World Politics

Gaza’s water “comes from wells with salt water unfit for consumption. They have water treatment plants, Israel should hit those plants. When the entire world says we have gone insane and this is a humanitarian disaster — we will say, it’s not an end, it’s a means.” That was the opinion of Giora Eiland, adviser to the defense minister and former head of the Israeli National Security Council, writing in Yedioth Ahronoth on October 9, 2023.⁠[1]

Israel has passed a new bill which criminalises the questioning of the official narrative regarding 7 October 2023. The law, passed without opposition, bars non-Israeli citizens from entering or residing in the country if they or the organisations they represent deny the 7 October attack, question the Holocaust, or support the prosecution at international courts of Israeli security personnel for war crimes. It also expands a controversial 2017 amendment that prohibited visas for individuals associated with groups supporting the peaceful Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing for a peaceful resolution to Russia’s now three-year war in Ukraine. VOA examined several approaches floated by think tanks recently aimed at achieving a lasting peace to the war.

The 24th February marks the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Neither side has been able to land a knockout blow. Donald Trump is back in the White House and promising to begin negotiations with Vladimir Putin to end the war. What should we expect in 2025 and beyond?

Since October 2023, Israeli authorities have deliberately obstructed Palestinians’ access to the adequate amount of water required for survival in the Gaza Strip, according to a report published by Human Rights Watch (HRW).

Following the Hamas-led massacre and invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023, Israel has launched a continued assault on Gaza, deploying aerial bombing, ground invasions, and a total blockade in its effort to destroy Hamas. In these 12 months the assault has killed approximately 42,000 Palestinian, displaced over 90% of Gazans, and destroyed over half of all Gazan buildings (BBC Visual Journalism Team, 2024) This widespread destruction, combined with Israels blockade, has created a major humanitarian crisis consisting of famine, spread of infectious diseases, and a collapsed healthcare sector (Batrawy, 2024). To explore the (in)humanity of this crisis, the developing field of everyday security studies can provide valuable insights. As opposed to earlier positivistic theories of security, everyday security studies focus on the daily, habitual, and mundane aspects of life and how they relate to in/security. Where the referent object of traditional theories of security may be the state, international institutions, politicians, military or the bourgeois, everyday security explores those often relegated to the private sphere: civilians, workers, women, and children. By exploring the spatial, temporal, and affective experiences of non-elite actors within Gaza, we can illuminate Israeli security apparatuses of blockade, bombing, ground invasion, surveillance, and forced displacement. This lens allows for a greater understanding of both the wider Israeli-Palestinian conflict and other global conflicts that oppress groups via acts of everyday violence, be it Ukrainians, Kurds, Kashmiris, or the Rohingya.

At last, Syria is free of the despised Assad regime. The long-suffering Syrian people deserve respite and a chance to rebuild the country on their own terms, with help not interference from outside.

Discussing the domestic and foreign policy implications of the failed vote to impeach South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol following his short-lived declaration of martial law

The report, Operation “Keba”: Massacre by the Army in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Goma City, details how security forces went on a killing spree, opening fire on protestors demanding the departure of the UN Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO). Most protesters were followers of the religious and political group Natural Messianic Judaic Faith Towards the Nations (FNJMN), which calls its adherents “Wazalendo”.

“To promote common prosperity, we cannot engage in ‘welfarism.’ In the past, high welfare in some populist Latin American countries fostered a group of ‘lazy people’ who got something for nothing. As a result, their national finances were overwhelmed, and these countries fell into the ‘middle income trap’ for a long time. Once welfare benefits go up, they cannot come down. It is unsustainable to engage in ‘welfarism’ that exceeds our capabilities. It will inevitably bring about serious economic and political problems.”

The overthrow of Bashar al-Assad was met with widespread celebrations in Syria. But the situation is full of unknowns for the Kurdish population, with Turkish-backed militias massively expanding their presence in the country.

After a weekend wrapped in the glory of presiding over the reopening of Paris' Notre-Dame cathedral, French President Emmanuel Macron has returned to earth with a bump – summoned by his own camp to name a prime minister "within hours" to end the current political turmoil.

Turkey opposes the Assad regime, but the fall of the government could disrupt Ankara’s aims to reverse refugee flows and defeat Kurdish forces in Syria’s north.

