Israel-Hamas Conflict 2023-24

Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel are becoming increasingly isolated internationally – they need to listen to their friends

— International pressure on Israel is mounting, with recent ICC war crime warrants and ICJ rulings against Israeli actions in Gaza. Norway, Spain, and Ireland recognise Palestinian statehood, signalling shifting global attitudes.

Student Protests

Gaza campus protests: What are students’ free speech rights and what can universities do?

— Universities have a difficult balance to strike between protecting student speech rights and ensuring campus safety.

COMMENT

Blowback from Gaza and chill regional winds of change

— Turkey halts all trade with Israel, imposing economic sanctions in response to the ongoing military operations in Gaza. This significant move highlights the escalating regional tensions and global impact.

News Brief

Urgent appeal for humanitarian assistance in the Gaza Strip and West Bank

— UNRWA has launched a significant funding appeal to support millions in Gaza and the West Bank, amid escalating violence and attacks on its facilities, highlighting the region’s desperate need for humanitarian aid.

Israel

Netanyahu throws around the ‘N’ word when Germans talk Gaza

— Israeli PM Netanyahu’s recent strike on an Iranian site in Syria escalated Iran-Israel tensions, overshadowing Gaza’s plight until the German Foreign Minister refocused attention, despite Netanyahu’s dismissive response.

Israel-Hamas Conflict 2023-24

Gaza war: Countries selling Israel weapons are violating international law

— The UK government has received advice that Israel is breaking international law in its assault on Gaza, so has an obligation to stop supplying it with arms.

2024 US Presidential Election

State of the Union: Biden hits back at critics as he warns of threats to democracy at home and overseas

— President Biden delivered an energetic State of the Union, signalling his reelection bid. Addressing domestic and international challenges, he urged support for Ukraine, criticised Donald Trump’s Russia stance, and emphasised democratic values.

Israel-Hamas Conflict 2023-24

As Israel’s assault on Rafah approaches, Egypt prepares for a flood of Palestinian refugees

— Facing a potential influx of Palestinian refugees from Gaza, Egypt is building a concrete wall. President al-Sisi fears destabilisation but may offer short-term sanctuary with international support, while long-term solutions involve revitalising the Palestinian Authority for a two-state plan.

COMMENT

The Palestinians won’t cease to exist just cause they don’t have a refugee agency

— Several Western donor countries have suspended funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees based on Israeli accusations of staff involvement in Hamas attacks, impacting millions of Palestinians in Gaza, despite ongoing investigations.

OPINION

British nationalism, the politics of warmongering

— In an election year, a struggling right-wing British nationalist government, facing a 20% poll gap, deploys military action in Yemen, hoping for a Falklands-like boost, disregarding the consequences.

Geopolitics

Red Sea crisis: Suez Canal is not the only ‘choke point’ that threatens to disrupt global supply chains

— The US and UK military airstrikes in Yemen target Houthi threats to merchant vessels in the Bab el-Mandeb strait. This highlights the vulnerability of global trade chokepoints, posing risks to supply chains and the world economy.

COMMENT

Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar… whatever happened to the ‘never again’ pledge?

— Global tensions are escalating, marked by ongoing regional disputes in Ukraine-Russia, Israel-Gaza, Sudan, Myanmar, and Ethiopia. The international community’s intermittent focus on these crises raises concerns about the efficacy of global peacemaking efforts.

COMMENT

Britain’s cosplay with warships and suchlike in the eastern Mediterranean

— What is the purpose of Rishi Sunak’s Government deploying a notably smaller naval task group in the Middle East compared to the United States, if not to project a larger presence on the international stage?

Israel-Hamas Conflict 2023-24

Hamas and Hezbollah: How they are different and why they might cooperate against Israel

— Hezbollah’s full involvement in the latest Israeli-Palestinian conflict would likely open up a regional war.

Israel-Hamas Conflict 2023-24

Palestinian conflict: How despair can drive people to violence, even if it puts their lives in danger

— Research explains why Palestinians experiencing despair may gamble with their own lives despite little real hope of improving things.

COMMENT

An Israeli novelist on being a good mother and empathetic in hard times

— Aylet Gundar-Goshen has previously said the trait she finds most irritating in others is, “indifference to others’ suffering.”