Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Inside Gaza’s ‘Death Traps’

A US-backed scheme forces hungry Palestinians to trek kilometres for food aid. Many never make it back

Heba Saleh in Cairo, Alison Killing, James Sandy, Aditi Bhandari, Gaku Ito and Chris Campbell in London and Neri Zilber in Tel Aviv

JUL 14 2025

Financial Times

Five times, Jihad has trekked through southern Gaza — past Israeli tanks, soldiers and sometimes drones overhead — to reach aid sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

Five times, he has queued in caged alleys on the approach to the distribution sites, jostling alongside thousands of men preparing for the frantic sprint to snatch whatever food they can.

Five times, he has come away empty-handed. On one occasion, Jihad said a man walking beside him on the approach to a GHF hub in Khan Younis was shot: “His blood and intestines spurted all over me.”

On another, after he finally managed to grab a box of supplies, he was robbed at knifepoint by a Palestinian. “I have stopped going there, because what happens is beyond anything you can imagine,” said the 26-year-old medical technician, who did not want to use his full name.

Since GHF launched in May, the US and Israel have championed the controversial scheme as a lifeline for Gaza — a way to alleviate near-starvation in the shattered enclave, bypass the UN and stop aid getting to Hamas.

But testimony, satellite imagery and verified video compiled by the Financial Times show how for the likes of Jihad and much of Gaza’s 2.1mn population, the scheme has only deepened their desperation, forcing hungry Palestinians into a dangerous journey from which many never return.

Israeli forces have repeatedly attacked Palestinians travelling to the GHF’s centres, according to local authorities. More than 500 people have been killed, Gaza’s health ministry has said, and thousands injured.

Many of the casualties have been shot on the designated approach routes to the sites, which GHF publishes in maps on its Facebook page.

But Gazans, many of whom are on the brink of famine after the multi-month Israeli blockade that preceded GHF’s introduction, say the system not only risks their lives but fails to provide anywhere near enough aid, pitting thousands of people against each other in a free for all to grab food.

The GHF centres are “death traps”, said Hassan Abdallah, a barber displaced with his family to Al-Mawasi on the southern coast.

“If you secure any food and avoid being shot by the Israelis, you may not escape the gangs waiting outside,” said Abdallah, who has brought back supplies from only one of his seven trips.

GHF, which last month raised $30mn from the US, breaks with traditional humanitarian models. The operation was developed with involvement from Boston Consulting Group, though the consultancy has said the work was carried out by some of its staff without proper approvals, and has fired two partners who led the project.

GHF operates four sites concentrated in southern Gaza and staffed at least in part by US security contractors, working under Israeli military supervision.

The signal for Gazans to set off from their tents or the ruins of their homes often comes from GHF’s Facebook page, where it announces the opening times of its distribution sites.

These posts sometimes appear in the middle of the night and can give less than 30 minutes notice, an FT analysis found. A second post, often published only minutes after the scheduled opening time, announces the site is closed, with all aid distributed. In some cases, GHF has declared the site closed even before it was due to open.

Frequent internet outages in Gaza can also make it difficult for Palestinians even to access Facebook to see the posts.

But for aid seekers, who must walk for kilometres along barely discernible routes whose landmarks have been flattened by Israel’s 21-month offensive, there is little room for miscalculation.

“You don’t see where you are going in the dark,” said Jihad. “The route is provided as a map on your phone screen but on the ground the roads are all destroyed and you have to take a chance. So either you are on the right route, or you die.”

As people approach the GHF centres, they are expected to wait in a designated area for the sites to open, often in active military zones.

It is here that the most acute danger starts. Many Palestinians say they have been shot at by Israeli troops, with crowds swelling and jostling — often still in the dark — to get as close as possible and increase their chances of securing food.

Mohammed Daoud, who worked as a flower arranger before the war, said every time he has travelled to a distribution site there has been shooting. “It is not just once or twice. They give you a certain hour for the gates to open, but suddenly a tank or quadcopter drone could start shooting.”

Aitor Zabalgogeazkoa, emergency co-ordinator in Gaza for MSF, which runs field hospitals in the strip, said he sees “an army of people” heading to the GHF centres before dawn every day.

That has been followed by the sound of shooting. “It’s like three shots, ‘pa-pa-pa’, then wait, ‘pa-pa-pa’, then wait,” he said. The casualties start arriving by foot or “or they are being taken by donkey carts”.

Goher Rahbour, a British surgeon who volunteered at southern Gaza’s Nasser Medical Complex in June, said the hospital’s six operating theatres were often filled with casualties returning from trips to GHF sites with bullet wounds.

“We will be having our 7.45am general surgical meeting, and that’s when the mass casualty alarm will go off in the hospital,” he said. “And we’re going to theatres.”

Describing the general rules of engagement in Gaza, Joel Carmel of Breaking the Silence, an organisation of former Israel Defense Forces soldiers that campaigns against the occupation of Palestinian territories, said: “If it’s a man of fighting age . . . if they get close or if they’re in an area where they’re not supposed to be, [the orders] are shoot to kill.”

The IDF has acknowledged opening fire at crowds of Gazans who approached them in a “threatening” manner.

But it denied that its troops deliberately fired towards civilians, and said the death count is significantly lower than that put forward by Gazan health officials.

One senior military official disputed the characterisation of the access routes, saying they were clearly marked with signage, sand ridges and barbed wire.

“Off the road are combat zones . . . on which troops may fire warning shots and after that work to defend themselves,” the official said. “This is making sure there is no threat to our forces.”

The IDF has previously said it will examine and take necessary action on allegations of wrongdoing.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said on Saturday 31 people were killed and dozens injured “in the latest mass casualty incident linked to food distribution sites”. It said it was the largest “influx of fatalities” since its field hospital in southern Gaza began operations last year.

The UN and most major aid groups, which oversaw aid distribution for most of the war in Gaza, have refused to work with GHF.

They have accused it of “weaponising aid” and called it a “fig leaf” to force the displacement of Palestinians out of north and central Gaza to the south, a goal outlined by Israeli leaders.

Members of a private US security company, contracted by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, direct displaced Palestinians as they gather to receive relief supplies at a distribution centre in the central Gaza Strip on June 8 2025 © Eyad Baba/AFP/Getty Images

Humanitarian officials — who ran some 400 distribution centres in Gaza before Israel imposed a blockade in March — say they have seen no evidence of systematic diversion of aid by Hamas, whose October 7 2023 attack on Israel triggered the war.

“We protected the people we served,” Juliette Touma, a spokesperson for the UN’s Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, said of the traditional model. “We would go the people themselves to hand over aid . . . without armed people in the vicinity, and there were no mass casualty events.”

Since GHF’s launch, the UN has only been able to send a trickle of aid into Gaza, though the EU said on Thursday it had reached an agreement with Israel for a “substantial increase” in UN deliveries.

GHF is adamant that shootings and casualties have taken place away from its distribution centres, alleging that Hamas is purposefully fomenting chaos.

It said it was pressing Israel to increase aid flows and allow it to open additional hubs in north and central Gaza to ease logistical pressures.

“If there is more aid, and people know there will be enough at the sites, there will no longer be the need for long treks to the sites, no need to travel during unsafe times and no need to take dangerous shortcuts,” the group said.

GHF, which said it has distributed 70mn free meals, added that it was constantly “making enhancements”, including what it said was the creation of a “women and children’s only lane”.

But Chris McIntosh, with Oxfam in Gaza, argued that GHF’s hubs “are not about aid”. “They’re about control. They’re about instilling chaos into society,” he said.

Many Palestinians have no choice but to keep visiting GHF centres, even if they are likely to come away empty-handed.

Aref Farra, a former computer science student, only enters GHF stations in a “second wave” of people to decrease the chances of being shot. By the time he arrives, it is often too late.

He finds cardboard boxes on the ground ripped open, with valuable items like vegetable oil gone, and has twice had to fend off people trying to take food he did find. When he did chance upon a bag of sugar, he was robbed while walking home.

“It’s survival of the strongest,” he said. “You think about how you were and how you are now — like you’re an animal running around to get food.”

