Marc Martorell Junyent

Anti-Migrant Sentiments in Central Europe Move Beyond Middle East Refugees Across the Middle East and North Africa, 16.6 million people remain forcibly displaced or stateless. The minority that continues their journey to Europe in search of a better life suffers from an incr...

Instead of improving the conditions for non-Ukrainian refugees to the level of their Ukrainian counterparts, Poland and Germany are downgrading the rights of both. My piece for Democracy in Exile. dawnmena.org/anti-migrant...

Anti-Migrant Sentiments in Central Europe Move Beyond Middle East Refugees Across the Middle East and North Africa, 16.6 million people remain forcibly displaced or stateless. The minority that continues their journey to Europe in search of a better life suffers from an incr...

Instead of improving the conditions for non-Ukrainian refugees to the level of their Ukrainian counterparts, Poland and Germany are downgrading the rights of both. My piece for Democracy in Exile. dawnmena.org/anti-migrant...

The EU has capitulated to Trump. But even this doesn’t buy an end to the transatlantic trade war | Paul Taylor The US president humiliated Ursula von der Leyen at his Scottish resort – but she still has no certainty on tariffs, says Paul Taylor of the European Policy Centre

"The deal marks Trump’s second humiliation of his European partners in two months, following a Nato summit at which allies yielded to his demands that they spend 5% of their economic output on defence", writes Paul Taylor. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

AOC wrong: More civilians die when we send Israel 'defensive weapons' The progressive congresswoman deserves the heat she's getting for her vote against a bill that would've held back aid to Jerusalem

"AOC’s post highlighted a flawed logic that many American politicians continue to deploy: the idea that it is both moral and possible to distinguish between defensive and offensive weapons", writes Annelle Sheline. responsiblestatecraft.org/aoc-israel-g...

Why are Ukrainians angry with Zelenskyy? Because even during wartime, some red lines must not be crossed | Nataliya Gumenyuk A new law has caused uproar for a reason: it undermines the independence of anti-corruption bodies and is an affront to the people, says journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk

"What shocked many was not just the content of the legislation but also the speed and manner in which it was pushed through: passed within a day, as an amendment hidden inside unrelated law enforcement reforms", writes Nataliya Gumenyuk. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

A new cold war with China won’t help the US Framing Beijing as a mortal enemy will hamper US growth and reduce Washington’s global influence

"America’s closest allies never wished to form an anti-China bloc before Trump took office. Now he’s offering most of them slimmer benefits at greater risk", writes Stephen Wertheim. www.ft.com/content/b324...

The Most American King: Interview on Jordan with Aaron Magid Interview with Aaron Magid, author of “The Most American King: Abdullah of Jordan” – “King Abdullah is likely more beloved in Washington than inside Jordan” Magid, Aaron. “The Most American King: Abdu...

I interviewed Aaron Magid to discuss his book "The Most American King: Abdullah of Jordan". www.juancole.com/2025/07/amer...

Europa y Palestina: era la hora de la verdad La UE certifica su irrelevancia. O lo que es peor: su connivencia con el genocidio.

"La distorsión de la realidad impuesta por Israel es tal que, hoy por hoy, a Europa parece resultarle difícil saber de qué se está discutiendo", escribe Luz Gómez. elpais.com/internaciona...

🇩🇪Las devoluciones en caliente de solicitantes de asilo pasan a ser política oficial en Alemania.

El 68% de los alemanes expresa su deseo de acoger menos refugiados, y el 57% apoya las devoluciones en caliente en la frontera.

✍🏻 @marcmartorell.bsky.social 
https://elsal.to/43244

How might Israel go about planning the world's biggest concentration camp in Gaza | Opinion ***

"Rafah will change the face of the IDF, turning it into the guard corps of the world's biggest concentration camp", writes Zvi Bar'el. www.haaretz.com/opinion/2025...

Las devoluciones en caliente de solicitantes de asilo pasan a ser política oficial en Alemania La Alemania de Friedrich Merz consagra una política de mano dura y devolución en caliente de solicitantes de asilo que las ONG de apoyo a migrantes denuncian como ilegal.

Las devoluciones en caliente de solicitantes de asilo, política oficial en Alemania desde la llegada de Merz a la cancillería. Mi artículo desde Freilassing, en la frontera con Austria. Via @elsaltodiario.com www.elsaltodiario.com/fronteras/al...

Why Force Fails to Stop Nuclear Proliferation Only diplomacy can ultimately keep Iran from getting the bomb.

"Bombs can buy time; only diplomacy can buy lasting security", writes David Minchin Allison. www.foreignaffairs.com/united-state...

How the Gaza war tests Europe’s commitment to human rights Divisions in the EU have stalled decisive action against Israel during the Gaza war, exposing the bloc’s struggle between its alleged values and realpolitik

Tomorrow EU foreign ministers meet in a new Foreign Affairs Council. One of the topics under discussion will be the EU-Israel Association Agreement. I wrote about it recently via with the comments of Martin Konečný and Michelle Pace. www.newarab.com/analysis/how...

How the Gaza war tests Europe’s commitment to human rights Divisions in the EU have stalled decisive action against Israel during the Gaza war, exposing the bloc’s struggle between its alleged values and realpolitik

Nothing New on the European Front or Why the EU is Unlikely to Act Decisively Against Israel for its War on Gaza. My piece for The New Arab. www.newarab.com/analysis/how...

First it was regime change, now they want to break Iran apart Reckless fantasies of balkanizing the country misunderstands Iranian nationalism and risks catastrophic blowback

"The idea that stirring separatist sentiment will fracture Iran is a dangerous fantasy -one that deliberately overlooks how schemes hatched, in major part, by pro-Israel neoconservatives, have backfired in Iraq and Syria...", writes Eldar Mamedov. responsiblestatecraft.org/iran-war-267...

