Israeli Defence Forces prime themselves for recession After the defeat of the Israeli army in Lebanon two years ago, the Israeli Defence Forces have been trying to win back their image as the only real defenders of the people in Israel. Now they are constantly provoking Syria in the hope that Syria will hit back, something it seems unwilling to do.
Egyptian April 6 - a dress rehearsal for bigger events in the future Yesterday, Sunday, April 6, the workers of Egypt were preparing for what could have been a very powerful general strike. The state intervened heavily at the Mahalla textile plant arresting 150 workers. These methods cannot stop the growing wave of working class militancy and will only serve to increase the determination of the workers. The workers ‘intifada' which erupted later that day in the city is proof of this.
Egyptian workers take strike action – Urgent international solidarity appeal Message of solidarity from the Moroccan Marxists to the workers in Egypt in struggle. Read this in English, French and Arabic.
Israeli leaders bewildered as draft dodging continues We received this interesting article from Israel that shows the contradictions piling up within the very foundations of the Israeli state: the Israeli Defence Force.
Letter from Israel – The abject poverty of some layers of the population Further to last week's letter we received this note that shows how desperate the situation is for some of the poorest layers of Israeli society.
Letter from Israel – the terrible plight of Israeli pensioners An interesting letter that highlights the miserable conditions some of Israel's pensioners have to live in, some being pushed to suicide!
Iraq: Five years after When the coalition forces marched into Baghdad in March 2003, the imperialists were full of confidence. The things they were going to do! Intoxicated by the power of their military machine, they predicted a glowing future for Iraq and the Middle East. How different things are now!
Iraq – five years of hell, five years of failure Five years after the invasion of Iraq all the lies cooked up by Blair and Bush at the time have been exposed for what they were. They cannot hide the terrible suffering and destruction they have inflicted on the people of Iraq. And to make things worse they have even failed in their avowed aim of establishing what they define as a "democracy".
Israel storms Gaza: once again “peace” talks prepare war The recent dramatic events in the Gaza strip are a clear indication that the Zionist ruling class that governs Israel will never concede genuine national self-determination to the Palestinian masses. These events also confirm that on a capitalist basis there is no solution to the problem. On the Palestinian side neither Hamas nor Fatah offer a solution. We must base ourselves on the perspective of renewed class struggle across the whole of the Middle East.
Egypt Strikes Update: Wave of action continues The magnificent wave of industrial action in Egypt, which started over a year ago, is continuing. And it continues to be ignored by the media. Price rises are the central focus of protest. But in a very important development, at the Ghazl al Mahalla textile company have raised political demands for the first time.
Why does the Egyptian ruling class fear the crisis in Gaza? The Israeli siege of Gaza and imperialist pressure to retaliate on the Gaza population in order to isolate Hamas has provoked a major crisis that is shaking the Middle East. Once again the direct intervention of the masses has changed the whole scenario, putting into jeopardy the stability of the most important point of support of US imperialism in the Arab world: Egypt.
The Crisis in Gaza and Sderot: break with Zionism, Imperialism and Islamism! The events in Gaza underline more than ever the barbarism that can emerge from the national conflict in Palestine. Israeli imperialism backed by the US is responsible for this bloody mess. So long as there is no genuine independent voice of the workers on both sides of the divide, we can expect nothing but more bloodshed.
Bush's visit to Israel: No to imperialist intervention, forward with socialism George W. Bush has been visiting the Middle East. He is presently in Israel to try and promote his latest solution to the conflict: two capitalist states! These are all words, as US imperialism collaborates with the Israeli ruling class, as well as the rotten Arab regime, to hold down the masses throughout the Middle East.
Egyptian workers the key Despite an international conspiracy of silence, as we have reported over the past year Egypt has seen a major upturn in the class struggle. Workers have shown fantastic bravery and made enormous sacrifices. The working class, especially the massive Egyptian workers movement, is the key to the future of the Middle East, not the so-called war on terror or the blind alley of Islamism.
The Middle East, Annapolis and the Palestine problem: More talks about talks The mountain has laboured and borne a mouse. That would be a fitting epitaph for the Annapolis conference on Palestine. After four months of endless talks about talks Condoleezza Rice, the American secretary of state, failed to obtain what Washington and Abbas desperately need: an agreement on at least the main points of a deal that would ultimately create a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
