Author Archives: jonathanspyer

Jerusalem Post, 14/4 Recent events in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Israel and the West Bank suggest that a concerted effort is under way by the Iran-led regional bloc to increase pressure on Israel.   The evidence suggests that the possibility that this … Continue reading →

But how much substance lies behind the rhetoric? Jerusalem Post, 25/3 Ali Ramzi al-Aswad, a senior member of the Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, was shot dead on Sunday, March 19, in the Qudsaya … Continue reading →

The Australian, 3/2 The visit to Israel by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken this week showcased the paradoxical position in which Israel currently finds itself.  While Jerusalem’s long held positions vis a vis the danger represented by Iran have … Continue reading →

Jerusalem Post, 23/12 Without US pushback, Turkish-Russian cooperation may deliver victory in Syria to Moscow-Tehran axis Since 2019, the Syrian situation has been largely at stalemate, with authority divided between three de facto enclaves, each dependent on the sponsorship of … Continue reading →

Jerusalem Post, 16/12 “About the events of the last two months – what happened with Jina Amini was like putting a spark on a pile of TNT, which has now exploded,” Hussein Yazdanpana tells me. “We will not accept what … Continue reading →

Jerusalem Post, 9/12 “The problem is not only the hijab.  This is a symbol.  The Iranian regime is intent on controlling how women live.  And women are saying ‘I am human and I have a right to live.’ This time … Continue reading →

A version of this article appeared in The Australian, weekend edition, 26-27/11/22 ‘At about 10.30, we got a warning that an attack was coming.  So we had to disperse.  I ran home to Reyhana.  I was about five meters from … Continue reading →

The Shepherd website recently invited me to compile a list of the best books on the human impact of war, in my judgement. This is a subject of considerable interest to me. I have lived around active conflict, first as … Continue reading →

Jerusalem Post, 14/10 The crisis in western Iran is intensifying. As Sanandaj and other cities burn, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Saturday issued a curious statement threatening a military incursion into Kurdish northern Iraq. The statement read: “In … Continue reading →

Protesters in Iran accuse regime of using Arab militiamen to suppress demonstrations • IRGC fires at Iranian Kurdish bases Jerusalem Post, 1/10.  Claims have surfaced in recent days that pro-Iranian regime Arab militiamen are to be found among the forces … Continue reading →