2025/9/11/live-israel-kills-70-in-gaza-qatar-pm-accuses-israel-of-state
Israeli airstrikes ‘killed any hope’ for hostages in Gaza, says Qatari prime minister
Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani calls for Benjamin Netanyahu to be ‘brought to justice’...
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/10/israel-threats-outrage-qatar-strike-hamas
‘Every time they’re making progress, it seems like he bombs someone’
Israel's prime minister has since said his country will target Hamas militants wherever they are harbored...
Although the White House is pushing to resume ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, President Donald Trump and his closest aides are worried that Israel’s brazen strike against Hamas leaders in Qatar this week has derailed such negotiations — possibly for good.
The administration’s frustrations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have deepened since the Israeli strike on Tuesday, according to a person close to the president’s national security team and a U.S. official familiar with the situation, both granted anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. In fact, Trump and top aides have come to question whether Netanyahu, who authorized the strike and has threatened more, was trying to sabotage the talks, according to the person close to Trump’s team.
“Every time they’re making progress, it seems like he bombs someone,” the person said. “That’s why the president and his aides are so frustrated with Netanyahu.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/11/israel-bombs-gaza-us-netanyahu-00558732
Luxembourg to recognize state of Palestine
European leaders have increasingly been calling for an end to Israel’s war in Gaza...
https://www.politico.eu/article/luxembourg-palestine-luc-frieden-xavier-bettel-un-general-assembly/
Sanders calls war in Gaza a ‘genocide’ for the first time
“The truth is, whether you call it genocide or ethnic cleansing or mass atrocities or war crimes, the path forward is clear. We, as Americans, must end our complicity in the slaughter of the Palestinian people,” the Vermont Independent wrote...
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/17/bernie-sanders-israel-gaza-genocide-00569586
Europe, Canada, Saudi Arabia poke at Trump with Palestinian statehood
France and others frustrated with U.S. inaction on Israel have few options to reorient the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians..
Many of the governments participating in the push are responding to domestic pressure to get more critical of Israel, especially as Israel has taken increasingly aggressive measures including striking Hamas negotiators in Qatar, launching a fresh assault on Gaza City and blocking aid to the point that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are facing famine. Israel denies pursuing policies to starve the enclave and rejects international bodies’ conclusion that famine exists there...
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/19/palestine-statehood-trump-un-00572206?nid=0000017b-1c0d-d760-a77b-9c4da7ed0000&nname=canada-playbook&nrid=3c0e6cab-a09d-40d2-8481-096a48facd7b
A most interesting documentary provided by DW on Syria and the fall of the Assad regime
Kindly see link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USjVcpYzcO8
The UK, France, Canada and Australia have recognised Palestine – what does that mean?
Diplomatic recognition, when done in concert, carries more heft than isolated gestures – and governments know this...
Recognising Palestine means acknowledging the existence of a state that represents the Palestinian people. Following from that, it also means that the recogniser can develop full diplomatic relations with representatives of this state – which would include exchanging embassies or negotiating government-level agreements...
All of the states that recently recognised Palestine have explicitly said that Hamas must play no role in a future government. France said that although it recognises the state of Palestine it won’t open an embassy until Hamas releases the hostages...
https://theconversation.com/the-uk-france-canada-and-australia-have-recognised-palestine-what-does-that-mean-expert-qanda-265790
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