The Middle East has long been the battleground for conflicts over key natural resources, turning its past into a narrative of imperialist invasions and ideological clashes fuelled by religious differences, powerful militias and national interests. The resolution of entrenched hostilities is largely dependent upon agreements to share the region’s land, oil and water more equitably as a first step towards establishing lasting peace.
There can be no talk of peace in the Middle East so long as Israel is given political immunity, financial assistance
and diplomatic support by other Western states. It is high time that the international community assumed responsibility
for securing justice for the Palestinian people.
As the possibility of a pre-emptive strike on Iran continues to escalate, all parties need to
rapidly shift their approach to resolving the standoff through earnest negotiation, as the alternatives will ultimately benefit no one, explains John Feffer.
The path to peace in the Middle East demands a nuclear-free region and a just settlement of the Israeli/Palestine
conflict, but such hope will only happen if an as yet non-existent Global Occupy Movement turns
its attention to geopolitics, writes Richard Falk.
As protesters in Tunisia and Egypt rise up against their governments, the grip of US-backed dictatorships across the Middle East is weakening. Will the US struggle to maintain its influence in the region, or support the rights of the people to determine their own futures? By Phyllis Bennis.
The construction of industrial free trade zones in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is being promoted as a path to development and peace. But a closer look at how the zones are being developed and who is expected to profit from them reveals another story, writes Sam Bahour.
A growing grassroots movement is using the techniques of the South African anti-apartheid activists to challenge US support for Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories. Could the economic pressure exerted through boycotts, divestment, and sanctions be enough break the blockade? By Phyllis Bennis.
The backlash against Israel’s attack on a humanitarian aid flotilla may be a turning point in the campaign to end the Gaza blockade. Global civil society must build on the momentum for action and force governments to take a stand against Israel’s human rights violations, says Phyllis Bennis.