Additional reporting by Malaika Kanaaneh Tapper in Beirut

Monday, July 14, 2025

BRICS 17th Summit Condemns Tariffs and Unilateralism

Gathering held in the South American state of Brazil where the alliance representing more than half of the world’s population gathered to discuss the present crisis and the future

By Abayomi Azikiwe

Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Wednesday July 9, 2025

Geopolitical Analysis

United States President Donald Trump has verbally attacked the Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (BRICS) plus 17th Summit held in the city of Rio de Janeiro.

Held under the theme of “Strengthening Global South Cooperation for a More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance,” on July 6-7, this grouping has generated tremendous enthusiasm for peoples throughout Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Russian Federation.

Republic of Brazil President Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva hosted the event which represents the largest growing bloc of states committed to carving out an alternative world economic system which rejects the punitive policies enacted against the majority of countries around the globe. The alliance was created in 2006, nearly two decades ago, by Brazil, Russia, India and China. By 2010, the Republic of South Africa had joined the grouping making it BRICS.

After the 2023 BRICS Summit in the Republic of South Africa, the alliance expanded to include several other states. These developments are occurring amid the intensifying struggle for the maintenance of world hegemony on the part of the imperialist governments led by the U.S.

At the BRICS 16th Summit in Kazakhstan, the category of partner countries was enacted bringing about the involvement of even more states in the process. This measure adopted as a result of the Johannesburg Declaration, the partner countries are Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan.

In its role as BRICS Chair, the Government of Brazil announced the approval of Vietnam as a partner country of the alliance. Vietnam became the tenth BRICS partner country.

The next gathering will take place in India during 2026. India is the most populous country in the world.

Vietnam, having a population of almost 100 million people and a rapidly growing economy, is an important state in Asia. The country has stated its commitment to multilateralism along with all other BRICS plus members and partners.

U.S. Administration Threatened by BRICS

Trump threatened even more tariffs against any state which is aligned with BRICS saying that the alliance is “anti-American.” Yet, today and historically, the U.S. government has been the most hostile imperialist state towards the oppressed and working-class people internationally.

Interest in BRICS has accelerated over the last several years, attracting the membership of additional states such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Indonesia. The formation of the New Development Bank (NDB) headed by former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, represents a challenge to the U.S.-controlled International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank.  

In contrast to the approach of BRICS, the current administration of Trump began its second non-consecutive term of office with the unilateral and arbitrary announcement of the imposition of tariffs on most states throughout the globe. Threatening the People’s Republic of China with tariffs which exceeded more than 140%, a looming trade war has resulted in much uncertainty around the world.

The Trump White House is forcing states to hold “trade talks” with the U.S. administration which has no clear foreign policy other than the repeated mantra of “making America great again.” This type of sloganeering has not enhanced the sense of purpose and security among the workers and oppressed peoples living in the U.S.

Mass demonstrations between April and June have attracted the participation of millions across the country. Many of those which have rallied and marched are engaging in such oppositional activity for the first time in their lives. The attacks carried out by the administration have impacted many sectors of the working class and people of color communities.

An assessment of the BRICS plus 17th Summit by the Associated Press noted:

“While Lula advocated on Sunday for the reform of Western-led global institutions, Brazil aimed to avoid becoming the target of higher tariffs. Trump has threatened to impose 100% tariffs against the bloc if they take any moves to undermine the dollar. Last year, at the summit hosted by Russia in Kazan, the Kremlin sought to develop alternatives to U.S.-dominated payment systems which would allow it to dodge Western sanctions imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Brazil decided to focus on less controversial issues in the summit, such as promoting trade relations between members and global health, after Trump returned to the White House, said Ana Garcia, a professor at the Rio de Janeiro Federal Rural University. ‘Brazil wants the least amount of damage possible and to avoid drawing the attention of the Trump administration to prevent any type of risk to the Brazilian economy,” Garcia said.” (https://apnews.com/article/brics-summit-brazil-2025-lula-ee830be326e295fed787032abf43d59a)

Nonetheless, even other imperialist states have been threatened by the Trump White House such as Canada and the Kingdom of Denmark. Canada cannot be viewed as taking a hostile position towards Washington and Wall Street yet the country just to the north of the U.S. and its largest trading partner, has been menaced by the suggestion that it become the 51st state of the U.S.

In Western Europe, the NATO states such as Britain, have agreed to raise their level of defense spending to 5% of the national budget. These domestic policies, which have international implications, will only result in the further impoverishment of the workers, people living with disabilities and the nationally oppressed.

The Russian Special Military Operation in Ukraine was prompted by the attempts of the imperialist states to fully encircle the Russian Federation. Although Trump claimed that he would end the war within twenty-four hours, the fighting has intensified.

Moreover, the corporate media and elements within the Democratic Party attempted to make it appear as if Trump favored the Russian side in the war with Ukraine, while the weapons and intelligence sharing continued between Washington and Kyiv. Trump recently announced on July 8 that he would send more weapons to the right-wing, neo-fascist regime in Ukraine.

The reality is that the U.S. under former President Barack Obama initiated the instability in Ukraine by engineering a “color revolution” in February 2014. The neo-fascist militias which have their origins in the German Third Reich, were heavily armed and placed into the political and military apparatus of Ukraine.

Clashes have been ongoing in the eastern regions of Ukraine for 11 years. The direct intervention militarily by the Russian Federation in February 2022 was in response to the supply of arms to Kyiv by Washington and other NATO allies.

Resolving the war in Eastern Europe will not be brought about through the personality of Trump or his emissaries. There are important strategic interests which divide Moscow from Washington and its NATO counterparts.

Similar differences over strategic interests also impact relations between the imperialist states of Western Europe and North America in contravention to the countries in the Global South and their governments. Travel bans enacted by the White House are largely centered on the emerging economies and the developing nations therefore further exposing the racist nature of the current administration in Washington.

BRICS 17th Summit Declaration Requires a Confrontation with Imperialism

The concluding declaration of the BRICS Summit in Brazil, for it to be fully implemented, will necessitate a protracted struggle against the western capitalist states. Even though there is a lack of political uniformity within the alliance, the objective conditions in the Global South will inevitably result in an escalation of hostilities between the peoples of this region and the highly industrialized states.

In its final declaration, the BRICS Summit and partner nations addressed the need for curtailing climate change, ending the genocide in Palestine and the democratic and ethical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). There was a strong emphasis on multilateralism and a repudiation of unilateralism which is the hallmark of U.S. imperialism.

In the eighth point of the 31-page concluding declaration it says:

“We agree that, in the context of the contemporary realities of the multipolar world, it is crucial that developing countries strengthen their efforts to promote dialogue and consultations for more just and equitable global governance and mutually beneficial relations among nations. We acknowledge that multipolarity can expand opportunities for EMDCs (emerging markets and developing countries) to develop their constructive potential and enjoy universally beneficial, inclusive and equitable economic globalization and cooperation. We highlight the importance of the Global South as a driver for positive change, especially in the face of significant international challenges, including deepening geopolitical tensions, rapid economic downturns and technological changes, protectionist measures and migratory challenges. We believe BRICS countries continue to play a pivotal role in voicing the concerns and priorities of the Global South, as well as in promoting a more just, sustainable, inclusive, representative and stable international order based on international law.” (https://southsouthpoint.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/250705-BRICS-Leaders-Declaration-EN-5.pdf)

Such an approach, no matter how diplomatically worded, contradicts the overall thrust of U.S. foreign and domestic policies. The masses of people living in the Global South will have to rise up and put an end to the hegemony inflicted upon them by the imperialist states. 

Higher Education Under Fire from the United States Government

Censorship prohibiting Palestine solidarity has now expanded to a wholesale assault on the functioning and character of colleges and universities in the United States

By Abayomi Azikiwe

Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Wednesday July 2, 2025

Educational Policy Review

Since taking office on January 20, the presidency of Donald J. Trump has launched a full-scale assault on higher educational institutions across the country.

Perhaps the most striking attacks have been leveled against the elite institutions such as Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology located in the northeast.

Trump has threatened to withdraw the tax-exempt status of Harvard while suspending funding for research grants to academic departments which had already been allocated by the Congress as well as other government agencies. The White House wants to audit professors and students for their views on various subjects such Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) along with the demands for full disclosure and divestment from financial institutions with holdings in the State of Israel.

The current administration’s antipathy towards higher education is a by-product of its racist, misogynist and anti-science viewpoints. Placing someone with the background of a Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. as head of Health and Human Services (HHS) is a reflection of the grave threat posed by the Trump administration related to the overall public health and well-being of the population.

