Free Republic

Iran has achieved a singular statistic in its current front against Israel. After firing more than 400 missiles over nearly a month, Tehran apparently hasn’t hit a single Israeli military target. That leaves the Islamic Republic with a 100% civilian casualty ratio—a benchmark of the number of civilian casualties relative to combatant ones. Not long ago, civilian casualty ratios were at the heart of discussions of the Israel-Gaza war, with Israel’s critics claiming that “disproportionate” levels of civilian casualties were evidence of war crimes. In reality, Israel’s infliction of 30% to 40% military casualties on an adversary hiding behind civilians...

For years, UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese has waged a relentless antisemitic hate campaign against the Jewish people and Israel. It dates back at least to 2014, when she peddled classic conspiracy tropes, claiming America was “subjugated by Jews” and Europe paralyzed by Holocaust guilt—rhetoric straight out of the antisemitic playbook that has endangered Jews for generations. Her twisted path only intensified in 2022, when backing from the OIC [Islamic countries bloc] and like-minded lobbies helped install her as the UN’s so-called “Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967.” From that platform,...

On Monday, in an unusual step, the Spanish government closed its airspace and the use of its military bases to aircraft involved in the ongoing operations in Iran. The decision includes a sweeping ban on the landing, takeoff, or refueling of fighter jets at the strategic "Rota" and "Morón" bases. Following the move, and in coordination with the government in Madrid, Washington canceled its plan to deploy heavy bombers of the B-52 and B-1 types at Morón Air Base, which is considered a critical logistical hub for the US Air Force. Amid tensions with the United States, Spanish Prime Minister...

The United Nations chief condemned the U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran on Saturday and called for an immediate return to negotiations “to pull the region, and our world, back from the brink.” Secretary-General António Guterres told an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council that everything must be done to prevent further escalation. “The alternative,” he warned, “is a potential wider conflict with grave consequences for civilians and regional stability.” Guterres said the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes violated international law, including the U.N. Charter. He also condemned Iran’s retaliatory attacks for violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan,...

The UN General Assembly on Wednesday designated the transatlantic African slave trade as "the gravest crime against humanity" despite opposition by the United States and some European countries. In a move advocates hailed as a step towards healing and possible reparations, the resolution was adopted to applause by a vote of 123 in favour, three against and 52 abstentions. The United States, Israel and Argentina opposed the measure while Britain and EU member states abstained. Ghana's President John Mahama, one of the African Union's most vocal supporters of slavery reparations, was at the United Nations headquarters in New York to...

Hillel Neuer @HillelNeuer: Francesca Albanese appeared today at the United Nations Human Rights Council to present her annual report. I was the first NGO to take the floor: “Ms. Albanese, in your report on torture, why is there not one single mention of Hamas’ horrific torture of Israeli hostages? You’ve said: ‘It’s not in my mandate.’ But on March 4th, you signed a UN statement condemning US and Israeli strikes in Iran. Are you mandated to speak on events a thousand miles away from your focus area, and not to say one word on the atrocities committed by Hamas on...

Serbia has sharply condemned Francesca Albanese, the U.N. special rapporteur on the Palestinian territories, for what it described as “unacceptable interference in internal affairs,” after she criticized the Balkan country’s military cooperation with Israel. The diplomatic dispute follows Albanese’s visit to Belgrade this week, during which she accused Serbian authorities of collaborating “without shame” with Israel, claiming Serbia is among its strongest allies and that Serbian weapons are being used in Gaza. “We consider the statements made by the United Nations Special Rapporteur, Mrs. Albanese, to be unbalanced and activist in nature, and as such inappropriate to the mandate she...

Is it any real surprise that the crown prince of the most notorious left-wing empires in American politics is getting all bent out of shape because President Donald Trump decided to finally dismantle the murderous Islamist regime of Iran? Alex Soros got his panties in a bunch after the United States launched coordinated strikes on Iran with Israel, and praised the leftist-run Spain for grandstanding against the attacks in a March 2 X post that got ratioed into oblivion. “Why aren’t more Europeans standing up to an illegal war! Same with Canada! They make nice speeches at conferences, but do...

Massive crowds in Tehran burned US and Israeli flags during Al-Quds Day demonstrations supporting the Palestinian cause.

Most students at Columbia do not have first hand knowledge of war. Military violence has been a vicarious experience, channeled into our minds through television, film, and print. The more sensitive among us struggle to extrapolate experiences of war from our everyday experience, discussing the latest mortality statistics from Guatemala, sensitizing ourselves to our parents' wartime memories, or incorporating into our framework of reality as depicted by a Maller[?] or a Coppola. But the taste of war -- the sounds and chill, the dead bodies -- are remote and far removed. We know that wars have occurred, will occur, are...

