Richard Wallace

Recognition of Palestinian statehood is not enough when it comes to Gaza The UK and Europe must take action, not stick with mere symbolic gestures

“[Israel’s] settlement enterprise is not a rogue fringe; it’s a state-directed policy apparatus..targeted measures must extend to all Israeli ministers, military officials & lawmakers who facilitate or incite violations of international law,including in settlements in the West Bank & East Jerusalem”

Slovenia bans import, export and transit of weapons to and from Israel

"In such circumstances, it is the duty of every responsible state to take action, even if it means taking a step ahead of others" 🇸🇮

BBC reports that PM Starmer spoke to Netanyahu on the phone before the cabinet meeting at which the UK government decided to conditionally recognise a Palestinian state.

Timely reminder that the man on the other end of the line is a wanted war criminal, & the ICC has an arrest warrant out for him.

The Dam of Gaza Genocide Denial Has Broken Several prominent media outlets are coming off the fence over Israel’s actions, but a conspiracy of helplessness still prevails

“Western publications that have recently carried “genocide” editorials or prominent features have devoted virtually no space to the measures that governments should take against Israel to stop the genocide. It’s as though they are saying, “Yes, it’s a genocide, but what can we do about it?””

Frustration, Gaza alarm drove Macron to go it alone on Palestine recognition Emmanuel Macron's announcement caused diplomatic ructions from the Middle East and Europe to Washington - but it did not come out of the blue.

Rank cowardice from Keir Starmer:

“Working with Saudi Arabia, Macron came up with a plan to have France + …Britain and Canada recognise Palestinian statehood..But despite weeks of talks he failed to get others on board. 3 diplomats said London did not want to face the wrath of the United States…”

Governments around the world, including Europe, are becoming increasingly inventive at devising ways to defuse their public outrage while avoiding doing what's immediately needed to stop Israeli atrocities and starvation in Gaza.

Struggling Over Every Drop: Yemen’s Crisis of Aridity and Political Collapse Yemen is facing one of the world’s worst water crises due to extreme drought, excessive groundwater depletion, institutional collapse, and ongoing armed conflict. The war has led to the destruction of...

“[In Yemen], water has been transformed from a vital life-sustaining resource into an instrument of military & political leverage. Warring parties have…targeted or seized control of dams & critical water infrastructure, & in some cases, have restricted civilian access to key water sources.”

Exclusive: USAID analysis found no evidence of massive Hamas theft of Gaza aid The internal U.S. government analysis challenges the main rationale that Israel and the U.S. give for backing a new armed private aid operation.

Exclusive: USAID analysis found no evidence of massive Hamas theft of Gaza aid | Reuters

Israeli forces release Jerusalem’s grand mufti after brief detention following Friday sermon at Al-Aqsa Mosque Al-Aqsa preacher Sheikh Muhammad Hussein detained following weekly sermon condemning Israeli starvation policy in Gaza - Anadolu Ajansı

The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestine, Sheikh Muhammad Hussein, was detained (now released) following his khuṭbah at Al-Aqsa condemning Israel’s role in starving Gaza.

“Israeli authorities have not disclosed the specific charges or reasons for his arrest.”

What does the future hold for the “Axis of Resistance”?

I explore this in my new piece, recently published on Conflict Lines, my Substack dedicated to politics, religion, and conflict across MENA and South Asia.

Read it here:

conflictlines.substack.com/p/the-axis-o...

Almost a third of people in Gaza 'not eating for days,' UN warns Israel faces increasing pressure from Western allies to lift restrictions into the flow of aid into Gaza.

Keir Starmer promises airdrops but they are extremely ineffective. We’ve been here before: does anyone still remember the floating port that Biden built, that lasted a single day?

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Ian Hislop, "It is pretty ludicrous we have got to a state where a man is arrested for carrying a joke? I mean, freedom of expression, freedom of speech, all those things we claim to be interested in?"

Shame on Labour this isn't the change any of us wanted after 14 years of Conservative chaos

🚨BREAKING: UN human rights chief Volker Türk has condemned the ban on Palestine Action as a "disturbing" misuse of UK counter-terrorism legislation.

He writes: “I urge the UK Government to rescind its decision to proscribe Palestine Action".
www.ohchr.org/en/press-rel...

220 MPs call for Keir Starmer to recognise Palestinian state More than 130 Labour MPs are among the signatories piling fresh pressure on PM Sir Keir Starmer.

220 MPs call for Starmer to recognise Palestinian state 👍
www.bbc.com/news/article...

Eminent former diplomats and UN officials call on the Prime Minister: "We welcomed your manifesto commitment to recognise Palestine alongside international partners as a contribution to a political process. That moment is now here. No bilateral “peace process” will now emerge by itself."

The “Axis of Resistance” at a Crossroads Israel has inflicted heavy losses on Iran-aligned armed groups, but regional conflict drivers persist. As long as political grievances remain unaddressed, peace in the region will remain elusive.

