AboutArticles by Michael Jansen

Sanctions hit aid for beleaguered Syrians

19 Feb 2023

Donations from crisis-ridden Lebanon yesterday continued to flow into Syria for victims of the devastating February 6th earthquakes which killed 46,000 in Turkey and Syria. At least 16 Lebanese were...

Destruction upon destruction

16 Feb 2023

The deadly and destructive 7.8 magnitude earthquake which struck south-eastern Turkey and north-western Syria on Feb.6 was among the most powerful in recent history. The last quake of that magnitude...

Quake a further jolt to Erdogan’s image

12 Feb 2023

The deadly and devastating earthquakes in Turkey may create a political upheaval in that country if President Recep Tayyip fails to deliver speedy aid to quake victims. The sole declared...

A brazen violation

09 Feb 2023

The removal by Republican majority leader Kevin McCarthy of the sole Muslim woman of colour, Ilhan Omar, from the US House of Representatives’ Committee on Foreign Affairs was a blow...

Tories taking one wrong decision after another

06 Feb 2023

Britain marked two events last week, the second anniversary of its divorce from the European Union (Brexit) and 100 days of the premiership of Rishi Sunak. Half a million public...

The reluctant hero

02 Feb 2023

For many Lebanese judge Tarek Bitar is a hero, for the country’s poilitical and official establishment, he is a threat. Last week, he revived his suspended investigation into the August...

West’s arms supplies to Ukraine could rile Russia more

29 Jan 2023

Some Western commentators are now catching up with the reality that the NATO-supported war in Ukraine is a “Western war against Russia,” a forever antagonist of Eastern Europe. Guardian columnist...

Sense prevails

26 Jan 2023

The charismatic, effective, caring presence of outgoing New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will be missed on the world stage this week when she hands over her post and Labour...

Erdogan key to normalising ties with Syria

22 Jan 2023

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov last week called on the West to lift sanctions against Syria which are deepening the suffering of its people by denying them food, fuel and...

Fierce backlash

19 Jan 2023

By rejecting a fellowship to former Human Rights Watch (HRW) director Kenneth Roth, the dean of Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government has besmirched the reputations of both...

Michael Jansen

The author, a well-respected observer of Middle East affairs, has three books on the Arab-Israeli conflict.