Arab-Islamic Summit in Qatar Condemns Israeli Aggression, Warns Normalization is "Undermined"

Arab-Islamic Summit in Qatar Condemns Israeli Aggression, Warns Normalization is "Undermined"

    Sunday, September 14, 2025   No comments

Doha, Qatar – A pivotal joint summit of Arab and Islamic nations convened in Doha on Monday under a cloud of heightened urgency, with a draft declaration explicitly condemning recent Israeli aggression against Qatar and warning that Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza has effectively "undermined" all efforts to normalize relations in the region.

The emergency meeting, bringing together leaders and top diplomats, was called in response to what participants describe as an escalating crisis. The discussions are heavily influenced by a recently updated draft communique, seen by Reuters, which delivers a stark assessment of the current situation.

A Direct Threat to Regional Peace

The draft document leaves little room for ambiguity. It states that the recent "Israeli aggression against Qatar," coupled with a continuous series of violations, "constitutes a direct threat to all efforts aimed at normalizing relations with the entity."

It further elaborates that this aggression, along with Israel’s persistent hostile acts—including "genocide, ethnic cleansing, starvation, siege, settlement, and expansionist policies—threatens the prospects for peace and coexistence in the region."

This language represents a significant hardening of stance from many nations, some of whom had been cautiously pursuing closer ties with Israel through the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords. The draft declaration asserts that these Israeli policies "undo all that has been achieved in terms of normalizing relations, whether what has already been accomplished or what is in preparation."

Hamas Calls for Boycott and Isolation

The summit’s agenda was further shaped by a memorandum from Hamas, addressed directly to the foreign ministers gathered in Doha and to international organizations. The Palestinian group highlighted two critical events: the recent attempted assassination of its negotiating delegation in the Qatari capital and the failure of efforts to stop the "genocide" in the Gaza Strip.

In light of these events, Hamas called upon the assembled Arab and Islamic states to take decisive action by imposing a comprehensive political and economic boycott on Israel and working to isolate it on both the regional and international stages.

Context: A Region Under Fire

The summit occurs amidst what the draft describes as an Israeli assault not only on Qatar but on the entire region. The primary focus, however, remains the relentless war on Gaza, which has continued for months, resulting in a devastating toll of hundreds of thousands of martyrs, wounded, detainees, and missing persons.

The meeting in Doha thus transcends a mere diplomatic gathering; it is a response to a profound crisis. The strong language in the draft communique signals a potential strategic shift, moving away from the path of normalization and toward a unified front of condemnation and a demand for accountability, placing the future of regional relations firmly in jeopardy.

Opening remarks by Qatari PM Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani at the ministerial meeting in Doha

Ahead of the regional emergency summit on Monday, the Qatari Prime Minister who also met with President Trump earlier said the following (summary of his opening remarks):

“We express our appreciation to the Arab states who condemned this Israeli barbaric attack and their support to the lawful measures we will take to safeguard our sovereignty.”

“Attacking Qatar’s sovereignty is a violation of the UN Charter, namely Article 4, which prohibits the use of force against countries and sovereignty. It is also a flagrant violation of international norms and humanitarian principles. It cannot be an isolated incident that goes unpunished. It must be met with fierce and firm measures.”

 “The inhumane Israeli government has crossed all the red lines. It continues to undermine and destabilize any state in the world and sabotage political efforts that conflict with its agenda or expose its propaganda. That is why we cannot remain silent in the face of this barbaric attack.”

“If we remain silent, we will be faced with an unlimited and countless series of aggressions that will end in total destruction, and no country will be spared.”

“It is time for the international community to abandon double standards and hold Israel accountable for all the crimes it has perpetrated. Israel must know that the continued genocidal war against the Palestinian people, aiming at forcibly transferring them from their homeland, cannot succeed no matter what false justification is provided.”

“The Israeli government continues to reject proposal after proposal, intentionally widening the circle of war and placing the region’s peoples, including their own, at grave risk. This region cannot enjoy peace, stability, or security, nor its peoples justice, without the Palestinians restoring their rights and establishing their independent state on the 1967 borders.”

 “We in the State of Qatar reiterate that moderation as a means for amicable settlement is not merely an obligation but an ethical responsibility deeply rooted in our philosophy. Just and lasting peace is our strategic choice.”

“Israeli barbaric practices and arrogance will not prevent us from continuing to cooperate with our partners in Egypt to bring this unjust, unlawful war to an end.”

 “It is no secret that last Thursday we stood before the Security Council to condemn the Israeli attack on Qatar, and we appreciate the solidarity expressed by states worldwide, as well as the statement issued by the Council.”

“Today, we must take harsh measures to put an end to Israel’s arrogance and its continued violations of international law and countless crimes carried out under the cover of the international community.”

“It is with pleasure that I welcome you to your second homeland, the State of Qatar, and express our full appreciation for your participation in this emergency Arab and Islamic summit convened following the treacherous Israeli aggression of September 9.”

Amidst Summit, U.S. Diplomatic Visit to Israel Sends Mixed Signals

As Arab and Islamic leaders gathered in Doha, a parallel diplomatic mission unfolded in Israel, highlighting the complex international dimensions of the crisis. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio embarked on a visit to Israel, a move intensely analyzed for its timing and message amidst the fallout from the attack on Qatar and the ongoing war in Gaza.

Israeli analyses, as reported, described the visit as a critical test for U.S.-Israel relations, questioning the level of security coordination and the limits of public American support for Israeli operations. While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu portrayed the visit as "proof of the strength of the relationship with the United States," commentators suggested a more nuanced reality.

According to Israeli political analysts, Secretary Rubio’s mission conveyed a "mix of reassurance and pressure":

On Gaza: The visit aimed to discuss post-war arrangements, revealing a continuing gap between Israel’s vision of complete security control and the U.S. preference for solutions that open the door to broader regional deals.

