Syrians continue to be victimized, not only in violent clashes with the Syrian military, but also by regional and international players with various agendas. Continue reading
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Author Archives: Ramzy Baroud
Iraq war declared over, but War Party persists
In a White House statement on October 21, US President Barack Obama pledged that his country would finally withdraw forces from Iraq. Continue reading
The real ‘Theater of the Absurd’: Netanyahu and his endgame in Palestine
During his deliberately offensive speech on September 23, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the General Assembly as “the theater of the absurd.” Israel’s few friends at the United Nations—led by the US delegation—listened gleefully and applauded as Netanyahu hurled a steady stream of insults. Continue reading
Afghanistan: Ten years of tragedy and misguided policy
On July 1, 2002, US planes bombed an Afghan wedding in the small village of Deh Rawud. Located to the north of Kandahar, the village seemed fortified by the region’s many mountains. For a few hours, its people thought they were safe from a war they had never invited. They celebrated, and as customs go, fired intermittently into the air. Continue reading
The Syrian uprising: US follows a failed path
United States ambassador to Syria Robert Ford is quite a feisty diplomat. He shows up unannounced and uninvited at various hot spots in the country, greeted with varying degrees of enthusiasm and, oftentimes, anger. Continue reading
The Syrian uprising: US follows a failed path
United States ambassador to Syria Robert Ford is quite a feisty diplomat. He shows up unannounced and uninvited at various hot spots in the country, greeted with varying degrees of enthusiasm and, oftentimes, anger. Continue reading
Ibrahim Zaza: The Gaza boy the corporate media ignored
“Both of Ibrahim’s arms were cut off. He had a hole in his lung. Parts of his legs were missing. His kidney was in a bad condition . . . we need people to stand with us.” These were the words of an exhausted man as he described the condition of his dying son in an interview with The Real News, an alternative news source. Continue reading
Another ‘symbolic victory’: Abbas’ new political gambit
When Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas decided to go to the United Nations to request the admission of Palestine as a full member, he appeared to have had an epiphany. Had he finally realized that for the past two decades he and his party, Fatah, have gone down a road to nowhere? That Israel was only interested in him as a conduit to achieve its colonial endeavor in the remaining 22 percent of historical Palestine? That his national project—predicated on the ever elusive ‘peace process’—achieved neither peace nor justice? Continue reading
Taking on Turkey: Israel’s ‘dangerous’ game
The UN Palmer Report, which largely exonerated Israel for murdering nine unarmed Turkish civilians in international waters on May 31, 2010, seemed in some ways like the last straw. Prior to its publication, the camel’s back had already mostly broken, and a collapse in Turkish-Israeli ties was looming. Continue reading
For the love of Israel: Congresswoman’s misguided war on the UN
From an Israeli point of view, Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is the ideal American politician. Although many in the US government aspire to her level of commitment to Israel, few can measure up to a dedication that extends beyond the very interests of her own country. Continue reading
Libya’s next fight: Overcoming Western designs
At a press conference in Tripoli on Aug. 26, a statement read aloud by top Libyan rebel commander Abdel Hakim Belhadj was reassuring. Just a few months ago, disorganized and leaderless rebel fighters seemed to have little chance at ousting Libyan dictator Moammar Ghaddafi and his unruly sons. Continue reading
Israel’s ‘nice little war’: Gaza, Egypt in the range of fire
Israeli writer Uri Avnery recently wrote an article entitled ‘How Godly Are Thy Tents?,’ which began with the words, “First of all, a warning.” Continue reading
US-Arab disconnect: Revolutions restate region’s priorities
As the Arab Spring continues to challenge dictators, demolish old structures and ponder roadmaps for a better future, the US remains committed to its failed policies, misconceptions and selfish interests. Continue reading
From Gaza to Somalia, humanity lives on
I remember how exhilarated I felt when I was told I was old enough to fast for the month of Ramadan. My feelings had little to do with abstention from food and drink between dawn and sunset each day. For a child, there is little joy in that. The meaning and implications for me were much greater. I believed that the occasion signaled I had now become a man. I wanted to share this news with all my brothers, friends and neighbors. Continue reading
Competing narratives in Syria: Between tired slogans and a looming dawn
There is no linear narrative capable of explaining the multifarious happenings that have gripped Syrian society in recent months. On March 23, as many as 20 peaceful protesters were killed at the hands of the Syrian regime’s security forces, and many more were wounded. Since then, the violence has escalated to such a level of brutality and savagery that can only be comparable to the regime’s infamous massacres in the city of Hama in 1982. Continue reading
Arab awakening and Western media: Time for a new revolutionary discourse
When President Ali Abdullah Saleh tried desperately to quell Yemen’s popular uprising, he appealed to tribalism, customs and traditions. All his efforts evidently failed, and the revolution continued unabated. When Saleh denounced women for joining men in demonstrations in Sana’a—playing on cultural sensitivities and a very selective interpretation of religion—the response was even more poignant. Thousands of women took to the streets, denouncing Saleh’s regime and calling for its ouster. Continue reading
Ground your warplanes, save the Horn of Africa
“When you are hungry, cold is a killer, and the people here are starving and helpless.” Not many of us can relate to such a statement, but millions of ‘starving and helpless’ people throughout the Horn of Africa know fully the pain of elderly Somali mother Batula Moalim. Continue reading
Confused strategy: How the PA sold out Palestinian unity
If you happen to be a Palestinian government employee, chances are you will receive only half your usual salary this month. The other half will only be available when international donors find it in their hearts to make up for the huge shortage of funds currently facing the Palestinian Authority (PA). Continue reading
Yemen continues to inspire amid great odds
The Yemeni people are unrelenting in their demands for democracy. Millions continue to stage rallies across their country in a display of will that is proving the most robust out of all the Arab revolutions. The Yemenis face great challenges, however, including the political vacillation of their country’s opposition, and the US’s military and strategic interests in Yemen. Continue reading
US foreign policy invigorated at the expense of Gaza
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has made a series of stern and fiery statements recently, giving the impression that war is somehow upon us once again. Oddly, Clinton’s sudden reappearance into the Middle East diplomacy scene was triggered by the brave attempts of peace activists to break the siege on Gaza. Continue reading
Economy alone fails to explain Turkey’s success
Many commentators today are basing the success of Turkey’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the June 12 elections largely on its ability to guide the country through a decade of remarkable growth. Continue reading
‘Permanent’ despair: Did Egypt really open Rafah Crossing?
