Middle Orient

“If you are trying to transform a brutalized society into one where people can live in dignity and hope, you begin with the empowering of the most powerless. You build from the ground up. You begin by stopping the torture and killing of the unprotected.” – Adrienne Rich I’ve heard …

The PIJ’s military wing, al-Quds Brigades, said in a statement that its members were killed “while performing their Jihad (holy war) during the ‘Sword of Jerusalem’ battle.” The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) organization announced on Saturday that 19 of its members were killed during the 11-days of fighting between Israel …

The ceasefire, which began early on Friday, ended 11 days of Israeli aerial attacks and barrages of rockets fired at Israel by Palestinian terrorists in the Gaza Strip. After touring rubble-strewn areas of Gaza hit by air strikes during fighting between Israel and Hamas, the top UN aid official in …

Palestinians were also warned against making statements to “suspicious parties impersonating relief or charitable institutions.” Hamas on Saturday warned Palestinians not to talk about the sites that Israel targeted during the 11-days of fighting.The warning, issued by the Hamas Internal Security Agency (ISA), called on Palestinians to “raise the level …

Biden made no distinction between a democratic ally of the United States and a terrorist organization he did not even name. He spoke as if he did not know that the calm was broken by a terrorist organization and by no one else, and that what prevents Palestinians from having …

Overcoming partisan mistrust through a focus on bipartisan priorities. On May 12, Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued the Biden administration’s first annual religious freedom report. It was accompanied by a strong speech, highlighting the importance of the issue and singling out countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Russia and …

The presidential poll significantly undermines international efforts to resolve the conflict. In the face of international pushback, the Assad regime is going forward with plans for a presidential election on May 26. While the outcome is in no way uncertain — Assad will win amid deeply unfair election practices — …

As violence rages on, the Biden administration should reexamine and reprioritize its approach to the conflict. In a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday, President Biden said he was supportive of a cease-fire amid the continued violence in Israel and the Palestinian territories. As ongoing Hamas rocket barrages …

Saudi Arabia and Iran recently confirmed that they are engaging in direct negotiations to lower tensions between the two rivals and eventually normalize diplomatic relations. Officials from both sides are sounding cautiously optimistic about the endeavor. “We have initiated some exploratory talks. They are at a very early stage but …

On March 16, a 21-year-old white man allegedly went on a violent rampage at three spas in the Atlanta area, fatally shooting eight people—six of them Asian women. Law enforcement officials and some news outlets initially said the motive was “uncertain,” but the Asian American community in Georgia immediately recognized …