On the Qatar Attack: The visit underscored Washington's embarrassment. While reaffirming strong ties, reports indicated dissatisfaction within the Trump administration with the operation, exposing the limits of U.S. support when Israeli actions directly conflict with American interests, such as the stability of a key Gulf mediator like Qatar.

On Palestinian Statehood: The visit confirmed the U.S. commitment to thwarting international efforts to recognize a Palestinian state at the upcoming UN General Assembly. However, analysts warned that American support alone may not be enough to stem the growing European momentum. 

Israeli Airstrike in Doha Sparks Global Condemnation and Regional Upheaval

Israeli Airstrike in Doha Sparks Global Condemnation and Regional Upheaval

    Wednesday, September 10, 2025   No comments

DOHA, QATAR – In a dramatic and unprecedented escalation that has sent shockwaves across the Middle East and the world, Israel launched a military strike on the capital of Qatar yesterday, targeting and killing senior leaders of the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The attack, which violated the airspace of multiple sovereign nations, has been universally condemned as a severe breach of international law and has critically damaged diplomatic efforts to end the war in Gaza, potentially signaling a major realignment of global power in the region.

The operation, codenamed "Summit of Fire" by the Israeli military, saw warplanes travel approximately 1,800 kilometers to reach Doha. According to reports from Arab media outlets, the Israeli Air Force breached the airspace of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Syria to reach its target. Once over the Qatari capital, the jets fired missiles at a residential compound housing members of Hamas's political bureau, who were in the country for talks. A Qatari security official was also reported killed in the attack.

The timing of the strike is seen by many observers as highly significant. It came just one day after the US President publicly issued a new proposal for a Gaza ceasefire deal, urging Hamas to accept it or "face consequences." With top Hamas leadership gathered in Doha—a key mediator throughout the conflict—to discuss the very proposal, the Israeli attack has led to widespread accusations that the diplomatic effort was a trap designed to eliminate the group's leadership in one fell swoop.

"This, as many observers noted, suggested that it might have been a trap to kill all Hamas top leadership, and that destroys US credibility as an honest broker of deals for peace," a point echoed by numerous diplomatic sources. The incident has placed the United States in a deeply awkward position, raising serious questions about its foreknowledge and role in the event.

Further intensifying the crisis is the glaring question of the massive US military presence in Qatar. Al-Udeid Air Base, the largest US military installation in the Middle East, houses advanced defense systems. The failure of these systems to intercept the Israeli aircraft or to provide Qatar with an early warning has sparked a crisis of confidence in Doha.

"The US not to use those defense resources to defend Qatar or at least warn it, suggests that US presence in Qatar is useless and does not provide any protection to Qatar," a consensus view emerging in the region. This perception was seemingly acknowledged by the US administration itself, with the President announcing he had ordered the State Department to finalize a new strategic defense deal with Qatar, an move interpreted as damage control for a severely weakened alliance.

The strategic ramifications are immediate. Global powers Russia and China were swift and forceful in their condemnation. They warned of a dangerous escalation and accused Israel of deliberately sabotaging peace negotiations. Analysts suggest that Qatar, now questioning the value of its US security umbrella, may rapidly pivot towards Moscow and Beijing for advanced defense systems, a move that would fundamentally alter the security architecture of the Gulf and could spell the end of the US military footprint in Qatar.

The attack also strains relations within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which promises collective security to its members. By violating the airspace of fellow GCC member Saudi Arabia to attack another member state, Israel has placed these US-allied nations in a difficult position, forcing them to confront a blatant violation of their sovereignty.

Global Outcry and Condemnation

The international response was swift and severe:

• United Nations: Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the attack "without ambiguity," calling it a "flagrant violation of the sovereignty of Qatar" and a blow to mediation efforts.

• Russia: Its foreign ministry stated the attack aimed to "undermine international efforts to reach a peaceful settlement in the Middle East."

• China: Expressed "strong dissatisfaction with the deliberate sabotage of the Gaza ceasefire negotiations" and urged major countries to play a "constructive role in easing regional tensions."

• European Union: Denounced the strike as a "violation of international law" and a "serious threat that could further escalate violence in the region."

• Turkey: President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan decried the "reckless Netanyahu government" for its actions.

• Organization of Islamic Cooperation: Denounced the aggression "in the strongest terms."

Qatar issued a furious statement, vowing it "would not tolerate this reckless Israeli behavior" and emphasizing that the "criminal assault is a violation of all international laws and a serious threat to the security and safety of Qataris and residents."

The strike marks a dangerous new chapter in the Gaza conflict, moving the battlefield into the heart of a mediator's capital and risking a much broader regional war. It has not only targeted Hamas leadership but has also severely damaged America's standing as a security partner and honest broker, potentially creating a vacuum that rivals Russia and China are poised to fill.

  

President Trump: " Israel's lobby had total control over Congress"

President Trump: " Israel's lobby had total control over Congress"

    Tuesday, September 02, 2025   No comments

In the intricate theater of American politics, where influence is currency and loyalty is a commodity, few topics are as potent or as perilous to discuss openly as the role of foreign lobbying. That taboo was shattered once again this week when President Donald Trump, in a wide-ranging interview with The Daily Caller, made a blunt assertion that has sent ripples through the foreign policy establishment.

"Israel was the strongest lobby I’ve ever seen," Trump stated. "They had total control over Congress."

This stark declaration, from a man who proudly moved the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem and brokered the Abraham Accords, is more than just a soundbite. It is a rare, public admission from the commander-in-chief that reignites a long-simmering debate about the power of pro-Israel advocacy groups, their strategic influence on U.S. policy, and the line between support for an ally and "total control."

Trump’s remark did not come in a vacuum. It was part of a broader reflection on his presidency and his relationships—and friction—with various power centers. While he praised his administration's pro-Israel achievements, his comment about the lobby appears to stem from his perception of political pressure, particularly from groups that he felt were insufficiently loyal or critical of his specific policies.

This aligns with a recurring theme in Trump's political narrative: his self-styled image as a Washington outsider battling entrenched interests. By claiming that AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) and similar organizations wield "total control," he frames his own actions not as capitulation to this influence, but as independent decisions made in the face of it.

