Global Pulse

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  • Hungary’s new PM to be sworn in during ‘regime change’ party

    Hungary’s new PM to be sworn in during ‘regime change’ party

    Nearly four weeks after a stunning electoral upheaval that ended 16 years of conservative rule under Viktor Orbán, Hungary is set to swear in its new prime minister, Péter Magyar, leader of the upstart Tisza party. The political transformation is one of the most dramatic in modern European history: founded just two years ago, Tisza now controls 141 of 199 seats in the national parliament, rising from zero representation to an absolute majority in a single electoral cycle.

    To mark the historic transition, Magyar has organized a large-scale “celebration of freedom and democracy” scheduled for Saturday along the Danube riverfront outside Budapest’s parliament building, where he has urged Hungarian citizens to join in crossing what he calls the “gateway of regime change.”

    The defeat of Orbán’s long-ruling Fidesz party has triggered what appears to be a full implosion of the once-dominant political force. Fidesz’s parliamentary representation collapsed from 135 seats to just 52 in the latest vote, and Orbán alongside most of his top party allies have announced they will not take their newly won seats in the legislature. The former prime minister and his team have only issued a vague pledge to “rebuild the national side,” leaving their long-term political futures completely uncertain.

    In the weeks since the election, new allegations of systemic corruption against Fidesz — which held unchallenged control of Hungary’s government since 2010 — emerge on a near-daily basis. Magyar ran on a platform promising not just a change in governing leadership, but a full “change of system” to root out graft and institutionalize accountability.

    It remains unclear whether Orbán will even attend Saturday’s opening parliamentary session, even as a non-participating guest. Incoming cabinet member Zoltán Tarr, tapped to serve as Minister for Social Relations and Culture, laid out the new government’s immediate priorities in comments to the BBC, noting: “The main priority is to set up the government… on the ruins of the previous one. We are ready to face a very grim economic situation. But at the moment, we just don’t know the severity.”

    Years of directing state contracts and public funds to business circles closely aligned with Fidesz were compounded by a massive pre-election spending spree launched by the Orbán administration in the final eight months of its term. The result has left Hungary’s national budget deficit already swollen to nearly hit the full-year target set by the previous government, creating an immediate fiscal crisis for the incoming administration.

    The Tisza leadership has moved quickly to position itself as a morally transparent alternative to Fidesz, taking decisive steps to address even hints of impropriety. Just days after the election, prominent businessman György Wáberer — who defected from Fidesz to Tisza a week before voting — revealed he had donated €280,000 to the new party. Magyar immediately returned the full sum to avoid any conflict of interest. When public outcry erupted on social media over the nomination of Magyar’s brother-in-law, Márton Melléthei-Barna, for the post of justice minister, Melléthei-Barna withdrew his candidacy just days later, saying he wanted to ensure “not even the slightest shadow is cast on the transition.”

    Incoming ministers have stressed that their efforts to address past wrongdoing will not amount to political retribution, but that anyone found guilty of financial crimes will face full legal accountability. A new government body, the Office for the Recovery of Stolen Assets, will be established to pursue misappropriated public funds. Rejecting calls for rapid, show trials for former officials accused of siphoning national wealth, Tarr explained: “I don’t think that we should talk about a guillotine. We are talking about investigations and actions which are totally in line with the rule of law. Interestingly enough, the current chief prosecutor, and the police, have started certain investigations which they did not start before the election. They are questioning people.”

    A source close to Hungary’s prosecutor’s office told the BBC that what was once a trickle of prosecutions against high-profile Fidesz-connected figures has now become a steady stream, noting: “not because we didn’t want to prosecute before, but because the police and the tax office were reluctant to gather evidence. What has changed is that people are now coming forward. So a lot more evidence is suddenly available.”

    One high-profile target of ongoing investigations is the sprawling media empire owned by Gyula Balásy, which won hundreds of millions of euros in state contracts over the past decade and ran Fidesz’s hostile political campaigns against groups and figures labeled “enemies of the nation” — including philanthropist George Soros, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Péter Magyar himself. In an emotional interview last week, Balásy offered to hand over all his companies and investments to the Hungarian state, though he continues to deny any criminal wrongdoing. Authorities have already frozen the bank accounts of several of his linked companies. A second major investigation is focused on Hungary’s National Cultural Fund, specifically its £57.2 million Urban Civil Fund, over allegations that public money was illegally diverted to Fidesz election candidates.

    Beyond corruption investigations and fiscal stabilization, the new Magyar government faces a series of daunting policy challenges. The most pressing is unlocking €17 billion in European Union funds that the European Commission froze over rule of law concerns during the Orbán administration. Recent Brussels-based sources have warned that a portion of these funds could be permanently lost if the new government does not move quickly to meet required reforms.

    Other unresolved policy issues include reaching a unified position on the EU’s new migration pact, which the Orbán government fiercely opposed. The pact is set to enter full force on June 12, and Hungary currently faces daily fines of €1 million from the European Court of Justice over non-compliance related to its treatment of migrant arrivals. Public opinion polling shows that Tisza voters, much like Fidesz voters before them, remain deeply concerned about irregular migration. Voters also broadly share skepticism of Ukraine’s bid to join the EU, and Magyar has echoed Orbán’s position that Hungary will need to maintain imports of Russian oil and natural gas at least in the short term to avoid energy disruptions.

    Despite the long list of challenges, incoming cabinet member Tarr remains optimistic about the new government’s prospects. He argues that the European Union is prepared to work with Hungary’s new leadership as it implements reforms, and he dismisses concerns that the wave of popular enthusiasm that propelled Tisza to victory will fade into disillusionment. Celebrations of the electoral win that began along the Danube on April 12 will continue this Saturday, with thousands of supporters expected to gather again. “I’m not worried, I’m excited… We are serving the country. We are serving the people. We are not here to rule. We are here to serve. We are here to fulfil a mandate,” Tarr said.

