As Israel celebrates its 78th anniversary By Alon Ben-Meir* Israel! I speak not in anger, but in mourning. What unfolds here is not prophecy— It is a confession. A lament for a nation that lost its way. A reckoning with faith betrayed, with justice undone. The dream of Israel, once radiant, redemptive, now stands fractured— […]
IRAN: Sustainable Peace Takes Time
By David L. Phillips* OXFORD, UK | 29 April 2026 (IDN) — I spent hours with Ambassador Javad Zarif, Iran’s Permanent Representative to the UN and Foreign Minister in 2015. Rather convincingly, he maintained that Iran was not seeking a nuclear weapon but merely insisting on its right to enrichment. He called Iran’s nuclear program a […]
Trump, Iran, and the Folly of Demanding Surrender
By Alon Ben-Meir* NEW YORK, 27 April 2026 (IDN) — Trump’s threats and maximalist demands ignore Iran’s history, security fears, and distrust of Washington. A durable agreement requires time, restraint, and professional diplomacy—not bombast, coercion, and calls for unconditional surrender that guarantee only resistance. Iran is not a transient power that can be coerced into […]
Conflict-ridden Sahel at the Crossroads
The Impact of the Iran War on West African Power and Conflict By Ramesh Jaura This article was first published on rjaura.substack.com BERLIN | 25 April 2026 (IDN) — The war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States is centred in the Middle East, but its effects are quickly changing geopolitical boundaries far beyond that […]
A Fool Threw a Stone into a Well…
By James E. Jennings* ATLANTA, Georgia, USA | 15 April 2026 (IDN) — An Arab proverb says, “A fool threw a stone into a well—a hundred wise men could not get it out.” By thumbing his nose at the Constitution, bypassing Congress, and zeroing out 349 million US citizens kept in the dark about launching […]
Trump and Netanyahu: Twin Autocrats Leading the War on Iran
By Alon Ben-Meir* Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu—mirror images of arrogance and deceit—have subverted democratic norms in pursuit of personal power. Their malignant narcissism, contempt for law, and appetite for conflict led to the horrific war with Iran NEW YORK | 14 April 2026 (IDN) — Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu are criminal leaders whose […]
While Distancing from AIPAC, Most 2028 Democratic Hopefuls Are Still Embracing Israel
By Norman Solomon* SAN FRANCISCO, USA | 9 April 2026 (IDN) — After decades of bipartisan deference to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the likely contenders for the next Democratic presidential nomination have been distancing themselves from the powerful organization. The shift is significant. But disavowing AIPAC has become a box-checking exercise, useful […]
The Need for Peace in Israel
By Jonathan Power LUND, Sweden | 8 April 2026 (IDN) — Over the last five years, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has regularly walked into the courtroom where he is being tried for corruption. In November last year, he unsuccessfully sought a presidential pardon. He is difficult to read—his public mask only deepens the ambiguity. […]
Bluster Without Strategy: Trump’s Ill-Fated Iran War
By Alon Ben-Meir* Trump’s address to the nation on the Iran war was intended to project control and resolve. Instead, it revealed indecision and disarray, marked by contradictions, self-praise, and shifting objectives. What was billed as a declaration of strength became a striking exposé of confusion and faltering leadership—both at home and abroad. NEW YORK […]
Life in a Lawless Nuclear World
Radiological Consequences of Military Attacks on Bushehr and Barakah Atomic Power Plants By Tariq Rauf The writer is a former Head of Verification and Security Policy at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). VIENNA | 30 March 2026 (IDN) — In 1975, the US-based RAND Corporation published a seminal report entitled “Moving Toward Life in […]