Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Arang Keshavarzian @keshavarziana.bsky.social · 17h

Arang Keshavarzian @keshavarziana.bsky.social · 19h

This is by far the most thoughtful discussion about the failed diplomacy around Iran’s nuclear program. Reflective and careful, unlike so much of the hot air, vibes, and guess work we are offered. Thanks @yarbatman.bsky.social

Why Sanctions on Iran 'Snapped Back'

Podcast Episode · The Sanctions Age · S2, E10 Bonus · 1h 15m

podcasts.apple.com

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Arang Keshavarzian @keshavarziana.bsky.social · 20h

I signed this AAUP petition against the Trump compact; if you are an academic or student consider signing it

Trump Higher Ed Compact 2025

We stand for education—for science, for students and for freedom—and against this backward, anti-American policy. We call on university leaders, faculty, staff and students to unite in rejecting the T...

actionnetwork.org

Reposted by Arang Keshavarzian

Daniel Drezner @dandrezner.bsky.social · 3d

There’s a lot in Bari Weiss’ 2023 FedSoc speech that merits scrutiny but I think the Times did a disservice by closing with this quote — given what she says immediately after. fedsoc.org/commentary/f...

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Arang Keshavarzian @keshavarziana.bsky.social · 4d

Clearly Jewish Americans at large have little leverage over the Israeli government or the U.S.

Leah McElrath @leahmcelrath.bsky.social · 5d

New poll of Jewish Americans:

• 61% say Israel is committing war crimes in Gaza.
• 39% say Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.

Gift link:
wapo.st/42q0h5z

Many American Jews sharply critical of Israel on Gaza, Post poll finds

Most Jews say Israel is committing war crimes — and 39 percent say genocide — while often distinguishing between the country and its leadership.

wapo.st

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Arang Keshavarzian @keshavarziana.bsky.social · 4d

This is a brilliant set of speakers and topics

Laleh Khalili @lalehkhalili.bsky.social · 8d

I have organised an amazing roster of *virtual* presentations for the Centre for Gulf Studies at Exeter. Check out these incredible superstars, and register for the events (Tuesdays 17-18.30 London time) here: www.exeter.ac.uk/research/cen...

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Adam Isacson @adamisacson.com · 5d

Rights defenders at the US-Mexico border tried for years to warn about Border Patrol's abusive culture. We built a database of abuses (borderoversight.org/event) and several reports. Maybe 2 dozen national Democrats were responsive; the politics were tricky. We couldn't keep that work funded.

Now:

Daniel Connerton @lordnad.bsky.social · 5d

@govpritzker.illinois.gov

37 and Kedzie, East Garfield, Illinois.

This is assault.

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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 8d

My favorite excerpt of this is Bill Burr apparently not knowing that Saudi Arabia is a major American ally.

When he flew into Saudi Arabia, Burr's nervousness crept back, but he was struck by the amount of local Western influence. "You think everybody's going to be screaming
'death to America and they're going to have like fucking machetes and want to like chop my head off, right?" Burr said. "Because this is what I've been fed about that part of the world. I thought this place was going to be really tense. And I'm thinking like: Is that a Starbucks next to a Pizza Hut next to a Burger King next to McDonald's ...? They got a fucking Chili's over here!"

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Arang Keshavarzian @keshavarziana.bsky.social · 7d

Season’s greetings, mofos

McSweeney's @mcsweeneys.net · 10d

"Felonies and gourds have one very important commonality: they’re both extremely fucking real."

It’s Decorative Gourd Season, Motherfuckers

First published on October 9, 2009, this classic by Colin Nissan is our most-read article of all time. We’re celebrating the 16th anniversary of th...

buff.ly

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Arang Keshavarzian @keshavarziana.bsky.social · 8d

“Behind this veneer lies a far grimmer reality. The most dynamic areas of Arab-Israeli cooperation are not cultural exchange or conflict resolution, but weapons sales, intelligence and surveillance collaboration and digital repression.” Great essay

The Military-Industrial Backbone of Normalization - MERIP

The booming weapons industry made possible by the Abraham Accords.

merip.org

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Mohamad Bazzi @mbazzi.bsky.social · 8d

“Like Trump’s current peace plan for Gaza, the Abraham Accords were negotiated directly with Israel and autocratic Arab regimes – and they excluded Palestinians from any discussion of their future or aspirations. These are deals conceived by real estate tycoons” — my latest for @theguardian.com

Once again, Netanyahu has outplayed Trump | Mohamad Bazzi

Trump considers himself a master deal-maker. But he’s been regularly outmaneuvered by strongmen like Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin

www.theguardian.com

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Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA) @mesa1966.bsky.social · 9d

Landmark victory for free speech & academic freedom!
This ruling is a crucial step in pushing back against the silencing of our members for engaging in pro-Palestinian speech and assembly.
Read more here: mesana.org/news/2025/09...

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jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 9d

the president of the united states wants to use the american military to kill american citizens on american soil. that's the whole story!