Decoding "Total Control"

What does "total control" mean in practice? Political scientists and insiders argue it is less about sinister puppetry and more about a highly effective, sophisticated advocacy ecosystem that has been built over decades. This system encompasses:

• AIPAC: The most well-known and powerful pro-Israel lobbying group, renowned for its bipartisan approach, extensive fundraising network, and deep relationships on Capitol Hill.

• PAC Fundraising: Associated political action committees donate millions to the campaigns of both Democratic and Republican candidates who align with their policy goals.

• Grassroots Mobilization: A network of local chapters that can activate constituents to contact their representatives on key votes, such as military aid packages or Iran sanctions.

• Discourse Shaping: Efforts to influence think tanks, media commentary, and academic circles to align with a pro-Israel perspective.

The result is a political environment where unwavering support for Israel is often the default, bipartisan position. Voting against aid to Israel or criticizing its government’s actions is frequently seen as a significant political risk, a testament to the lobby's perceived power to reward friends and punish foes.

   

The Unraveling: How a Scholars' Resolution on Gaza Shatters the West's Most Potent Weapon

The Unraveling: How a Scholars' Resolution on Gaza Shatters the West's Most Potent Weapon

    Monday, September 01, 2025   No comments

For decades, the cornerstone of Western foreign policy influence has not been its fleets or its fighter jets, but its moral authority. The powerful, unspoken currency of human rights has been wielded to sanction adversaries, justify interventions, and command the high ground in the court of global public opinion. This instrument has been more effective than any military division. Now, that very weapon is being turned against its creators, and a recent, seismic declaration by the world’s foremost experts on mass atrocity has just loaded the chamber.

The International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS), the preeminent body of academics who dedicate their lives to studying the darkest chapters of human history, has issued a resolution that is not merely a condemnation; it is a historical and legal thunderclap. After extensive investigation, they have declared unequivocally that “Israel’s policies and actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide.”

This is not a partisan statement from a activist group. This is a verdict from the scholars of genocide. They base their conclusion on the same United Nations Convention crafted in the wake of the Holocaust—a convention Western governments claim to uphold as sacrosanct.

The resolution is chilling in its clarity and its sourcing. It acknowledges the exhaustive work of the world’s most respected human rights organizations—Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Forensic Architecture, Physicians for Human Rights—alongside Israeli, Palestinian, and Jewish experts who have all reached the same horrifying conclusion. This collective, evidence-based judgment creates an irrefutable consensus that can no longer be dismissed as rhetoric or bias.

For Western governments in Washington, London, Berlin, and elsewhere, this resolution must sound an ear-splitting alarm. Their strategy has been a three-pronged denial: dismiss the evidence, attack the messengers as antisemitic, and hide behind a fog of procedural delays in international courts. The IAGS resolution eviscerates that strategy.

It represents the crystallization of a factual record before the legal process even concludes. It preemptively validates the anticipated rulings from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC). When these courts eventually rule—likely finding Israel in breach of the Genocide Convention and its leaders culpable for war crimes—it will not be seen as a novel judgment. It will be seen as the inevitable legal confirmation of what the world’s leading experts had already established. And then, the spotlight will swing irrevocably from the perpetrator to the enablers.

This is where the true danger lies for Western capitals—a danger far more profound and lasting than any conventional military threat from Russia or China. Why? Because those are external threats that can be met with traditional power. This is an internal collapse of the very architecture of their global influence.

For years, China and Russia have been accused of horrific human rights abuses. The West’s response has been to weaponize human rights norms to sanction them, isolate them, and paint them as pariahs against a “rules-based international order.” That order, we were told, was upheld by the West.

Now, that weapon is in the hands of the Global South and the West’s geopolitical rivals. The charge will not be mere hypocrisy—a charge that is easy to brush off. The charge will be complicity in genocide.

How does the West sanction China for its treatment of the Uyghurs when it is found to have armed, funded, and diplomatically shielded a nation committing genocide? How does it condemn Russia for its actions in Ukraine while standing accused of enabling a comparable atrocity? The answer is: it cannot. Its moral authority evaporates overnight. The “rules-based order” is exposed not as a principle, but as a selectively applied tool of power.

Human rights norms are universal. The West’s abandonment of them does not make the norms less valid; it makes the West weaker. It relinquishes the moral high ground, the most valuable real estate in international relations. It creates a vacuum that other powers, with vastly different values, will be all too eager to fill.

The IAGS resolution is the tipping point. It is the definitive, expert-led document that will be cited for generations as the moment the evidence became undeniable. Western governments are now on the wrong side of history, not of a conflict, but of a genocide. They have bet that their power could insulate them from the very laws they created. They are about to lose that bet. And in doing so, they will discover that the most powerful army in the world is no match for the weight of a universal truth, finally and irrevocably acknowledged.

Media Review: Shifting Public Opinion and Israel’s Media Suppression Amid Gaza’s Devastation

Media Review: Shifting Public Opinion and Israel’s Media Suppression Amid Gaza’s Devastation

    Wednesday, July 30, 2025   No comments

USA, again, alone, vetoes Gaza ceasefire resolution

USA, again, alone, vetoes Gaza ceasefire resolution

    Wednesday, June 04, 2025   No comments

A draft resolution calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza failed to pass in the UN Security Council on Wednesday after the United States, again, cast its veto – blocking the initiative backed by all ten elected members of the Council.

The text, co-sponsored by Algeria, Denmark, Greece, Guyana, Pakistan, Panama, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and Somalia – collectively known as the E-10 – received 14 votes in favour, with the US casting the lone vote against.

As one of the council’s five permanent members, the US holds veto power – a negative vote that automatically blocks any resolution from going forward.

Had it been adopted, the draft would have demanded “an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza” to be respected by all parties.US has opposed all UNSC resulutions that could have brought an end to the carnage in Gaza.

