Church leaders castigate Israel, call its Gaza policy ‘morally unjustifiable’
Catholic Patriarch of Jerusalem Cardinal Pizzaballa says the Church is committed to maintaining its presence in Gaza
By Ajish P Joy July 24, 2025
Columns
Ajish P Joy
Ajish P. Joy, Senior Assistant News Editor, specialises in foreign affairs. He has a PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi (2011). Ajish focuses on the US, Europe and the Middle East. His other areas of interest include the emerging politics of the Indo-Pacific and far right populism
Mandatory military service: Can Benjamin Netanyahu secure permanent exemption for ultra-Orthodox men through legislation?
Two key ultra-Orthodox parties of the Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition have quit over the issue of military conscription. The matter has become increasingly contentious during the country’s prolonged war against Hamas in Gaza
By Ajish P Joy July 17, 2025
US-brokered peace talks bring Israel and Syria closer to normalisation
Israel insists on no Iranian or Turkish military presence in Syria, demilitarisation of southern areas, and keeping out pro-Hezbollah groups
By Ajish P Joy July 10, 2025
Gaza ceasefire hopes rise as Trump pushes new deal, but major gaps remain
Hamas said it received the proposal and was engaged in talks with mediators to "bridge gaps" and return to the negotiating table
By Ajish P Joy July 03, 2025
Israel-Iran war leads to a bitter split in the MAGA movement
Trump's statements about joining the war have pitted the isolationist and hawkish wings of the Republican Party against each other
By Ajish P Joy June 19, 2025
Trump wrestles with Iran policy amid GOP split and Israeli pressure
The White House national security team is deeply divided over how to handle Iran
By Ajish P Joy June 11, 2025
US's secret plan: Limited low-level uranium enrichment on Iranian soil for an unspecified period
In return, Iran would be required to halt all domestic enrichment once the benefits of the new programme begin to materialise
By Ajish P Joy June 05, 2025
Deaths after hungry Palestinians storm into a UN food warehouse in Gaza
A series of failed and controversial aid efforts—some backed by the United States and Israel—have led not only to scenes of desperation but also to deadly confrontations
By Ajish P Joy May 29, 2025
Syria on the brink of a civil war of epic proportions, warns Marco Rubio
The American secretary of state feels that the Al Sharra regime could be weeks away from collapsing
By Ajish P Joy May 22, 2025
Iran proposes regional nuclear consortium with Saudi Arabia, UAE to break diplomatic deadlock with the US
Such a deal could remove both the immediate and long-term threats perceived by the US, while fostering regional cooperation
By Ajish P Joy May 15, 2025
Israel takes an active role in Syria as sectarian tensions escalate between Druze and Islamist forces
The latest cycle of violence began reportedly with a controversial audio clip, allegedly featuring a Druze cleric insulting the Prophet
By Ajish P Joy May 01, 2025
Why Jordan has decided to ban Muslim Brotherhood
Jordan’s largest opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, which is also a Hamas ally, is unlikely to go down without a fight
By Ajish P Joy April 24, 2025
Gaza evacuation: Netanyahu presses on, Trump wavers
Netanyahu's controversial plan to relocate Gazans advances, despite a perceived shift in Trump's stance
By Ajish P Joy April 10, 2025
Israel strikes targets across Syria, sends message to Turkey
The Netanyahu administration is worried that Ankara could be on the way to fill the vacuum left by Russia and Iran in Syria
By Ajish P Joy April 03, 2025
Turkey hopes for a reset of ties with the US under Donald Trump
Erdogan seems to be working towards capitalising on Trump’s leadership style and policy priorities
By Ajish P Joy March 27, 2025