The great powers don't want a world war — but we may get one anyway
Ever since Hamas launched its attack on October 7, experts have feared that the conflict, alongside the one in Ukraine, could spill over into a large-scale war between the world's major geopolitical players. Nikolai Kozhanov, associate professor at the Center for Gulf Studies at Qatar University, analyzes how likely this is and who would benefit from such a conflict.
Most of the world condemned the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas, but Israel's massive response on Gaza has shifted the focus of many countries, especially those in the Middle East, to the humanitarian situation for Palestinian civilians even as a temporary ceasefire has been holding for a week.
But how did we get here in the first place — and where are we going?
The central question of who ordered the attack remains unanswered. Notably, Hamas’s political wing seemed unaware, and key sponsors from the Arab world were also uninformed. Iran, too, is attempting to distance itself from any involvement.
An indirect assessment shows that Iran may have gained somewhat from a deterioration in Israel's relations with Arab monarchies. While Hamas has seen a return to the forefront of international influence, the losses suffered by the Palestinian people seem an unjustifiable cost for this resurgence. Moreover, it's doubtful that Hamas will achieve the significant gains they might have anticipated. Any Iranian gains are also outweighed by a range of losses.
It's important to acknowledge that the events of October 7 have shocked and alienated nearly all the countries that had dealings with Hamas. Politicians across the region have reacted with surprise and a certain level of irritation towards Hamas’s actions. Though not publicly stated, within elite circles, the question lingers: "Why now?," especially given the positive trends and improving relations that were ongoing in the region.
Iran has traditionally maintained close ties with Hamas. It provides training to the organization's military wing. But Tehran and Hamas aren’t directly associated or aligned. Hamas is an independent organization, and there were serious disagreements between Hamas and Tehran, for example, on the issue of supporting Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian Civil War.
On the first day of the conflict, the Iranians declared that Hamas’s actions had a certain degree of legitimacy, before beginning to distance themselves. Now, at least officially, they are trying to shift the discussion to the possibility of a humanitarian settlement in Gaza and the release of hostages.
Hamas has also traditionally had ties to Qatar, and has received financial assistance coming from Doha. For the Qataris, the attack on Israel came as a big surprise. Apparently, even representatives of Hamas’s political wing who were in Doha at the time were kept in the dark. This will likely lead to a strain in relations between Doha and Hamas. [...]
— Read the full Nikolai Kozhanov article by Vazhnyye Istorii/Important Stories, translated into English by Worldcrunch.
1. Which European prime minister has expressed “doubts” over Israel’s respect of international humanitarian laws in Gaza?
2. Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger has died at age 100. What is his native country?
3. Which country scrapped its pioneering smoking ban?
4. What cultural artifact is causing a rift between Greece and the UK? Zeus bronze / Odyssey vase / Parthenon marbles / A toe from the Colossus of Rhodes
[Answers at the bottom of this newsletter]
As winter approaches, a TikTok trend celebrating U.S. singer-songwriter Bob Dylan’s sense of fashion is making a remarkable comeback on the social media platform. Popularized by 25-year-old Andrew Clark earlier this year, the #BobDylanCore videos show teens walking down the street, braving the cold with a light jacket while Dylan’s Don’t Think Twice plays — a nod to the cover of 1963’s TheFreewheelin’ Bob Dylan, where the then 22-year-old artist can be seen wearing a thin brown suede jacket in the New York cold and snow. The trend has gathered nearly 12 million views on TikTok.
• Artifacts returned to Ukraine: A historic collection of 565 ancient items has been returned to Ukraine following a near decade-long legal tug-of-war over its ownership with Russian-occupied Crimea. The artifacts were on loan to a Dutch museum in 2014 when Russia annexed the peninsula. Both Ukraine and Russia claimed the historical treasures, but Dutch courts sided with Kyiv.
• Sean “Diddy” Combs steps aside at network amid sexual assault lawsuits: U.S. rap mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has temporarily stepped down as chairman of Revolt, a music-oriented TV network he co-founded in 2013, amid three sex assault lawsuits filed against the artist. Earlier this month, R&B artist Cassie accused Combs of rape and abuse, but the two settled the lawsuit soon after it was filed.
• 2023 MAMA Awards in Japan honor BTS: K-pop band BTS won big at the 2023 MAMA Awards, snatching the Worldwide Icon of the Year title for the sixth consecutive year, as well as the Worldwide Fans' Choice award. The South Korean band didn’t attend the two-day event held in Japan, as its members are fulfilling their mandatory military duties.