Rebels have captured Aleppo, the country’s second most significant city, abruptly throwing the Syrian government on the back foot. In this Q&A, Crisis Group experts explain what has happened and how the various parties to Syria’s conflict may react.

::: spoiler Key Points.

Saudi Arabia is a country in transition, but the ongoing changes could create friction with Washington

Lebanon and Israel have reached an agreement to end the Hizbollah-Israel fighting that began on 8 October 2023. In this Q&A, Crisis Group experts Heiko Wimmen, David Wood and Mairav Zonszein examine the truce’s terms and weigh the chances that the parties will honour them.

French President Emmanuel Macron has begun a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia, seeking to boost arms sales while backing the kingdom's move away from oil dependency.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the Chinese government has been criticised for its refusal to condemn the war. In 2024, the economic and diplomatic relationship between the two nations appears stronger than ever.

Arms revenue increases were seen in all regions, with particularly sharp rises among companies based in Russia and the Middle East. Overall, smaller producers were more efficient at responding to new demand linked to the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, growing tensions in East Asia and rearmament programmes elsewhere.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has suggested a ceasefire deal could be struck if Ukrainian territory he controls could be taken "under the NATO umbrella" - allowing him to negotiate the return of the rest later "in a diplomatic way".

Since 2021, when Algeria cut ties with Morocco, the two neighbours have been at odds. Thus far, their quarrels have largely remained in the diplomatic realm. Western countries should help keep a lid on the disputes until the time is ripe for a rapprochement.

Supporters of Imran Khan, Pakistan’s jailed ex-premier, took to the streets again in late November pressing the claim that February’s elections were stolen from his party. As the impasse goes on, the risk of violence is ever present. All sides should take a step back.

The Israeli military’s unprecedented use of brute force has changed the strategic environment, ending Tehran’s hopes of bleeding Israel through linked conflicts.

ToplineThe United States is currently on course for sustained competition with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in which both sides recognize the dangers of a potential great-power conflict — something both sides say they hope to avoid. As the United States shifts from a strategy of engagement toward a strategy of confrontation and competition with the PRC, it is even more important to sustain the meaningful bilateral diplomacy and respect for long-standing policies and principles that have prevented the relationship from gravitating toward conflict for the past half century. This will require developing more, not less, diplomatic engagement and informal communication between defense communities to better understand and prevent the potential triggers for direct conflict between the world’s two most powerful countries. The most significant and dangerous such trigger is the issue of Taiwan and the potential mismanagement of cross-Strait relations.

The Kremlin has accused U.S. President Joe Biden of adding fuel to the fire and seeking to escalate the conflict in Ukraine by lifting restrictions on long-range weapons.

An investigation by RFE/RL has uncovered that family members of a Ukrainian legislator from President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's Servant of the People party has property in Dubai worth more than $1 million -- well beyond what they could have likely afforded on their official incomes.

Looking ahead, if Iran continues its direct engagement strategy, several outcomes are likely to reshape the regional power landscape. Iran’s focus on countering the U.S. and Israel rather than posing a threat to neighboring Arab states opens a window for regional solidarity. Recognizing this shared objective, Arab and Muslim countries in the region may find strategic alignment with Iran beneficial, forming a united deterrent bloc that challenges Israeli policies and reduces its influence. This coalition could embolden the broader “Axis of Resistance,” fostering a regional front rooted in a shared commitment to resist perceived external aggression. However, balancing honor-driven action with strategic restraint remains crucial; any escalation risks exhausting resources and drawing the region into wider conflict. Iran’s evolving military doctrine thus reflects not only a response to immediate threats but also a longer-term vision to redefine power dynamics in a multipolar Middle East through strategic partnerships and collective resistance.

You probably already know that Russia’s war against Ukraine should have stopped this week.

After three years of war and at least two effective strategic stalemates, it is in both sides’ interests to seek a potential ceasefire agreement followed by some kind of durable compromise agreement, as neither is strong enough to achieve a decisive military victory. It is especially in Ukraine’s interest as Russia has the edge in military manpower and a more robust military production base and reserves compared to Ukraine. Yet, Russia still incurs heavy casualties for only incremental gains and perhaps reflecting this, it is willing – in principle at least – to seek some form of ceasefire, something the Russian leadership has signalled on numerous occasions, and indeed continues to do so.