 Russia’s UN envoy, Vasily Nebenzya, made it clear during a Security Council session: the world can now see who genuinely wants peace, and who continues to exploit global crises for geopolitical games.

His statement came in response to the United States vetoing yet another resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

   

U.S. Ambassador Blows Hole in Israel’s Official Dual Citizenship Figures

U.S. Ambassador Blows Hole in Israel’s Official Dual Citizenship Figures

    Saturday, May 31, 2025   No comments

The issue of dual citizenship in Israel, particularly involving American-Israelis, is mired in significant statistical inconsistencies. On one hand, the Israeli government has maintained that only about 10% of its population holds dual citizenship. On the other, a recent statement by the U.S. Ambassador to Israel in May 2025 directly contradicts that figure, asserting that there are 700,000 U.S. citizens currently inside Israel. This number, when examined in the context of Israel’s demographics, immigration history, and citizenship laws, reveals deep flaws in the official Israeli narrative.

Israel’s Nationality Law and the Facilitation of Dual Citizenship

Established in 1952, the Israeli Nationality Law enables individuals to acquire citizenship by birth, marriage, naturalization, and most notably, under the Law of Return. The Law of Return has been the foundation for a significant influx of Jewish immigrants worldwide, particularly from North America, the former Soviet Union, and Europe. Crucially, Israeli law does not require immigrants to renounce their original citizenship. As such, dual and even multiple citizenships are legally permitted and in practice, quite common. This legislative openness was designed to encourage Jews to migrate to Israel while maintaining their national ties elsewhere.

From a population of less than a million in 1948, Israel has grown to 9.9 million by 2024. This growth has been driven significantly by immigration. Since Israel’s founding, 3.46 million people have immigrated, nearly half of them since 1990. Among these immigrants, major influxes came from the United States, Russia, and Europe. 

The U.S. Ambassador’s just obliterated Israel's narrative about the number of Israel citizens with dual citizenship

A key moment revealing this data discrepancy occurred when the U.S. Ambassador to Israel stated in May 2025:

“We don't need Israel's permission to conclude an agreement with the Houthis. If one of the 700,000 American citizens inside Israel is hurt by a Houthi attack, then we'll respond.”

This figure of 700,000 American citizens currently residing in Israel starkly contradicts the Israeli government’s longstanding claim that only 120,000 Israeli citizens hold U.S. citizenship. Crucially, the ambassador's statement referred specifically to U.S. citizens physically present in Israel, whether as residents, dual citizens, or extended-stay nationals. It does not include the significantly larger population of Jewish Americans who have claimed Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return but continue to reside in the United States.

This distinction is important: under Israeli law, any Jew worldwide can obtain Israeli citizenship without relinquishing their existing nationality. Many Jewish Americans—estimated at 7.2 million people—have already taken up this option, even if they have never relocated to Israel. These individuals, while not living in Israel, remain Israeli citizens on paper, often eligible for Israeli government services, voting rights (if they return), and military service for their children.

Thus, the 700,000 figure represents only a subset of U.S.-Israeli dual nationals: those currently inside Israel, according to the ambassador. When including all U.S. citizens who have acquired Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return but reside abroad, particularly in the U.S., the total number of American-Israeli dual citizens could be substantially higher.

Many countries, including Russia, the United States, France, and the UK, allow citizenship by descent. If a parent retains foreign nationality, their Israeli-born children can often claim the same. For example, Russian law does not prohibit dual citizenship and considers children of Russian citizens to be eligible for Russian nationality. Thus, second-generation Israelis born to immigrants from countries allowing citizenship by descent further swell the ranks of dual citizens—often without being officially counted.

A 2011 report on Israeli expatriates in the UK revealed that over 44% of Israelis in Britain held dual citizenship, and many more entered the UK with EU passports—an avenue unavailable without direct family links to European citizenship.

This pattern undermines Israel's claim that dual citizenship is confined to a minor share of the population. If anything, it demonstrates a widespread and systemic underreporting or obfuscation of dual nationality status for political or strategic reasons—perhaps to downplay foreign influence or demographic vulnerability.

This further exposes the deep inconsistency in the Israeli government’s claim that only 10% of its population holds dual citizenship. If 700,000 U.S. citizens live in Israel, that alone constitutes nearly 7% of Israel’s total population. When factoring in the large number of Israeli citizens with Russian, French, British, or other citizenships—and the reality of hereditary citizenship laws—it becomes mathematically impossible to reconcile this with the official 10% figure. Moreover, these figures do not account for the vast number of Israeli citizens living abroad, many of whom hold dual or multiple nationalities, nor do they capture the legal eligibility of millions of Israelis to reclaim foreign citizenship through their parents or grandparents. 

In light of the growing involvement of dual nationals in key state institutions and military operations, including in controversial conflicts like the war in Gaza, and possible violation of international law where many of these participants are accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity are,  the need for transparency and accountability is more pressing than ever.

Media review: What if Iranians, Americans and Arabs made uranium together?

Media review: What if Iranians, Americans and Arabs made uranium together?

    Saturday, May 17, 2025   No comments

 President Donald Trump, still touring the Middle East, keeps saying how “very happy” he’d be if he could make a deal with Iran. Iran, meanwhile, needs such a deal to avoid being bombed by Israel and strangled economically by the resumption of United Nations sanctions later this year.

If reports out of Tehran are correct, those pressures may have motivated Iranian leaders to come up with an unconventional idea that deserves a hearing: They want to work with their enemies, not against them, to build Iran’s nuclear programme.

Their brainstorm envisions a kind of joint venture among Iranians, Saudis and Emiratis, as well as private investors including US companies. This new consortium would enrich uranium, a fissile material that can be used to generate electricity or make medical isotopes – and to build nuclear bombs. Because Iranians, Arabs, Americans and others would be working together, it would be easy to verify that this atomic programme remains civilian rather than military.

At first blush, the idea seems outlandish. How could mortal enemies (Tehran’s theocracy is based in large part on wishing death to America as well as Israel) collaborate around the very material that has brought them to the brink of war?