For most Palestinians, leaving Gaza through Egypt is as exasperating a process as entering it. Governed by political and cultural sensitivities, most Palestinian officials and public figures refrain from criticizing the way Palestinians are treated at the Rafah border. However, there is really no diplomatic language to describe the relationship between desperate Palestinians—some literally fighting for their lives—and Egyptian officials at the crossing which separates Gaza from Egypt. Continue reading
One missile, one playground: The will of Gaza
GAZA—A “Hamas commander” drove a beat-up gray van in northern Gaza and theatrically spoke on his walkie-talkie as I sat in the passenger seat. The van was almost barren, save for the most basic equipment propelling it to move forward over the bumpy roads of an overcrowded refugee camp. Continue reading
Crushed ice in Nuseirat: My Gaza refugee camp revisited
GAZA—“Do you remember Mahmoud?” asked Abu Nidal, my neighbor from nearly 20 years ago, when I lived in Gaza. Continue reading
Welcome to Gaza: Revolution and change at the Rafah border
The Palestinian security officer at the Rafah border was overly polite. He wore a black uniform and walked around self-assuredly, as he instructed weary travelers on their next moves before being allowed back into Gaza. On the other side of the border, in Egypt, there was much anxiety, fear and anticipation. Continue reading
Palestinian unity and the new Middle East
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s response to the Hamas-Fatah deal in Cairo was both swift and predictable. “The Palestinian Authority must choose either peace with Israel or peace with Hamas. There is no possibility for peace with both,” he said, in a televised speech shortly after the Palestinian political rivals reached a reconciliation agreement under Egyptian sponsorship on April 27. Continue reading
US rethinks strategy: War as opportunity in Libya
The brutality of Libyan leader Moammar Ghaddafi, and his refusal to concede power, is costing Libya much more than innocent lives. The country is now also facing a possible loss of future independence and sovereignty. From its early days, the Libyan revolt seemed to take a different course than those of other Arab countries. It represented a window of opportunity for the United States and its Western allies to reposition themselves, slowly but surely, around a conflict that promised grueling and bloodier times ahead. Continue reading
Staying human: The heroic legacy of Vittorio Arrigoni
“Dear Mary,” wrote Italian justice activist Vittorio Arrigoni to a friend. “Do you [know who] will be on the boats? . . . I’m still in Gaza, waiting for you. I will be at the boat to greet you. Stay human. Vik.” Continue reading
Gaza war and Goldstone’s moral collapse
Shocking is not a sufficient term to describe Justice Richard Goldstone’s decision to recant parts of the 2009 report on alleged war crimes in Gaza. Continue reading
For the love of Egypt: When besieged Palestinians danced
A dear friend of mine from Gaza told me that he hadn’t slept for days. “I am so worried about Egypt, I have only been feeding on cigarettes and coffee.” My friend and I talked for hours that day in early February. We talked about Tahrir Square, about the courage of ordinary Egyptians and about Hosni Mubarak’s many attempts to co-opt the people’s revolution. We were so consumed by the turmoil in Egypt that neither of us even mentioned Gaza. Continue reading
Natural flow of history: Hamas should rethink charter
“Now it is time to naturalize the flow of history,” wrote Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkey’s Minister of Foreign Affairs (British Guardian, March 16). Continue reading
Gaza boats seized, but ‘freedom waves’ will continue
Posted on November 15, 2011 by Ramzy Baroud
Another mission accomplished, or so it seems. Israeli navy ships have managed to thwart yet another civil society ‘provocation’ (as described by a spokesman for the Israeli Embassy in Dublin, Irish Times, November 4). Continue reading →