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The Last Geneva Observer Briefing

Today was our last Geneva Observer Briefing. Four and a half years since we published our first piece and ten months after our move to a reader-funded model, our diminished financial resources have unfortunately made it impossible for us to continue bringing you our exclusive stories and analysis. Last year’

Anger and Consternation within European Trade Unions: Will Russian Union Representative Supportive of Vladimir Putin’s War Effort and Repression Be Elected to the ILO’s Governing Body?

The possible election on June 10 to the International Labour Organization's Governing Body of a representative of the Russian Federation of Independent Trade Unions (FNPR), a state-controlled organization allied with Vladimir Putin, has sparked an acrimonious debate within the labour movement. Ukrainian trade unions, together with a number

The Unfinished Journey of Palestinian Statehood

On May 22, Palestine was recognized as a state by Norway, Ireland, and Spain, bringing the number of countries recognizing Palestine’s statehood to over 140 of the 193 members of the United Nations. And yet Palestine is still not a legal state. Moreover, the current political consensus is that

Maxims for the AI Age

Reid Hoffman | Far too often, debates about technology fall into crude dichotomies – humans versus machines, utopia versus dystopia – that distract from the matter at hand. Rather than fixating on extremes, we should adopt a more nuanced and historically informed view of our tools, and of ourselves.

Reckoning With a New Authoritarian Block

Joschka Fisher | One direct result of Vladimir Putin’s war of aggression has been the emergence of a new authoritarian bloc comprising Russia and China, as well as North Korea, Iran, and others. As these relationships deepen, the world will move further down the path to outright bifurcation.

Trump May Not Be Above the Law, but Are Israeli and Hamas Leaders?

While statements that “No one is above the law,” are repeated in the US over the trials of former President Donald Trump, can the same be said when it comes to international law? Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan of the International Criminal Court (ICC) answered yes, by analogy, when he announced

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The Geneva Observer Briefings

#182 THE G|O BRIEFING, MAY 30, 2024

Farewell from the G|O | Dismay Among Ukrainian and European Trade Unions Over Putin Supporter's Election Bid to ILO Governing Body | The Unfinished Journey of Palestinian Statehood | Maxims for the AI Age

#181 THE G|O BRIEFING, MAY 23, 2024

ILO Appoints Chinese Official Who Dismissed Concerns about Uyghurs | Webster Geneva Drops “University” Under Legal Pressure | Don't Believe the AI Hype | Trump, Israel, Hamas—Is Anyone Above the Law?

#180 THE G|O BRIEFING, MAY 17, 2024

A Tax on Streaming? Epic Battle Rages at the WTO | UAE Rejects UN Criticism of Abusive Anti-Terrorism Charges | In Geneva, the First AI Arms Control Talks? | Op-Ed: The Unbearable Lightness of Anti-Zionism

Opinion

Maxims for the AI Age

Reid Hoffman | Far too often, debates about technology fall into crude dichotomies – humans versus machines, utopia versus dystopia – that distract from the matter at hand. Rather than fixating on extremes, we should adopt a more nuanced and historically informed view of our tools, and of ourselves.

Reckoning With a New Authoritarian Block

Joschka Fisher | One direct result of Vladimir Putin’s war of aggression has been the emergence of a new authoritarian bloc comprising Russia and China, as well as North Korea, Iran, and others. As these relationships deepen, the world will move further down the path to outright bifurcation.

King Trump on Trial

Richard Sherwin | Republican politicians have lately been turning up at Trump’s trial to demonstrate solidarity with the former president. But their attendance also serves a more alarming purpose: to validate Trump as a competing source of sovereign power, independent of the US Constitution.

A Unified Strategy for Ukraine

Anders Aslund | For more than two years, Western governments have trickled weapons and ammunition into Ukraine, sometimes with little coordination. The sooner they can embrace a collective strategy based on shared objectives, the better it will be for everyone.

When is Criticism of Israel Anti-Semitic?

Peter Singer | Undoubtedly, some anti-Semites have used student protests as cover for stirring up hatred of anyone Jewish, irrespective of their views on what is happening in Gaza. But to characterize the protests as comparable to Nazi anti-Semitism, as Binyamin Netanyahu has done, is grotesque.

The Privileged Gaza Protesters

IAN BURUMA | The ideological underpinnings of the Pro-Palestine protests on American campuses connect Israel’s war in Gaza to all other forms of oppression. But are elite university students presenting themselves as anti-racists, anti-imperialists, and anti-colonialists to preserve their privilege?

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In Focus: ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR

Welcome to our special coverage on the Israel-Hamas conflict. Here, we offer a broad perspective on the enduring and complex war between Israel and Hamas, exploring the historical context, the key issues at stake, and the implications for regional and global politics.

The Unfinished Journey of Palestinian Statehood

On May 22, Palestine was recognized as a state by Norway, Ireland, and Spain, bringing the number of countries recognizing Palestine’s statehood to over 140 of the 193 members of the United Nations. And yet Palestine is still not a legal state. Moreover, the current political consensus is that

Trump May Not Be Above the Law, but Are Israeli and Hamas Leaders?

While statements that “No one is above the law,” are repeated in the US over the trials of former President Donald Trump, can the same be said when it comes to international law? Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan of the International Criminal Court (ICC) answered yes, by analogy, when he announced

The Unbearable Lightness of Anti-Zionism

The Politics of Student Protests and Their Unintended Consequences

Daniel Warner | Should protesters think about how politicians and voters will use them?

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Resources

Resources is an expanding curated and tagged collection of various documents we use while writing The Geneva Observer. Its allows you to easily find and download research UN reports, academic and NGOs papers.

Document: How to Fix the WTO

Document: How to Fix the WTO

Building on the International Chamber of Commerce’s (ICC) long-standing support for the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the multilateral trading system, this paper is intended to set out a holistic vision for WTO reform from the perspective of the global business community.

Assessment of Restrictions on Palestinian Water Sector Development

Assessment of Restrictions on Palestinian Water Sector Development

The goal of the assessment is to develop a balanced analysis and create awareness of the factors restricting Palestinian water sector development as well as of the economic, social, and environmental impacts of these restrictions.

UNRWA and the Palestine Refugees: Challenges for Developing a Strategic Vision

UNRWA and the Palestine Refugees: Challenges for Developing a Strategic Vision

UNRWA Final Report 2022UNRWA Final Report 2022.pdf3 MBdownload-circle

"Unsustained Reforms, Unprotected Rights" - BWI's Full Report on Migrant Workers' Plight in Qatar Post World Cup 2022

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"Unsustained Reforms, Unprotected Rights" - BWI's Full Report on Migrant Workers' Plight in Qatar Post World Cup 2022

Building and Woodworkers’ International (BWI) dismisses the Gulf state’s repeated claims that it has significantly altered its labour practices and put in place the mechanisms needed to ensure that changes in its legislation are implemented.

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