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Arang Keshavarzian @keshavarziana.bsky.social · 9d

I am especially proud today to be a member of MESA and AAUP

Judge rules Trump policy to deport students over pro-Palestinian views is unconstitutional

Judge ruled that noncitizens have same free speech rights as US citizens, saying the first amendment unequivocally protects them

www.theguardian.com

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Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA) @mesa1966.bsky.social · 16d

MESA and AAUP are monitoring the new Presidential Proclamation on H-1B visa petitions. Read more about what we know so far: mesana.org/advocacy/let...

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Arang Keshavarzian @keshavarziana.bsky.social · 15d

As we deal with the Tylenol kerfuffle, Palestines have to endure this

Drop Site @dropsitenews.com · 15d

Israel continues to block painkillers.

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Arang Keshavarzian @keshavarziana.bsky.social · 15d

The number 1 spice

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 15d

Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City and unquestioned front-runner, visited The New York Times for an interview. He answered 10 questions on subjects ranging from thorny policy issues to where he lives, to his favorite seat on the subway.

10 (More) Questions With Zohran Mamdani

Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, visited The New York Times for an interview.

nyti.ms

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Arang Keshavarzian @keshavarziana.bsky.social · 19d

I deleted my academia dot edu account because of this: "By creating an Account with Academia-dot-edu, you grant us a worldwide, irrevocable, non-exclusive, transferable license, permission, and consent for Academia-dot-edu to use your Member Content and your personal information …in any manner…."

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Eman Quotah @emanquotah.bsky.social · 21d

The past two years, there has been some amazing writing about what it's REALLY like to be an Arab in the "West."

(Not that we were never writing it before, just wasn't getting published too much.)

Here's another essay.

The author doesn't name names, but I will: The New Yorker. David Remnick.

House Arab

I was working at the magazine as a fact-checker and my parents no longer considered me a failure, not because they read or admired it, but because when they said its name to friends and relatives it s...

bidoun.org

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Reposted by Arang Keshavarzian

Alexander Jabbari @ajab.bsky.social · 22d

Please donate and share to help families being forcibly displaced from Gaza City
chuffed.org/project/1494...

Emergency Fundraiser: Northern Gaza Displacement

chuffed.org

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Reposted by Arang Keshavarzian

Abu Aardvark’s Ghost @abuaardvark.bsky.social · 22d

I find it impossible to stomach college or university presidents who today … speak out in favor of hosting “controversial” speakers on campus after spending the last two years shutting down speakers and panels about Gaza.”

abuaardvarkghost.ghost.io/the-straight...

The straight line from Gaza to Kirk

The crackdown on Gaza protests paved the way to today’s full on assault on free speech. Abu Aardvark's MENA Academy depends on support from readers – become a core supporter today Join the MENA Acad...

abuaardvarkghost.ghost.io

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Laura Helmuth @laurahelmuth.bsky.social · 23d

This was a popular dessert in the 1970s: the next best thing to Robert Redford. RIP, you delicious man. www.allrecipes.com/recipe/12413...

Next-Best-Thing-To-Robert-Redford Pie

For this delectable pie, a scrumptious nut crust is baked and filled with a rich cream cheese layer, a chocolate pudding layer, a vanilla pudding layer, and, finally, a whipped topping along with grat...

www.allrecipes.com

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Arang Keshavarzian @keshavarziana.bsky.social · 24d

I am here for Cumo being asked about globalize the intifada

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 24d

In an interview with The New York Times on Monday, Andrew Cuomo said the situation in Gaza had become “horrific,” called for an immediate end to the war and gently distanced himself from Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. nyti.ms/48eRgzO

Andrew Cuomo wearing a grey suit jacket and a blue tie. A headline reads: "Cuomo, a Staunch Israel Supporter, Says '"Horrific" Gaza War Must End." Photo credit: Tony Cenicola/The New York Times.

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Arang Keshavarzian @keshavarziana.bsky.social · 24d

I had the opportunity to review Elham Fakhro's excellent and highly timely book on the Abraham Accords. It sheds light on Israel, the UAE, Bahrain, the GCC, and the US at this current moment. merip.org/2025/09/the-...

The Limits of Protection and Profits—Five Years into the Abraham Accords - MERIP

On September 15, 2020, US President Donald Trump was joined at the White House by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the foreign ministers of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates to sign th...

merip.org

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Arang Keshavarzian @keshavarziana.bsky.social · 25d

The document values Gaza today at “practically $0” – but projects it could be worth $324 billion within a decade.Gaza is described less as a society than as a distressed asset to be flipped.This is disaster cap’ism at its sharpest.It is devastation reframed as the precondition for speculative profit

Donald Trump’s vision for Gaza’s future: what a leaked plan tells us about US regional strategy

A glossy 38-page plan for the redevelopment of Gaza envisages a futuristic mix of smart manufacturing, luxury resorts and the ‘voluntary relocation’ of Palestinians.

theconversation.com

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