At second glance, though, the notion’s sheer audacity – let’s call it chutzpah – may be exactly what these nuclear negotiations need to get unstuck.

AN ELEGANT IDEA

In a way, the Iranian proposal reminds me of the European Coal and Steel Community, set up in 1951 by six founding nations and led by France and Germany, who had fought three bitter wars in one lifetime and struggled to imagine each other as anything other than enemies.

To prevent a fourth war, French statesmen such as Jean Monnet and Robert Schuman proposed joint custody over the raw materials of warfare – at the time, coal and steel. And German leaders such as Konrad Adenauer, eager to reconcile with their neighbours, agreed. Against all odds, this ECSC would blossom into what is today the European Union.

Continue reading the article >>

The Political Instrumentalization of “Terrorism” and Sanctions in Contemporary Foreign Policy

The Political Instrumentalization of “Terrorism” and Sanctions in Contemporary Foreign Policy

    Thursday, May 15, 2025   No comments

 The recent developments surrounding former jihadist Ahmed al-Sharaa—formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani—and his transformation from a wanted terrorist leader into a sitting president welcomed by the President of the United States illustrate a deeply troubling fact in international relations: the arbitrary use of the “terrorism” label and economic sanctions as tools of political convenience rather than principled governance.

In 2013, al-Sharaa was designated by the United States as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” due to his leadership of the al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, Jabhat al-Nusra, and his alleged role in orchestrating suicide bombings. At one point, the U.S. placed a $10 million bounty on his capture. Today, however, he shares tea and diplomatic smiles with President Donald Trump, without any transparent legal or procedural process to formally clear his name of terrorism charges. This dramatic pivot—absent any public renunciation of past actions, judicial review, or commitment to democratic norms like elections—exposes the malleability of the terrorism designation when it becomes inconvenient for geopolitical strategy... read more >>

Trump's views on the war in Ukraine posted on social media while Zelenskyy cancels visit to Saudi Arabia; Putin wants to restore trust

Trump's views on the war in Ukraine posted on social media while Zelenskyy cancels visit to Saudi Arabia; Putin wants to restore trust

    Wednesday, February 19, 2025   No comments

 Trump's views on the war in Ukraine posted on social media while Zelenskyy cancels visit to Saudi Arabia; here are some key points from Trump's statement:

• He stated that Zelensky, who “had modest success as a comedian,” could not have won the Ukrainian conflict, but the United States gave him money.
• Called Zelensky a “dictator without elections” and accused him of refusing to hold a vote.
• Stated that without the participation of the United States, Zelensky "will never be able" to negotiate peace with Russia.
• Stated that Zelensky dragged the US into a war that "could not be won."
• Zelensky "played Biden by the book" and now refuses to participate in the elections due to low ratings.
• Accuses Zelensky of wanting to continue the conflict with Russia for financial gain.
• At the same time, he emphasized that while Zelensky is hesitating, his administration is conducting “successful negotiations” with Russia on ending the conflict in Ukraine.

Zelenskyy's reaction shows that he is trying to find some grounding to push back, but is hesitating

We are not surprised when they say that 90% of aid is provided by the US. We understand that the truth is actually a little different. And I would like the Trump team to have more truth, because all this certainly does not have a positive effect on Ukraine.

They are bringing Putin out of isolation, and I think Putin, the Russians, want it very much. In the discussion with them yesterday, there were signals that they are being portrayed as victims. This is something new. I would not like to criticize official US representatives. But this is a war against you. Everyone admits this, even those who are loyal to the Russians. The Secretary of State says that this is a "conflict." This is official, they showed it to me. But this still needs to be verified. This is a softening of their policy.

Given the change of posture in Washington, Zelenskyy is still trying to figure out his next moves; and his first was to cancel his visit to Saudi Arabia, as per this news report:

– Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he has canceled his planned official visit to Saudi Arabia and indicated that a visit would happen in March instead after Kyiv was excluded from US-Russian talks in Riyadh on Tuesday.

Zelensky said on Monday that he was due to visit Saudi Arabia later this week.

“We were not invited to this Russian-American meeting in Saudi Arabia. It was a surprise for us. I think it was a surprise for many,” Zelensky told a news conference in the Turkish capital Ankara after the US-Russian talks in Riyadh.

“We are completely honest and open. I don’t want any coincidences. That’s why I won’t go to Saudi Arabia,” Zelensky said, adding that he would visit Riyadh on March 10.

Zelensky stressed that he wants the war to end “but we want it to be fair and for no one to decide anything behind our backs.”

He also stressed that “no decisions can be made without Ukraine on how to end the war in Ukraine, and on what terms.”

Meeting Erdogan in Turkiye, which became his destination after he canceled his visit to Saudi Arabia, he heard from the Turkish leader who told him that he supports Trump's proposal for peace because that intersects with Turkiye's plan which was proposed three years ago.

Erdogan: Trump's Ukraine initiative intersects with Türkiye's efforts

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the diplomatic initiative launched by US President Donald Trump to quickly end the war in Ukraine through negotiations intersects with the policy pursued by Turkey for the past three years.

During a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Ankara on Tuesday, Erdogan recalled previous initiatives by NATO member Turkey, which hosted negotiations between Moscow and Kiev twice in 2022.

Zelensky said that the United States, Ukraine and Europe must participate in the talks on providing security guarantees to Kiev in order to ensure a just peace.

Putin: The goal of talks with Washington in Riyadh is to restore trust

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the goal of the talks held by Russia and the United States in Riyadh is to "restore trust between Moscow and Washington," explaining that "it is difficult to resolve many issues, including the Ukrainian crisis, without raising the level of trust."

In statements to reporters, made on Wednesday, a day after the talks in Saudi Arabia, Putin confirmed that the meeting of the two delegations in the Saudi capital "was friendly," as he expressed his "appreciation for the results of the talks between the Russian and American representatives."