RFK Jr. has gone on record for his anti-vaccine views which were withdrawn from publication by Rolling Stone magazine years ago. He has been quoted as saying that “no vaccine is safe and effective.” In recent actions by the HHS, at the aegis of RFK Jr., a panel of experts known as the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP) was reconstituted prompting concern among the medical and scientific community.

These unsubstantiated claims surrounding vaccine safety comes at a time of a recent upsurge in cases of measles in the southwest region of the U.S. This infectious disease had been virtually eliminated in the U.S. for decades. Unfortunately, anti-vaccination misinformation has penetrated significant segments of the population creating skepticism even amid the worst pandemic in more than a century.

A report published by the New York Times, said of the situation involving the higher educational institutions which conduct a lot of scientific research involving public health:

“The Trump administration’s biggest target has been Harvard University, the oldest and richest school in the United States. The university has roughly $9 billion at stake in its fight with the federal government. The dispute erupted after Harvard rejected the Trump administration’s proposals, including one for the use of an outsider to audit ‘programs and departments that most fuel antisemitic harassment or reflect ideological capture.’ The government also wanted Harvard to curb the power of its faculty and report international students who commit conduct violations. The Trump administration almost immediately began cutting off billions in funds. Officials have since said they would direct federal agencies to end all of their remaining contracts with the school. The government has also told the university not to expect grant money in the future.” (https://www.nytimes.com/article/trump-university-college.html)

Yet, Harvard and MIT are not the only universities facing this assault by the Trump administration. The entire framework of higher education where values of academic freedom and first amendment rights are ostensibly paramount, is under threat.

The attacks on DEI are extended to a wide range of academic research and teaching pursuits such as African, African American, Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin American, Labor and Gender Studies. As far as the MAGA Republican leadership is concerned, any focus on the historical and social legacies of racial, gender and class domination and exploitation should not be researched or taught in a higher educational setting.

Other institutions targeted by the White House according to the New York Times include:

“Brown, which the Trump administration said stood to lose $510 million. Columbia, which is hoping to regain about $400 million in canceled grants and contracts after it bowed to a list of demands from the federal government. But the administration is now taking aim at the university’s accreditation. Cornell, the target of a cut of at least $1 billion. Northwestern, which administration officials said would be stripped of $790 million. The University of Pennsylvania, which saw $175 million in federal funding suspended because of its approach to a transgender athlete who participated in school sports in 2022. Princeton, which said ‘dozens’ of grants had been suspended. The White House indicated that $210 million was at risk. Officials at some of the universities have been puzzled by the cuts, which they have sometimes learned about through social media, and insisted that they had taken action to combat antisemitism.” (https://www.nytimes.com/article/trump-university-college.html)

In response to these attacks by the White House, most higher educational institutions have not done much to challenge the Trump administration. In March, Harvard seems to have acquiesced to the demands of the government.

However, in April, Harvard filed a lawsuit to halt what the White House was carrying out. President Alan M. Garber said that the institution would not surrender its independence to the administration.

In a similar situation, the University of Virginia was targeted by the Trump administration forcing President James A. Ryan to resign. The university was accused of taking applicants’ racial background into consideration regarding their admissions.

Since the conclusion of World War II, there has been an escalation in federal funding for higher education. This later increased after the emergence of the former Soviet Union as a major competitor in the fields of science and space travel.

Today, the growth of Socialist China and their advances in numerous fields of computer technology, mass production and scientific research also provided a rationale for funding of colleges and universities in the U.S. Consequently, these domestic policy imperatives will lead to a drastic decline in innovation inside the largest capitalist economy in the world.

Crackdown on Palestine Solidarity Proved to be a Turning Point

During the previous academic year of 2023-2024, in the aftermath of the Al Aqsa Flood, demonstrations erupted throughout the U.S. in solidarity with the Palestinian people, particularly those living in the Gaza Strip. Daily massacres were carried out leaving tens of thousands dead and many more injured and displaced.

The fact that the solidarity actions with the Palestinians were centered on the college and university campuses made them a target of the White House, Congress and the mainstream media. The government and media outlets, whether corporate or government-controlled, quickly labeled these rallies, marches, building occupations and encampments as antisemitic. Such characterizations illustrated the institutional commitments to maintaining the status quo regarding U.S. foreign policy towards West Asia.

Several university presidents were forced to resign during the previous academic year including at Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania. These two presidents, Liz Magill of U-Penn and Claudine Gay of Harvard, were by no means proponents of Palestinian liberation and anti-Zionism. Their only “crimes” were their failure to tell members of Congress that they would ban freedom of speech rights only as it related to the Palestinian question.

Palestine solidarity demonstrations were held at over 100 campuses from the fall of 2023 to the spring of 2024. A handful of these higher educational institutions negotiated viable agreements with student, staff and faculty groupings related to full disclosure and divestment. Nonetheless, the overwhelming majority of higher educational administrations followed the hostile policies of the former Biden White House and violently repressed the demonstrations.

In the spring of 2024, over 3,100 people were arrested on 60 different campuses throughout the U.S. Some students were expelled from the institutions while others had scholarships, student housing and even degrees withdrawn.

The fact that these higher education institutions were willing to go along with the Biden administration in crushing the Palestine solidarity movement on the campuses set the stage for further repressive measures. Apparently, the denial of academic freedom and protective speech on campuses by the administrations was not enough to satisfy the desires of the current White House.

Since these university administrations and board of governors were willing to roll over in the face of government pressure related to Palestine, made them easy prey for the Trump White House when they demanded even more concessions to their extreme right-wing policies. To reverse these attacks on higher education, it will require a broad movement encompassing not only students. Workers, faculty members and the public in general should view these attacks by successive government administrations as a key element in the rapid imposition of fascist rule in the U.S.

Iran Remains Defiant as Millions Say Farewell to Martyrs of the 12-Day War

After the United States declares a ceasefire with Tehran, the genocide in Gaza continues

By Abayomi Azikiwe

Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Wednesday July 2, 2025

Geostrategic Review

On June 28, people in the Islamic Republic of Iran turned out in their millions to mourn the fallen leaders and fellow citizens who fell victim to the unprovoked war launched by the United States and the State of Israel two weeks earlier.

Using the false pretense that “Iran can never have a nuclear weapon” when in reality the imperialists have no evidence that the country was on the verge of producing one. Tel Aviv and Washington advanced this falsehood to justify the bombs dropped on Iran attempting to weaken and overthrow the government in Tehran.

These lies about Iran and its civilian nuclear program were reinforced by the corporate and imperialist state-controlled media outlets in the U.S. and internationally. The same military war criminals and failed generals were featured on cable and satellite television networks to provide propagandistic obfuscation for yet another genocidal war in West Asia.

The United States government is the only entity to drop atomic weapons on a civilian population in the two Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 80 years ago at the conclusion of World War II. Hundreds of thousands of people died after this unwarranted military action leaving irreversible environmental damage which remains 80 years later.

Wars against Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, etc., have left a trail of destruction, displacement and deaths. Trillions in the tax dollars of working-class people in the U.S. have been squandered. As a direct result of the Pentagon budget, the people and infrastructure of the U.S. have deteriorated materially and socially. Despite the claims by the Trump White House that its focus would be on lowering prices and increasing household wealth, the recently passed budget bill raises the Pentagon budget to $1.1 trillion. Cuts to healthcare benefits for the poorest and most disadvantaged people in the U.S. will worsen the already dire public health situation in the country.

Yet, the western-based media agencies refuse to ask questions surrounding the prospects for the outcomes of a renewed imperialist war. The majority of people oppose another imperialist war although the utterly undemocratic character of the U.S. ruling class and state has historically refused to listen to the will of the people. All of the wars initiated by U.S. imperialism over the last 35 years can in no way be considered victories for the western hegemonic states.

The U.S.-Israeli bombing of the Islamic Republic of Iran has not been successful in achieving the regime-change strategy of the imperialists. Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched multiple waves of missile strikes against the occupied Palestinian territories.

These missiles hit key governmental, intelligence and residential areas in Tel Aviv and Haifa. Settlers were forced into bomb shelters as many began to flee the Zionist state to return to the U.S. and other imperialist countries. Reports even in western media indicated that the stockpiles of Israeli missiles, many of which are supplied by the U.S., were rapidly depleting.

