Gaza's Cultural Heritage, Nigeria's Deadly Mistakes, Eritrean-Ethiopian Tensions, and More
This week at Inkstick Media.
Hello, everyone, and season’s greetings.
The holidays are now upon us, but don’t worry: Inkstick has plenty of not-so-cheerful reading for you this week.
As Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip rages on and the death toll continues to grow, Mohammed Ali, who reports under a pseudonym for safety reasons, examined the impact of airstrikes and other attacks on sites that are crucial to Palestinians’ “cultural memory,” including historic mosques and churches.
Meanwhile, in Nigeria, the military recently took responsibility for a deadly air strike that killed dozens of innocent civilians after mistaking a religious procession for a group of bandits. As Adebayo Abdulrahman reports, the deadly attack is only the latest in a string of such costly mistakes.
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We also have pieces examining the taboo of equality in Israel, fresh tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea, and Chinese foreign policy under Xi Jingpin, among others.
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Here’s what’s new on Inkstick Media this week:
“Even Before the Gaza War, Equality was a Radical Thought in Israel” by Odeliya Matter (Dec. 18)
Before Oct. 7, expressing the need for equality between Palestinians and Israelis was considered radical in Israel. Now, Israelis have been attacked, both verbally and physically, for calling for a ceasefire. Or for calling out war crimes, such as Israel’s failure to make all feasible precautions to distinguish between civilian and military targets and minimize civilian harm. Or for criticizing Israel's cutting off of water, food, and aid to millions of people.
“Taking Ethiopia-Eritrea Tensions Seriously” by Michael Woldemariam (Dec. 18)
The historically fraught relationship between Ethiopia and Eritrea is deteriorating once again. A seemingly momentous peace deal that brought the two sides together in 2018 now appears to have been a brief interlude in a longer arc of enduring rivalry. But a peace that is formal, transparent and of tangible benefit to the peoples of both countries is required.
“Gaza’s Heritage Under Fire as Israel’s War Continues” by Mohammed Ali* (Dec. 19)
Since Oct. 7, Israel’s war in the besieged Gaza Strip has killed thousands, displaced nearly two million and destroyed tens of thousands of buildings. But amid the invasion, air strikes and other attacks have also destroyed or damaged several historic sites, including the Great Omari Mosque and Church of Saint Porphyrius. Palestinians say these attacks put the Strip’s “cultural memory” at risk of annihilation.
“Chinese Foreign Policy Under Xi: No Longer ‘Biding Time’” by Suisheng Zhao (Dec. 20)
With Chinese foreign policy clearly in President Xi Jinping’s grip, Xi’s power concentration has given him a strong personal and institutional capacity to chart a new course for China’s approach to its international relations. But he is also prone to make mistakes, increasing Beijing’s foreign policy incoherency.
“Deep Dive: The Acts of Killing” by Emily Tamkin (Dec. 20)
In a new article, Neil Renic and Elke Schwarz push back against the arguments that autonomous weapons systems manufacturers forward that these systems could "surpass humans not only militarily but also morally." As part of the authors’ probe into the nature of systematic killing, they explore the implications of autonomous weapons. Lethal autonomous weapons systems, they argue, actually reproduce and even intensify past moral challenges, imperiling “essential restraints on the use of military force.”
“Anatomy of a Deadly Mistake: How Nigerian Military Strikes Have Killed Civilians” by Adebayo Abdulrahman (Dec. 21)
On the night of Dec. 3, Yakubu Ridwan rushed out when he heard an explosion come from the direction of an open area where religious revelers had gathered to mark an Islamic procession. The incident, which killed more than 80 villagers, turned out to be an accidental strike by the Nigerian military. In recent years, such mistaken attacks have claimed hundreds of lives in the country’s North West region.
“AI is Transforming Military Drones” by Martin Makaryan (Dec. 21)
Artificial intelligence is making drones deadlier, more efficient, more accurate, and more autonomous than ever. But the ongoing enhancements are doing more than just making drones more advanced.
“Amid Instability in Myanmar, China Expands Its Reach” by Priscilla A. Clapp and Jason Tower (Dec. 22)
Operation 1027 in Myanmar’s northern Shan State has advanced China’s quest to eradicate forced labor scam compounds on its border. However, it has also disrupted the lucrative China-Myanmar border trade and triggered a countrywide attack by resistance forces that has dealt the junta unprecedented battlefield losses. Seizing the instability, Beijing's longer-term strategy aims to fragment the anti-junta resistance in Myanmar.
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Stay safe, and Happy New Year!
–From the desk of Patrick Strickland, managing editor of Inkstick Media.