Sohail Ansari, Ph.D’s Post

As international attention is focused on tensions between Israel and Iran and the Israel-Hamas war, the aftermath of another significant conflict in the region, and its potential consequences, are going unnoticed. In my piece for Oxford Middle East Review on Armenia, I argue that Western countries should not ignore Armenia's search for new allies and take the opportunity to buttress its security to avoid countries such as Iran and Russia further establishing their influence in Caucasus and, worse yet, a renewed conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan which could destabilise the region. Follow the link to have a read: https://lnkd.in/eq76Xwx5 #internationalrelations #internationalaffairs #middleeast #article #politics #armenia #russia #EU #iran #caucasus

Dear readers, What does Peace mean? Is Justice important for conflict resolution? Who can be a mediator and what are mediators, such as China and Gulf states interests in Russia-Ukraine war? Are there lessons Ukraine can learn from Balkans and Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, as well as different Truth and Reconciliation commissions around the globe. All this in our new issue. https://lnkd.in/ep9Ns-pd

Israel, mainly the Zionist movement with nation of Israel, have become swaggering and behave like a spoiled and undisciplined child. A nation Israel has never stood on its own two feet. It is and always has been a leech on the back of western taxpayers. Israel is deliberately trying to start a regional conflict that no one is interested in. Let’s not forget Israel deliberately struck the Iranian consulate in Syria. That means a violated the sovereignty of Syria and Iran. Diplomatic facilities are inviolable by international rules/law. Once again, Israel shown it believes that the rules do not apply to it. Largely their right because Western leaders as a whole are either bought and paid for or to weak to stand up to them. Sarcastically said, isn’t it wonderful to see Germany arresting and silencing Jews once again? Criminalizing political speech, squashing freedom of assembly, denying the freedom of speech to anti-Zionist Jews.

China is urging the United States to cease sending any signals that support "Taiwan independence" separatists, following the U.S. condemnation of China's guidelines on punishing those involved in separatist activities. The Chinese foreign ministry emphasized the importance of safeguarding national unity and territorial integrity, stating that external forces have no authority to intervene. China reiterated that Taiwan is an integral part of its territory and called for the U.S. to adhere to the one-China principle and refrain from supporting Taiwan independence. #AsiaRisk #GeopoliticalConflictandDisputes #China Follow us for daily updates on risk and operations in Asia! https://lnkd.in/gktKumzQ

Alliances in global politics often shift based on mutual interests. The Taliban in Afghanistan shows how adversaries can become partners, reflecting the evolving nature of international relations. Details: https://lnkd.in/dGhrqdRZ #HunanOnline #GlobalPolitics #Geopolitics #InternationalRelations #Taliban #PoliticalShifts #History

"God spared my life for a reason" - Donald Trump 47th President of the United States of America. Middle East Policy The official Republican Party Platform of 2024 doesn’t say much about foreign policy in the Middle East aside from “stand with Israel” and “restore peace in the Middle East.”A second Trump administration could represent a continuation of previous policies from 2017-2021, including: - A “maximum pressure” approach to Iran with a focus on economic sanctions, strong rhetoric, and targeted military actions; - Strong opposition to diplomacy with Iran over a nuclear deal; - A lower priority on human rights and democracy in US policy and a higher priority on energy and economic policy cooperation; - A transactional relationship with regional strongmen like President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey; - A warm relationship with Saudi Arabia; - A desire to achieve a US-Saudi-Israel deal similar to the 2020 Abraham - Accords that opened formal relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco; - A ban on immigration from Muslim-majority countries; - A largely hands-off approach in Syria or a potential withdrawal of US forces from the country. #DonaldTrump #election #vote #politics #trump #news #elections #usa #KamalaHarris #india #biden #congress #maga #republican #MiddleEast #democrats #usapresident #america #joebiden #democracy #bjp #president #voting #government #conservative #republicans #bidenharris https://lnkd.in/d_ghWdDf

China's participation in brokering this reconciliation pact between Hamas and Fatah may influence its success in the area. China's expanding worldwide influence, as well as its increased involvement in Middle Eastern diplomacy, may put further pressure on the parties to fulfill their obligations. Beijing's mediation of the Saudi-Iran "rapprochement" in 2023 demonstrates its ability to mediate deals between antagonistic regional countries.China's diplomatic approach is focused on long-term involvement. Despite its expanding importance, China does not have the same fundamental presence and strategic links in the region as the US.Most importantly, the long-standing antagonism between Hamas and Fatah, as well as their opposing orientations toward Israel, may be difficult to resolve.The United States remains a vital participant in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and its position on any peace accord is going to have an impact on its viability.