Navalny’s memoir, “Patriot,” which he began writing in Germany after recovering from being poisoned by a Novichok nerve agent in 2020 and continued writing during his imprisonment by smuggling out the notebooks through his lawyers, was released posthumously in English translation on Oct. 22. Its publication has sparked a new wave of accolades for the former opposition leader, who died on Feb. 16 in one of Russia’s most notorious penal colonies.

We, Israeli citizens residing in Israel and abroad, call on the international community – the UN and its institutions, the United States, the European Union, the League of Arab States, and all states around the world – to intervene immediately and implement every possible sanction towards achieving an immediate ceasefire between Israel and its neighbors, for the future of both peoples in Israel and Palestine and the peoples of the region and for their rights to security and life.

While Europe may be “sleepwalking into a far-right trap”, Austria is consciously walking straight into it. After all, polls had predicted the most recent electoral success of the Austrian Freedom party (FPÖ) for almost two years. While the far-right party’s leader, Herbert Kickl, heralded its victory as the beginning of “a new era”, it is better understood as a seemingly unavoidable progression. If anything, the country’s recent election results confirmed a broader pattern of far-right normalisation in Europe in general and in Austria in particular.

YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) — Cameroon’s President Paul Biya returned to his home country after weeks abroad amid rumors that his health is failing, a state-run television station reported Monday.

IRBIL, Iraq (AP) — Residents of Iraq’s semi-autonomous northern Kurdish region went to the polls in long-awaited parliamentary elections Sunday under the shadow of ongoing rivalries, economic instability and unresolved disputes with Baghdad.

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Newly inaugurated President Prabowo Subianto swore in Indonesia’s largest Cabinet since 1966 on Monday, with 109 members representing his pledge for a strong government.

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam elected Luong Cuong, a military general, as its new president on Monday, the fourth official to fill the largely ceremonial role in 18 months.

SAN ANDRES LARRAINZAR, Mexico (AP) — Hundreds gathered Monday to mourn Catholic priest Marcelo Pérez, an activist for Indigenous peoples and farm laborers who was killed in the southern Mexico state of Chiapas.

LIMA, Peru (AP) — Peru’s former President Alejandro Toledo on Monday was sentenced to 20 years and six months in prison in a case involving Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht, which became synonymous with corruption across Latin America, where it paid millions of dollars in bribes to government officials and others.

*This article contains descriptions of physical and sexual violence, which may be disturbing to some readers. Reader discretion is advised.*

Myanmar’s military coup leaders have urged their opponents to put down their weapons and start political dialogue, in a surprise move that was swiftly rejected.

At least 3,661 people have been killed in Haiti in the first half of this year amid the “senseless” gang violence that has engulfed the country, according to the United Nations.

In the early morning of September 26, Sudan’s army launched a major offensive to capture the capital Khartoum from the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Lebanon’s Health Ministry says Israeli attacks have killed 77 so far today, as army jets continue non-stop bombardment across the country, including in the suburbs of the capital Beirut.

Egypt’s foreign minister, Badr Ahmed Mohamed Abdelaty, accused Israel of bringing the region “to the brink” and blamed only that government for not reaching a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, despite the several efforts of some countries of the region.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel arrived in the Mexican capital on Sunday to attend the inauguration of Claudia Sheinbaum, who will be inaugurated on October 1.

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — China and Russia got their turns at the U.N. General Assembly podium on Saturday, but — per usual — their top leaders didn’t speak. Instead, they turned to their foreign ministers, WANG YI and SERGEY LAVROV.

JERUSALEM (AP) — With Israel’s defense minister announcing a “new phase” of the war and an apparent Israeli attack setting off explosions in electronic devices in Lebanon, the specter of all-out combat between Israel and Hezbollah seems closer than ever before.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Every day at 7 a.m., President Andrés Manuel López Obrador strolls onto a stage in Mexico’s National Palace, clad in a smart suit and tie, and peers out at a room of bleary-eyed reporters and social media personalities. “Buenos días, look alive!” the 70-year-old leader calls out in a gravelly voice.