Middle East

In the shadow of the war with Israel, the Iranian regime stepped up its internal repression and resorted to even more politically motivated executions. As long as there are no real political consequences for the regime, state violence through capital punishment will continue.

In order not to jeopardize a lasting peace solution in the Middle East, the EU must emancipate itself from the USA. International law should be the guiding principle here, writes Simon Ilse, Head of Office in Ramallah.

On 7 October 2023, peace activist Vivian Silver was killed by Hamas in her home in Kibbutz Be'eri. Since then, her son Yonatan Zeigen has been campaigning for an end to the war in Gaza and a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Hannah El-Hitami spoke to him.

To ensure security and well-being of all citizens in Israel and Palestine, global actors must shift from a state-centric, militarized view to a human-centric approach. And prioritizing equality and cooperation among individuals and communities for lasting peace.

European policymakers need to rethink their approach to Iran and formulate a new policy that puts people and human security at its core. Such an approach would center on a consistent human rights perspective and the sustained support for civil society.

Despite enormous challenges, the LGBTQ+ movement in Iran has come a long way in the last years. Queer individuals actively participated in the Women, Life, Freedom protests. However, the isolation and solitary existence of the movement remains a challenge.

It has been a year since the February 6th earthquakes ripped through southern Turkey and northern Syria. The 7.8 magnitude quake and several tremors directly affected more than 9.1 million people in Turkey, among them 1.7 million Syrian and numerous other refugees. The next day found the country shaken by a wave of anti-refugee policies and rhetoric never seen before. What is the situation today in Turkey, which continues to be the world’s largest refugee-hosting country?

The terrorist attack against Israel showed that the status quo in the Middle East is as dangerous as it is unsustainable. Peace between Israel and the Palestinians, based on a two-state solution, is not just a lofty diplomatic dream; it is a practical political necessity.