The Crises in the Gulf and Palestine [1/2]

The recent decision by President Donald Trump to relocate the US embassy to Jerusalem amidst international condemnation has made the US the only country in the world to officially recognize Israel’s illegal, unilateral annexation of that city. At the same time, intensifying bloody repression in the Arab Gulf has included a horrific US-Saudi assault on Yemen, the encirclement of Qatar and Iran, and the consolidation of an absolutist regime in Saudi Arabia headed by Prince Salman. As a result, the need to assess the strategic dilemmas facing international solidarity activists, including the movement for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions of Israel, has become even more pressing. Stephen Maher is Assistant Editor of the Socialist Register, and formerly worked editing the Journal of Palestine Studies. While living in the West Bank, he participated in the International Solidarity Movement resistance against the wall, settlements, and home demolitions. He completed a Master’s thesis on the political economy of the Palestinian Authority and the post-Oslo Accords occupation regime. Steve is completing his PhD at York University. Recorded in Toronto, 1 February 2018.