Putin added that the Russian delegation confirmed to its American counterpart during the talks that it is "open to joint work," announcing that Russia "will inform its friends in the BRICS group of the results of the Russian-American negotiations."

In the same context, Putin said that Moscow and Washington "have taken the first step to resume work in a variety of areas of common interest," explaining that this "includes the Middle East, taking into account the continued Russian presence in Syria and the Palestinian issue."

He noted that there are "many issues to be resolved, in which both the United States and Russia are involved, despite the fact that we, of course, attach fundamental importance to the situation on the Ukrainian track."

Regarding other issues, "such as the economy, joint work in global energy markets and space," Putin confirmed that they were "a subject of study and discussion during the meeting in Riyadh."

The Russian president also expressed "readiness to return to the negotiating table," stressing that Moscow "has never refused to negotiate on Ukraine, and does not impose anything on anyone."

In this context, Putin revealed that his American counterpart, Donald Trump, told him during the phone conversation they had on February 12, that "the United States proceeds from the fact that the negotiation process will be conducted with the participation of both Russia and Ukraine, and that no one excludes Ukraine from it."

In light of this, Putin considered that what he described as "the hysteria that has afflicted Kiev," due to its absence from the talks between Moscow and Washington in Riyadh, "is out of place."

As for the meeting with Trump, Putin confirmed that "the desire to hold the meeting is mutual between the two presidents," adding: "But I repeat, once again... we must prepare for this meeting, so that there is a result."

Putin expressed his "surprise at the restraint the US president has shown towards his European allies, who are behaving in an inappropriate manner," he said.

Member of the Saudi Shura Council to Trump: The truth is clear and falsehood is confused"

Member of the Saudi Shura Council to Trump: The truth is clear and falsehood is confused"

    Sunday, February 09, 2025   No comments

Member of the Saudi Shura Council, Yousef bin Trad al-Saadoun, published an article in the Saudi newspaper, Okaz, in which he advised Trump, if he wants to be a champion of peace and achieve stability and prosperity for the Middle East, "to move his beloved Israelis to Alaska and then to Greenland after annexing it."

al-Saadoun added: "The Zionists and their supporters must realize well that they will not be able to lure the Saudi leadership and government into the traps of media maneuvers and false political pressures."

He also claimed that the "official foreign policy of the United States will seek the illegal occupation of sovereign land and the ethnic cleansing of its inhabitants, which are the Israeli approach and are considered crimes against humanity. Anyone who follows the path of the emergence and continuation of Israel clearly realizes that this plan was certainly formulated and approved by the Zionist entity, and was handed over to their ally to read from the White House podium."

al-Saadoun's article is just one reaction of many to Trump's statement and to Israeli leaders' suggestion that Saudi Arabia should be home to Palestinians.

On Thursday, Benjamin Netanyahu said during an interview with Israel's Channel 14: "The Saudis can create a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia; they have a lot of land over there."

 These statements seem to unite Arab regimes against any plans for the forced removal of Palestinians from their land.

Palestinian and Egyptian officials have condemned Netanyahu’s suggestion to establish a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia, calling it an attack on the Kingdom’s sovereignty.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry denounced the proposal as “racist and anti-peace,” labelling it a blatant violation of Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and stability. Hussein Al-Sheikh, secretary-general of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), said Netanyahu’s remarks disregarded international law and conventions, stressing, “The State of Palestine will only be on the land of Palestine.”

Egypt also slammed the comments as “irresponsible and unacceptable,” with its Foreign Ministry stating that Netanyahu’s remarks infringe on Saudi sovereignty and violate both international law and the UN Charter.

Saudi Arabia praises Arab governments for their support

The Saudi Foreign Ministry praised, on Sunday, the positions of Arab and Islamic countries in condemnation, disapproval and complete rejection of what the Prime Minister of the Israeli occupation government, Benjamin Netanyahu, stated regarding the displacement of the Palestinian people from their land.

In a statement, it considered that "these positions confirm the centrality of the Palestinian cause to Arab and Islamic countries," stressing its categorical rejection of Netanyahu's statements that "aimed at diverting attention from the successive crimes committed by the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian brothers in Gaza, including what they are exposed to in terms of ethnic cleansing."

It pointed out that this "extremist occupying mentality does not understand what the Palestinian land means to the brotherly Palestinian people and their emotional, historical and legal connection to this land, and does not consider that the Palestinian people deserve life in the first place."

The Foreign Ministry statement also stressed that "the brotherly Palestinian people have a right to their land, and are not intruders or immigrants who can be expelled whenever the brutal Israeli occupation wants."

It pointed out that these ideas are what prevent "peace," through "rejecting peaceful coexistence and rejecting peace initiatives, and practicing systematic injustice against the Palestinian people for more than 75 years, without caring about the right, justice, law, and values ​​​​established in the United Nations Charter, including the right of man to live in dignity on his land."

The Saudi Foreign Ministry concluded its statement by emphasizing the right of the Palestinian people "which will remain steadfast, and no one will be able to take it away from them no matter how long it takes, and that lasting peace will not be achieved except by returning to the logic of reason, and accepting the principle of peaceful coexistence through the two-state solution."

Saudi Arabi's Statement:

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia appreciates the condemnation, disapproval and total rejection announced by the brotherly countries towards what Benjamin Netanyahu stated regarding the displacement of the Palestinian people from their land and the Kingdom values the positions that emphasize the centrality of the Palestinian issue to the Arab and Muslim countries.

"Israel Is Meant to Be Jewish and Democratic; It Cannot Be Both"

"Israel Is Meant to Be Jewish and Democratic; It Cannot Be Both"

    Monday, January 27, 2025   No comments

There is no enduring end to cyclical violence without a political solution to the fate of the Palestinians. No one is seriously talking about the day after another Gaza war, unless they talk about political settlement, not security arrangement. The New York Times borrowed a line from John Kerry  who argued that "Israel Is Meant to Be Jewish and Democratic. It Cannot Be Both." The NYT article  interpreted that statement by invoking another maxim: "States Don’t Have a Right to Exist. People Do." Here are some excerpts from the article, referenced by similar views published in global media outlets.