  • Anger and resignation in Tenerife as hantavirus ship approaches

    Anger and resignation in Tenerife as hantavirus ship approaches

    Tensions are running high on the Spanish island of Tenerife this week as local residents and port workers push back against a national government agreement to allow the hantavirus-exposed cruise vessel MV Hondius to disembark its passengers this weekend. The ship, which departed Cape Verde after three infected people were evacuated and local authorities refused it docking access, is heading for Canary Islands waters after the Spanish administration struck a deal with the World Health Organization (WHO) to accept the passengers. The plan has sparked widespread anger and anxiety across the archipelago, amplifying existing frustrations over ongoing migration pressures.\n\nOn Friday, dozens of port workers gathered outside the Canary Islands regional parliament in Santa Cruz de Tenerife to demonstrate against the docking arrangement. Blowing whistles, sounding vuvuzelas and holding signs highlighting their safety concerns, protesters said they have not been given adequate protection or clear information about the vessel’s arrival. Joana Batista, a representative of the local port workers’ union speaking at the rally, said workers were uncomfortable being assigned to the port without special safety protocols when an infected ship was approaching. Some union members have threatened to block the ship’s access to the island if their demands for full protection and transparency are not met. Batista added that while the ship may be allowed to dock, it must do so with all necessary public health safeguards in place, and local residents deserve full clarity on passenger movement and potential risks to the community.\n\nFor many local residents, the arrival of the cruise ship has compounded long-simmering frustration over the Canary Islands’ status as a primary entry point for thousands of undocumented migrants arriving from North and West Africa. Nutritionist María de la Luz Sedeño, who observed the protest, called the ship’s planned arrival the “last straw” for local residents tired of bearing the brunt of unaddressed international crises. While some Canary islanders take pride in welcoming migrant arrivals, others share Sedeño’s frustration, and the crisis has become a unifying point of discontent for many who feel the national government ignores local input. According to NGO Caminando Fronteras, more than 3,000 people died attempting to reach the Canary Islands in 2025, most traveling in unsafe makeshift dinghies. The ongoing migration situation will draw global attention next month when Pope Leo is scheduled to visit the islands to meet with migrants and aid organizations. Sedeño also criticized the central government for overriding clear opposition to the cruise ship’s arrival from Canary Islands regional president Fernando Clavijo, saying “the people here are not being listened to.”\n\nIn response to accusations of overreach and lack of transparency, the Socialist-led national government has released full details of its public health plan for the vessel’s arrival. Instead of docking directly at a populated Tenerife port, the MV Hondius will anchor offshore, and passengers will be transported via ferry to the remote Granadilla industrial port in the island’s southeast, far from residential neighborhoods. After disembarkation, all foreign passengers will be immediately repatriated, while the 14 Spanish nationals on board will be transferred to Madrid for quarantine. Virginia Barcones, head of Spain’s civil protection agency, emphasized that authorities have taken all steps to ensure no contact between passengers and local residents, guaranteeing that local communities will be “absolutely and completely protected.”\n\nThe government’s detailed plan has eased concerns for some Tenerife residents. Marialaina Retina Fernández, a local pensioner, said she feels calmer now that clear information has been released. Noting that the Canary Islands have access to high-quality local healthcare, she expressed cautious acceptance of the temporary presence of the ship’s passengers. “It’s not ideal that they all end up coming here, but if the authorities say they’ll do everything possible to make sure nobody gets infected, let’s hope that’s how it is,” she said.\n\nDespite the government’s public health safeguards, far-right party Vox has sought to politicalize the issue by drawing parallels between the cruise ship arrival and undocumented migrant arrivals. Meanwhile, many local residents say the arrival of a multi-national ship with a viral outbreak brings unwanted flashbacks to the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the first confirmed COVID case in Spain was a German tourist on nearby La Gomera, followed by the quarantine of 1,000 hotel guests and staff on Tenerife. Both the WHO and the Spanish government have explicitly pushed back on comparisons to the COVID-19 pandemic, downplaying the epidemiological risks of the current hantavirus situation. Still, many residents remain on edge. Retina Fernández, for her part, framed the situation as just another crisis the Canary Islands have been forced to manage, noting “we’re used to all sorts of problems arriving here, and you can see that we’re good at managing these situations.”

  • From trusted aide to biggest rival: Suvendu Adhikari set to become West Bengal chief minister

    From trusted aide to biggest rival: Suvendu Adhikari set to become West Bengal chief minister

    West Bengal, one of India’s most politically charged states, is poised to enter an unprecedented new era this weekend, as one of its most controversial and battle-tested politicians prepares to take the highest office. Suvendu Adhikari, leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and once the closest confidant of outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, will be sworn in as the state’s new chief minister on Saturday, capping a decades-long political climb that has upended the region’s power dynamics.

    The BJP’s landslide victory in the 2026 West Bengal assembly election, which saw the party claim 207 of the chamber’s 294 seats, brought an end to 15 years of rule by Banerjee’s All India Trinamool Congress (TMC). It also marks the first time the Hindu nationalist BJP has secured power in the state, a political milestone long sought by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s national government.

    Adhikari’s path to the chief minister’s office did not start with the BJP. Born in 1970 into one of coastal West Bengal’s most influential political clans in Purba Medinipur district, he cut his political teeth with the Indian National Congress before switching to the TMC in the party’s early years as an opposition bloc challenging the long-dominant Left Front. Building on the political network established by his father, veteran Member of Parliament Sisir Adhikari, Adhikari rose through the TMC ranks on the back of grassroots organizing and a reputation for unflinching political combat.

    His breakout moment came during the 2007 Nandigram land acquisition protests, a mass movement against the Left Front government’s plan to seize farmland for industrial development. Violent clashes during the agitation fatally weakened the Left regime and cleared the way for Banerjee’s TMC to win power in 2011, and Adhikari—who led much of the on-the-ground organizing—emerged as the TMC’s most effective young operator. For more than a decade after that, he was viewed as Banerjee’s heir apparent, her most trusted lieutenant across the state.

    The relationship between the two leaders began to fray in 2016, when Adhikari was caught up in a high-profile sting operation controversy. Secret videos released ahead of that year’s state election appeared to show Adhikari accepting cash from a fake investor in his office, allegations he forcefully denied, questioning both the authenticity and context of the leaked footage. Tensions continued to mount in the years that followed, until Adhikari made his dramatic break: defecting to the BJP in 2020, just months ahead of the 2021 state election.

    The 2021 vote proved to be a turning point for Adhikari’s national profile. Contesting the Nandigram seat against his former mentor Banerjee, he pulled off a shocking upset that defeated the sitting chief minister in her own backyard. Though the BJP lost the overall election that year, Adhikari’s win cemented his status as Banerjee’s primary rival and elevated him to the top of the state BJP’s leadership.

    Five years later, Adhikari has led the party to an even more historic upset. In the 2026 election, he not only retained his Nandigram seat, but also defeated Banerjee in her decades-long stronghold of Bhabanipur, helping the BJP secure a commanding majority across the state. The win marks a stunning reversal for the BJP, which was once a marginal political force in West Bengal.

    But Adhikari’s ascent has never been without controversy. Critics have long painted him as a polarizing figure who has deployed inflammatory, communal rhetoric to deepen political divisions in the state. In 2021, the Election Commission of India issued a formal notice to Adhikari after a campaign speech where he allegedly referred to Banerjee as “Begum” and claimed voting for her was equivalent to supporting a “mini-Pakistan.” Last year, he sparked national outrage when he declared that a BJP government would “physically throw Muslim MLAs out of the assembly” after winning the 2026 election. The remarks drew widespread accusations of hate speech from the TMC, led to a privilege motion against him, and resulted in his suspension from the state assembly. He has also faced intense condemnation for unsubstantiated claims that medicines distributed at TMC-run medical camps were designed to reduce the state’s Hindu population through birth control.

    Even as Adhikari prepares to take office, the state has already been roiled by post-election unrest. Earlier this week, a close personal aide to Adhikari was shot and killed by unidentified assailants near his home, in what BJP leaders have called a targeted political assassination. The killing has amplified long-running concerns about political violence in the state, which has surged amid the bitter rivalry between the BJP and TMC.

    Beyond security concerns, Adhikari inherits a state facing deep structural economic challenges. For decades, West Bengal has lagged behind other major Indian states in attracting large-scale private investment, and youth unemployment remains a persistent, pressing issue that the BJP centered its 2026 campaign around. He also takes control of a state deeply divided by years of partisan conflict, with frequent outbreaks of election-related violence and allegations of political intimidation on both sides.

