The rise of Hamas in Gaza can be traced to an overarching Israeli government strategy to paint moderate Palestinian leaders as 'terrorist elements', and an unhealthy alliance between Israel intelligence agencies and government, says Ira Chernus.
The people of Gaza are victims of geopolitics at its inhumane
worst: producing what Israel itself calls a 'total war' against an
essentially defenseless society that lacks any defensive military
capability whatsoever and is completely vulnerable to Israeli attacks, writes Richard Falk.
What Israel fears is not terrorism but Palestinian
independence. Israel will not permit a sovereign Palestinian government
to emerge on land it intends to hold - and probably expand - as its own, argues Alan Nasser.
As Israel's illegal airstrikes continue to inflict carnage on innocent Palestinians, a range of critical voices are urging concerned citizens to join the global movement of outrage and solidarity
with Gaza, to build a global campaign of non-violent pressure to force
Israel to comply with international law, and "to no longer be silent".
The Israel blockade of Gaza has resulted in impoverishment, hunger and unemployment rates of nearly 50 percent. Such policies are based on two fundamental goals: to ensure that Palestinians are seen as a humanitarian rather than a political problem, and to foist Gaza onto Egypt,
argues Sara Roy.
The recent Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between the Iraqi Government and the United States illustrates three important trends: the rise of Iran, the emerging strength of the Iraqi Parliament, and a critical decline in US hegemony, argues Patrick Cochburn.
The US military intervention in Afghanistan has destabilised the region and led to an surge of support for the Taliban. Rather than impose a military solution to a complex political problem, the US should withdraw its troops, negotiate with local leaders and prioritise human rights, says Sameer Dossani.
