Israel's Digital Occupation — The Dial Lebanon has become a laboratory for a new age of warfare.

“The drones that hover over the skies of Lebanon…collect large swathes of data — Wi-Fi, IP addresses, phone signals — which are then organized by AI…in what some scholars and activists say amounts to a “digital occupation.” Fascinating by @justinsalhani.bsky.social

www.thedial.world/articles/new...

Breaking: Explosions are being heard in Manama, the capital of Bahrain, according to initial reports.

Warmly recommended: pt.icct.nl/article/reme...

The third death of Palestinian politics This is part of a series of occasional posts critically assessing Palestinian politics and 7 October

Warmly recommended by @yezidsayigh.bsky.social: "If 1948 saw the first death of Palestinian politics, then the 1990s witnessed the second, and the post-7 October collapse that Hani Masri spoke of is the third." open.substack.com/pub/sayighye...?

If you’re having trouble accessing my book The Taliban Courts: War through Law, feel free to contact me. It’s been unavailable and, since OUP won’t do a paperback, the hardback is very expensive for individuals. I’m happy to help you find a way to read it.

Happy to have written this piece with Cedric de Coning for @globalpolicy.bsky.social on the prospects of ISF in Gaza. We argue that without any clear political end-state, the ISF lacks any exit-strategy and risks becoming a proxy occupation force. www.globalpolicyjournal.com/blog/29/01/2...

How democracies are using autocratic tools to muzzle journalism As scrutiny of government withers, corruption thrives

The greatest decline in press freedom is occurring not in dictatorships, where proper journalism has long been almost impossible, but in places that still purport to be democratic

Bezos orders deep job cuts at 'Washington Post' The Washington Post embarked on severe cuts despite appeals by the newsroom to owner Jeff Bezos. The paper is to narrow its focus largely to politics and national security.

What an absolutely incomprehensible decision...! The Washington Post just fired its entire Middle East desk. I hope WP's competitors snatch up every single one of them: www.npr.org/2026/02/04/n...

Israel accepts Gaza death toll compiled by health authorities is broadly accurate Israeli military’s U-turn in accepting official figures comes after years of attacking data as ‘Hamas propaganda’ Israel’s military has accepted the death toll compiled by health authorities in Gaza is broadly accurate, marking a U-turn after years of official attacks on the data. A senior security official briefed Israeli journalists, saying about 70,000 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli attacks on the territory since October 2023, excluding those missing. Continue reading...

Israel accepts Gaza death toll compiled by health authorities is broadly accurate

US considering creating 'Board of Peace' for Ukraine, modeled after plan for Gaza, FT reports American officials have put forward the idea of expanding the Gaza 'Board of Peace' to include other countries affected by war and conflicts, including Ukraine and Venezuela, the Financial Times (FT) ...

the Trump administration views the concept "as a potential substitute for the UN... a kind of parallel unofficial body to deal with other conflicts beyond Gaza." kyivindependent.com/us-consideri...

I worry this will impact the legitimacy of the FIFA peace prize.

RE Gaza, there is every reason to be pessimistic. Millions will continue to live in tent cities, not just this winter (3rd winter) but also for the next five years - who knows?
As far as Israel is concerned, Gaza will be kept in perpetual limbo, in hope for its complete destruction and depopulation.

Renowned Palestinian actor and director Mohammad Bakri dies at 72 1953-2025 | Bakri Gained Fame for His Roles in 'Beyond the Walls,' 'Fellow Travelers' and 'Cup Final.' In 2002, He Directed the Controversial Documentary 'Jenin, Jenin'

1953-2025 | Renowned Palestinian Actor and Director Mohammad Bakri Dies at 72

www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

Best of 2025 I've just returned from a whirlwind trip to Denmark and Norway, where I gave four book talks – a million thanks to the University of Copenhagen and DIIS, Aarhus University, NUPI and the University of ...

I'm honored that Civilizing Contention is on @abuaardvark.bsky.social's list of best books of 2025, and among such a stellar group.

abuaardvarkghost.ghost.io/best-of-2025...

Congratulations, Rana! Can’t wait to read it.

new yorker cartoon by bernstein. watercolor of a middle aged white dad holding a cord up from the cord box in a heavenly light in triumph. title reads THE BEST DAY OF MY FATHER'S LIFE. caption reads “Did you say you needed a six-pin-to-eight-pin FireWire for a 2006 MacBook?"

this is the greatest feeling, when the cord box proves its utility to a family member

@versobooks.bsky.social

Best of 2025 I've just returned from a whirlwind trip to Denmark and Norway, where I gave four book talks – a million thanks to the University of Copenhagen and DIIS, Aarhus University, NUPI and the University of ...

Grateful that my book Road to October 7: A Brief History of Palestinian Islamism is listed by @abuaardvark.bsky.social as one of the best academic MENA books of 2025. All the more so alongside my former supervisor at Sciences Po Stéphane Lacroix!
abuaardvarkghost.ghost.io/best-of-2025/

It was a pleasure hosting @abuaardvark.bsky.social in Oslo! First, a book panel with @jjensehaugen.bsky.social and Tine Gade at @nupinytt.bsky.social discussing his newest book America’s Middle East (@hurstpublishers.bsky.social) and then a solo lecture by Marc at @uio.no:

It was a pleasure having you in Oslo and listening to your insights, Marc!

Hvordan gjenkjenne antisemittisme – og hvordan ta problemet på alvor - Filter Nyheter Åpen antisemittisme av den klassiske, raseideologiske typen som vokste frem mot slutten av 1800-årene – og som kulminerte under nasjonalsosialismen og Holocaust – ble ganske kort tid etter andre verde...

filternyheter.no/hvordan-gjen...

Asad Haider Obituary (1987 - 2025) - Toronto, ON - Centre Daily Times View Asad Haider's obituary, send flowers and sign the guestbook.

Deeply saddened to learn that Asad Haider passed away all too early. I enjoyed his book Mistaken Identity (@versobooks.bsky.social) immensely! www.legacy.com/us/obituarie...

‘Yellow line’ that divides Gaza under Trump plan is ‘new border’ for Israel, says military chief Eyal Zamir said Israel would hold on to current positions, giving it control of more than half of the territory

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...

Look what the cat dragged in. Can’t wait to start reading this gem! Congratulations, @annelikuski.bsky.social 🥳🥳🥳

Hyggelig omtale i forbifarten av Road to October 7 i denne ukas Dag og Tid:

Anti-Hamas armed groups seek future role under Gaza peace plan Several groups - some of them backed by Israel - are ranged against Hamas in Gaza, with complex and overlapping ties.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Both Hamas and PIJ reject the UN Security Council resolution. PIJ also adding that “Any mandate given to an international force that includes the disarmament of the resistance transforms it from a neutral party into a partner in implementing the occupation’s agenda.”

Look what finally arrived! Congratulations, @joaswagemakers.bsky.social!

Feeling of today

Amira Hass. Why the West Bank did not rise up Amira Hass is an Israeli journalist for the left-wing daily newspaper Haaretz, who has been based in Ramallah, in the West Bank, for twenty years. She (…)

orientxxi.info/dossiers-et-...