Israel’s defamation of Palestinian NGOs isn’t a first and won’t be the last

First published by TRT World on 26/10/2021 Who next will Israel label as “antisemitic” or “terrorist” in its attempts to silence its critics and to impede the work of human rights in the territory it controls? Israel’s ongoing attempts to label its critics as either “antisemities” or “terrorists” took a new turn when its Defence …

Continue reading Israel’s defamation of Palestinian NGOs isn’t a first and won’t be the last

It is time for Israel to lift the cruel and futile siege on Gaza

First published by TRT World on 21/5/2021 Exactly what purpose is the blockade of Gaza serving? The bombs have stopped dropping on Gaza, as have the rockets and projectiles launched out of the besieged territory. A temporary and unconditional ceasefire has been secured by Egypt. This really is deja vu. We were there in 2008-9, …

Continue reading It is time for Israel to lift the cruel and futile siege on Gaza

Israel does not spare Gaza from strikes, even in Ramadan

First published by TRT World on 4/5/2021 A month of peace is it is not, for those who live in Gaza. For Muslims all over the World, Ramadan is a month of prayer, contemplation, kindness and charity. This applies to Palestinians all over historic Palestine. Many more try to attend prayers in mosques, especially prayers …

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Israel is angered by UN grilling despite getting a free ride for decades

First published by TRT World on 24/3/2021 Does the United Nations have a bias against Israel? Israel seems to think so despite the fact that it has never been held accountable for the crimes it is accused of. A Palestinian boy hangs laundry inside a damaged house, hit in January 2009 during Israel's military offensive …

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Will Mahmoud Abbas follow up tough talk on Israel with action?

I made a contribution to this TRT World article, published on 20/5/2020 The Palestinian Authority leader repeated his declaration that Palestinians will absolve agreements with Israel but has yet to clarify what happens now. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has announced that he is ending all agreements  with the US and Israel after the latter stated its intention …

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UN delivers a blow to Israel’s settlement enterprise, but is it enough?

First published by TRT World on 17/2/2020 The UN database of companies cooperating with illegal settlement activities is not exhaustive or binding, but it is a crucial starting point. The long-awaited release of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s database of companies complicit in Israel’s illegal settlement enterprise made the expected headlines and brought the …

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And just like that, illegal Israeli settlements are now ‘legal’

First published by TRT World on 20/11/2019 What is the point of 'international law' when it can be summarily dismissed by the US in service to its ally Israel? US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s announcement that the long-held American policy that Israeli settlements were illegitimate according to international law has been abandoned, and could be the …

Continue reading And just like that, illegal Israeli settlements are now ‘legal’

Israeli elections are being fought by annexing Palestinian land

First published by TRT World on 12/9/2019 The Israeli right led by Benjamin Netanyahu is having to grab increasingly more land from neighbours in order to shore up support at home. Next week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces his second election of the year, having failed to form a coalition government in his first …

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Israel’s latest home demolitions highlight the need for UN censure

First published by TRT World on 26/7/2019 Passing Item 7 at the UN Human Rights Council would send the message to Israel that it is not beyond reproach. On July 22, Israeli demolition teams began work early in the neighbourhood of Wadi al Hummus in the village of Sur Bahir in the occupied West Bank. …

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Three Mecca summits show support for Palestine but no action

First published by TRT World on 2/6/2019 Solidarity will not bring justice for the Palestinians at a time when they have been abandoned by their neighbours. General view of Arab leaders during the14th Islamic summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia June 1, 2019. ( Reuters ) Islam’s holiest city …

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