By Thalif Deen* UNITED NATIONS | 23 February 2025 (IDN) — President Donald Trump’s threat to cut off military aid to Egypt and Jordan—if they refuse to provide sanctuary to Palestinians removed from Gaza—is most likely to trigger protests from the US military-industrial complex, one of the most powerful lobbies in the US. Currently, Egypt […]
Realization Of Trump’s Gaza Plan Will be Crime of the Century
By James E. Jennings* ATLANTA, USA | 14 February 2025 (IDN) — The stark alternatives facing people in Gaza are both equally bad: stay in their little strip of Palestine and die or try to leave and die. It’s like choosing between the devil or the deep blue sea. They face death either way. Even […]
“Riviera Of the Middle East”: A Paradise Inside a Hornet’s Nest
By Somar Wijayadasa* NEW YORK | 6 February 2025 (IDN) — President Donald Trump’s bombshell proposal that the United States would take over the war-ruined Gaza—that he described as a “demolition zone” – relocate Palestinians to neighboring countries—possibly in Egypt and Jordan – and redevelop the war-torn enclave into what he described as the “Riviera […]
Syria Should Realise That Only Way Forward Is Through Talks
By Manish Rai* SYDNEY | 1 February 2025 (IDN) — Turkey’s proxy groups like the Syrian National Army (SNA) which is also part of a coalition of Syrian opposition groups led by Hayat Taheer Al-Sham (HTS) have been attacking the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in North Syrian since December 2024. In particular, fierce fighting […]
Can Hamas Redeem Itself?
By Alon Ben-Meir* NEW YORK | 27 January 2025 (IDN) — Now that the first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire is in place, with some ongoing hiccups, the question is, will the second phase follow, and what lesson, if any, has Hamas learned following 15 months of horrendous death and destruction? The current first phase […]
Rabbinical Cease Fire in Gaza: A New Oslo?
By James E. Jennings* ATLANTA, USA | 18 January 2025 (IDN) — The Israelis are very good at two things: bombing the hell out of places all over the Middle East using American planes and bombs and writing complicated “peace” deals that wrap the Palestinians in a morass of words so that peace never comes. […]
The New Syrian Government Faces Herculean Task
By Dr Alon Ben-Meir* NEW YORK | 12 January 2025 (IDN) — Recognizing the horror the Syrian people have endured over the past 14 years, the question is, will Hayat Tahrir al-Sham leader Ahmed al-Sharaa follow through on his public promises to transform Syria into a democracy where freedom and equality reign, regardless of how […]
The UN Can End the Middle East Conflict by Greeting Palestine as 194th Member
The June 2025 UN Conference on Palestine can be the long-awaited turning point for the region. By Jeffrey D. Sachs and Sybil Fares* This article was published in Al Jazeera and is being republished with the authors‘ permission. NEW YORK | 11 January 2025 (IDN) — The UN, on its 80th birthday in 2025, can […]
Water Is a Key Factor in Syria’s Protracted Conflict
By Paolo Maggiolini* MILAN, Italy | 10 January 2025 (IDN) — Water security will be a key test of the new Syrian government’s credibility. Since 2011, water scarcity has been a central factor in the country’s prolonged conflict, manipulated for political and economic gain. In a region already vulnerable to climate change, prolonged drought and […]
Israel’s Attacks Have Devastating Impact on Gaza’s Hospitals
By Volker Türk* GENEVA | 4 January 2025 (IDN) — A human rights catastrophe continues to unfold in Gaza before the eyes of the world. Israel’s means and methods of warfare have killed tens of thousands of people, inflicted vast displacement, and laid waste to the territory. This has raised utmost concerns about compliance with […]