    To his supporters, however, Adhikari is a leader cut from a different cloth than India’s elite, Delhi-based political class: a grassroots organizer deeply rooted in local communities, with a relentless drive to deliver on the BJP’s campaign promises. They celebrate his combative campaigning style as a much-needed change from the status quo that defined TMC’s 15-year rule. Now, as he prepares to take the oath of office, Adhikari faces his greatest test yet: transitioning from a firebrand opposition leader to a chief executive capable of uniting a divided state, attracting investment, creating jobs, and governing one of India’s most politically volatile regions.

  • The race against time to find eagles escaped from Dollywood

    The race against time to find eagles escaped from Dollywood

    A multi-day, community-wide search is underway across East Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains to track down three non-releasable bald eagles that escaped one of the nation’s most respected raptor sanctuaries after a severe storm damaged their enclosure. The breakout, which occurred two weeks prior to the ongoing search, has highlighted the decades-long conservation success story built by country music icon Dolly Parton and the American Eagle Foundation (AEF) at Dollywood, the Pigeon Forge theme park Parton co-owns.

    The incident unfolded when a powerful storm toppled a 100-year-old deciduous tree directly through the netting of the sanctuary’s main enclosure, allowing the three eagles—Rockland, Caesar, and Wesley—to slip away. Unlike the 185 bald eagles the sanctuary has successfully rehabilitated and released into the wild over the past 35 years, all three escapees have permanent disabilities that leave them unable to survive independently in the wild. Rockland lives with a displaced wing that limits his flight range, Wesley has a chronic shoulder injury that restricts movement, and all three have grown accustomed to human care, leaving them ill-equipped to forage for food or avoid natural hazards on their own.

    Immediately after the escape, the AEF issued a public call for sightings, asking community members to watch for the birds’ unique colored leg bands: orange for both Rockland and Caesar, and black for Wesley, the only female of the three. The response was overwhelming, with tips pouring in from as far away as Indiana, Virginia, and Georgia, though the most credible reports have placed the birds within the Smoky Mountains region. Last weekend, search teams successfully recovered Caesar after a local tip led them to a rural pasture, where an experienced avian specialist was able to capture the exhausted bird.

    The search for Rockland intensified the following day, with teams of law enforcement officers, AEF executives, and avian specialists trekking through mountain terrain for hours in pursuit of the injured bird. Sightings carried teams from a downtown hotel to a residential neighborhood across town, but Rockland managed to elude capture twice, soaring away before teams could approach. “The advantage those little stinkers have, that we don’t, is they can take off,” one search member wryly noted of the evasive raptor. As of the latest update, both Rockland and Wesley remain at large, with search crews continuing to follow every credible tip.

    The escape has pulled back the curtain on a 35-year conservation partnership that transformed bald eagle protection in the United States. The Dollywood Eagle Mountain Sanctuary, which opened in 1991, is now the world’s largest sanctuary for non-releasable bald eagles, welcoming more than 3 million park visitors annually for educational programming and daily flying demonstrations. The partnership grew out of a promise AEF chairman James Rogers made decades earlier, after spotting a rare bald eagle on a fishing trip in Florida when the species was still listed as endangered. “I made a silent promise that I would do what I could to keep the bird from becoming extinct, so future generations could see them,” Rogers recalled.

    Rogers, a longtime musician who wrote the 1973 eagle conservation anthem *Fly, Eagle, Fly*, approached Parton with the idea for the sanctuary, and she immediately embraced the project. “I don’t think it ever would have happened if she hadn’t supported it,” Rogers said. “She thought it was a beautiful idea, because it was pure Americana. The eagle isn’t a Republican or a Democrat—it’s our national symbol.” Parton’s longstanding ties to eagle conservation include being honored by the federal government in 2003 for her work, and she even named her 31st studio album *Eagle When She Flies* the year the sanctuary opened.

    Decades of conservation work, paired with national environmental protections like the Clean Water Act and restrictions on the pesticide DDT—once the leading cause of bald eagle population decline, thanks to severe eggshell thinning—led to the bald eagle being removed from the endangered species list in 2007. Wildlife biologists call the recovery of the bald eagle one of the nation’s most underappreciated conservation success stories. “It takes decades for environmental protections to show population-level results, but now we’re seeing bald eagles return to landscapes where they’d disappeared,” explained Michael Patrick Ward, a wildlife biology professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. “Every released eagle that goes on to breed for 15 or 20 years makes a huge difference.”

    Even as the search for the two remaining eagles continues, AEF CEO Lori Moore says the incident has brought an unexpected silver lining: it has gotten ordinary citizens looking up at the sky, engaging with conservation, and uniting around a common goal. “In a time that our country is a little divided, having something—even if it’s just looking for our national symbol—to unite us all, you can tell people are doing it from the heart,” Moore said. “They are genuinely concerned, as we are. That part of it has been incredibly heartwarming for us.” Many members of the public reported being excited just to spot any bald eagle during their search, with one man contacting the foundation with a cracking voice to say he had never seen a bald eagle in the wild before.

    Search teams remain hopeful that they will recover Rockland and Wesley safe and sound, with Rogers saying the entire team is on edge waiting for the next credible tip. “It just makes you want to cry because you’re afraid he’s going to tangle with something he shouldn’t and get hurt,” Rogers said of Rockland. “Any time we get a truly viable lead, the excitement gets really high—adrenaline starts flowing, because we know we might have a chance to bring our bird home.”

  • Nation plans to upgrade, customize fighter jet

    Nation plans to upgrade, customize fighter jet

    China’s largest aerospace manufacturer, Aviation Industry Corp of China (AVIC), is set to implement ongoing upgrades and customer-specific customizations for its export-focused J-10CE advanced fighter jet, aligning the platform with the unique operational requirements of international clients, according to the aircraft’s chief designer.

    Li Jun, a senior researcher at the Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute — one of AVIC’s key Sichuan-based subsidiaries — outlined the jet’s development roadmap during a public media briefing held Thursday as part of an open-house event hosted by the institute and Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group. Li noted that the J-10CE, the first export-exclusive variant of the J-10 fighter family, retains substantial room for technological advancement and is projected to remain a competitive, market-relevant platform for a minimum of 20 to 30 years of service.

    “ We are ready to export this aircraft to any friendly nation that aligns with our development vision, provided their procurement requests meet China’s relevant national laws and regulations, ” Li stated.

    The Chengdu-based AVIC units are responsible for developing and manufacturing some of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s most capable combat aircraft, including the entire J-10 fighter family and the fifth-generation J-20 stealth fighter fleet. The J-10CE has already been acquired and entered active service with the Pakistan Air Force, marking the platform’s first international deployment.

    Li emphasized that the J-10CE is built to adapt to a wide range of mission profiles, from establishing air superiority to executing precision ground strike operations. The platform can be modified to accommodate the unique operating environments and operational demands of different buyer nations, with flexible optional payload packages available to meet specific customer needs.

    Compared to earlier generations of J-10 aircraft, the J-10CE delivers a generational leap in combat system technology, emerging as a fully multi-role operational platform. Early J-10 models were only compatible with roughly 10 types of armament, while the J-10CE can carry dozens of different weapons tailored for air-to-air, air-to-ground, and air-to-sea combat missions, Li explained.