Germany’s Migration Crackdown Faces EU Resistance and Domestic Doubts Chancellor Merz’s asylum crackdown is drawing legal challenges and diplomatic pushback, even as experts warn it could boost far-right parties abroad.

Poland has just announced it will impose police controls on its border with Germany. I wrote about Germany's border controls, and the consequences for Berlin's relations with its neighbors, for @inkstickmedia.com. inkstickmedia.com/germanys-mig...

Gulf Arab States Need Israel and Iran to De-escalate - Orion Policy Institute President Donald J. Trump successfully cajoling Israel and Iran into a precarious ceasefire this month was welcome news in the six Gulf Cooperation Council

"For policymakers in GCC states, a US foreign policy that enabled Israel’s unprovoked war on their Persian neighbor threatens the stability which they seek in the Gulf and the rest of the Middle East", writes Giorgio Cafiero. orionpolicy.org/gulf-arab-st...

Don’t count on the Iran-Israel ceasefire lasting. What Netanyahu really wants is a forever war | Simon Tisdall Like Putin, Israel’s prime minister sees continuing destruction as an opportunity to boost support and outflank his enemies, says Guardian columnist Simon Tisdall

"Who seriously believes Netanyahu will readily relinquish the dominance over Iran’s airspace that his forces have established withunexpected ease? It’s unlikely he will be able to resist the temptation to target Iran again", writes Simon Tisdall.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Trust in UN’s nuclear watchdog is broken, Iranian president says European nations defend IAEA chief as Tehran accuses him of failing to condemn Israeli and US attacks on nuclear sites

"The official narrative that Iran has scored a major triumph against Israel is a classic case of when George Orwell talks about nationalism and indifference to reality", says Ali Ansari. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

Greens for Tanks Many of Europe’s Green parties have pacifist roots — but now support hurried rearmament. The plan to boost defense spending to 5 percent of GDP is turning Europe away from green investment and plowing...

"Money spent on weaponry has proven to leak away to shareholders abroad since weapons production is capital intensive and labor-light", writes Ewald Engelen. jacobin.com/2025/06/gree...

Did the Attacks on Iran Succeed? Israel and America bought themselves time but will pay in other ways.

"The Iranian government will now make its efforts more opaque than ever, even if it engages in diplomacy. Iran’s new timeline may therefore vary wildly. The country may never produce a weapon. Or it could produce one very quickly", says Richard Nephew. www.foreignaffairs.com/iran/did-att...

Germany urgently needs to attract migrant workers – it just doesn’t want them to feel welcome | Chris Reiter and Will Wilkes Friedrich Merz is unwisely trying to revive the discredited postwar ‘guest worker’ programme, say journalists and authors Chris Reiter and Will Wilkes

"Merz’s moves reinforce the narrative that Germany is being overwhelmed by newcomers. The approach bolsters the far-right AfD –a close second in the polls–which has called for the deportation of thousands of people". www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Opinion | The Ayatollah Has a Plan

"Ayatollah Khamenei will not retreat, let alone surrender. He has, for now, accepted a cease-fire with Israel — but only because he is confident that Iran held its ground ground in the face of U.S. and Israeli strikes", writes Vali Nasr. www.nytimes.com/2025/06/26/o...

Trump Makes Devastating Strike on U.S. Diplomatic Credibility The attack on Iran makes it harder to get any adversaries to the table.

"Real diplomacy doesn’t happen on a countdown clock. Sixty days wasn’t a deadline; it was an excuse," writes
Adam Weinstein. foreignpolicy.com/2025/06/23/t...

What the US and Iran do next could be even more momentous The "tortuous" US-Iran relationship was tested at least once before, but this is of far greater magnitude

"Although Trump has sought to eliminate the nuclear threat from Iran, he has now made it far more likely that Iran becomes a nuclear state", says Ellie Geranmayeh. www.bbc.com/news/article...

Sheltering in a Bunker, Iran’s Supreme Leader Names Potential Successors

"Israel’s attacks have set off a resurgence of nationalism among many Iranians, inside and outside the country, including many critical of the government." www.nytimes.com/2025/06/21/w...

The Issues With Calling for a Regime Change in Iran "The most ardent proponents of regime change in Iran may be accelerating the very nuclear program they claim to fear."

"The irony is that the most ardent proponents of regime change in Iran may be accelerating the very nuclear program they claim to fear", writes Narges Bajoghli. time.com/7295877/issu...

Iran's Grand Strategy – Vali Nasr Book Review: Vali Nasr, “Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History”, (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2025). Munich (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) – The Islamic Republic of Iran faces ...

I reviewed the highly timely “Iran’s Grand Strategy: A Political History” by Vali Nasr.

www.juancole.com/2025/06/iran...

Germany’s Migration Crackdown Faces EU Resistance and Domestic Doubts Chancellor Merz’s asylum crackdown is drawing legal challenges and diplomatic pushback, even as experts warn it could boost far-right parties abroad.

I write about Germany's border controls under the new Merz government, with pushbacks of aslyum-seekers at the borders, for @inkstickmedia.com.
inkstickmedia.com/germanys-mig...

The Iranian people were starting to win their battle for liberty and prosperity. Then Israel attacked | Esfandyar Batmanghelidj Something was shifting in Iran, but now missiles and the return of foreign interference may tear up the green shoots of progress, says Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, founder of the Bourse & Bazaar Foundatio...

"Israel’s attacks demonstrate a contempt not just for life – the civilian death toll in Iran is mounting – but also a contempt for the agency and aspirations of the Iranian people," writes Esfandyar Batmanghelidj. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...