Here's my new piece on China's position on #palestine following the recent high-level meetings that took place in #beijing with #arab leaders. This is published by President Xi's #foreignpolicy communications platform. In this article I address questions that few have asked or attempted to answer in mainstream media, including why #hamas attacked last October, whether it was unprovoked, and what were the possible strategic objectives. I point to the very difficult year #palestinians had faced in the occupied territories, where illegal settlements increased at an alarming rate, leading to more than 400 Palestinians killed and more than 12000 wounded. I point to the fact that a conflict had been widely predicted in diplomatic circles since early 2023, necessitated by Israel's need to "externalize" its political gridlock and governance breakdowns. The purpose here is not an apology for October 7: rather, it's to point out that the failure to ask simple questions and instead resorting to demonization, as Biden and others have done when discussing Hamas, while giving Israel the weapons and political support it needs to commit genocide against Palestinian civilians. I then reflect on how Washington has increasingly linked Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan in their strategic discourse and military support, while still advancing The irony is astounding: the US blacklists companies that produce in #xinjiang despite the long list of US war crimes committed in #iraq and #afghanistan, and the atrocities that are happening with US support in Israel. The US wants to argue that this is a struggle reducible to promoting #humanrights and #democracy vs. #authoritarianism, but does lying to the UN, ignoring the UNGA, or even Security Council decisions reflect democracy? Link below.

From the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates 🇵🇸 #Israel deliberately prolongs the war to thwart International Consensus on resolving the #Palestinian Issue The far-right Israeli government continues to exploit the international community’s failure to uphold international legitimacy and laws, intensifying its genocide and forced displacement against the Palestinian people. It systematically devastates all aspects of life in Gaza, while accelerating ethnic cleansing, land annexation, and settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, including Jerusalem. This all-out Israeli war crime far surpasses any claim of “self-defense,” seeking instead to reshape the conflict’s future to serve the colonial, racist interests of Israel’s ruling far-right government. The Ministry views that Israel is purposefully severing the link between security and political solutions, maintaining a war-based approach to reshape regional stability through military dominance, disregarding any political avenue. The #Israeli government frames its actions as existential, masking its colonial agenda and ignoring the root causes of the conflict. The Ministry reiterates the ineffectiveness of military solutions in achieving regional stability and underscores that the international community’s inability to enforce its resolutions inadvertently enables Israel’s colonial policies, perpetuating cycles of #warcrimes.

Global Perspectives: A Tale of Two Responses In a world where geopolitical tensions simmer, recent events have cast a stark contrast on how nations react to aggression. Let’s delve into two scenarios: Russia’s Aggression Against Ukraine: As Russian forces launched a major assault on Ukraine, the world stood united against this blatant act of aggression. Cities trembled under missile strikes, civilians fled, and casualties mounted. The invasion, spanning land, air, and sea, left no room for ambiguity. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to defend freedom while neighbouring countries prepared to receive refugees. The UK, EU, and other Western allies swiftly pledged tough sanctions, but boots on the ground remained off the table. These are among the darkest hours for Europe since World War II. Israel’s Retaliatory Actions: Israel, often at odds with global sentiments, found itself in a different narrative. Amidst regional complexities, it sought contact with Russia in Syria, treading carefully not to antagonize Moscow due to its ties with Iran. When Israel retaliated against another country, the world’s response was markedly different. Assistance flowed, alliances held firm, and Israel’s actions garnered support. The lesson? Context matters. While Russia’s aggression met with condemnation, Israel’s actions invoked a helping hand. The world’s moral compass sways, guided by intricate alliances and historical nuances. In this dichotomy, we witness the delicate dance of international relations. As the global stage unfolds, let us reflect on the power of context, empathy, and the choices that shape our shared destiny. #WorldAffairs #UnityInDiversity #Gaza #IsraelPalestine #MiddleEast #cessb #HumanRights #Accountability #WesternPolitics #PoliticalAnalysis #IsraeliOccupation #Hamas #Blockade U.S. Department of State The White House 10 Downing Street UK Parliament European Commission UK Parliament #WarCrimes #MediaLiteracy #Misinformation #EvidenceBased #Transparency #Diplomacy #PeaceBuilding #HumanitarianCrisis #CivilSociety #ConflictResolution United Nations NATO