Ruth Michaelson
@ruthmichaelson.com
Observer Middle East correspondent based in Turkey.
Bylines @theobserveruk.bsky.social & seen in @theguardian.com, sometimes others.
ruth.michaelson@observer.co.uk
ruth.michaelson@guardian.co.uk
ruth@ruthmichaelson.com
www.ruthmichaelson.com
Bylines @theobserveruk.bsky.social & seen in @theguardian.com, sometimes others.
ruth.michaelson@observer.co.uk
ruth.michaelson@guardian.co.uk
ruth@ruthmichaelson.com
www.ruthmichaelson.com
Also isn't this just...grifting on people's fears? Maybe the realtors are friends of whoever runs this account etc– sounds like an easy way to profit off the fears they've spent months fuelling with their Islamophobic posts.
November 5, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Also isn't this just...grifting on people's fears? Maybe the realtors are friends of whoever runs this account etc– sounds like an easy way to profit off the fears they've spent months fuelling with their Islamophobic posts.
"While his opponents described New York as broke, dysfunctional, and crime-ridden, Mamdani talked about the city as a lovely, if chaotic, place—full of tumult and injustices, yes, but also of life and possibilities."
November 5, 2025 at 5:46 PM
"While his opponents described New York as broke, dysfunctional, and crime-ridden, Mamdani talked about the city as a lovely, if chaotic, place—full of tumult and injustices, yes, but also of life and possibilities."
Turmus Ayya suffered a particularly brutal attack by masked settlers this week. When I asked the Israeli military if the attacker was arrested, they said the case was given to the Israeli police: Evidence of Israeli institutions working deep in Palestinian territory. De-facto annexation in action.
October 23, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Turmus Ayya suffered a particularly brutal attack by masked settlers this week. When I asked the Israeli military if the attacker was arrested, they said the case was given to the Israeli police: Evidence of Israeli institutions working deep in Palestinian territory. De-facto annexation in action.
That Trump administration officials spoke out today about Israel's parliament voting on annexing the WB means nothing: De-facto annexation is happening on the ground, with US backing. I have never seen as much settlement construction as I did during this recent visit.
October 23, 2025 at 7:24 PM
That Trump administration officials spoke out today about Israel's parliament voting on annexing the WB means nothing: De-facto annexation is happening on the ground, with US backing. I have never seen as much settlement construction as I did during this recent visit.
The Palestinian-American residents of Turmus Ayya do everything possible to document the attacks and send reports to the US embassy – these go ignored.
Instead US House speaker Mike Johnson + ambassador Mike Huckabee recently visited neighbouring Shiloh, where the settlers attacking them live.
Instead US House speaker Mike Johnson + ambassador Mike Huckabee recently visited neighbouring Shiloh, where the settlers attacking them live.
October 23, 2025 at 7:24 PM
The Palestinian-American residents of Turmus Ayya do everything possible to document the attacks and send reports to the US embassy – these go ignored.
Instead US House speaker Mike Johnson + ambassador Mike Huckabee recently visited neighbouring Shiloh, where the settlers attacking them live.
Instead US House speaker Mike Johnson + ambassador Mike Huckabee recently visited neighbouring Shiloh, where the settlers attacking them live.
Worth noting: Robinson wanted to spread the message that his visit and talk are part of a great "battle for Western civilisation."
Yet a striking amount of his stage time involved him playing videos of himself, and insisting that he is "an investigative journalist." Fragile ego on full display.
Yet a striking amount of his stage time involved him playing videos of himself, and insisting that he is "an investigative journalist." Fragile ego on full display.
October 19, 2025 at 10:33 AM
Worth noting: Robinson wanted to spread the message that his visit and talk are part of a great "battle for Western civilisation."
Yet a striking amount of his stage time involved him playing videos of himself, and insisting that he is "an investigative journalist." Fragile ego on full display.
Yet a striking amount of his stage time involved him playing videos of himself, and insisting that he is "an investigative journalist." Fragile ego on full display.
Quite possible, but the vibe last night was very much that there are "the good Jews" who are on board with what Robinson and the Israeli government see as their project, and then there are the bad Jews (or even, non-Jews) like the BoD or leftists or Jews critical of their project.
October 19, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Quite possible, but the vibe last night was very much that there are "the good Jews" who are on board with what Robinson and the Israeli government see as their project, and then there are the bad Jews (or even, non-Jews) like the BoD or leftists or Jews critical of their project.
Have you read Naomi Klein's Doppleganger? She refers to "the mirror world", this alternate reality that a lot of this exists in – and unfortunately that is a reality now forced on the rest of us.
October 19, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Have you read Naomi Klein's Doppleganger? She refers to "the mirror world", this alternate reality that a lot of this exists in – and unfortunately that is a reality now forced on the rest of us.
Hard to overstate just how warm the welcome was for Robinson in Tel Aviv. British-Israelis and Israelis alike all welcomed him as an ally. Robinson was welcomed to friendly chants, applause– and a standing ovation.
One man who stood up to say "Tommy Robinson is a racist," was assaulted + span on.
One man who stood up to say "Tommy Robinson is a racist," was assaulted + span on.
October 19, 2025 at 10:11 AM
Hard to overstate just how warm the welcome was for Robinson in Tel Aviv. British-Israelis and Israelis alike all welcomed him as an ally. Robinson was welcomed to friendly chants, applause– and a standing ovation.
One man who stood up to say "Tommy Robinson is a racist," was assaulted + span on.
One man who stood up to say "Tommy Robinson is a racist," was assaulted + span on.
The majority of eligible voters in Israel dislike Netanyahu, and that there have been public criticisms of his reticence to engage in talks to free hostages and end the war until Trump intervened.
But he does not need a majority to win– he just needs to keep his base happy. And they are ecstatic.
But he does not need a majority to win– he just needs to keep his base happy. And they are ecstatic.
October 18, 2025 at 11:40 AM
The majority of eligible voters in Israel dislike Netanyahu, and that there have been public criticisms of his reticence to engage in talks to free hostages and end the war until Trump intervened.
But he does not need a majority to win– he just needs to keep his base happy. And they are ecstatic.
But he does not need a majority to win– he just needs to keep his base happy. And they are ecstatic.
Netanyahu's hardcore support base don't think the war is over, and there are few indications that it is. Instead, the Israeli forces in Gaza have shifted into positions that could harden into a permanent Israeli military occupation. This keeps his supporters extremely happy.
October 18, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Netanyahu's hardcore support base don't think the war is over, and there are few indications that it is. Instead, the Israeli forces in Gaza have shifted into positions that could harden into a permanent Israeli military occupation. This keeps his supporters extremely happy.