For Israel, Meeting the PA’s Demands for Governing Gaza May Trigger a New Political Crisis
The US, Israel, and other regional powers are considering a joint Gaza security force and UN peacekeeping operation, but political hurdles remain. The Israeli government will face local and international pressure to return the Palestinian Authority to Gaza, but doing so may destabilize it and lead to early elections. (Source: Stratfor)
The Fighting with Hezbollah Steps Up
Nasrallah maintains a strategy to keep the fighting below the war’s threshold, but the risk of unplanned deterioration in the north and the need to push Hezbollah back to allow evacuated population to return home require urgent decisions. Israel will have to decide whether to continue with its limited retaliation or escalate the conflict further. (Source: Orna Mizrahi, INSS)
The Social and Political Dimensions of Ethnic Conflicts in Manipur
The ongoing ethnic conflict between the Kukis and the Meiteis in India’s Northeastern state of Manipur has led to 175 deaths, 5,000 arson cases, and 386 religious structures being vandalized. The state government has faced criticism for patronizing the Meitei (majority Hindu) populations and being prejudiced against the (Christians) Kukis (Source: Anshuman Behera, ORF)
India’s opposition parties unite to oust the BJP
The BJP claims that the name India smacks of a colonial legacy, yet, for them, renaming the country Bharat is part of the larger right-wing project of establishing a majoritarian state. And more so, to counter the 28-party opposition coalition named the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) in the elections. (Source: Zoya Hasan, East Asia Forum)
The Lobito Corridor: Washington’s Answer to Belt and Road in Africa
China through its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) invested billions in infrastructure projects in Asia, Europe, and Africa. The US is investing [only] millions in the Lobito Corridor to offset China’s influence. The US now also plan to fund a railway connecting copper-rich Zambia and the DRC to Lobito, Angola. (Source: Alex Stonor, Geopolitical Monitor)
Pakistan’s Deportation Offensive: A Calculated Distraction?
Pakistan is deporting unauthorized immigrants amid political and economic turmoil. This move is considered as an attempt to divert attention from the country’s internal issues and boost government support before elections. The deportations have drawn domestic criticism, but the administration appears to be weighing the dangers of international disapproval against satisfying nationalist emotions. (Source: Niels Hegewisch & Hamayoun Khan, International Politics and Society Journal)