    The jet’s avionics suite has also received a full generational upgrade, headlined by an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar that can rapidly detect and track multiple targets, outperforming older mechanically scanned radar systems by a significant margin. Additional advanced capabilities include network-centric cooperative combat operations, beyond-visual-range engagement of multiple targets in high-intensity contested electromagnetic environments, multi-mode precision strike capability, and superior performance in medium- and low-altitude close-range dogfights.

    Beyond delivering the fighter jet itself, AVIC provides international clients with a complete end-to-end combat ecosystem that includes early warning, command and control, and electronic warfare infrastructure. Li pointed to the J-10CE’s proven real combat record — credited with shooting down multiple hostile aircraft while sustaining zero operational losses — as clear proof of the platform’s capabilities and the strength of its supporting combat systems.

    Zhang Xuefeng, a retired People’s Liberation Army Air Force officer and independent military technology analyst, noted that China’s advanced fighter aircraft portfolio, led by the J-10 series, is reshaping the global defense trade market through a set of unique competitive advantages. Zhang explained that Chinese fighter jets offer exceptional cost-effectiveness: while Western-made advanced fighters typically carry a price tag of hundreds of millions of dollars per unit, Chinese alternatives deliver comparable combat performance at a far more accessible price point. Additionally, China can tailor full defense packages to fit a wide range of buyer budgets, matching the diverse operational and financial needs of nations across the global spectrum.

    Zhang added that China also holds a unique capability to export fully integrated end-to-end weapon systems, including a complete lineup of airborne armaments and electronic warfare infrastructure. “ We can deliver compatible airborne early warning aircraft and supporting data links that enable full digital modernization of a buyer nation’s entire combat force structure, ” he said.

  • Argentina’s hot spot for Antarctic cruises insists it didn’t cause the hantavirus outbreak

    Argentina’s hot spot for Antarctic cruises insists it didn’t cause the hantavirus outbreak

    A public dispute over the source of a deadly hantavirus outbreak linked to an Antarctic cruise has erupted between regional authorities in Argentina’s southernmost province of Tierra del Fuego and national public health officials, raising questions about the country’s weakened disease monitoring system and threatening the region’s critical tourism economy. The outbreak, which centers on the Andes variant of hantavirus — a rare strain capable of limited person-to-person transmission — was traced by Argentine federal health authorities earlier this week to a landfill outside Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego’s main city and the primary departure gateway for Antarctic cruises. Federal investigators named the site as the most likely location where two Dutch tourists, who later died from the infection, contracted the virus while birdwatching. But regional officials are pushing back fiercely against this conclusion, arguing there is compelling evidence that the infection occurred elsewhere during the couple’s four-month journey across South America, and warning that the false origin claim is causing severe damage to the region’s reputation.

  • New ‘Nakba’ in Jerusalem: Israel steps up Silwan demolitions near Al-Aqsa

    New ‘Nakba’ in Jerusalem: Israel steps up Silwan demolitions near Al-Aqsa

    Standing amid the crumbled concrete and twisted metal that was once his family home in occupied East Jerusalem, Fakhri Abu Diab’s gaze falls on a small corner where he once shared a warm cup of tea with his mother. For the 55-year-old Palestinian father of five and grandfather of 16, the rubble is more than just destroyed property—it is the erasure of a lifetime of memories, of a childhood spent tending nearby land with his mother, and of the tight-knit community life his family built over generations.

    Abu Diab’s home, located in the al-Bustan neighborhood of Silwan just south of Jerusalem’s Old City and Al-Aqsa Mosque, was demolished by Israeli authorities in early 2024. It is one of dozens of Palestinian homes leveled in the area this year as part of long-running plans to expand Israeli settler infrastructure and build religiously themed national parks. A veteran anti-occupation activist, Abu Diab shared his grief with Middle East Eye: “They demolished my childhood, my memories, and even the scent of my mother.”

    Silwan, a Palestinian district hugging the southern walls of the Old City, has been a flashpoint for Israeli displacement efforts for decades. Alongside other high-risk Palestinian neighborhoods including Sheikh Jarrah to the north of the Old City and Ras al-Amoud to the southeast, Silwan has been the target of systematic state-backed campaigns to clear land for expanding Israeli settlements. For years, sustained Palestinian resistance and international scrutiny slowed the pace of demolitions and expulsions—but that shifted dramatically after the outbreak of the Gaza conflict in October 2023.

    Since that time, Israeli authorities have sharply accelerated home demolitions and forced expulsions across occupied East Jerusalem, with al-Bustan emerging as one of the worst-affected zones. Across the entire city, an estimated 20,000 Palestinian-owned properties currently face active demolition orders. As Israeli forces have also stepped up violent crackdowns on local protest and dissent, Palestinian residents say they are increasingly isolated and defenseless, with little meaningful international support or global media attention focused on their plight. Local residents and rights activists warn that if the current pace of demolitions continues, entire Palestinian communities across Silwan, Sheikh Jarrah and Ras al-Amoud could be completely cleared. This demographic shift would leave Al-Aqsa Mosque surrounded entirely by Israeli settler compounds and biblical parks, cutting the holy site off from its surrounding Palestinian community.

    Today, the scale of destruction in al-Bustan is visible along every narrow, winding street, with piles of rubble and empty flattened lots appearing every few meters. “I used to live here with my wife, my children, and my grandchildren. Ten of us lived in this house,” Abu Diab said. “The suffering is not only in the demolition of the house, but in the demolition of our past, our lives, and our future.”

    The campaign to displace Palestinians from Silwan dates back to 1967, when Israel occupied East Jerusalem and immediately introduced laws that enabled the transfer of Palestinian property to Jewish ownership, while launching large-scale archaeological excavations in the district’s Wadi Hilweh neighborhood. Today, Silwan is home to roughly 55,000 Palestinians spread across 12 neighborhoods covering 6,000 dunams in the Kidron Valley and southern slopes of the Mount of Olives. For decades, three neighborhoods—Wadi Hilweh, al-Bustan and Batn al-Hawa—have borne the brunt of demolition and displacement campaigns, as powerful state-backed settler organizations push to clear the area to expand biblical tourist sites including the “City of David” and the planned “King’s Garden.” Since the early 2000s, more than 2,000 Palestinians across these three neighborhoods have faced expulsion threats, framed either as settler property claims or responses to alleged unpermitted construction. Between 2006 and 2023, Israeli authorities demolished an average of just one to two homes per year in Silwan, held back by ongoing Palestinian resistance and public pressure. But that pace has exploded since October 2023.

    Local residents and researchers confirm that Israeli authorities have demolished 54 homes in al-Bustan alone—more than half of the approximately 115 total homes in the neighborhood—since the Gaza war began. Most of the remaining properties now face imminent demolition. The Jerusalem municipality has adopted increasingly aggressive tactics to push residents out: it gives homeowners strict deadlines to demolish their own homes, imposing heavy financial penalties for any delay, and has openly warned residents that crews will return weekly to carry out demolitions if residents refuse to comply. Aviv Tatarsky, a researcher with Israeli human rights organization Ir Amim, calls the current campaign a devastating escalation that marks a dangerous turning point for Palestinian communities in the area. “The people of Silwan defended their homes for over 20 years, and now they feel they can no longer stop what is happening,” Tatarsky told Middle East Eye. “It increasingly looks as though Israel will wipe out al-Bustan. We do not know how to stop it.”

