Inside Stories

The Saudi Religious Establishment Pushes Normalizing Relations With Israel

BEIRUT, LEBANON (Analysis) — On Monday, pictures of Israeli journalist Ben Tzion, posing inside Prophet Muhammad’s mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia, inundated Arab news outlets and social media. Tzion held a bag with Hebrew script on it, publicly posing at several sites in Saudi Arabia. The scenes signal an unprecedented improvement in Saudi-Israeli relations.

Thanksgiving Guide: How to Celebrate a Sordid History

While millions of Americans prepare this week to get into the holiday spirit, beginning with Thanksgiving, how many are prepared to view the day through an accurate lens? While to many Americans the holiday serves as a reminder to give thanks, it is seen as a day of mourning by countless others. The truth is: European migrants brutally murdered Native Americans, stole their lands, and continue to do so today.

Zimbabwe: Domestic Rivalries, US-China Competition Underlie Political Crisis

NEW YORK (Analysis) — On November 14, 2017 military forces in Zimbabwe took control of the streets, sequestered President Robert Mugabe in his residence, and publicly announced that the kinda sorta but not really coup was merely a clean-up operation intended to “target criminals.” While the claim does have some merit – Zimbabwe’s government, like those of nearly

Election 2017: What an Honestly Counted US Election Might Look Like

SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA (Analysis) — In the wake of last week’s off-off-year mini-election in the U.S., there’s been a lot of undisguised celebrating going on, even among the professionally impartial. Protests, parades, petitions, polls, tweets, and op-eds may be indicators of national mood, but elections remain the only official scorecard — our democracy’s periodic and infrequent opportunity for the public to weigh in, on the record.

Saudi Arabia, Israel Co-Sponsor UN Bill Condemning Iran, Syria for Human Rights Abuses

On Tuesday, the third committee of the UN General Assembly passed three non-binding resolutions condemning alleged human rights violations and free speech restrictions in specific countries – Iran, Syria and North Korea. Though non-binding resolutions cannot become law and technically carry no legal weight, they are seen as expressing the UN’s approval or disapproval regarding a specific situation.