Brian's unique explorations of the conflict and the historical context and events leading up to Hamas's October 7 terrorist pogrom, Israel's response in its Gaza campaign, and the wider regional situation and context

(Arabic الترجمة العربية / Hebrew תרגום לעברית) Brian's writing, academic studies, independent research, and journalism on the Israel-Hamas, Israeli-Palestinian, Israeli-Arab, and other Middle East conflicts span over two decades through his undergraduate and graduate degree programs (including a class abroad in Israel and Palestine), his decade of journalism, his work in the humanitarian aid and development sectors, his living and working ro4 over five years in the Middle East (mainly in Jordan but also Israel and Palestine) as well as his commentary as an expert for two Arabic language television stations.  His relevant work and commentary has been featured in The Jerusalem ReportThe Jerusalem ReportThe Jordan TimesVentureSmall Wars Journal, Global Risk Insights, (Policy)Mic, The Washington and Lee Political Review, AlGhad TV, and Alaraby TV.

My Most in-depth article on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was my July 28, 2014 piece titled: The Israel-Hamas Gaza High-Stakes Poker Game of Death.  You will get a an exploration of the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict going back to the beginnings of Zionism in the late nineteenth century along with a detailed analysis of the 2014 Israel-Hamas violence, the most violent confrontation between Israeli and Hamas until the current 2023 crisis.  Two much shorter excerpts from this article are particularly relevant: Who Really Controls Gaza? Israel’s Election, Netanyahu, and the struggle for Israel’s Soul and Counterinsurgency (COIN) & Civilians: Israeli vs. American Approaches.  Also of particular relevance for those wanting to understand the history and roots of the conflict is my graduate school paper on the British Mandate era, which saw the First Arab-Israeli War and, the birth of Israel as a state, and the first mass displacement of Palestinians, and another graduate paper of mine on water rights in Palestinian territory.  The rest of my work is highlighted below.

THE CURRENT WAR

The Real Context News Podcast #12: Rula Jebreal—Palestinian Journalist, Analyst, & Author—on Palestine and Israel

By Brian E. Frydenborg (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter @bfry1981, YouTube) January 6, 2024 (recorded December 29, 2023 intro/conclusion recorded January 5, 2024); see Brian’s other coverage the Israel-Hamas war here; because of YOU, Real Context News surpassed one million content views ...

The Real Context News Podcast #10: Journalist Noga Tarnopolsky on Israel’s 2 Wars: One vs. Hamas & One vs. Netanyahu

By Brian E. Frydenborg (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter @bfry1981, YouTube)  December 26, 2023 (recorded December 17, intro/conclusion recorded December 25); see Brian's other coverage the Israel-Hamas war here; because of YOU, Real Context News surpassed one million content views on January 1, 2023, but I still need your help, ...
Huddling in caves Two Towers

The Lord of the Rings, Israel, and Palestine: Reflections of the Gaza-Hamas War in Tolkien

From Jenin to Jerusalem, from Kibbutz Be'eri to Al-Shifa Hospital, how Tolkien's tale evokes the horrors of war but also our common humanity By Brian E. Frydenborg (Twitter @bfry1981, LinkedIn, Facebook, Substack with exclusive informal content, my Linktree with all ...
Al Jazeera footage shows rocked failing above hospital

Facts, Context Don’t Care About Your Narrative: Gaza Hospital Edition

I believed one thing at first. As more information came in, I let the facts and context guide me and came to believe something else. And while the specific responsibility for this one horrific incident of carnage belonging to one ...

6 Steps for Israel to Take to Still Win, but with Far Better Outcomes for Itself and Gaza

A catastrophe at a hospital, regardless of its cause, highlights the need for careful, not rash action, on the part of Israel for the sake of both Israelis and Palestinians, that tragic scene of mass death the exact type of ...

The 9/11 and 10/7 Analogy for the Israel-Hamas War: Why It Both Does and Does Not Fit

An imperfect comparison is still an instructive one By Brian E. Frydenborg (Twitter @bfry1981, LinkedIn, Facebook, Substack with exclusive informal content, my Linktree with all my public links/profiles) October 11, 2023 (slightly updated figures late afternoon) (Arabic الترجمة العربية / ...

BACKGROUND

The Real Context News Podcast #12: Rula Jebreal—Palestinian Journalist, Analyst, & Author—on Palestine and Israel

By Brian E. Frydenborg (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter @bfry1981, YouTube) January 6, 2024 (recorded December 29, 2023 intro/conclusion recorded January 5, 2024); see Brian’s other coverage the Israel-Hamas war here; because of YOU, Real Context News surpassed one million content views ...