If the Washington-Tel Aviv axis cannot overthrow the Iranian government through a massive bombing campaign and sanctions, they would then be compelled to stage a land invasion into the vast country. Inevitably, the U.S. military would suffer significant casualties while prompting attacks on Pentagon bases and warships throughout the West Asia region.  

The response of the Iranian people to the escalation of hostilities by Israel and the U.S. was reflected in the mass funerals held on June 28 in Tehran and other cities throughout the country where people gathered to mourn and to also reemphasize their commitment to the liberation of Palestine and to maintaining their sovereignty in the face of imperialist aggression. This level of political cohesiveness and national solidarity in defiance of the efforts to overthrow the revolutionary government and reimpose the monarchy, has given pause to the imperialist aims of Washington and Tel Aviv.

In a report published by Press TV on the events of June 28, it notes:

“Iran has held a grand funeral service for those martyred in the 12-day aggression by Israel and the U.S. against the Islamic Republic. The funeral in the capital Tehran for 60 nuclear scientists, military commanders and civilians martyred in Israeli strikes began at 8:00 am (0430 GMT) in Enqelab Square on Saturday, proceeding to Azadi Square, about 11 kilometers across the sprawling metropolis. A huge crowd of mourners participated in the procession, accompanying coffins with chants of ‘death to Israel’ and ‘death to America' and carrying placards. ‘Boom, Boom, Tel Aviv,’ read one banner, referring to Iranian missiles fired at Israel during the conflict in retaliation for its attacks on Iran.” (https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2025/06/28/750201/Iran-Tehran-funeral-procession-martyrdom-IRGC-Israel-US-aggression-)

Genocide Continues in Gaza

Meanwhile, the Trump administration announced a 60-day ceasefire proposal between the Palestinians in Gaza and the Israeli regime. Later the Netanyahu government was reported to have accepted the proposal.

Every day in Gaza up to 100 civilians are being massacred by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) through aerial strikes, shelling and sniper fire. The so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has proven to be nothing other than a trap to lure Palestinians desperately seeking food assistance so they can be gunned down by the occupation army.

Since the beginning of the Al Aqsa Flood, trucks carrying food, medicines and other material aid have been routinely blocked by the IDF from entering Gaza at the Rafah crossing from Egypt. The U.S. administrations of former President Joe Biden and the current Trump White House have facilitated the starvation and massacres of Palestinians through their arming of the IDF and providing diplomatic cover for the genocidal crimes which have been condemned globally and through the United Nations International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Officially according to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 57,000 people have been killed since October 7, 2023. More than 100,000 have been injured while the entire population of 2.3 million remains dislocated and imperiled.

The declaration of a ceasefire in Gaza could provide the immediate relief needed by the Palestinians although the people require a permanent solution. The only way that there can be lasting peace in the region is to create the conditions for the total liberation and unification of Palestine.

Solidarity Actions in Defense of Iran and the Palestinian People

While the bombing raged over Iran, activists throughout the world called for solidarity actions to stop the attacks from Tel Aviv and Washington. In the United States, several planned demonstrations were cancelled after the Trump White House declared a halt to the bombing of Iran on June 23.

Yet, in the city of Detroit, the Moratorium NOW! Coalition held a special meeting on June 23 to denounce the U.S.-Israeli bombings of Iran and the continuing genocide in Gaza. A demonstration was held on June 28 at the McNamara Federal Building in downtown Detroit.

This demonstration was co-sponsored by a number of antiwar and social justice organizations including the Moratorium NOW! Coalition, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), the Nakba Survivors Association of Michigan, Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), Coalition Against Genocide, Engineers Against Apartheid, United States Palestinian Community Network (USPCN), among others. The rally and march were addressed by Sarah Torres, Prof. Layla Saatchi of Wayne State University, Steve Friday of the Coalition Against Genocide, Russ Bellant of the Anti-Fascist Organizing Coalition (AFOC), Dr. Ismail Noor, a Nakba survivor, and Barbara Weinberg Barefield of JVP who read a statement from Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib.

Iran is pursuing justice and reparations for the illegal bombings by Tel Aviv and Washington. A report by Press TV which focuses on the approach from the foreign ministry says:

“Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has strongly condemned the Israeli-U.S. aggression against the country, saying the Islamic Republic will seriously pursue its right to have the aggressors recognized and seek compensation in international organizations. Araghci made the remarks in a phone conversation with his Armenian counterpart, Ararat Mirzoyan, on Tuesday, during which the two sides exchanged views on bilateral ties as well as the latest developments in the region following U.S. and Israeli aggression against Iran. The Iranian top diplomat also called on the international community and the United Nations to take the necessary measures to hold the U.S. and Israel accountable for their aggression against Iran's national sovereignty and territorial integrity and violation of all international principles and laws.” (https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2025/07/01/750406/Iran-Abbas-Araghchi-condemn-US-Israeli-aggression-identify-aggressor-compensation-Armenian-counterpart-Ararat-Mirzoyan-phone-conversation)

These efforts by Iran and the Palestinian resistance must be supported by antiwar activists in the imperialist states. The movement of those seeking global peace, security and the end to imperialism and Zionism should also hold their governments responsible for the settler-colonialism, genocide and aggressive militarism of the western hegemonic front. 

Can the First Amendment Protect People From the Imposition of Fascism?

Since the second ascendancy of President Donald J. Trump, a series of executive orders have been issued which erode the rights of the majority in the United States

By Abayomi Azikiwe

Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Friday June 27, 2025

Note: These remarks were made during a panel discussion entitled “The Attack: Our First Amendment Rights” which was sponsored by the Michigan Coalition for Human Rights (MCHR) on Thursday June 26, 2025. The event was held during the MCHR annual meeting. Other panelists were Atty. Julie Hurwitz, partner at Goodman, Hurwitz and James P.C., who discussed the current threats to fundamental constitutional law in the United States in this period. Atty. Syeda Davidson, Senior Staff Atty. For the ACLU of Michigan, reviewed some of the legal work being done by the organization to protect civil rights and first amendment guarantees. The panel was chaired by MCHR Board President Atty. Cary McGehee. MCHR’s annual report was delivered by Board Chair Rev. Tia Taylor.

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“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” (Quote from the First Amendment)

These words from the First Amendment to the United States Constitution have been open for interpretation for many years.

In recent months since the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th president of the U.S., a wave of arbitrary executive orders and administrative denials have characterized this presidency. Trump has ordered the arrest and deportation of people who have criticized U.S. domestic and foreign policy. The president has refused to abide by federal court orders and called for the impeachment of judges that rule against their wishes.

Within the history of the U.S. there are innumerable instances of suppression of freedom of speech and assembly. During the period of World War I, thousands of people were arrested and deported by the federal government due to their opposition to the U.S. involvement in the conflagration. (https://www.history.com/articles/sedition-espionage-acts-woodrow-wilson-wwi)

These arrests and prosecutions were carried out under the Espionage Act and Sedition Act of 1917-1918. The legislation was designed to suppress the publication and distribution of literature and the gathering of people in opposition to the War. (https://wwichangedus.org/topics/citizenship-and-wwi/)

After the war in 1919, another series of raids and arrests were made by then Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer where people were charged with sedition and other serious crimes under federal law. The specter of communism in the wake of the Russian Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 created fear within officialdom. (https://www.history.com/articles/palmer-raids)

Two major Supreme Court decisions related to First Amendment rights were delivered in this period of repression in the aftermath of the War. These cases shed tremendous light on the thinking of the Supreme Court during this period, they are:

“Schenck v. United States, 249 U.S. 47, 39 S.Ct. 247, 63 L.Ed.2d. (1919): Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes stated in this case his famous aphorism about ‘falsely shouting fire in a theatre’ and set forth a ‘clear and present danger test’ to judge whether speech is protected by the First Amendment. ‘The question,’ he wrote, ‘is whether the words are used in such circumstances and are of such a nature as to create a clear and present danger that they will bring about the substantive evils that Congress has the right to prevent. It is a question of proximity and degree.’ The Supreme Court affirmed the convictions of the defendants for conspiring to violate certain federal statutes by attempting to incite insubordination in the armed forces and interfere with recruitment and enlistment. During wartime, the defendants mailed to new recruits and enlisted men leaflets that compared military conscription to involuntary servitude and urged them to assert constitutional rights.” (https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/censorship/courtcases)

“Whitney v. California, 274 U. S. 357 (1927): Since Anita Whitney did not base her defense on the First Amendment, the Supreme Court, by a 7 to 2 decision, upheld her conviction of being found guilty under the California’s 1919 Criminal Syndicalism Act for allegedly helping to establish the Communist Labor Party, a group the state argued taught the violent overthrow of government.” (https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/censorship/courtcases)

Freedom of Speech in the Current Period

Many may ask: What does two Supreme Court decisions, one of which was rendered over a century ago, have to do with the contemporary situation where the Trump administration is actively targeting and persecuting people for exercising critical speech? These issues have come to the fore since the beginning of the Al Aqsa Flood of October 7, 2023 in Palestine.