    The accelerated demolitions in al-Bustan are no accident, Tatarsky explains. The neighborhood, home to roughly 1,500 Palestinians, sits in a strategically critical position: it links the existing heavily guarded settler enclaves of Wadi Hilweh to the northwest and Batn al-Hawa to the east, where 2,500 Israeli settlers already reside. Clearing Palestinians from al-Bustan would create uninterrupted territorial continuity between these existing settler areas, and connect the Silwan settlements directly to West Jerusalem, which lies on the other side of the 1949 Green Line armistice boundary. The ultimate goal, Tatarsky says, is to normalize the erasure of Palestinian Silwan in Israeli public consciousness, rebranding the entire area as an extension of West Jerusalem tied exclusively to biblical Jewish history. “So al-Bustan is central to dramatically changing what Silwan is,” he added.

    Israeli authorities have publicly justified the demolitions by citing building code violations, claiming most Palestinian homes in al-Bustan were constructed without permits. But critics note that permits are effectively impossible for Palestinian residents to obtain under Israeli zoning rules, and the law is enforced selectively against Palestinians while ignoring violations by settler groups. Israeli newspaper Haaretz has reported that demolition orders for multiple al-Bustan properties were suddenly dropped after the land was sold to settler organizations, even as those same groups have been allowed to build an events hall, synagogue, restaurant and visitor center without required permits. The clear end goal, researchers say, is to clear al-Bustan to make way for the “King’s Garden” biblical archaeological park, which will connect to the existing “City of David” tourist complex built on seized Palestinian land in Wadi Hilweh.

    “There is no ownership dispute, no court ruling, and no justification for these executive measures other than transforming a built and inhabited neighbourhood into a park shaped by Zionist religious narratives,” said Ziad Ibhais, a Jerusalem affairs researcher. “That is what makes al-Bustan emblematic of the wider conduct of the occupation municipality in Jerusalem. These powers are being used against Palestinian landowners to impose nationalist-religious visions adopted by the [Israeli] occupation municipality on land over which it has neither sovereignty nor legal authority under international law.”

    International law widely recognizes Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem as illegal, holding that an occupying power cannot claim sovereignty over occupied territory or make permanent demographic changes to the area. Currently, more than 233,000 Israeli settlers reside in occupied East Jerusalem, alongside more than 500,000 in the occupied West Bank, according to the Israeli NGO Peace Now. All Israeli settlements are widely regarded as a violation of international law.

    Two major settler organizations, Ateret Cohanim founded in 1978 and Elad founded in 1986, lead the displacement campaign in Silwan. Though formally registered as private non-profits, both groups operate with extensive backing from the Israeli state, receiving political support from the Israeli parliament, cooperating closely with Israeli police, and accessing direct government funding. “They are effectively an arm of the state,” Tatarsky noted.

    Palestinian residents have exhausted all available channels to stop the demolitions, bringing multiple legal challenges to both settler claims and municipal plans, and even drafting two alternative community development plans that would preserve existing homes while upgrading neighborhood infrastructure. In a recent proposal, most residents agreed to an extremely strict set of planning concessions to save their neighborhood, in negotiations with the Jerusalem municipality. But the municipality pulled out of talks in February 2024 and announced it would move forward with full demolition plans.

    The collapse of negotiations and lack of legal recourse has left residents in deep despair. Most families whose homes are demolished initially move in with extended relatives, while some manage to rent alternative housing elsewhere in Jerusalem—but skyrocketing housing prices put that option out of reach for many, forcing extended families to scatter across different regions. For Abu Diab, the damage goes far beyond housing insecurity: the displacement has destroyed the traditional Palestinian extended family social structure that sustained generations of residents. “Our way of life is to live together as extended families – with your children, your brothers, your cousins, all close to one another,” he said. “Now we are facing a housing crisis, a psychological crisis, and a health crisis. We have been completely scattered. They have destroyed our social fabric and our support system.”

    Tatarsky argues the accelerated demolitions are only possible because of the current regional context: with the international community focused almost exclusively on the Gaza conflict and many Western powers having signaled implicit support for Israeli actions, the Israeli government feels it can act with complete impunity to push through its long-term demographic goals in East Jerusalem. For Abu Diab, the stakes extend far beyond al-Bustan, extending to the future of Jerusalem’s Palestinian community as a whole. “Al-Bustan matters because it is where we were born and raised, but also because it is the heart of Silwan,” he said. “If Israel takes control of Silwan, it will pave the way for greater control over Al-Aqsa Mosque. If there is no real action, the area will change completely, and there will be a new Nakba for the people of Jerusalem.”

  • Anti-work anthems, Boy George and controversial lyrics: A guide to all 35 Eurovision songs

    Anti-work anthems, Boy George and controversial lyrics: A guide to all 35 Eurovision songs

    As a much-anticipated burst of joy for global audiences weary from geopolitical and social uncertainty, the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest is gearing up to kick off its semi-final round in Vienna this Tuesday. This year’s competition brings a smaller lineup than recent editions, with just 35 participating nations – the most compact field since 2003 – a shift driven by a widespread partial boycott over Israel’s inclusion in the contest. While the political controversy remains impossible for many fans to separate from the spectacle, the 2026 iteration still delivers the chaotic, larger-than-life pageantry that has made the annual event a cultural staple, with everything from a silver-painted AI-themed performance and a fake gorilla cameo to pop legend Boy George and the longest sustained high note in contest history.

    Following the trend of back-to-back winners Nemo of Switzerland and JJ of Austria, who integrated operatic vocal techniques into their winning tracks, 2026 sees a wave of contestants drawing from classical and operatic inspiration. Leading this pack is 17-year-old French prodigy Monroe, the youngest competitor this year, whose entry *Regarde!* blends frenetic string arrangements, glitched drum beats and powerhouse “Queen of the Night” style vocals. Billed as a celebration of the diverse musical heritage of France, the track builds to a showstopping climax, and industry analysts predict a top 10 finish with thoughtful stage staging. Montenegro’s Tamara Živković takes a maximalist approach on *Nova Zora*, pairing a thunderous techno beat with a Greek chorus to deliver a message about women breaking gender barriers. Co-written by professional opera singer Vesna Aćimović, the track comes as Montenegro aims to end a decade-long semi-final qualification drought that stretches back to 2015. Closing out the operatic category is Latvia’s Liene Atvara, whose haunting ballad *Ēnā* explores the lifelong trauma of growing up with a parent struggling with alcoholism. The soft, muffled opening verses build to a cathartic operatic finale that is guaranteed to leave not a single dry eye in the venue.