• In memoriam: Polish writer, poet, playwright, and literary critic Paweł Huelle has died at the age of 66; acclaimed U.S. photographer Larry Fink, best known for black and white photos of shots of the everyday life has died aged 82; U.S. soul and funk singer Jean Knight, who reached No 2 in the U.S. with 1971 hit Mr. Big Stuff, died at 80 years old; Irish singer-songwriter Shane MacGowan, frontman of Celtic punk band The Pogues, died at 65 after being diagnosed with encephalitis. Legendary French-American photographer Elliott Erwitt, known for his candid black-and-white images, died at 95.
• Metal news: Cult rock mockumentary This is Spinal Tapis getting a sequel, its director Rob Reiner has revealed. Filming will start in February 2024, featuring the band members of the fictional English heavy metal band who are expected to reprise their roles and a few famous guests including Paul McCartney and Elton John. Meanwhile, U.S. heavy metal band Metallica has announced it will perform in Saudi Arabia for the first time on Dec. 14, headlining the opening night of the three-day Soundstorm festival in Riyadh.
The information coming out of the Palestinian enclave is scarce but undoubtedly grim. “The situation is very difficult, everything is destroyed, nothing is left,” says a sister of the parish of the Holy Family in Gaza City. “Living is a challenge, for now, no aid is reaching us, there is only one supermarket with some basic supplies.” For Turin-based daily La Stampa, an Italian reporter from across the border gathers information from inside Gaza just before the fragile and inevitably temporary ceasefire ended.
Read the full story: What's Left Of Gaza: Scenes Of Destruction, Pangs Of Desperation
After the start of the war in Ukraine, Russian oligarchs and other rich individuals turned to the real estate markets in Dubai and Turkey. Now Russian buyers are back in Europe, reports German daily Die Welt. According to new data, most inquiries in 2023 are made for properties in Hungary, but also Cyprus, which offers so-called “golden visas.” These controversial arrangements enable those who pay a high price for a residence to obtain citizenship.
Read the full story: Wealthy Russians Are Back To Buying Real Estate In Europe — Sanctions Be Damned
The simmering UK-Greece dispute over the Elgin Marbles shines a light on the worldwide efforts to push Western powers, often with colonial pasts, to give back looted artistic and historical artifacts. From the Benin bronzes to centuries old mummies and ancient Crimean treasures, here's a look at some of the most notable cases of returned of looted cultural artifacts to the country of origin around the world.
Read the full story: British Museum Privilege? Behold The Treasures Others Are Returning To Rightful Owners
A team of researchers at Iowa State University have developed a “placenta-on-a-chip” that could aid in evaluating and analyzing how medication and nutrients pass through the placental barrier from mother to fetus. The team is focusing on two models: one using ions to detect how cells respond to stimuli, and one that employs “hyperspectral” imaging equipment to detect how cells respond to stimuli — with hopes that the tech can be used to enhance personalized therapy and higher accuracy in the analysis of mother-to-fetus transfers.
Introducing the “Mutt Gala,” a British charity auction of animal artwork organized in Bristol until Dec. 5. Due to heavy financial strains caused by the pandemic and inflation, the Bristol Animal Rescue Centre decided to let its dogs unleash their creativity and help raise funds for the shelter at the same time: The staff drop paint on canvases and cover them with plastic, so the dogs can lick, wag, and paw to create their own paintings without even making a big mess.
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s trial over corruption charges will resume next week, starting on Monday. The procedure had been suspended along with all non-urgent cases, following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
• The European Union is set to present its proposals for security guarantees in Ukraine next week. Following this discussion in Kyiv, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borell is expected to submit the proposals to the approval of EU leaders.
• Nicky Minaj’s new album, titled Pink Friday 2, is due to drop on Dec. 8, on the U.S. rapper’s birthday. “This album is just beyond anything I could have imagined,” she posted on X, teasing her “Barbz” fans.
News quiz answers:
1. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchezexpressed skepticism toward Israel and its respect for international law as part of its actions in Gaza. “I have serious doubts [Israel] is complying with international humanitarian law,” Sanchez said in an interview with Spanish state-owned broadcaster TVE.
2. Henry Kissinger’s native country is Germany, which he escaped with his family in 1938 for the U.S. The influential and controversial diplomat, who died this week at age 100, was born in Fürth, a town in northern Bavaria.
3. The new government in New Zealand announced that it plans to scrap the nation's unprecedented smoking ban to fund tax cuts. The legislation, introduced under the previous Jacinda Ardern-led government, would have banned cigarette sales starting next year to anyone born after 2008.
4. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called for the return of the Parthenon marbles, also known as Elgin marbles, currently standing inside of the British Museum. Mitsotakis compared the fate of the Ancient Greek sculptures — brought to the UK by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century — to splitting Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa in half.
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*Photo: Allard Pierson Museum