At present, with the escalation of tensions within the regions of Eastern Europe and West Asia could very well prompt another World War. The wars in Ukraine and the genocide in Palestine has elevated the threat of global conflict.

The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that his government would eliminate Hamas and the other resistance forces in Gaza. This position was backed by the administration of President Joe Biden and has continued through Trump.

On the college campuses since the fall of 2023, the administrations at the aegis of two presidents, have engaged in a crackdown on those who hold views that are sympathetic to the Palestinian people. Several university presidents were forced out of their positions because they did not provide the answers that certain members of Congress had wanted.

Soon enough, students on more than 100 campuses established Palestine solidarity encampments oftentimes under the labels of “Free University for Gaza.” These encampments, building occupations, rallies, teach-ins and marches were attacked by the administration along with numerous members of Congress and the corporate media.

These encampments and occupations were aimed at pressuring the higher educational institutions to disclose and divest their financial holding with the State of Israel. In some instances, colleges and universities were willing to debate and remedy these issues. However, the overwhelming majority of higher educational institutions approached the demonstrations in a hostile fashion.

Students, staff and faculty members were arrested without cause while others faced unjust terminations. The White House and many members of Congress denounced the protests as antisemitic. Nonetheless, the reality is that more than 55,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, 2023 with an additional 100,000 injured. Everyone living in the Gaza Strip has been dislocated, suffering from hunger, thirst and lack of effective medical care. Hospitals, schools, religious institutions and neighborhoods have been bombed out of existence.

As human rights activists we have an obligation to speak out against the foreign policy of the U.S. which is facilitating genocide in Gaza and the widening of the conflict throughout the region from Palestine to Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and now Iran. These genocidal onslaughts and regional wars also represent a serious threat to the working people of the U.S. since it is our tax dollars that fund the occupation of Palestine and other military conflagrations throughout West Asia.

We Must Fight the Burgeoning Threat of Fascism

The increasing military attacks against Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Iran are coinciding with the deliberate erosion of the civil rights and civil liberties of the people of the United States. These rights were won through at least 160 years of struggle.

If we do not organize and mobilize the people, the Trump administration and its allies in Congress will indeed reverse all of the gains related to labor, civil and human rights made in the U.S. periodically since the Civil War. The administration’s attack on “birthright citizenship” based upon the 14th Amendment adopted by Congress in 1868, is a threat not only to immigrants. Since the passage of the 14th Amendment was designed ostensibly to make African Americans full citizens of the U.S., their status could very well be impacted by the imperatives of the Trump administration.

On a local level we must participate in the mass demonstrations which have occurred since April 5. Millions have come out to demand the halt to the fascist threat.

Local, state and federal elected officials should pass resolutions and take legal actions to protect the residents of their areas. Politicians must not kowtow to the Republican MAGA interests by remaining silent as the authoritarian policies take effect.

So, to answer the question posed in the title of this talk, we will need more than the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to stave off the current fascist threat. Silence and indifference will not protect us from the repression imposed by the Trump White House. As conscious activists we should utilize all of our resources to confront the present danger. 

Kenyan Police Attack Youth-led Demonstrations Against Brutality

At least 16 killed in protests marking the first anniversary of mass actions against tax hikes and the continuing repression by law-enforcement agents

By Abayomi Azikiwe

Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Wednesday June 26, 2025

Political Review

Social unrest in the East African state of Kenya accelerated during mass demonstrations marking the one-year anniversary of a police crackdown on youth protesters during 2024.

In more recent developments, a blogger was killed by the state after making critical online comments against the government of President William Ruto.

On June 25, in response to continuing repression, tens of thousands of people took to the streets in the capital of Nairobi and other areas to mark the anniversary as well as to express their anger over government impunity. During the 2024 demonstrations, 60 people were killed, almost all of them by the police.

Although Kenya is recognized as having the largest economy in the East Africa region, there is still massive poverty which exists in major municipalities and rural areas. The younger generation strongly objected to the tax bill which was proposed one year ago by parliament. After mass demonstrations and rebellions in various parts of the country during mid-2024, the legislation was scrapped by the parliament and the president’s office.

A coalition of organizations which called for the recent demonstrations on June 25 said that 83 people were injured and 16 killed. Police used teargas, concussion grenades, rubber and live bullets in their attempts to force the youth-led demonstrators off the streets. Demonstrators were blocked by the police when they attempted to march to the parliament building in Nairobi.

In a statement issued by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), Police Reforms Working Group and the Kenya Medical Association (KMA) they said of the situation that “We pray for our nation, dialogue and a way forward from the political impasse facing Kenya. We face an unfortunate paradox as a country where more lives are being lost as the people seek justice for the lives already lost. Our hearts break for all the victims of the continued trend of police brutality and excesses.” (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/25/people-dead-injured-in-kenyan-protests)

Leading up to the recent large-scale demonstrations, there was accumulated outrage over the death of educator Albert Ojwang who was picked by Kenyan police at his residence and driven to the capital of Nairobi under the guise posting comments on his blog criticizing law-enforcement personnel. Police told the family of Ojwang that the teacher took his own life. However, Ojwang’s father said he did not accept the police version of his son’s death, that it was self-inflicted. In response to the journalistic exposure surrounding Ojwang’s death and the subsequent protests, a police officer has been indicted for murder.

In a June 17 British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) report based upon an interview with the father of Albert Ojwang it emphasized:

“But his father was concerned and decided to follow his son, making the 350km (220 miles) journey to Nairobi - carrying the family's land title deed as security in case it was needed to pay bail. He says he arrived at the station early on Sunday morning, and after being kept waiting for several hours, was eventually told that his son had died from self-inflicted wounds. In disbelief and standing next to his lawyer, he described seeing his son's body: ‘He was bleeding from the nose and had a bruised torso and face. He was also shirtless, but this is not how I handed him over to the police on Saturday.’" (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c79epzj703eo)

Eyewitnesses to the killing of Ojwang said that there were loud screams coming from the cell in which he was being detained. In a matter of days an internal investigation was underway which led to a parliamentary hearing.

The fact that a police officer was arrested in connection with the death of Ojwang is unusual. These measures are quite rare in Kenya where arbitrary acts of brutality against civilians by the police are normalized.

A statement posted on the Kenya National Commission for Human Rights (KNCHR) on the death in detention of Ojwang, says of the circumstances of his death:

“The Commission is alarmed by the fact that Omondi died in a police station, a place where suspects should be safe in State custody. This case highlights gross violations of the right to life, freedom from torture, fair administrative action, and human dignity, as enshrined in the Constitution of Kenya. The unexplained death in custody is a reprehensible breach of the State’s duty to protect those in its care and reflects a wider, deeply troubling pattern of deaths and abuses in police custody. The KNCHR demands full cooperation from the National Police Service in providing all relevant evidence, and a transparent, independent investigation by both KNCHR and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA). The Commission further calls on the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Judiciary to ensure accountability and justice are delivered without delay.” (https://www.knchr.org/Articles/ArtMID/2432/ArticleID/1226/STATEMENT-ON-THE-INVESTIGATIONS-OF-ALBERT-OMONDI%e2%80%99S-DEATH-IN-POLICE-CUSTODY)

News reports of the death of Ojwang led to demonstrations in the capital of Nairobi. On June 17, as protesters took to the streets in Nairobi, a street vendor was shot in the head by police. Boniface Kariuki, 22, was not involved in the demonstrations of that day and was in the area selling face masks to earn a living.

