-
Introduction: What Changed Since July? In mid-July 2025, a coalition of over 30 states met in Bogotá under the auspices of the “Hague Group” to issue what its organizers called “concrete measures” against Israel’s operations in Gaza. They framed this as a turning point: no longer merely verbal condemnation, but a coordinated attempt to enforce international law, restrict arms flows, and assert that no state is above accountability. Since then, a number of developments have added urgency, clarified the shape of the coalition, and revealed both its potential and its fragilities. In October, the Israeli interception of an aid flotilla…
-
As an international aid flotilla approaches the shores of Gaza, sailing directly towards an Israeli naval blockade, strikers in Italy have forced the government there to send warships to escort them (much against the official policy of the far right Meloni government). This shows us the power of solidarity and strike action. Go Deeper: Visit our website at www.explaininghistory.org for articles and detailed explorations of the topics discussed.▸ Join the Conversation: Our community of history en
-
In this episode, I draw on My Palestine by Mohammad Tarbush to examine two often-overlooked episodes in the history of Zionism and its global reception.First, we revisit the 1975 United Nations General Assembly vote that declared Zionism a form of racism—an extraordinary moment that sent shockwaves through international diplomacy, reshaped alliances in the Cold War, and left a lasting legacy in debates about race, colonialism, and nationhood.Second, we turn to the influential role of the British