Argument
The Toxic Blowback of Israel’s Bombs
Unlike bombing trucks and convoys of humanitarian aid, destroying the environment in Gaza will have an impact well beyond the enclave. While Israeli leaders may believe that their actions help achieve military and security objectives, they seem to ignore that Israeli citizens, too, will experience the devastating environmental consequences.
Sovereignty on the Line
The recent crisis in Sweida may have been sparked by hyperlocal conflicts between Druze and Bedouins, but through international pressure and disinformation it has become a potential turning point in Damascus’ halting efforts to exercise unified sovereignty.
Progressives Have No Business Celebrating MAGA’s Epstein Revolt
Not far beneath the right-wing critiques of Trump over Israel and Jeffrey Epstein lies a swamp of antisemitic conspiracy theorizing about sinister Jewish cabals preying on children — and progressives who applaud these developments are playing a dangerous game.
The Dam of Gaza Genocide Denial Has Broken
The dam of Gaza genocide denial has well and truly broken. While Israel’s supporters in Western capitals and media outlets still reject the charge of genocide, several prominent publications are coming off the fence. Yet a conspiracy of helplessness still prevails.
The Balancing Act for Israeli Druze
For decades, Israel’s Druze citizens fulfilled their obligations as citizens in the belief that the state would reward their loyalty with equality. But Israel’s increasingly extremist government and regional sectarian violence have made them feel deeply fearful for their future — in Israel and throughout the region.
The Child Brides of Iraq
A proposed amendment to Iraq’s laws would allow Shiite communities to govern marriage according to religious jurisprudence and threatens to normalize child marriage in the country. This looming rejection of human rights is notably a by-product of Iraq's sectarian political system, which emerged after the U.S. invasion in 2003.
Beyond Glastonbury’s Gaza Controversy
Protest chants over Gaza led by the punk-rap duo Bob Vylan at Glastonbury have been whipped into a front-page controversy. Yet while the furore deflects from the realities of the Israeli military’s actions, the horror felt by artists and the public at the war represents a turning point.