If You Want to Support Israel, Call Out Its Apartheid in the West Bank

Siding with Israel when it is clearly wrong does not make you a friend, it makes you an enabler, and a former Israeli Mossad chief might just be able to shift the conversation further in the direction it needs to ...

Wading into Israel and Palestine Quicksand, Biden Offers a Diplomacy 101 Class for All

Biden pretty much nailed it with his efforts to achieve a cease-fire, but his critics miss the big picture and do not understand how diplomacy works By Brian E. Frydenborg (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter @bfry1981) May 27, 2021; also published May ...
Rockets and Iron Dome

Death, Stupidity; Rinse, Repeat: What Is New, What Is Old in Latest Israeli-Palestinian Tragedy

A sick twist in the current cycle of violence stems from the natural outcomes of the repeated past cycles of fighting and perpetuation of the extremist behavior and policies causing them By Brian E. Frydenborg (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter @bfry1981) May ...

The Iran Natanz Attack Sorta Happened in Star Wars: The Clone Wars (and in a way instructive for us all!)

Two Star Wars: The Clone Wars episodes with surprising resonance for the Middle East and the conflict involving Iran, Israel, and America provide solid lessons on conflict and diplomacy By Brian E. Frydenborg (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter @bfry1981) April 15, 2021; ...

Bibi’s Trump Show: How Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Wins by Imitating the Donald

As Israel votes today, it’s time to pause and ponder just how bad a sign Netanyahu’s aping of Trump is for the state of Israel’s politics By Brian E. Frydenborg (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter@bfry1981) September 17th, 2019 Ofer Vaknin CAMBRIDGE — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin ...

On Bourdain Day, His Life a Reminder to All that Anyone Can Speak Up for the Marginalized, Bring People Together

On his birthday, let's remember what why we all loved Anthony Bourdain: because he showed us how to love each other no matter who we are, a lesson of the highest importance in these increasingly uncivil times By Brian E ...

9/11 and Global Tribalism

As the 90s closed out, humanity was coming together. Now it’s tearing itself apart. Originally published on LinkedIn Pulse September 22, 2018 By Brian E. Frydenborg (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter@bfry1981), September 11th-13th, 2018, and republished by Tuck Magazine September 24th; See ...
Other Related External Articles by Brian:

The Jerusalem Post

The war in Ukraine is embarrassing for Israelis and Palestinians- Nov 1, 2022

Starting a conversation- Oct 20, 2016

Encountering dehumanization- Jan 6, 2016

The Jerusalem Report

Americans and Israelis, living by division, need hope- Nov 15, 2020

The London School of Economics and Politics (LSE) Middle East Centre

Trump and Netanyahu: Tainted Love Furthers Self-Destructive Tribalism- February 22, 2019

Small Wars Journal

 

Academic work

A Glass Half Empty: Selections of Israeli Water-Related Policy Affecting Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip - February 2011 PDF

The British in Mandate Palestine: Assessment of an Intervention - March 2010 PDF

Presented at the Arab-American University - Jenin's "Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding in Palestine: Reality and Challenges" Conference, May 2015

"Entering a conflict in between confrontation and intermittent violence between two parties that saw themselves with wholly incompatible interests, and failing to address that very issue, saw British policies push the parties to sustained violence and all-out civil and inter-state war; even in 2010, the Arabs and Jews in Palestine go back and forth between confrontation, intermittent violence, sustained violence, and war, with no end in sight; and this is a legacy of the British Mandate era for Palestine: the social constructs are still at the heart of this conflict, and that is why peace remains so elusive." 

Behind the Human Bombs: Understanding Palestinian Suicide Terrorism - November 2009  PDF

Rome and the Barbarians, America and the TerroristsWashington & Lee Political Review - Spring 2007 PDF

DONATE TO HELP THE PEOPLE OF PALESTINE AND ISRAEL

Palestine Red Crescent Society is basically the Red Cross in Gaza and the rest of Palestine.

IsraAID is Israel's largest humanitarian organization.

Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF), a deeply experienced organization, has provided emergency medical services for people in Gaza for many years.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is the UN agency specifically tasked with helping Palestinians.  Several of its aid workers have already been killed in the current round of violence.

The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee is one of the largest Jewish-focused philanthropic organizations in the world and is helping Israelis on the ground.

Save the Children is one of the premier international aid organizations and has long-operated in Gaza.