Israel

by Dario Salvi | ISRAEL – PALESTINE

Fr Romanelli bears witness to the tragic escalation of Israel's war in Gaza against Hamas. The clergyman reports that more than 300 people were killed and more than a thousand wounded. His parish church was spared so it continues “to provide our service to everyone,” especially children and senior citizens. Gaza Catholics “pray for peace” with Pope Francis.

by Fady Noun

As theMiddle East that is completley reconfigured, the time has come for the Druze community, scattered between Lebanon, Syria, Israel and Jordan, to make choices. Hostile to a new Islamist government in Syria, the Jewish state that annexed the Golan Heights in 1981 is trying to win the community's allegiance. Walid Joumblatt's manoeuvres to avoid the Israeli embrace and his presence at his father's tribute.

| 06/03/2025
| LEBANON-ISRAEL-SYRIA
by Dario Salvi

For the pacifist rabbi, the humanitarian aspect of the issue has given way to a fight over the government. For Netanyahu, it is an excuse to pursue the war and oppose an independent inquiry into the events of 7 October. Hostages’ relatives have been forcibly dragged away from the Knesset and are now the most recognisable face of the opposition in Israel.

| 05/03/2025
| ISRAEL - PALESTINE

A Palestinian research institute conducted a survey the first week after the ceasefire. More than half of those surveyed are convinced that the truce can hold. Only 5 per cent still want Hamas to run the territory.

| 27/02/2025
| ISRAEL – PALESTINE
by Dario Salvi

A Likud bill wants to impose an 80% tax on donations from foreign organisations and limit their right to appeal in court. Speaking to AsiaNews, the Development and External Relations Director of the long-standing pacifist association, which is currently demonstrating with the families of the hostages, confirms his concerns about this law. The risk of distancing Israel from liberal democracies and strengthening authoritarian tendencies.

| 25/02/2025
| GATEWAY TO THE EAST
by Fady Noun

Despite the huge turnout and the high-level Iranian representation, the funeral of the two leaders of the Party of God was not the show of force that many had hoped for. On two occasions, four Israeli fighter planes flew over Beirut. The Christian, Sunni and Druze political leadership stayed away from the ceremony. Aoun to Tehran: ‘Lebanon is tired of other countries’ wars on its territory’.

| 24/02/2025
| LEBANON - ISRAEL

The bodies of four hostages have returned to Israel, including the two youngest victims (the Bibas brothers) and that of Oded Lifshitz, a veteran journalist and pacifist. For his son, getting the release of all the hostages is crucial, since the work "is not yet done”. Volunteers have tended the garden of the Lifshitz home so that it remains a symbol of hope and dialogue.

| 20/02/2025
| ISRAEL – PALESTINE
Editor's choices
 
by Giorgio Bernardelli
The Israeli academic and scholar of “intractable conflicts” talked to AsiaNews about the way the Gaza war is going and its consequences for Israeli society. Talking about peace today is considered a threat. Seventeen-year-olds “don't ...
| 18/03/2025
| GATEWAY TO THE EAST
 
by Giorgio Licini *
The parliament of Papua New Guinea has approved an amendment that identifies the nation as an ‘independent Christian state’. Fr Giorgio Licini (Caritas Papua New Guinea): it risks being an empty statement, without resolving the ...
| 18/03/2025
| PAPUA NEW GUINEA
 
by A Voice from Shanghai
A Catholic voice from Shanghai reminds AsiaNews of the case of the auxiliary bishop who resigned from the Patriotic Association when he was ordained and has been living in seclusion ever since. It was hoped that the tormented appointment of Mgr Shen ...
| 18/03/2025
| CHINA
 
by Vladimir Rozanskij
The agreement between Kyrgyz and Tajiks-sealed by the embrace between Žaparov and Rakhmon-affects as much as 1,000 kilometers of border and and comes after discussions and clashes dating back to the twentieth century, when both states were under Moscow's ...
| 17/03/2025
| CENTRAL ASIA
 
by Melani Manel Perera
According to the Global Terrorism Index 2025, released by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), the island nation is among 63 countries with the lowest level. No attacks have been reported in the last five years. In South Asia, Pakistan ranks ...
| 14/03/2025
| SRI LANKA
 
Called "space oil” because it makes people feel as if they were in space, the substance is taken through electronic cigarettes. Its basic ingredient is an anaesthetic, etomidate. It is increasingly popular among youth in Hong Kong, but also mainland ...
| 13/03/2025
| RED LANTERNS
 
by Stefano Vecchia
The former president was flown overnight to be arraigned before the International Criminal Court for “crimes against humanity”. His lawyers, family members and supporters tried to stop his departure. The trial risks further widening the gap ...
| 12/03/2025
| PHILIPPINES
 
by Fr. Bajat Barakash *
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights speaks of over 500 victims in the last two days. The testimony of the Franciscan parish priest of Aleppo: ‘Despite the countless voices calling for a government that represents all components of Syrian ...
| 08/03/2025
| SYRIA
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