AboutArticles by Michael Jansen

Exerting pressure

12 Dec 2024

Last Week’s Amnesty International report accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza is unprecedented. This is the first time a major global human rights organisation issued such a finding, and the...

Calls for calm after takeover of Damascus

08 Dec 2024

While Ha’yat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS) and disparate armed allies have called for calm and a smooth transition from the 54-year-old Assad dynasty, it remains to be seen if HTS...

Violations of decency

05 Dec 2024

The personnel of the International Criminal Court (ICC) are weathering the storm of threats, sanctions and abuse unleashed by Israel and the US over arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister...

Relief, anxiety mark truce in Lebanon

03 Dec 2024

Anarchic Lebanese jammed the southern highway on Wednesday morning as soon as the Hizbollah-Israel ceasefire went into effect. Villagers driven from their villages in the south pilled their possessions on...

Soulful sounds

28 Nov 2024

Fans posted tributes on social to mark the 90th birthday last week of the Arab world’s iconic songstress Fairuz, as Israeli bombs shattered the peace of her homeland. Many hailed...

President Joe Biden speaks as other G20 leaders listen during the G20 Summit at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro. File/Associated Press

Biden, known more for his failures than successes

24 Nov 2024

Lame-duck Joe Biden appeared to fade from a global leadership during the Brazil summit of the Group of 20 countries which was his last appearance as US president. He did...

Racism in Hollywood

21 Nov 2024

Fans who have attended early screening’s of Riddley Scott’s “Gladiator II” have expressed surprise that Palestinian-Egyptian actress May Calamawy, who was tested for a lead role, has been relegated to...

Donald Trump gestures at the Bitcoin 2024 event in Nashville, Tennessee, US. File/Reuters

Trump’s Cabinet picks could be problematic

18 Nov 2024

Donald Trump’s choices for his incoming cabinet have alarmed mainstream Republicans, Democrats and US citizens who are concerned about the men and women tipped to run the country for the...

Never-ending struggle

14 Nov 2024

Once again in its 4,000 years of turbulent history Gaza has been transformed into a wasteland by warfare. This time Israel is the guilty power. More than 43,000 Gazans have...

Trump strongly placed to honour campaign promises

11 Nov 2024

In his third bid for the White House Donald Trump won not only the Electoral College by a decisive 312 votes against 226 for his Democrat rival Kamala Harris but...

Michael Jansen

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