His injuries were very serious resulting in several surgeries and Kariuki surviving only due to life support equipment. His medical bills have piled up and the family is under duress seeking justice in the case.

Videos and photographs of the shooting of Kariuki have been widely published in the mainstream and social media. Although two police officers have been arrested in the shooting of the street vendor, the pattern of law-enforcement brutality and impunity will remain a problem until the system is fundamentally changed.

The country of Kenya with its population of 57 million is at a turning point. Two straight years of mass demonstrations and rebellions are a clear reflection of the internal crises of the political economy and the security apparatus.

Kenya Remains a Close Ally of Washington

In addition to being designated as having the largest economy in the East Africa region, the government is a strategic non-NATO partner with the U.S. and its imperialist allies. In a recent visit by the outgoing U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) Chairman, Gen. Michael Langley, the military operative commended Kenya for its role in cooperation with Washington.

Langley was reported to have said to the Capital FM news agency that:

“Gen. Langley described Kenya as an indispensable ally in regional security, particularly in counterterrorism operations. Kenya is a great partner for the U.S. When President Ruto came to the U.S. last year, we reaffirmed that partnership. What we have been doing — working in operations at my level in Somalia with Kenyan forces — is another example that reaffirms we are working together and moving forward. Yes, Kenya remains a Major non-NATO Ally.” (https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2025/05/kenyas-major-non-nato-ally-status-here-to-stay-langley/)

Despite the role of Langley in promoting U.S. imperialism on the African continent, it has been rumored that he is being replaced by Air Force Lt. Gen. Dagvin R.M. Anderson. Langley, who is African American, has been condemned by the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) for his verbal attacks leveled against the Transitional Leader of Burkina Faso, Capt. Ibrahim Traore.

The AES has expelled French troops from their territories. In Niger, the AFRICOM soldiers have been withdrawn while the U.S. drone station has been dismantled.

Kenya under the Ruto government agreed to send 1,000 police to Haiti in an agreement with the U.S. under the administration of former President Joe Biden. Haiti has been a central focus of U.S. foreign policy in the Caribbean seeking to keep the country under its influence.

This deployment of Kenyan police officers to Haiti met substantial opposition inside the East African state. The Supreme Court at the aegis of opposition politicians, declared the deployment unconstitutional.

Even though voices opposed to the deployment were loudly heard, Ruto went on anyway to send the police to Haiti. Since earlier this year, at least one Kenyan police officer has been reportedly killed.

These outbreaks of violence involving youth and the police require a broad-based coalition of progressive and left forces to unite to end the neo-colonial system of governance. An equitable distribution of national wealth and the reorientation of domestic and foreign policy away from the West would provide Kenya with a renewed framework for building a genuinely democratic society.

Global Responses to the Pentagon Bombing of Iran

Millions rise-up in defense of the Islamic Republic as the State of Israel and the United States launches aggressive actions aimed at overthrowing the revolutionary government

By Abayomi Azikiwe

Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Wednesday June 25, 2025

Geostrategic Analysis

After retaliatory strikes leveled against the United States military base in Qatar by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Monday June 23, the administration of President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire in what he described as the “12 Day War” involving Tel Aviv, Washington and Tehran.

In a routine fashion, the Pentagon and their Qatari host, announced that all of the missiles fired from the IRGC were intercepted while no significant damage or casualties occurred during the strikes.

Similar statements were made during the initial phase of the exchanges which began on June 13. The official narrative promoted by Tel Aviv and its U.S. backers is that the so-called “Iron Dome” in Israel cannot be penetrated by hostile ordnance.

However, during subsequent days after June 13, it became quite obvious that serious property damage was done by the Iranian missile attacks which resulted in injuries and deaths. The Iranian government reported that a wave of 18 missile attacks was carried out against the Zionist regime.

This most recent round of hostilities indicated that the foreign policy of the Trump administration has been a complete failure. During his 2024 campaign Trump declared that if he was in office the war in Gaza, where tens of thousands have been killed and hundreds of thousands injured and displaced, would never have occurred. The administration has made similar statements in regard to the Russian Special Military Operation in Ukraine, saying that Trump would end the war in 24 hours.

However, despite a brief ceasefire in Gaza, the genocidal onslaughts have resumed while the fighting, destruction and deaths continue in Ukraine. The administration has not suspended arms shipments to Tel Aviv or the U.S.-backed government in Kyiv.

Attacks on Iran Spawns Mass Demonstrations

Inside Iran itself, the people remained united in the face of the targeted assassinations of several leading military officials, scientists and civilians. Immediately the IRGC began to retaliate with barrages of missile strikes deep into Tel Aviv, Haifa and other cities.

A series of condemnations from governments and organizations from throughout the West Asia region and the world began demanding an end to the bombings by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and later the Pentagon. Neighboring states which have been close allies of the U.S. allowing their territories to be utilized for the stationing of Pentagon bases expressed their dissatisfaction with the Israeli-U.S. aggression against Iran.

In Yemen, the Ansur Allah resistance movement, pledged their solidarity with the Iranian people through mass demonstrations which attracted millions around the country. The Trump administration had also declared a ceasefire with the Yemeni resistance weeks before after the leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi refused to back down in their defense of the Palestinian people by imposing a blockade against Israeli ships and those conducting business with the regime in Tel Aviv.

Inside the U.S. there were demonstrations against the IDF bombings of Iran and the subsequent actions of the Pentagon. Even within the Republican MAGA electoral base there were objections to entering yet another protracted war of regime-change and occupation in West Asia and North Africa.

The opposition to the bombing of Iran and the ongoing advocacy for regime-change among the MAGA constituency is not based on any form of anti-imperialism. The ultra right-wing are more concerned about the deportation of immigrants from Latin America, Africa and Asia along with eroding civil rights and the ability of working people to organize.

Nonetheless, the Republican Party and the dominant factions within the Democrats both unconditionally support the State of Israel and its genocide in Palestine. They have maintained this position in the face of growing opposition to Israel among the U.S. electorate.

Demonstrations on college and university campuses in the U.S. over the last year-and-a-half demanding the full disclosure and divestment from financial holdings in the State of Israel, illustrate clearly the mass character of the Palestine solidarity movement. The former Democratic administration of President Joe Biden and the current White House have falsely labeled the Palestine Solidarity movement as “antisemitism.”

In reality, the Israeli regime would not be able to exist without the monumental financial, military, intelligence and diplomatic support from the U.S. The regime in Tel Aviv serves as a key outpost in the West Asia and North Africa regions for the effort to maintain imperialist domination over the shipping lanes for oil and the deployment of Pentagon troops in close proximity to the Islamic Republic of Iran and its allies known as the “Axis of Resistance.”

The Yemeni resistance has pledged to abandon its truce with Washington if the bombing of Iran resumes. The Iranian parliament agreed to close the strategic shipping lane of the Straits of Hormuz if the military strikes by Tel Aviv and Washington continue.

In a June 25 article published by Press TV, it says of the popular support of the Iranian people for the IRGC that:

“Iranians rallied in Tehran and other cities on Tuesday night (June 24) to thank the country’s armed forces for valiantly fighting off the Israeli and American aggression and forcing them to unilaterally declare a ceasefire after 12 days of imposed war. A large crowd of people gathered in Enqelab Square of Tehran, expressing gratitude for the efforts of the armed forces in confronting and responding to the Israeli and U.S. aggression on Iran’s soil. The demonstrators—including men, women, and children from all walks of life—raised the Iranian flag, held portraits of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, and martyrs, and carried handwritten signs such as ‘We will stand firm till the end’.” (https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2025/06/25/750121/iranians-rally-nationwide-celebrate-victory-israel-us-thank-armed-forces)

This demonstration was significant due to the fact that the recent bombing of Iran was aimed at the overthrow of the Islamic Revolution which took power from the puppet regime of the Shah in early 1979. The Shah was a critical ally of the U.S. which supported the monarchy in Iran with massive flows of arms and economic bribery.

The imperialists have never come to grips with the Islamic Revolution of 46 years ago. The principal foreign policy objective of the Islamic Republic of Iran is the liberation of all of Palestine. Consequently, the U.S. and their Israeli surrogates remain committed to the reinstallation of the monarchy in Tehran.