  

How the State Department Let Israel Get Away With Horrors in Gaza

How the State Department Let Israel Get Away With Horrors in Gaza

    Sunday, January 26, 2025   No comments

A detailed investigative reporting on what the US state department did and did not do during the Gaza war. 

Read the report.

This comes when other news media outlets reported that "Former State Department officials concerned about the U.S. role in Israel's war in Gaza."

These developments happen as the extent of death and destruction in Gaza is now being examined, with reports that the 46,000 figure for deaths, could be much lower. 

Gaza death toll an underestimate, Lancet study suggests

From the beginning of the war through June 30, 2024, Gaza's heath ministry said just under 38,000 people had been killed by traumatic injuries, but the Lancet's estimate — published in a peer-reviewed study based on data from health authorities, social media obituaries and an online survey — was that more than 64,000 people had been killed during that time.

US officials sat face to face with the person US government designated a "terrorist"

US officials sat face to face with the person US government designated a "terrorist"

    Friday, December 20, 2024   No comments

US officials sat face to face with the person US government designated a "terrorist" and offered $10 million bounty for his arrest. Realizing the awkwardness of the moment, the administration announced later that it will cancel the reward for Jolani’s arrest.

In what must be a bizarre turn of events, US government officials set face to face with a man they allocated $10 million for information leading to determining his whereabouts, after designating him as a "terrorist" in 2017. 

State department still confirmed that the reward money is still valid, at a time when members of the State Department reportedly sat with Jolani. 

This development raises questions about the designation "terrorist", and now about what it takes for one to be removed from the list, which apparently is leading an armed rebellion that overthrows a regime.

US Assistant Secretary of State Barbara Leaf announced, following a meeting with representatives of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, that Ahmed al-Sharaa (al-Jolani) is committed to not allowing terrorist groups to operate in Syria in a way that threatens the United States and neighboring countries.

According to news reports, US State Department delegation discussed with the commander-in-chief of the new administration in Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, on Friday, lifting sanctions on the Syrian people. The two sides also discussed removing Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham from the terrorist lists.

Media Review: US state department worker, "Tired of writing about dead kids"

Media Review: US state department worker, "Tired of writing about dead kids"

    Wednesday, December 18, 2024   No comments

This week, the Guardian published a report about another American protesting the US government's position on the war in Gaza, this time a US state department worker resigned over Israel-Gaza policy.

When Mike Casey arrived in Jerusalem in 2020, he wasn’t looking for a fight.

An army veteran with a stint in Iraq who joined the state department for over a decade of postings across Asia, he came with the measured optimism of a career diplomat – two years of Arabic training ahead, a potential change in administration, and a chance to make a difference. He’d eventually work his way up the ranks to become the state department’s deputy political counselor on Gaza.

What he didn’t anticipate was becoming a key witness to what he describes as a systematic failure of US foreign policy.

“The more informed you become on this issue, you can’t avoid realizing how bad it is,” Casey told the Guardian.

Casey resigned from the state department in July after four years at the job, discreetly leaving the post unlike other recent high-profile government departures. Now seated at his kitchen table in the quiet suburbs of northern Michigan, Casey reflected on how, as one of only two people in the entire US government explicitly focused on Gaza, he became an unwilling chronicler of a humanitarian catastrophe.

“I got so tired of writing about dead kids,” he said. “Just constantly having to prove to Washington that these children actually died and then watching nothing happen.”

Casey’s work function included documenting the humanitarian and political landscape through classified cables, research and reporting. But his disillusionment wasn’t sudden. It was a slow accumulation of bureaucratic betrayals – each report dismissed, each humanitarian concern bulldozed by political expediency.

“We would write daily updates on Gaza,” he said. Colleagues used to joke, he said, that they could attach cash to the reports and still nobody would read them.

Read the article...

 

CIA: Iran capable of producing a nuclear bomb in a week

CIA: Iran capable of producing a nuclear bomb in a week

    Tuesday, October 08, 2024   No comments

CIA Director William Burns said that Iran is capable of producing a nuclear bomb within a week, but there is no evidence that it has decided to do so.

NBC quoted Burns - during a security conference in Georgia - as saying that Iran has made progress in its nuclear program by accumulating depleted uranium to levels that allow for the manufacture of nuclear weapons.

As a result, Burns continued, Iran may be able to quickly obtain enough fissile material to make an atomic bomb if it chooses to do so, and there will be less time for the outside world to respond.

He added that there is no evidence that Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has reversed his decision taken in late 2003 to suspend the nuclear weapons program, and said that American intelligence agencies believe that Iran has suspended its program in accordance with Khamenei's declaration last year.

The US intelligence chief explained that Tehran has developed "conception methods" by building a missile arsenal, noting that Iran has become closer to producing a nuclear bomb since the US withdrawal from the nuclear agreement in 2018.

In response to recent rumors that an earthquake in Semnan province near the capital Tehran was related to a nuclear test, the Nour News website, which is close to the Iranian National Security Council, stated that "the suspicious rumors spread by foreign media about the first Iranian nuclear test are completely false and contradict Iran's nuclear and defense doctrine."

Burns' statements and talk of a nuclear test came amid Israeli threats to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities in response to Tehran targeting Israel with dozens of missiles after the assassination of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and Abbas Nilforoushan, deputy commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, in Israeli raids on Beirut, and the assassination of Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh on Iranian soil.

The CIA confirms similar statements by US officials that essentially concluded that building a nuclear weapons is now in the hands of Iranian leaders. In July of this year, the head of the State Department, Blinken, also stated that Iran was a week to a week and half from the breakout stage for developing nuclear weapons. Other Western officials confirmed that US assessment is accurate. Given the timeline, this means that the decision for building a nuclear weapon is entirely in the hands of Iranian leaders. The developments and threats since July 2024 can only push them to building a weapon. Alternatively, and absent in Western assessment of Iran capabilities, is whether Iranian leaders have thought of using depleted uranium in their rockets, especially after reports that Israel may have used depleted uranium bombs in its assassination of Hassan Nasrallah and Abbas Nilforoushan in Beirut last month.

