Creating new perspectives since 2009
Items by Azmat Ali
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Genocide, ecocide, erasure: Gaza at the edge of survival
Few terms in international law carry the weight of genocide. One of the only concepts that stands alongside it is ecocide. The first refers to the destruction of a people; the second to the destruction of the conditions that sustain life. Gaza now sits at the intersection of both. Together,…
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Sudan crisis: The satellite holds the evidence the world chooses to ignore
The mass killing in Gaza and the onslaught in Sudan are part of a broader global pattern in which civilians are deliberately targeted. Those affected in both places are equally human, yet the world has responded differently. Gaza has prompted widespread global mobilisation, protests, boycotts and statements of solidarity. Meanwhile,…
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“One nation, one army:” Lebanon’s debate over resistance and sovereignty
Lebanon once again stands at a defining crossroads. As the country prepares for parliamentary elections in May 2026, the political landscape is dominated by one issue: the state’s plan to disarm Hezbollah. Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar has pledged that the polls will be conducted “with complete neutrality and transparency.” President Joseph Aoun,…
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In the struggle for superiority, peace was killed
The Middle East stands at a critical juncture. On one front lies the longstanding conflict between Israel and Palestine; on another, a covert but escalating shadow war between Iran and Israel. Together, these dynamics form a web of hostility where the promise of peace seems ever farther away—even though, in…
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Iran after the nuclear deal’s collapse: Power, pressure, and the future of the Middle East
The Middle East in 2025 remains caught in a cycle of renewed tensions, shifting alliances, and stalled diplomacy. Two developments stand out: the re-imposition of UN sanctions on Iran and the intensifying confrontation between Iran and Israel — both reshaping the region’s power dynamics. In August 2025, Britain, France, and…
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War paused, accountability denied: Gaza’s struggle for sovereignty
On 13 October, at a summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, Donald Trump joined President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and other regional leaders in signing a declaration welcoming a “new chapter” in Gaza. As part of the first phase of Trump’s 20-point peace plan, a ceasefire has taken effect, halting Israeli air…
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Rising from ashes: The global recognition of a silenced nation
Today, Palestine stands at a stark crossroads: devastation and dignity, loss and light. The ongoing genocide in Gaza continues, carried out by Israel, yet Palestinians across the world, in science and culture, continue to win global recognition. Their recognition by prestigious institutions marks their resilience and identity. This sends a…
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Trump’s Gaza initiative: Chance for peace or empty words?
After nearly two years of war in Gaza, a sudden and surprising development has emerged. Hamas has issued a statement agreeing in principle to release all Israeli captives it holds — both the living and the remains of the dead — and to hand over the administration of Gaza to…
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Trump’s Gaza plan: Sovereign restoration or neo-colonial management?
On 29 September 2025, the White House published a 20-point peace plan aimed at ending the war in Gaza and rebuilding the territory as a “New Gaza”. At the centre of the proposal is a transitional architecture overseen by an international body called the “Board of Peace”. According to the text, Gaza…
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Netanyahu faces empty UN hall — ‘Please, order in the hall’ marks Israel’s isolation
“Order in the hall,” came the plea from a UN official on 26 September, as dozens of delegations walked out of the United Nations General Assembly in protest against Israel’s war in Gaza. The chamber was left hollow, rows of empty seats glaring back at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he began…
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Trump rules: no nuclear weapons. Khamenei: no surrender. Who blinks first?
On 23 September, as the United Nations opened its 80th General Assembly in New York, two men thousands of miles apart spoke almost directly to each other. Donald Trump, back at the UN podium, declared that Iran must “never be allowed” to possess nuclear weapons. In Tehran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei…
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Genocide in Gaza and the New York Declaration: A verdict without teeth?
The UN Human Rights experts concluded that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. Days earlier, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly endorsed Palestinian statehood, with 142 nations in favour. Together, these developments deliver a verdict: the world now formally recognises both the destruction of Gaza as genocidal and the denial of…