Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- May 18, 2021

Matt Spetalnick, Steve Holland and Patricia Zengerle, Reuters: Analysis: Biden sticks to Israel-Gaza playbook, irking progressives and allies

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With his muted response to the Gaza conflict, President Joe Biden is largely sticking to a time-worn U.S. playbook despite pressure from progressive Democrats for a tougher line toward Israel and from America’s allies for a more active role to end the violence.

By citing Israel’s right to defend itself against a rocket barrage from the Hamas-ruled enclave and only nudging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu toward a ceasefire, Biden has effectively given Israeli forces more time to press their offensive against Palestinian militants there.

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- May 18, 2021

What is Hamas? Who supports Hamas? What you need to know -- David Ehl (DW)

Defend Israel – or Prepare for Wider Conflict -- Robert Charles, RCD

Timeline: How the current Israel-Hamas conflict has expanded -- Monir Ghaedi, DW

Iran nuclear deal could weaken

U.S. efforts to end Israel-Gaza violence -- Yen Nee Lee, CNBC

Who Are The Early Contenders For Iran's Looming Presidential Vote? -- Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE

Washington is Misreading Iranian Politics -- Newsweek

Covid variant from India: How contagious is the new variant? -- Akshay Syal, NBC

Is Taiwan's COVID success story in jeopardy? -- William Yang, DW

Japan's Olympic-Sized Problem -- Matt Alt, New Yorker

Why Nigeria Has Failed to Defeat Boko Haram -- Ishaq Khalid, BBC

Ecuador’s Guillermo Lasso Has His Work Cut Out for Him -- Americas Quarterly

Vladimir Putin and the Myth that Just Won’t Die -- Ben Noble, Moscow Times

In Ukraine conflict, Putin hits NATO's credibility -- Konstantin Eggert, DW

What’s Next for Scotland’s Independence Movement? -- Scheffer & Babin, CFR

Stop Letting Lies About Northern Ireland’s Past Go Unchallenged -- CapX