    Controversy has already erupted around Romania’s return entry *Choke Me*, performed by Bucharest physics master’s student Alexandra Căpitănescu. Critics have labelled the track dangerous and reckless, claiming its lyrics reference unsafe sexual choking, a practice linked to permanent brain injury and death. But Căpitănescu pushes back against this interpretation, explaining the song is a metaphor for the emotional suffocation caused by self-imposed pressure and self-doubt. Regardless of the lyrical debate, the track itself is widely praised for its gritty, urgent energy, built on churning demonic guitar riffs and Căpitănescu’s distinctive raspy vocals. Equally layered is Switzerland’s entry *Alice* from Veronica Fusaro: on the surface a gentle waltz-time ballad about love, the track actually tells a chilling story of abusive stalking from the perspective of the perpetrator, adding a dark twist that elevates the already solid composition.

    For fans craving upbeat dance tracks to cut loose to, the 2026 contest delivers no shortage of high-energy options. Bulgaria’s entry *Bangaranga*, performed by established pop star Dara, is a delightfully unapologetic, sass-filled bop packed with a speaker-shattering drum beat and an gratuitous, crowd-pleasing dance break. Germany’s Sarah Engels offers a more conventional Euro-dance anthem *Fire*, which draws clear inspiration from Dua Lipa’s pop-dance sound and relies on the familiar rhyme of “fire” and “desire”, but the track remains stubbornly catchy enough to perform well in public televoting. Belgium’s brooding pop entry *Dancing On the Ice* from Essyla is a sleek, hypnotic track that lacks the knockout chorus needed to take the top prize, while Cyprus’s Antigoni – a former *Love Island* contestant – invites audiences to the dance floor for sun-soaked Mediterranean escapism with *Jalla*. Blending traditional Tsifteteli belly dance rhythms with the Latin-infused sensuality associated with Shakira, the track already made headlines when a group of conservative Cypriot public figures condemned its music video as offensive to local history and traditions – a controversy that has only boosted the track’s popularity.

    Many 2026 contestants have embraced the challenge of packing multiple distinct sonic ideas into Eurovision’s strict three-minute time limit, resulting in some of the most surprising genre-bending entries in recent memory. Current pre-contest favorites Finland’s Linda Lampenius & Pete Parkkonen deliver *Liekinheitin* (Flamethrower), which opens as a brooding passionate ballad before abruptly shifting into high-energy demonic electro-pop, anchored by a frantic violin solo. Already a number one hit in Finland, the track uses the metaphor of third-degree burns from intimate contact to describe all-consuming red-hot love, building to a climax as tense as a bomb countdown. Close behind Finland in the rankings is Greece, whose entry *Ferto* from Akylas blends traditional Greek instrumentation with retro Super Mario video game sound effects and a pulsing house beat. While the track initially reads as a brash anthem chasing fame and fortune, it shifts to a heartfelt tribute to Akylas’s single mother, who raised him through Greece’s devastating financial crisis, with a promise to end their lifelong struggle. Poland’s Alicja *Pray* also uses clever misdirection, opening with a gospel-style organ and mass chorus before shifting into sharp-edged rap, though the overall composition feels disjointed. Lithuania’s Lion Ceccah makes a dramatic visual statement, performing *Sólo Quiero Más* fully covered in silver paint. Sung in six languages, the track explores the rise of artificial intelligence and growing human detachment from reality, with a stage performance reenacting the struggle to break free from machine dependence – a concept that comes off as overly dramatic for many critics.

    This year’s contest features two tracks centered on the universal frustration of corporate burnout and workplace dissatisfaction. Armenia’s Simón Hovhannisyan leads this theme with the gritty rock track *Paloma Rumba*, whose lyrics mock unproductive corporate meetings and empty workplace perks, with the line “This meeting could have been an email / Free coffee won’t keep me here, man.” His stage performance sees him flinging stacks of paper across the stage while backflipping toward the exit, backed by traditional Armenian folk instruments the duduk and dohl, though critics note the high-energy track becomes exhausting over its three-minute run time. The United Kingdom’s entry from the uniquely named Look Mum No Computer echoes this frustration. Over a rambunctious synth-driven sound that blends Kraftwerk’s electronic experimentation with Kaiser Chiefs’ Britpop energy, he laments being trapped in an office cubicle before escaping on a road trip across Europe, delivering the catchy chorus “Ein, Zwei, Drei” in German – a playful move clearly designed to appeal to EU voters, which the UK has struggled to win over in recent years. The entry has already divided audiences: some praise the UK for taking a creative risk, while others find the track irritating, meaning its final result will likely hinge on the quality of its live performance.

    The slow, dramatic ballad category is packed with powerhouse vocal performances this year. Australia is sending one of its biggest pop stars, Delta Goodrem, to Vienna with *Eclipse*, a sweeping romantic ballad in the tradition of Celine Dion that describes a passion so intense it blocks out the sun. While the premise is scientifically unlikely, Goodrem’s conviction and vocal control make the track a credible contender for the grand prize. Denmark’s Søren Torpegaard Lund delivers a torrid tale of toxic romance on *Før Vi Går Hjem* (Before We Go Home), anchored by a simmering intensity that captivates audiences even if the simple chorus feels unremarkable. Azerbaijan’s Jiva delivers a cinematic break-up ballad *Just Go*, with cold, cutting lyrics about erasing a former lover from one’s soul, though the track blends into the crowd of similar overblown ballads that have failed to qualify for the final in recent years. Malta’s Aidan, one of the country’s biggest stars, brings a tender, wounded sincerity to the sentimental ballad *Bella*, in which he pines for the title character, whose name is repeated 20 times across the track. Israel’s Noam Bettan offers another heartbreak ballad *Michelle*, which tells the story of being trapped in emotional pain after a devastating relationship, with flourishes of Spanish guitar, but fails to connect emotionally with listeners. Ukraine’s band Leléka delivers one of the most resonant entries of the contest with *Ridnym*, a delicate, understated track that explores the feeling of hopelessness during war and the quiet drive to keep going despite everything. The song closes with a stunning 30-second-long high note – the longest in Eurovision history – that leaves audiences breathless just thinking about it.

    Several entries this year center deeply emotional, personal storytelling rooted in national history. Albania’s Alis delivers the devastating ballad *Nân*, which tells the story of a mother waiting for her child to return home, a theme that resonates deeply in Albania, where 40% of the population has emigrated since the fall of communism in 1991. A former X Factor winner, Alis delivers the track with a raw sincerity that is hard to match. Croatia’s ethno-pop quintet Lelek shares a harrowing historical story on *Andromeda*, which explores the suppression, abduction and forced marriage of Christian women during the Ottoman Empire, and the secret cross tattoos they used to protect their identity. Portugal’s entry *Rosa* from Bandidos do Cante stands out from the crowded field with its simple, stunning a capella arrangement drawn from the traditional cante Alentejano musical tradition, born from bull-herders who sang to coordinate their work. Turning the energy back up, Moldova’s Satramos delivers *Viva, Moldova!*, a raucous celebration of the first generation of Moldovans born after independence, blending the upbeat energy of hits like Chumbawamba’s *Tubthumping* with traditional pan flute. Satramos performs in a football jersey printed with the number 373 – Moldova’s international dialing code – and the track even opens with a playful nod to the arrival jingle played at Chișinău International Airport, making it a joyful love letter to Moldovan culture.