In the same article quoted above, it goes on to note:

“The American assault came more than a week after the Israeli regime launched an unprovoked and unlawful aggression against the Islamic Republic, assassinating several top-ranking military commanders, scientists and ordinary civilians. In response, Iranian armed forces targeted numerous strategic Israeli military, intelligence and industrial centers in the occupied territories.

The Israeli regime was forced to halt its 12-day aggression against Iran after coming under waves of retaliatory operations by the Iranian armed forces. U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire late Monday (June 23), with a senior Israeli reserve general admitting that Iran’s powerful retaliations had imposed its timing.”

The unity and swiftness of the military and political response by Iran will compel the U.S. and Israel to reassess their approach to their regime-change strategy. Undoubtedly, in order for the IDF to continue their genocidal campaign in Gaza, renewed stockpiles of U.S.-supplied weapons will be sent to Tel Aviv.

The Need to Expand the Anti-War Movement in the U.S.

Since the escalation of attacks against Iran by Israel and the U.S., the political basis for a stronger anti-fascist, anti-war and anti-imperialist convergence has emerged. While the military engagement between Tel Aviv, Washington and Tehran was unfolding, the genocide in Gaza has persisted.

Everyday the IDF carries out massacres against the Palestinians. The so-called Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF) is nothing more than a cover for luring Palestinians to Israeli-U.S. approved distribution points for assistance in order to gun down dozens of people, including women and children.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the official death toll since October 7, 2023 has exceeded 55,000 people. These numbers may not be reflective of deaths caused by the severely paralyzed healthcare system which has been under constant attack by the IDF.

Therefore, the struggle of the Palestinian people and their allies will continue. A report published by Press TV on events taking place in the aftermath of the announced ceasefire by Trump emphasized:

“The Israeli regime military says seven of its troops were killed in the southern Gaza Strip after an armored vehicle they were traveling in was hit by an explosive device on Tuesday. Effie Defrin, the chief spokesman for the Israeli military, said on Wednesday that seven personnel, including an officer, were killed by an explosive device in the southern city of Khan Yunis. This marks the highest death toll in a single incident in Gaza for the Israeli military since a ceasefire between Israel and the Gaza-based Hamas resistance movement collapsed in March following Tel Aviv’s resumption of aggression.” (https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2025/06/25/750130/roadside-bomb-blast-kills-seven-israeli-troops-southern-gaza)

These developments further reveal that until the Palestinian question is resolved there will be no lasting peace in the region. Within the imperialist states the struggle against fascism should be closely linked to the imperialist aggression of the Trump administration.

White House Attacks on South Africa Further Expose Trump’s Racist Foreign Policy

Washington has no basis to make claims of genocide against progressive governments in Africa

By Abayomi Azikiwe

Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Wednesday June 4, 2025

Geopolitical Analysis

Judging from repeated statements made by United States President Donald Trump related to the African continent and its people, it was not surprising when he openly attacked with falsehoods the Republic of South Africa for carrying out genocide against white Boer farmers.

Already early in the current administration, the South African Ambassador to the U.S., Ebrahim Rasool, was declared persona non grata by the State Department under Marco Rubio and consequently forced to leave Washington, D.C.

After receiving a hero’s welcome when he returned to South Africa, the ambassador was unrepentant for voicing his views on the character of the U.S. administration. The South African constitution drafted after the democratic breakthrough of 1994 which brought President Nelson Mandela and the African National Congress (ANC) to power, prohibits institutional racism. Comparing this contemporary history of South Africa to the U.S.  illustrates the contested aspects of constitutional law which have never come to grips with the principles enunciated in the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments along with the various Civil Rights Bills and Executive Orders passed intermittently from 1863 to 1968.

At present the administration of Trump represents the retrogressive trends within U.S. politics and law. The campaign to revoke any advances or policies which uphold the rights of oppressed peoples in the U.S. are designed to heighten the centuries-long legacy of national oppression and economic exploitation. Trump has carried out these measures largely through executive orders signed in the oval office. He also engages in threats against migrants, legal immigrants, particularly those from Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia.

Therefore, the MAGA Republican White House has no basis for describing any state in Africa as “racist and genocidal” when the U.S. has never apologized or agreed to make amends for the horrendous periods of enslavement, de jure segregation, domestic colonialism and neo-colonialism. African Americans and Latin Americans even today are disproportionately the victims of state repression including police terrorism and mass incarceration.

The anti-apartheid struggles of the South African people have been a great inspiration to other oppressed nations. African Americans have been in solidarity with the national liberation movements of the African National Congress (ANC), Southwest Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO) and others for decades. There are tremendous historical parallels between the racism and national oppression meted out in North America and that of Southern Africa.

Consequently, the administration’s complete disrespect for the South African people who overcame institutional racism and national oppression is indicative of Trump and the constituency he represents in the U.S. Although the transformation process in South Africa is far from over and there are tremendous debates taking place over key issues, the political culture is far more vibrant than the atmosphere now prevailing in the U.S. where even the objective study of the actual history of the country is being outlawed in many states.

The White House has concocted narratives saying that elite private universities such as Harvard should have their tax-exempt status rescinded if the higher educational institutions will not allow its faculty, staff and students to be interrogated on their political views related to anti-racism, Palestine solidarity, climate change and gender equality. Research grants from the federal government agencies dealing with healthcare and science have been suspended by the White House.

South African-born businessman Elon Musk had been given access to state institutions without any authorization from Congress to terminate civil servants, shutter offices and eliminate programs which serve millions domestically and internationally absent any deliberation or formal approval by the House of Representatives, the Senate or federal courts. Although Musk left as director of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the overall ideological slant of the administration has not shifted.

Peddling Lies and Distortions to Undermine the Global South

In an effort to reset relations between Pretoria and Washington, President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the White House in May. His arrival took place in the immediate aftermath of the transporting of dozens of Afrikaners (Boers) to the U.S. at the aegis of Trump claiming to be refugees from the genocide imposed by the ANC-led Government of National Unity (GNU).

A GNU was established after the national elections of 2024 where the ruling ANC did not receive more than 50 percent of the votes. Within the confines of the South African Constitution and electoral regulations, unity administrations can be set up.

The ANC received by far the largest bloc of votes with approximately 40 percent. The next highest vote getter was the white-dominated Democratic Alliance (DA) which gained 21 percent of the votes. These two parties, although far apart ideologically coming from two distinct political traditions within South African history, agreed to form a unity government along with eight other parties.

Members of other parties within the GNU were represented in the Ramaphosa delegation to Washington. The presence of the GNU delegation made Trump out to be delusional by advancing this false genocide narrative.

In fact, the video shown by Trump was of a rally of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) whose leaders were expelled over a decade ago from the ANC Youth League. The EFF refused to join the GNU after being asked by President Ramaphosa and the ANC leadership. It was the EFF chanting slogans from the era of the South African armed struggle prior to the transitional process between 1990-94.

The EFF won eight percent of the vote in the 2024 national elections. This represented a downturn in their electoral support.

Ramaphosa attempted to point out to the Trump cabinet and the corporate media at the White House that EFF was a small minority party. He went on to say that the South African Constitution allows for the formation of alternative parties and they are guaranteed freedom of speech.

This flies in the face of the political culture the MAGA Republicans are creating in the U.S. where federal court orders are routinely defied by the White House and the interests of millions within the country and internationally are ignored. Students, intellectuals and activists are being rounded up and deported from the U.S. for their political views on Palestine liberation, decrying the real genocide taking place in Gaza which has been clearly documented by the United Nations, unbiased media outlets and many humanitarian agencies.

The real motivation of the Trump White House is to retaliate against the South African people for their solidarity with the Palestinians. It was the Ramaphosa government in late 2023 which took the State of Israel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the highest judicial body within the United Nations. Later in January 2024, the South African government received a favorable ruling from the ICJ saying that their claims that the Zionist regime had violated the Genocide Convention of 1948 were plausible.

South Africa’s history of fighting racism and settler-colonialism coupled with its unconditional solidarity with the Palestinians, represents a threat to the imperialist system. The Israeli regime is indispensable to the dominance exerted by Washington and Wall Street over West Asia and North Africa.

Any state, political party and mass organization exposing the link between Zionism and imperialism will be attacked by the White House and Congress. The movement on the campuses for full disclosure and divestment from financial interests involved with the Zionist state has been ruthlessly attacked by both the previous administration of President Joe Biden and the existing Trump White House and Congress.

