Middle Orient

For Palestinians, the “Day After” Starts With a Plan for Ending Israel’s Occupation

Summary:Until the international community is ready to bridge the gap between Israel’s and Palestine’s plans for Gaza’s future, day-after negotiations only serve to distract from ending the bombardment and the urgent humanitarian crisis now. With the Israeli bombardment of Gaza in its third month and a permanent ceasefire nowhere in …

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Three Things the Biden Administration Must Do Now to Stop Iran’s Mullahs

If the Biden administration thought that by rescuing Iran’s economy, which had hit bottom, and removing the Houthis from the list of Foreign Terror Organizations would make both Iran into an ally, the generosity appears to have backfired. If the Iranian regime is allowed to advance to nuclear weapons capability, …

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Senior Biden Adviser: Middle East Came ‘Perilously Close’ to ‘Much Broader Regional Conflict’ in Days After Oct. 7

The Middle East came “perilously close to a much broader regional conflict” in the days after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, President Biden’s senior Middle East adviser said in an interview with FRONTLINE for the documentary Netanyahu, America & the Road to War in Gaza. In the Dec. …

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Tanker off India coast hit by attack drone ‘fired from Iran,’ Pentagon says

A Japanese-owned chemical tanker struck Saturday off the coast of India was targeted by a drone “fired from Iran,” the Pentagon said, a sign of expanding risks to commercial shipping beyond the Red Sea. It was the first time the Pentagon has openly accused Iran of directly targeting ships since …

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Houthi Yemen: A Potent, Ramshackle Wild Card

The war that began on October 7 between the terrorist group Hamas and the state of Israel is many things. It is, of course, part of the Palestinian-Israeli struggle, but also a new episode in the history of Islamism and Islamist terrorist organizations. It is many other things. It is …

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The US-Finland Defense Pact: Implications On Military Budgets And Geopolitics – Analysis

The United States and Finland formalized a defense cooperation agreement (DCA) on December 18th, marking a pivotal development in their military collaboration. The accord entails Helsinki’s commitment to facilitating access to its military bases for U.S. forces, thereby fostering joint training initiatives and implementing various cooperative measures. U.S. Secretary of …

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Will Washington Intervene To Protect The Kurds Of Syria And Iraq? – Analysis

Kurdish autonomous regions in Iraq and Syria are increasingly coming under threat by regional powers, namely Iran and Turkey. They are also increasingly becoming vulnerable to internal challenges posed by the central governments in Baghdad and Damascus. The United States, at different stages, played a central role in the establishment …

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Operation Iron Swords (Updated to 1 p.m., December 19, 2023)

The combat arena: The IDF forces continued the integrated ground maneuver in the Gaza Strip, with fighting in Jabalia, Shejaiya and Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip; there was also activity in Gaza City. In the southern Gaza Strip IDF forces continued taking control of Khan Yunis. Palestinian sources …

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Iran: IRGC Navy Organizes Ocean-Going Mobilization Forces

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Navy has established a popular unit consisting of voluntary local sailors that can carry out operations in oceans with their vessels armed with rockets, a top commander said. Addressing a conference on Tuesday, IRGC Navy Commander Rear Admiral Ali Reza Tangsiri said the naval Basij …

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Natural Gas Fuelling Conflict In Gaza

Introduction Nearly 20,000 Gazans dead, including 10,000 children; 288 Palestinians killed in the West Bank; 1200 Israelis murdered, 150 held hostage by Hamas and 3 killed by IDF soldiers; ambulances blocked, hospitals destroyed, 90% going hungry in Gaza; and 1000 complaints of repression of pro-Palestinian speech in the US (Palestinelegal.org). …

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