    For fans craving nostalgic disco vibes, 2026 offers several throwback entries. San Marino brings a high-profile collaboration with three-time contestant Senhit teaming up with 80s pop icon Boy George for the transcontinental disco track *Superstar*, though critics note the track lacks the fizz of past memorable entries, falling flat despite its star power. Georgia’s entry *On Replay* from junior Eurovision 2008 winners Bzikebi is a generic club track that fails to stand out, despite the band’s energetic live performance. Italian veteran Sal Da Vinci’s throwback disco track *Per Sempre Sì*, dedicated to his long-time wife and childhood sweetheart, leaves audiences with a warm, nostalgic glow, though its dated sound makes a win unlikely. Luxembourg’s Eva Marija, a songwriting student at a London music school, rounds out this group with *Mother Nature*, an uplifting eco-themed pop track that draws comparisons to young indie-pop stars Griff and Sigrid, which her classmates immediately identified as a potential hit when she first performed it.

    Several 2026 entries play with language and unexpected conceptual narratives, resulting in some of the contest’s most quirky entries. Host nation Austria pins its hopes on 19-year-old Cosmó, whose track *Tanzschein* – literally translated as “dance license” – opens with the deadpan declaration “You need a dance licence, I have to be strict about that” over a slinking bass line. The track compares clubgoers to jungle animals, and features a stage performance with costumed gorillas and lions, leading to widespread confusion over whether it’s a commentary on toxic nightlife culture or just a chaotic bit of fun. Sweden’s Felicia performs *My System* wearing a diamond-studded face mask, which she reveals represents her struggles with mental health and self-image, while the lyrics tell the story of a destructive relationship she experienced early in her music industry career, paired with a thunderous techno drop sure to shock older audiences. Czechia’s Daniel Žižka embraces mixed metaphors on *Crossroads*, placing himself simultaneously in open waters, foreign fields, a golden cage and a vicious spider web to explore the difficulty of making decisions in an age of information overload. The brooding ballad builds to a stunning vocal climax, but it remains to be seen whether voters will be turned off by its convoluted lyrical concept.

    Rock makes a strong return to the 2026 contest, five years after Måneskin’s iconic victory. Norway’s Jonas Lovv delivers *Ya Ya Ya*, a catchy, charisma-filled stomp-rock track with a riff echoing The Hives’ *Hate To Say I Told You So*, built for group singing. Estonia’s Vanilla Ninja, who previously represented Switzerland in 2005, offers the perky pop-rock anthem *Too Epic To Be True*, which carries the playful energy of early 2000s *Josie & The Pussycats*, though it currently sits near the bottom of pre-contest betting odds. For fans who prefer their rock dark and menacing, Serbia’s nu-metal band Lavina delivers *Kraj Mene* (Next To You), a smouldering track about suffocating infatuation that builds to a genuinely terrifying final scream from frontman Luka Aranđelović – a chilling note to end our preview on.

    With semi-finals set to kick off in just a few days, the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest delivers something for every taste, from dance bops to emotional ballads, conceptual oddities to crowd-pleasing rock. All that remains is to see which entries will win over the global audience and claim a spot in the grand final, and hopefully end the UK’s recent streak of low-point finishes.

  • How Palestine Action defendants ended up back in prison

    How Palestine Action defendants ended up back in prison

    A high-profile retrial of six pro-Palestine activists linked to a 2024 raid on a UK facility operated by Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems has concluded with four convictions, triggering fierce condemnation from legal teams, family members, and human rights advocates over what they decry as a politically skewed, unfair judicial process.

    On 6 August 2024, the six activists carried out a direct action at Elbit Systems’ plant near Bristol, leading to charges including criminal damage, violent disorder, and assault against law enforcement. After a first trial that ended with a full acquittal on aggravated burglary charges and mixed outcomes for other counts, the CPS opted to retry the group on the outstanding criminal damage charge. Two activists – 31-year-old Jordan Devlin and 22-year-old Zoe Rogers – were ultimately cleared of criminal damage in the retrial, which concluded at London’s Woolwich Crown Court last Tuesday.

    The four found guilty are 30-year-old Leona Kamio, 23-year-old Samuel Corner, 21-year-old Fatema Rajwani, and 29-year-old Charlotte Head. All were convicted unanimously on criminal damage charges connected to the raid. Corner faced an additional charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent for hitting a police officer with a sledgehammer; he was acquitted of the more severe count, but found guilty by an 11-1 majority verdict of the lesser offence of inflicting GBH without intent. Following the initial trial, the CPS also dropped all outstanding violent disorder charges against the four convicted activists.

    Prior to the first trial’s conclusion, all six defendants spent 18 months in pre-trial detention – a period that far exceeds the UK’s standard custody time limits ahead of trial. They were granted bail in February this year, and legal representatives confirm none of the activists have breached any bail conditions in the months since their release. Despite this track record of compliance, Justice Andrew Johnson ruled to remand the four convicted activists back into custody immediately after the guilty verdicts were returned, to await their sentencing scheduled for 12 June.

    In justifying his remand decision, Johnson argued there were “substantial grounds” to believe the four would reoffend, noting that their closing statements made it clear they still viewed their actions as morally justified. The ruling left Rajwani and Head visibly distraught, with the pair breaking down in tears in the dock.

    Defence legal teams have roundly rejected the justification for remand. Mira Hammad, representing Kamio, pointed out that the evidence presented in the retrial is identical to the evidence available when Johnson granted bail back in February, with no new factors to justify a change in custody status. Audrey Cherryl Mogan, counsel for acquitted defendant Zoe Rogers, called the decision “shocking”, emphasizing that the activists had fully complied with all bail requirements, providing tangible proof that they posed no risk of reoffending or failure to attend court.

    Family members of the activists have gone further, denouncing the custody decision as cruel and politically motivated. Clare Hinchcliffe, mother of Zoe Rogers, told reporters outside Woolwich Crown Court that the 18 months the group spent in pre-trial detention without conviction already amounts to a sentence equivalent to that for a four-year criminal offence. “The cruelty of that and the spite of that just takes my breath away,” Hinchcliffe said, adding that the entire trial had been shaped by political influence and unfair restrictions on what evidence jurors were permitted to hear. In a social media post, Hinchcliffe added that Rogers found the convictions of her co-defendants devastating, and that Rogers had said she would not have shed a tear if all six had been found guilty.

    Speaking to reporters after the verdict, Rogers said her convicted co-defendants should not be behind bars, and added that she does not fault the jury, given that critical context was withheld from them throughout the proceedings. Devlin, who was also acquitted, publicly admitted he had damaged drone equipment at the facility, calling the act an honour. He argued that his acquittal came about after missing security camera footage – including footage showing him being struck in the face by a security guard during the raid – backfired for the prosecution, and that the conviction of his co-defendants is a travesty of justice, noting “the damage to Elbit weapons they’re accused of was to save Palestinian lives.”

    Beyond the convictions and remand decision, the case has sparked major constitutional controversy over judicial restrictions on defence argument and ongoing contempt of court proceedings against lead defence counsel Rajiv Menon KC. From the outset of the first trial, Justice Johnson barred defendants from presenting evidence about their motivations connected to Elbit’s role supplying arms to Israel for its military campaign in Gaza, instructing jurors that their views on Israel’s actions in Gaza were irrelevant to the case. He also barred defence lawyers from reminding jurors of their long-established right to acquit defendants based on conscience, a legal principle known as jury equity, which dates back to the 1670 Bushell’s Case that established jury independence in English common law.

