The word normal derives from the Latin normalis. In the context of US-Cuba relations it refers to civilized diplomatic behavior, according to historically established philosophical precepts: norms or rules of peaceful conduct between nations.

What rules of peaceful conduct by the United States towards Cuba may we expect from now on? Which normative rules could be considered normal and which abnormal? More

Why is President Obama’s deal to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon—a plan also supported by all the other major world powers—arousing such opposition in the United States and Israel? The reasons given by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and by the war hawks in the U.S. Senate are bogus, rejected even by U.S. and Israeli intelligence agencies. This latest “great debate” is only nominally about nukes; it is really another chapter in the longstanding effort of the United States (and junior partner Israel) to establish dominance in the Middle East. This episode focuses on finding an effective strategy for removing or domesticating the Islamist regime in Iran, and on which of the countries in the region will be the on-site agent of U.S. hegemony.

Western media coverage uncritically reports the controversy as a reflection of honest differences of opinion (among countries, politicians, and diplomats) about how best to stop Iran’s purported march toward nuclear weapons, and therefore prevent the purportedly inevitable aggression that would follow. To justify this portrait, the corporate media misinterpret the rhetoric of Iranian officials as evidence of their belligerent nuclear intentions. At the same time, they also misinterpret the overtly belligerent rhetoric of U.S. and Israeli officials as confirmation of Iranian bellicosity and of the earnest U.S.-Israeli wish to achieve regional peace. More

The US Supreme Court’s recent decision on marriage equality led to celebrations around the world. A very strong and loud message of support came from Palestinian artist Khaled Jarrar, who painted large rainbow stripes on the Israeli separation wall at Qalandiya checkpoint. He titled the piece “Through the Spectrum.” He intended for the rainbow - an icon of freedom, love, and humanity - to juxtapose the oppression represented by the wall.[1] Graffiti art, including works by Banksy, cover the 700 km wall that effectively turns the West Bank into an open-air prison.

Khaled Jarrar received an outpouring of support. Nonetheless, some members of the Palestinian community whitewashed his work that evening. What the artist says disturbs him the most about the incident is the media’s explanation that Palestinians are intolerant people who despise homosexuality. Although homosexuality is socially taboo in Palestine, the media’s readiness to represent the Palestinians as homophobic plays into a phenomenon called pinkwashing. Pinkwashing is the marketing of Israel as a safe haven for homosexuals, particularly in comparison to Palestine. The phenomenon deflects international attention away from Israel’s human rights record against Palestinians. More