Also, if Western assessment about Iran's nuclear capabalities is true, restoring the 2015 nuclear deal that Trump withdrew from in 2028 becomes moot. The starting point for any new deal will start with the Iran preserving what it has achieved and what the West can offer to limit increased nuclear activities.

UN approves proposal for arms embargo on Israel

UN approves proposal for arms embargo on Israel

    Wednesday, September 18, 2024   No comments

Ignoring the US plea for UN to reject the resolution, the UN overwhelmingly adopted resolution to impose sanctions, arms embargo on Israel. The US does not have the veto power it enjoys and always uses to shield Israel from UNSC resolutions.

The U.S. urged the General Assembly to reject the resolution demanding Israel end its 'unlawful presence' in the Occupied Palestinian Territory within 12 months, arguing it undermines the two-state solution, but lacked veto power. Only a handful of small nation-states joined the US to vote against it. Even other Western nations, including some European US allies voted for the resolution, or abstained. Although UNGA resolution are not binding, they represent a moral and ethical judgement by the world community, exposing US's double standard, and lack of principles in relations to human rights and respect to International Humanitarian Law, which has been violated by Israel many times.

Israeli media took notice of this development.

The White House spread false optimism about a cease fire deal for a political reason

The White House spread false optimism about a cease fire deal for a political reason

    Thursday, August 22, 2024   No comments

Israeli military analyst Amos Harel said on Thursday that Washington may have deliberately spread false optimism about the possibility of achieving progress in the prisoner swap negotiations to persuade Iran to postpone its revenge against Israel, noting that Iran and Hezbollah may finally launch their attack after the chances of concluding a deal began to evaporate soon.

In an article published in Haaretz, Harel wrote that it is difficult to know the extent to which Washington is convinced of the possibility of achieving progress in recent weeks, but the end of Secretary of State Anthony Blinken's visit to Israel heralded a new phase in which the chances of concluding a deal have declined, according to him.

He added that despite this, the visit achieved its goal of ensuring that there would be no attack by Iran and Hezbollah with the opening of the Democratic Party conference in Chicago, in his opinion.

He stated that the administration of US President Joe Biden deliberately published optimistic estimates of the possibility of achieving progress, in an attempt to persuade the Iranians not to launch their attack, but this may have backfired on them, as the basic problems have not been resolved and the negotiations are stalled after Washington introduced amendments to the draft deal that serve Israel.

*

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip announced that the death toll from the Israeli strikes has risen to 40,265 deaths and 93,144 injuries since October 7, 2023.

The ministry monitored in its daily statistical report that the occupation committed 4 massacres against Palestinian families, of which 42 martyrs and 163 injuries arrived at hospitals during the past 24 hours.

The ministry indicated that a number of victims are still under the rubble and on the roads, and ambulance and civil defense crews cannot reach them.

  

US Air Force engineer resigns: “Absolutely appalled by Biden and Pentagon’s complicity in genocide”

US Air Force engineer resigns: “Absolutely appalled by Biden and Pentagon’s complicity in genocide”

    Sunday, August 18, 2024   No comments

The news website, "The Intercept", reported about the resignation of an engineer in the US Air Force, in protest of the complicity of US President Joe Biden and the Department of Defense with the genocide of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

The website said that the engineer Riley Livermore joined the Air Force 16 years ago, and his subsequent career as a flight test engineer took him to "Israel", where he spent two years conducting missile guidance research, but, shortly after October 7, he decided that he "could not continue anymore."

The website quoted Livermore as saying that he was "absolutely horrified" by the way Biden and the Department of Defense were complicit in the genocide, revealing that since late October he had begun the process of separating from the Air Force, as this path is now in its final steps, stressing that once he officially leaves the army, he will never work again in what he describes as the "military-industrial complex."

Livermore's resignation comes in the wake of a long series of resignations within the Biden administration and the US military, in protest of the US role in the genocide. This protest took its most intense form when 25-year-old US pilot Aaron Bushnell set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington last February.

   

In a 'Difficult' call, Netanyahu told Biden: "as Prime Minister of Israel, I act solely according to the security needs of the State of Israel"

In a 'Difficult' call, Netanyahu told Biden: "as Prime Minister of Israel, I act solely according to the security needs of the State of Israel"

    Friday, August 02, 2024   No comments

Axios reported that US President Joe Biden asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a "difficult" phone call between them on Thursday, to stop escalating tensions in the region, following the assassination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah military commander Fouad Shukr. One US official said that Biden warned Netanyahu that if he escalated again, he should not rely on the United States to save him.

Axios quoted a senior Israeli official as saying that Biden raised his voice during the call and told Netanyahu that he wanted him to reach an agreement within a week or two.

A source familiar with the matter told the website that the US president told Netanyahu that the region is currently at a turning point and that every effort needs to be made to end the war in Gaza and achieve regional stability, even if the agreement is not ideal.

In contrast, the website quoted Netanyahu’s office as saying that the Israeli prime minister assured Biden that he is only working according to Israel’s security requirements. His office reported that "Prime Minister Netanyahu told President Biden that he appreciates the American support, and as Prime Minister of Israel he acts solely according to the security needs of the State of Israel."

Meanwhile, the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said that great tension dominated a meeting Netanyahu held with the Israeli negotiating team on Wednesday.

The head of the Shin Bet internal security service, Ronen Bar, was quoted as saying to Netanyahu during the meeting, “We feel that you are sending us to negotiate, and then you are making changes to the outlines of the deal.”

Meanwhile, The New York Times published a dramatic editorial declaring "Netanyahu has Gone Rogue",  and explaining that by "Ignoring the condemnation of allies, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel is forcing the pace of the war and feeding the revolt of the far right."