From a military perspective, Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7 was a remarkable achievement. As a strategic move, however, the attack may jeopardize much of what Hamas has achieved in its almost 40 years of existence. That raises the question of whether this attack was a miscalculation, or whether there was something more to it.
Addressing climate resilience needs in fragile states is one of the biggest outstanding gaps in climate finance. However, recent research suggests it is also one of the biggest opportunities, including for addressing crucial conflict drivers. COP28 will bring together the major stakeholders needed to tackle this problem.
European states are debating the war in Gaza as a foreign policy crisis with little direct connection to the internal workings of the EU. Yet as the conflict continues to escalate, the efforts by Brussels to keep the horror engulfing Gaza and Israel at arm’s length from the EU are unlikely to remain sustainable for long.
Largely absent from the conversation about Israel’s military offensive in Gaza is the question of whether or not Israel is using inherently indiscriminate means and methods of warfare. If so, even if any resulting deaths might be arguably “proportionate” and “incidental,” they could still be considered war crimes.
The ongoing war in Gaza will undoubtedly and permanently alter the relationship between Israel and Hamas as well as between Israelis and Palestinians. But despite what some observers are predicting, the Israel-Hamas war will do little to change the international system more generally or U.S. grand strategy more specifically.
Ever since Morocco normalized diplomatic relations with Israel in late 2020, the government has had to engage in an awkward balancing act—nurturing fast-growing political, economic and military relations with Israel while simultaneously portraying Rabat’s official position as remaining actively pro-Palestinian.
Opposition forces fighting against Myanmar’s military junta had been making progress in recent months, but on Oct. 27 they crossed a threshold, dealing a powerful blow to government forces and putting the regime on the defensive. The offensive in Myanmar’s eastern-most Shan state could be a turning point in the country’s civil war.
Against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war, Israel’s Arab partners have faced pressure from their fiercely pro-Palestinian populations to address Gaza’s plight. Crucially however, they have also gravitated to the U.S. for security assurances amid fears of regional flare-ups and tensions with Iranian allies across the region.
If there is one thing the U.S. does better and more of than any other country, it is spend money on defense. U.S. defense spending, currently over $800 billion, is greater than the next 10 countries combined. Somewhat paradoxically, however, the massive level of U.S. defense spending isn’t enough. How is that possible?
In an information landscape where social media-driven news cycles often burn out in a day, engaging with the public responsibly over months and years has become one of the most difficult challenges that governments face. Yet this is what Kyiv must do as it becomes clear that the war in Ukraine will continue for the foreseeable future.
The atrocities accompanying the Israel-Hamas conflict have led many observers to ask if it makes sense to speak about the laws of war when armed actors seem only too willing to ignore them. But to say that the laws of war are ineffective is to misunderstand how they are meant to work—and do work—even when they seem to be ignored.
The carnage unfolding in Israel and Gaza makes clear that the status quo there is not sustainable, and even a two-state solution could be untenable. Instead, there is a need for a bolder approach: a three- or even four-state solution. Why should Israel adopt one of these multistate solutions? Because it is in its interest to do so.
The Sudanese armed forces have now lost control of Sudan’s two biggest cities while feeding the public a false sense of hope. In contrast, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, has sold the narrative abroad that its forces are waging a righteous crusade on behalf of the very Sudanese population it terrorizes.