Jacob Wirtschafter

1 week ago | momentmag.com | Jacob Wirtschafter

TEL AVIV — As the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza dragged into its twentieth month, even a film festival felt like a front line. As I witnessed last month in Tel Aviv, the international film festival commonly known as Docaviv wasn’t just for the showcasing of documentaries—it became a stage for a cultural standoff. On the domestic side: filmmakers navigating state pressure, shrinking public spaces and a government that sees dissent as a threat.

1 week ago | themedialine.org | Ahmad Qweidar |Jacob Wirtschafter

Iran’s unraveling influence in Syria and Lebanon reflects a broader collapse of its regional strategy as Israel escalates direct confrontation [Damascus] When Israeli warplanes struck deep into Iran’s nuclear infrastructure this past weekend, northern Israel braced for the usual blowback: rockets from Hezbollah positions near Habbariyeh in southern Lebanon and drones launched from around Homs in Syria.

1 week ago | ynetnews.com | Jacob Wirtschafter

Sara Saleem stood silently as the judge refused to hear her witnesses and dismissed documents that had once promised justice. Nearly a decade after she was kidnapped in the southern Iraqi city of Basrah, the woman who returned to Iraq to rebuild her life now faces prosecution—while her alleged abductors walk free.

1 week ago | themedialine.org | Jacob Wirtschafter

Sara Saleem, the Kurdish US citizen facing trial in Iraq. (Shad Saleem) Sara Saleem returned to Iraq seeking justice for her abduction and stolen business. Instead, she's being prosecuted in a court system shaped by Tehran’s proxies. Sara Saleem stood silently as the judge refused to hear her witnesses and dismissed documents that had once promised justice.

2 weeks ago | washingtontimes.com | Jacob Wirtschafter

ISTANBUL — President Recep Tayyip Erdogan — emboldened by the Trump White House’s embrace of a more muscular Turkey — is racing to capitalize on the opening by settling scores, making deals and putting his country center stage in the Middle East The Turkish leader’s actions, from reopening ties with Damascus to raising interest rates, reflect a strategy aimed at maximizing his leverage during what Mr. Erdogan sees as a four-year window created by President Trump’s second term.