    During his closing statement in the first trial, Menon – who represents Head in both trials – read the inscription on a Bushell’s Case plaque at London’s Old Bailey, and argued that it was ridiculous to expect jurors to ignore the wider context of the activists’ actions, including Elbit’s role in Gaza. Justice Johnson ruled that Menon’s speech defied the court’s pre-trial directions, leading to contempt of court proceedings against the barrister. Menon has challenged the ruling, and the case is now awaiting a decision from the Court of Appeal.

    Veteran human rights barrister Michael Mansfield KC, who has worked alongside Menon on high-profile public inquiries including the Grenfell Tower fire and Hillsborough disaster, called the proceedings against Menon unprecedented. “I’ve been at the bar for well over 50 years, and I am unaware of any case where counsel has been accused of contempt of court,” Mansfield told Middle East Eye. He noted that even if no punishment is ultimately issued, the contempt allegation itself already risks damaging Menon’s reputation and ability to practice. He added that the case creates a dangerous chilling effect, adding that the court’s handling of the issue – which was processed publicly rather than through the standard internal professional route through the Bar Council – is extraordinary. Garden Court Chambers, Menon’s chambers, echoed these concerns, saying the prosecution is “wholly without historical precedent” and undermines the core principle that defendants in high-profile political cases are entitled to robust, committed legal representation.

    Towards the end of the retrial, the defendants took the unusual step of dismissing their legal team and delivering their own closing statements. Head told jurors that court restrictions had prevented her defence team from representing the group fairly, adding that proposed UK government reforms to eliminate jury trials in many cases are rooted in fear of the power that juries hold: “They are afraid of the power you hold as a jury,” she said. Rogers echoed the criticism of evidence restrictions, telling jurors that throughout the three-week trial, key terms including “genocide” had been effectively blacklisted from court proceedings, with no mention of the word permitted until the closing statements by the defendants.

    Outside the court, the Metropolitan Police imposed a Section 14 order banning demonstrations near the Woolwich Crown Court building during the trial. Nine supporters were arrested in April for breaching the order after holding signs reminding jurors of jury equity, a move that came despite a recent High Court ruling that found a similar placard held by activist Trudi Warner was protected free speech and did not improperly influence juries.

    The Judicial Office declined to comment on the case when approached by Middle East Eye. Ahead of the 12 June sentencing, the defence has called for full disclosure of the value of damage claimed by Elbit Systems, noting the prosecution has cited an unsubstantiated figure of £1 million from an anonymous witness, with no disclosure of the witness identity or itemized list of damaged property. Justice Johnson has said sentencing will be based on an assessment of offence seriousness rather than a strict financial value of damage, and the defence has urged the judge to consider that the action targeted an arms manufacturer supplying weapons to Israel, arguing the context requires a different assessment than an attack on an unrelated civilian business.

  • Israeli army chief recommends commander who destroyed Gaza university for senior role

    Israeli army chief recommends commander who destroyed Gaza university for senior role

    Israel’s military chief of staff Eyal Zamir has put forward the name of controversial senior commander Barak Hiram to serve as military secretary to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to Israeli outlet Ynet. The nomination has reignited debate over far-right ideological shifts within the country’s top military ranks, given Hiram’s long record of divisive actions and hardline political views tied to the ongoing war in Gaza.

    Hiram is one of two final contenders for the position, which will be vacated by outgoing official Roman Gofman, a close ally of Netanyahu who is widely expected to take over as head of the Mossad intelligence agency. The other candidate for the role is Tal Politis, a senior leader in the Israeli Navy.

    Hiram first became a polarizing public figure immediately after the October 7 attacks led by Hamas, when he ordered Israeli tank forces to fire on a residential home in Kibbutz Beeri where Hamas fighters were holding Israeli civilian captives. Of the 15 hostages inside the building during the strike, only two survived the incident. Despite widespread public outcry over the deadly incident, Hiram has repeatedly defended his decision, noting in subsequent media interviews with outlets including *The New York Times* and Israel’s Channel 12 that the operation also killed multiple Hamas militants.

    Months before Israel launched its full ground invasion of Gaza, Hiram also laid out an uncompromising stance on eliminating the group, stating publicly that the Israeli military could not fully destroy Hamas’ infrastructure and governing institutions without a full ground incursion and reoccupation of Gaza territory. That position put him firmly in line with the most hardline elements of Netanyahu’s governing coalition.

    Even amid sustained criticism over the Kibbutz Beeri incident, Hiram has continued to climb the military leadership ladder. He was later appointed to lead the Israeli military’s Gaza Division, and was previously reported by Israeli media to be in consideration for the role of head of the military’s Operations Directorate, one of the most powerful positions in the entire Israeli armed forces.

    In 2024, then-Israeli military chief Herzi Halevi issued a formal reprimand to Hiram over the unauthorized demolition of a university building in central Gaza City. Israeli media confirmed the demolition was carried out without approval from senior command, and military assessments found the structure did not pose any immediate threat to Israeli troops deployed in the area. Later that same year, while Hiram commanded the Gaza Division, a unit under his leadership was linked to the killing of 15 Palestinian aid workers and paramedics in the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood of Rafah. No formal disciplinary or legal action has ever been brought against Hiram in connection with that killing.

    In 2025 comments tied to ongoing hostage release negotiations with Hamas, Hiram echoed hardline Israeli government and military positions that calling for holding humanitarian aid access to Gaza hostage as leverage, stating that captive Israelis held by Hamas would only be freed “through pressure.”

    Critics warn that Hiram’s potential promotion to a key post in Netanyahu’s immediate office comes as part of a broader trend of growing influence for far-right ideologues and West Bank settlement supporters within Israeli military leadership. One high-profile example of this shift is Avi Bluth, the current head of the military’s Central Command, who generated global outrage earlier this year for publicly boasting that Israeli forces were killing Palestinians at a rate “not seen since 1967.”

    Investigative reporting from Israeli newspaper Haaretz has shed additional light on Hiram’s long-held hardline views: the outlet confirmed that Hiram expressed ideological alignment with far-right extremist Meir Kahane during his youth. Kahane, who infamously advocated for the forced expulsion of all Palestinians from Israel and occupied Palestinian territories, saw his Kach movement banned in Israel and designated as a terrorist organization by multiple governments. A former high school classmate told Haaretz in May 2025 that a “Greater Israel” expansionist vision was core to Hiram’s beliefs even as a teenager.

    Haaretz further reported that Hiram previously lived in an unauthorized Israeli settler outpost in the occupied West Bank, before moving to the formal Israeli settlement of Tekoa, located southeast of Bethlehem, where he currently resides. When Hiram took command of the Gaza Division in August 2024, his inaugural speech drew sharp condemnation from liberal Israeli voices, when he framed the ongoing war in Gaza as a generational opportunity to advance a Zionist vision of greater Israeli control over the territory. “Our steadfastness stands in complete contrast to the Israeli culture that has developed here, which seeks everything now,” Hiram said in the address, adding that the war offered a chance to secure Israel’s future and advance “the shared Zionist vision for which we longed, prayed, and hoped over thousands of generations.”