Yet, Tel Aviv and Washington along with their UK and European Union (EU) allies continue to funnel warplanes, bombs, intelligence infrastructure, trade and diplomatic cover to the genocide being conducted against 2.5 million Palestinians. More than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed with many others injured, traumatized and displaced.

Racist Trump Foreign Policy Must be Condemned Internationally

By waging political, ideological and military warfare against the anti-racist and anti-colonial forces throughout the world, the U.S. is demonstrating its growing weaknesses related to international affairs. A greater consolidation of regional groupings such as BRICS, the Nonaligned Movement, the African Union, Group of 77 Plus China; New Development Bank (NDB), etc. prefigures the coming shift in global influence and dominance.

These blocs constitute in excess of 80 percent of the world’s population. The economic and political interests of these groupings do not align with Washington, London and Brussels.

The anti-immigrant stance of the administration is designed to continue the popular notion that “America is a white man’s country.” Despite the rising population of people of color within the geographic confines of the U.S., the current domestic and foreign policies are based upon the imperatives of maintaining the status-quo.

These contradictions can only be resolved through the independent organization and mobilization of the workers and oppressed in the U.S. The efforts on the part of the administration to aggravate already existing racial tensions should not be allowed to stall the inevitable struggle between the ruling class and the proletariat.  

Rene Lichtman (1937-2025), Artist, Film Director and Human Rights Activist, Memorialized in Detroit

A holocaust survivor born in France during the rise of fascism, he would become an advocate for African American liberation and a strong opponent of the genocide in Gaza

By Abayomi Azikiwe

Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Wednesday June 11, 2025

Political Obituary

Dr. Rene Lichtman, 87, took his last breath on January 28, 2025, yet his legacy remains very much alive in Detroit and across the United States.

Born in Paris, France in 1937, his father Jacob Zajdman, was killed fighting with the Foreign Legion against the German Nazi invasion during 1940. His mother Helen Zajdman was separated from Rene after leaving him to be raised by an elderly Christian couple Anne and Paul Lepage for his protection against the Third Reich.

After the conclusion of World War II, Rene and his mother were reunited. They migrated to Brooklyn New York when Rene was 12 years old. He had to learn English after arriving in the U.S. and later attended the Music and Art High School.

After finishing High School, Lichtman joined the military. Later he would work with his mentor, African American communist and Spanish Civil War veteran Oscar Hunter.

Lichtman would continue his education at the Cooper Union utilizing the GI Bill. He eventually won a Fulbright Scholarship to paint in Belgium.

During the late 1960s, Lichtman would return to New York City and later worked with the Newsreel Film Collective. This organization produced political documentary films which examined events such as the San Francisco State College student strike of 1968-69, the longest of such actions in U.S. history.

The Newsreel Collective created several short documentaries on the work of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense (BPP) formed in Oakland, California in October 1966. Films such as “Repression”, “Black Panther” and “Off the Pigs” were distributed to revolutionary groups for independent screenings around the country.

Several members of the Collective presented their documentaries films on the BPP during a February 1970 Detroit rally held at the Shrine of the Black Madonna in honor of the 28th birthday of Dr. Huey P. Newton, the then Minister of Defense of the Black Panther Party, who was serving a 2-15 years sentence in California for the manslaughter death of an Oakland Police officer and the wounding of another. The Collective, including Lichtman, were in the city filming events surrounding the activities of the Dodge Revolutionary Union Movement (DRUM) and the League of Revolutionary Black Workers (DRUM).

“Finally Got the News”

The LRBW took a different approach than the Oakland-based BPP. The League viewed the African American proletariat as the vanguard of the Black Revolution due to its strategic position within the overall labor market. At that time key production centers in the automobile industry demographically were dominated by young African American workers.

Racism on the part of the industrial firms and the failure of the United Automobile Workers (UAW) to address the split labor market, prompted the growth of an African American-led insurgency within the plants in the aftermath of the July 1967 Rebellion in Detroit, the largest outbreak of urban civil unrest in the history of the U.S. up until that time.

Consequently, after visiting Detroit to cover the activities of the local chapter of the National Committees to Combat Fascism (NCCF), described at the time as an organizing bureau for the BPP, Lichtman and his comrades eventually produced the film “Finally Got the News”, which documents the origins and growth of the LRBW and its allies within the African American community, area junior and senior high schools and Wayne State University.  

This documentary film features extensive interviews with leading figures in the Detroit movement at the time. John Watson, a co-founder of the LRBW and editor of the WSU South End newspaper (1968-69) during its revolutionary phase which extended from 1967-73, outlines their theoretical views on the character of racial capitalism. Chuck Wooten, Ron March, Mike Hamlin and Ken Cockrel, Sr. are also highlighted in the documentary discussing the plight of African American workers and their efforts to win control over the UAW Local at the Hamtramck Dodge Main plant during the period between 1968-1970. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbIzB8DH0fE&t=337s)

Detroit in the early months of 1970 remained a tinderbox of social unrest. Independent organizing in the auto plants coincided with student walkouts and rebellions in the schools and higher educational institutions.

Lichtman would spend nearly 20 years working at Beaumont Hospital in the field of instructional technology. He received his PhD at 63 years old.

Later Years Spent Opposing Genocide in Gaza

In his final years, Lichtman was seen at the Black Lives Matter demonstrations in Detroit in the aftermath of the brutal police execution of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Hakim Littleton and others in 2020. He often spoke on the need to prevent another genocide similar to what his family fled from in France during the fascist period of the 1930s and 1940s.

After the October 7, 2023 launch of the Al Aqsa Flood emanating from the Gaza Strip in Occupied Palestine, Lichtman denounced the genocidal onslaught carried out by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), which is backed by the U.S. and its NATO allies. Lichtman’s work with the Holocaust Museum in Farmington Hills abruptly ended after he expressed his views that a genocide was taking place in Gaza.

A Coalition Against Genocide was formed in the Detroit Metropolitan area which organized weekly picket lines outside the Holocaust Museum for its refusal to condemn the actions of the Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Lichtman’s participation in the Coalition Against Genocide drew extreme hostility from the elements within the Jewish American community which continued to defend Tel Aviv and its war in Gaza and throughout the West Asia region.

An entry on the website cyberpsalm.com says of Lichtman in his final days that:

“The Zekelman Holocaust Center in metro Detroit featured René as a regular speaker. However, when he spoke out and protested against Israel’s extreme behavior in Gaza, they unceremoniously removed him from the calendar. This did not phase him, such was Rene’s war opposition, and he articulated Israel’s sad irony. Rene’s art is never really totally done. René and I had been collaborating on an account of his life, each of us writing it up, with intent to merge it as one. I intend to get it done. Another unique, hard-to-replace man moves on. Thank you, René. Your memory is enduring. I won’t say you are irreplaceable, in order not to discourage any of the aspiring youngsters you brought along. Peace and love.” (https://www.cyberpsalm.com/rene-lichtman-passes-with-peace-and-honor/)

The ongoing unresolved Palestinian Question has divided the U.S. population as a whole. Successive administrations are continuing to fund and arm the Israeli regime.

At the memorial for Lichtman on June 8 at the St. Matthew’s-St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church, several speakers reflected on his legacy. The memorial was addressed by Risa Lichtman, Jamie Thrower, Hon. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, Mark Shephard, Barbara Barefield, Nabil Sater, Heather Burnham, Dr. Ismail Noor and Maryam Lowen.

This was a fitting location for the memorial since the Church encompasses the second African American religious congregation founded in Detroit in 1846. The Church was involved in the Underground Railroad in which the city of Detroit was a major force due to its border with Canada.

During the 1920s meetings were held at the Church to build a defense campaign for Dr. Ossian Sweet, who was charged with murder after his home was attacked by a white mob in 1925. He was eventually exonerated of the charges.

In April of 1966, African American students at Northern High School located near St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church, staged a strike against the racist curriculum and practices. A “Freedom School” was established at the Church which provided an alternative anti-racist education to the striking students. In 1971, the St. Joseph’s and St. Matthew’s Episcopal Churches merged into one congregation.

Since 2019, the Annual Detroit MLK Day Rally & March has been held at this location. The purpose of these events is to uphold the actual social justice and antiwar legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.