Opinion

End of Gaza ‘pause’ reinforces importance of a ceasefire

Legend has it that, back in 64 A.D., the Emperor Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Although almost certainly a myth, the comment highlights how contemptuous the hated emperor was of his people. Many Palestinians feel that this is exactly what Western leaders are doing right now, in as medieval and bar...

Opinion

Bloodshed in Gaza worsens

Sumanity is on holiday. Empathy, the ability to understand other people’s loss and suffering, has become a rare and prized commodity. International law has been missing in action. Yet, aside from the brutality and inhumanity on display, international leadership represents perhaps the most shoc...

Opinion

The questions raised by the recent Gaza escalation

Here we go again. The sixth Israeli military operation on Gaza since 2005 is in full swing following Hamas’ extraordinary attacks inside Israel. It is not a surprise to see this again; it was inevitable as nothing had changed in Gaza. The shock was that Hamas tried and pulled off such a dramat...

Opinion

Italy surprisingly stable under Meloni

Up the road to the west of Lake Como, north of Milan, one rounds a corner and discovers a small plaque. A few tired flowers decorate it, but other than that it is easy to miss. It is the spot where, in April 1945, Italy’s fascist dictator Benito Mussolini was executed by firing squad.Fascism h...