Creating new perspectives since 2009
Items by Professor Paola Manduca
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Is resistance a choice only when victory is assured?
Resistance is too often measured by the calculus of gains and losses: the blows dealt to an enemy and the land reclaimed through force. While these metrics may offer insight into military or political outcomes, they fail to grasp the true depth of what resistance means. They do not...
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China’s energy security and ambiguity in the Middle East crisis
The 12-day war between Israel and Iran once again exacerbated the geopolitical fault lines of the Middle East security dilemma. Israel’s unprovoked and illegal offensive against Iran for its alleged attempts at nuclear enrichment heightened the tensions in the region. Iran retaliated with ballistic missiles on Israel. The United...
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Qatar and Indonesia must channel their $4 billion fund into renewable energy
In April 2025, a pivotal agreement marked a new chapter in Indonesia–Qatar relations. Danantara, Indonesia’s newly established sovereign wealth fund, and the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), one of the most powerful state-owned investors in the Middle East, established a joint investment fund worth $4 billion—$2 billion from each party....
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Israel at 77: A fragile state propped up by American power
More than 77 years since the Zionist project was planted at the heart of the Arab and Islamic world, and despite enjoying unprecedented military, political and financial support from the West, particularly the United States, Israel remains a fragile entity. For all the rhetoric portraying it as a military...
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Prabowo’s absence at the G7 is the right move on Palestine
When Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto chose not to attend this year’s G7 summit, some might interpret it as a pivot away from Western influence—or even as a sign of Jakarta drawing closer to Moscow. We ourselves previously argued that such a realignment might not serve Indonesia’s economic interests, particularly in terms of reducing...
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The world of beasts and the lie of justice
In today’s world, international law has been hollowed out—reduced to symbolic language with no teeth—and reason itself is increasingly shaped not by justice, but by raw power. The leaders of the so-called G7 have once again gathered to issue one of their formulaic declarations: carefully worded, predictably imbalanced, and...
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A troubling trend: The rise of pro-Israel voices in Indonesia
In recent years, Indonesia has witnessed an unusual and disquieting trend: the rise of public figures openly supporting Israel, in stark contrast to the country’s long-standing and deeply rooted support for Palestinian self-determination. Chief among these voices is Monique Rijkers, a Jakarta-based media personality and self-described Jewish Indonesian who...
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When conscience sails and law sinks: The illegality of intercepting Madleen
Once again, the so-called “most moral army in the world” flexes its muscle, not against a military threat or armed combatants, but against a small humanitarian vessel brimming with conscience and compassion. The Madleen carried no missiles, no drones, only sacks of rice, baby formula, and prosthetic limbs intended...
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A ‘review’ of Article 2 of the EU’s Association Agreement with Israel? Meddling with the EU’s own legal obligations
On 20 May 2025, at a Foreign Affairs council meeting, High Representative Kaja Kallas declared that a strong majority of EU member states are in “favour of (the) review of Article 2 of (the EU’s) Association Agreement with Israel” as the latter’s war continues to devastate the occupied Gaza...
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Commemorating the Nakba: Will Europe fix what it broke?
On Nakba Day this year, I was invited to attend several events in Europe to speak about the Nakba and the genocidal war waged by Israel against the Palestinian people. Although this was not my first time visiting Europe, it was my first time participating in Nakba Day events...
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Do you support Palestine when it fights, or only when it bleeds?
Since the onset of the genocide, ethnic cleansing, and collective punishment in Gaza, the popular movement across Europe has evolved far beyond a fleeting trend. It has become a sweeping grassroots revolution. Millions have raised the Palestinian flag, not just in symbolic solidarity, but through meaningful actions and clear...
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Don’t let the compass drift: Gaza must remain the focus
Since October 7, the world has been witnessing a genocide in Gaza—an atrocity that is neither difficult to describe nor lacking in evidence. More than 100,000 people have been killed or injured. Entire families have been wiped out. Over 70% of Gaza’s population have either been forcibly displaced or...
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Migration: Treating the symptoms or addressing the root causes?
Amid heated debates over immigration in Britain and across the West, media headlines are dominated by plans to curb migrant flows, tighten asylum laws and deport those seeking protection. Yet this intense focus on the “branches” of the issue overlooks its deeper roots — namely, the enduring impact of...
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How will Al-Sharaa respond to the Israeli attacks?
Israel has gone too far in its attacks on Syria this time, as its warplanes bombed the vicinity of the presidential palace in Damascus. In a joint statement with Defence Minister Israel Katz, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu considered the bombing “a clear message to the Syrian regime: We...
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UNRWA medical supplies in Gaza are completely depleted
READ: No shortage of bombs, but scarcity of everything to starve Gazans by Israel as war weapon: Palestine...
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Gazans repair water tanks punctured by Israel’s shells
As Israel continues its blockade of Gaza, Palestinians are now working to repair water tanks which have been ruptured by Israel’s tank shells and bombs. Ihab Abdel Bari, a plumber, says the war has had a significant impact on water tanks, as they are located on roofs. This has...
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The crux of negotiations: Are Iran’s ballistic missiles more dangerous than its nuclear programme?
Donald Trump has been, and will remain, an unpredictable man. He is a master of surprises at every level. Before announcing his major tariff increases for all imports to the US from all exporting countries worldwide, he had publicly begun strengthening Israel militarily with a generous shipment of the...
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Democratic freedoms at risk as Germany’s new government prioritises support for Israel
As Germany enters a new political chapter under the leadership of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Social Democratic Party (SPD), civil liberties are already showing signs of erosion. Both parties have pledged unwavering support for the Israeli government, but that loyalty now comes at the expense of...
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Gaza will not be defeated as long as there are people who refuse to stay silent
In a bloody scene that encapsulates what the occupation seeks to entrench in Gaza, a police officer was brutally assassinated by armed assailants, while Israeli forces executed eight paramedics in cold blood as they attended to the wounded. Meanwhile, Israeli forces continue to target journalists, ensuring that no witnesses...
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Palestinians in Gaza try to mark Eid amidst Israel’s bombs
READ: Gazans perform Eid prayers atop ruins of mosques amid relentless Israeli bombardment...
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Israel demolished my 570-year-old home in Gaza
Like the majority of Palestinians in Gaza, 60-year-old Hazem Al-Shawa is homeless because of Israel’s bombing of the enclave. Hazem, however, hasn’t only lost his home and possessions, by destroying his home and neighbourhood in a firebelt, Israel has tried to erase Gaza’s history. “This house of ours is...
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How do we write our history in support of Gaza?
Gaza is not just a place that gets bombed frequently, the images of which we might see on the news and social media. Today, Gaza is also a trial of conscience for every individual, a history being written by all those who choose to be part of the struggle...
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‘We’re surprised by the volume of patients in Gaza’
READ: Gaza Civil Defence recovers 48 bodies from Al-Shifa Hospital...
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International Women’s Day: Resistance, not rhetoric
Every year, on 8 March, we are told, “Happy International Women’s Day (IWD),” as pink logos, corporate platitudes and hollow hashtags flood our screens. The same institutions that uphold patriarchal systems suddenly celebrate women’s “resilience” as if enduring oppression is an achievement. But beyond this performance lies a stark...