President Obama advocated that nations will have to give up some of their autonomous freedoms for international cooperation to achieve security on Tuesday during his speech to the United Nations General Assembly. Obama told the audience how he believes global security can be achieved with the help of international institutions like the U.N. In his remarks, Obama said “powerful nations” like the United States will have to accept constraints and give up some of their freedoms. The president acknowledged that he has been criticized by his own citizens for this belief but he remains convinced he is right. Obama also...

An Israeli source added to the Post that UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka will arrive in Israel on Monday amid the ongoing escalation. Hezbollah has instructed its members to confront the Lebanese army should it attempt to intervene with the group's activities, a source familiar with the details told The Jerusalem Post. “The instruction is very clear: if the Lebanese army attempts to dismantle a position or prevent rocket fire, confront them,” the source said.

Following our bombing of Iran, we are hearing the usual caterwauling from the Left about international law. Of course, no one invokes international law when Iran kills our servicemen, or when Hamas massacres Israelis, or when Iran launches missiles against the United Arab Emirates, and so on. There is a certain asymmetry in the invocation of international law.I took a course in international law when I was in law school. It was taught by a distinguished scholar in that field. As I recall, the first section of the course was devoted to the question, is there such a thing as...

The California governor made the remarks at an event to promote his new memoir, 'Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery.'California Governor Gavin Newsom compared Israel to an “apartheid state” and questioned future U.S. military support for the country. Speaking on stage at an event to promote his new memoir, Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery, Newsom, who is widely expected to enter the 2028 presidential race, was asked by Pod Save America host Jon Favreau about the U.S.-Israel relationship and whether it should be reconsidered. “It breaks my heart, because the current leadership in...

In today’s world, there are 193 countries in the UN. The large majority of those countries will vote consistently against the United States on measures that come before the General Assembly. Then again, the international system that counts is not the UN, but rather the U.S.-led commercial and legal order of alliances and trade. Almost all of the 193 UN member countries participate willingly in that system, to their great benefit. They may oppose the U.S. on many issues, and they may have disputes with their immediate neighbors, but they don’t make themselves constant troublemakers threatening to disrupt world peace...

Keir Starmer has defied brutal rebukes from Donald Trump insisting the UK is 'not involved' with Iran strikes. The PM made his latest attempt to wash his hands of the US president's military campaign in a speech to Muslims breaking Ramadan fast last night. Sir Keir - who has been desperately trying to shore up Labour's left flank since the Greens inflicted an humiliating by-election defeat - also talked up his determination to get 'justice' for Gaza.

France's president has joined Spain in condemning US and Israeli strikes on Iran, branding them illegal. In a televised address on Tuesday evening, Emmanuel Macron declared the attacks were 'outside the bounds of international law'. He is the second Western leader to question the legality of the conflict after Spain's Pedro Sanchez warned that strikes from the US and Israel risked bringing about a 'more uncertain and hostile international order'.

Is there any better evidence that the Europeans are as hidebound, bureaucratic, and ridiculous as we think they are than this statement from European Union Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen in the wake of the U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran's mullah regime? Ursula von der Leyen @vonderleyen Following the ongoing situation in Iran, I am convening a special Security College on Monday. For regional security and stability, it is of the utmost importance that there is no further escalation through Iran’s unjustified attacks on partners in the region. 9:44 AM · Feb 28, 2026 Don't let the bombing of Iran, the...

France advancing bill to criminalize anti-Zionism. French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announces government will back bill to ban anti-Zionist phrases. 'Calling to destroy Israel is calling for genocide.' French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced the country's intention to make anti-Zionism a criminal offense. She made the statement during a speech at the annual meeting of the Council of Jewish Institutions in France. Speaking at the annual gathering of the French Jewish Institutions Council, Lecornu clarified that the government would no longer settle for simply imposing penalties for classic antisemitism, promising, "In April, we will bring to Parliament a bill that...

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced the country's intention to make anti-Zionism a criminal offense. She made the statement during a speech at the Speaking at the annual gathering of the French Jewish Institutions Council, Lecornu clarified that the government would no longer settle for simply imposing penalties for classic antisemitism, promising, "In April, we will bring to Parliament a bill that criminalizes anti-Zionist expressions." He explained, "To define oneself as anti-Zionist is to question Israel's right to exist. It's a call for the destruction of an entire people under the guise of ideology." .....