Israel
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Weapons exports to Israel
"Unlawful arms export licences have likely been issued"
Germany remains one of Israel's top arms suppliers, a situation likely to persist under Friedrich Merz. According to Lilian Löwenbrück from the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, politicians and manufacturers could face charges for complicity in crimes against international law.
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Germany's new government
Merz, Netanyahu and the reason of state
Under Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Germany is expected to double down on its support for Israel, even if it means sidelining international law. Domestically, repression of Israel's critics is set to intensify.
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Cairo's Jewish Quarter
The neighbourhood that shaped a nation
In his new book, Egyptian author Ahmed Zakaria Zaki explores the 19th-century history of Cairo's Jewish Quarter, tracing the social transformations within the city's Jewish community and its reaction to the emergent Zionist movement.
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Pankaj Mishra on Germany, Israel and Palestine
"An anarchic, nihilistic world"
The West, particularly Germany, has instrumentalised Holocaust remembrance to justify state violence, argues Pankaj Mishra. A conversation on suppressed colonial histories, Western complicity in Gaza and Germany's role in the erosion of international law.
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Civil society since the Arab Spring
Europe must support the agents of change
Civil society organisations in West Asia and North Africa face widespread repression. But instead of supporting activists on the ground, European policymakers continue to prop up autocratic regimes.
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New books on Gaza
Turning point, failure, moral abdication
Four well-known authors address the global consequences of Gaza's destruction and Western support for Israel, or as one frames it: the "world after Gaza". Charlotte Wiedemann takes a look.
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Volleyball in Gaza
Playing without fear
An amateur women's volleyball team in Gaza is offering displaced people a sense of peace amid the destruction. The women on the team dream of a lasting end to Israel's war on the enclave.
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Musician Michael Barenboim on Gaza
"Nothing justifies genocide"
Violinist Michael Barenboim, leader of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, calls for an arms embargo against Israel and argues that the German media has failed in its responsibilities. He tells Qantara how he balances art and activism.
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Gaza documentary "Yalla Parkour"
It all started with a smile
The documentary "Yalla Parkour", which held its European premiere at the Berlinale, is a tribute to Gaza before 7 October—and an urgent appeal to support the survivors of the war.
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German elections 2025
Debates on the Middle East, migration and antisemitism
Germany heads to the polls on 23 February. Where do the main parties stand on migration, Israel and Gaza, antisemitism and the future of Syria?
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Palestinian political scientist Khalil Shikaki
"The ceasefire is unsustainable without a vision for peace"
Khalil Shikaki has been conducting polls in Palestine since 1993. He argues that Palestinians need a unified interim leadership to pave the way for elections, and warns against Trump's destabilising plans for the region.
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Southern Lebanon
Returning to find ruins
The Israeli army is slowly and partially withdrawing from southern Lebanon. Returning residents are confronted by the destruction of their homes and local infrastructure. A view from the ground.