After a long hiatus, I’ve started writing again.

My first article, ‘The “Axis of Resistance” at a Crossroads’, is now up on my brand new Substack, Conflict Lines.

The Substack is devoted to honest, independent, & clear analysis of politics, religion, & conflict across the Middle East & South Asia.

Slovenia declares two Israeli ministers persona non grata Slovenia declared two far-right Israeli cabinet ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, persona non grata on Thursday, the first European Union country to do so, Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon said.

Hopefully more European states will follow suit.

Slovenia declares two Israeli ministers persona non grata - www.reuters.com/world/americ...

Israel bombs Damascus army HQ as Israeli Druze cross into Syria after clashes ***

After report that Trump asked Netanyahu not to attack Syrian forces, Israel bombs the Syrian defense ministry building in Damascus www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

Houthi attacks halt ships’ Red Sea return Fresh attacks signal resurgent campaign by Yemeni rebel group, say analysts

“ “Shifts in the US military presence in the region presented an opening for the Houthis to attack this week, said Robert Peters of Ambrey, a maritime risk management company...“They’re no longer present in that part of the Red Sea, which they used to be, even with an aircraft carrier..””

NEW: The U.S. has imposed sanctions on UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese over her calls for the International Criminal Court to investigate Israeli and U.S. officials for war crimes.

Palestinian FM: Ready to work with Trump; Saudi payments to PA resumed Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian told Al-Monitor in first such interview since taking the position that Palestinian officials are ready to "work closely" with President Donald Trump for a negotiated...

PA FM:

“Israeli leaders…are working to create a new reality based on the fragmentation of Palestinian geography — dividing the West Bank into cantons, separating it from Gaza and altering the status quo in Jerusalem, imposing final facts on the ground that render a political solution unattainable.”

Gaza on brink of running out of fuel in Israeli siege Lack of diesel and other fuels threatens water supplies, sanitation and hospitals

“OCHA said Gazans had been able to “refine fuel” from plastic, which they used to run tuk-tuks & motorbikes..
“[I]f you are driving to Gaza City, you will see along the beach all these stations that have been set up to produce this fuel, & it is..two kilometres of black smoke that you pass through.”

Israel’s quiet war in the West Bank A Palestinian village was forcibly emptied this week. Its former residents say more will follow

“Diplomats doubt Israel will annex the entire West Bank imminently…because it would complicate Netanyahu’s ambitions of normalising relations with several Arab states. But they said a smaller move, such as formally annexing some of the large settlements close to Israel, could not be ruled out.”

Global Peace Index Map » The Most & Least Peaceful Countries GPI presents the most comprehensive data-driven analysis to-date on trends in peace. Most & least peaceful countries in the world. View Map.

Findings from 2025 Global Peace Index:

• 59 active state-based conflicts - highest level since WWII
• Conflicts increasingly internationalised (states involved >175% since 2010)
• Global expenditure on peacebuilding & peacekeeping, relative to military exp, at lowest level in more than two decades

"Defense Minister Israel Katz said Monday that he has instructed the
IDF to prepare a plan to establish a "humanitarian city" on the ruins of Rafah"

"the plan envisions moving 600,000 Palestinians ... into the new zone after security screening. Once inside, residents would not be allowed to leave"

The Israel-Iran war has not yet transformed the Middle East Peace deals may be elusive, and Gulf states fear the war is far from over

“[Trump] hopes to persuade the kingdom to normalise ties with Israel, which would probably pave the way for other Arab & Muslim states to do [so]. Yet the fear of a cornered, isolated Iran may well make the Saudis more reluctant to do so.”

That & fear of unrest amongst Arab publics in the region.

Russia becomes the first country to formally recognize Taliban's latest rule in Afghanistan Russia has become the first country to formally recognize the Taliban’s government in Afghanistan since it seized power in 2021, after Moscow removed the group from its list of outlawed organizations.

"Russia on Thursday became the first country to formally recognize the Taliban’s government in Afghanistan […] after Moscow removed the group from its list of outlawed organizations." @apnews.com: apnews.com/article/russia-afghanistan-formally-recognize-taliban-3932240270463715f0338c0812cbe5a8

State Department withdraws designation of HTS as a terrorist organization.

“The Offbeat Sari exhibition shows how designers, wearers and craftspeople are reshaping the ways in which the sari is understood, designed, made and worn in contemporary urban India.”

Full disclaimer: Very proud of my super talented wife, Shahneela, who draped over 30 saris for this!

The Offbeat Sari | Midlands Arts Centre A major exhibition celebrating the contemporary sari. The Offbeat Sari exhibition shows how designers, wearers and craftspeople are reshaping the ways in w

For those interested in South Asian culture, identity and fashion, there’s currently an excellent sari exhibition running at the Midlands Arts Centre in Birmingham: The Offbeat Sari.

macbirmingham.co.uk/exhibitions/...