Yet more violence in the Middle East

Vigil continues with Israeli and US attacks on Iran

March 2026

For 118 weeks now, we have held a vigil in Salisbury with the theme peace in the Middle East. Around 30 attended yesterday (7 March) and the hope must be that one day it would end. Any such hopes were dashed last week when Israel led an attack on Tehran and other Iranian cities followed by the Americans. They claim that all Iranian air defences are destroyed together with their air force and navy. The attacks continue and Israel has now restarted its attacks on Lebanon.

The objectives of the latest campaign are unclear. One aspect is to destroy Iran’s nuclear ambitions which President Trump has already claimed were destroyed. The other is to enable regime change and initially that appears to have happened because the late supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei and his top aids, were tracked to a location enabling them to be assassinated. There was a hope that the people of Iran would rise up and evict the regime.

Thus the violence has continued and taken on a new life. There have been many implications well aired in the press: retaliation from Iran and its dramatic effects on the Gulf states, the closure of the Straights of Hormuz with its effects on oil and gas prices and the closure of the important air hub at Dubai. International stock markets have fallen and energy prices have risen dramatically.

It has also had ramifications for UK politics basically between those who think we should support Israel and the US and those who do not think yet more bombing and violence is a way to conduct foreign affairs. Arguments have surfaced about Britain’s role in offering support via its bases in Fairford Gloucestershire, Cyprus and the Indian Ocean. Initially denied, within days they were made available to the Americans.

The most damaging feature of this latest violence is the erosion of international law. Attacks on foreign states has rapidly become normal behaviour. As ever, it is not the leaders and politicians who suffer, but those at the receiving end of missile, drone and bombing attacks.

“The escalating crisis in the Middle East poses a grave threat to multilateralism and to the integrity of the international legal order. Unlawful acts by parties to the conflict, particularly those committed by influential states, not only endanger civilians across multiple countries, but also accelerate the erosion of the global norms that are essential for the protection of human rights and global peace and security.” Agnès Callamard, Secretary General, Amnesty International. (March 3rd)

Previous posts:

• Yet more violence in the Middle East
• Another execution in Florida
• Is sport good for humanity?
• Executions continue at pace in Florida
• Nigeria and Shell Oil: 30 years on

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Where will it end?

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://theorkneynews.scot/2026/03/07/where-will-it-end/

Fly the Flag For Palestine - Dundrum Bridge

William Dargan Bridge (Dundrum Luas Bridge), Thursday, March 12 at 05:00 PM GMT

Join us this Thursday from 5 pm on the Dundrum Luas bridge.

https://ainriail.org/event/fly-the-flag-for-palestine-dundrum-bridge-34

LIVE: UT holds vigil following deadly Sixth Street shooting

The University of Texas posted on Facebook about a candlelight vigil on Wednesday night.

https://www.kxan.com/news/austin-mass-shooting/ut-announces-vigil-following-deadly-6th-street-shooting/

#6thStreetMassShooting #Austin #Local #News #Texas #TopStories #6thStreet #Shooting #UniversityOfTexas #Ut #Vigil

Dún Laoghaire for Palestine: Community Vigil in Solidarity with Palestine

The Triangle (Monkstown Village), Sunday, March 8 at 06:00 PM GMT

Let’s stand in unwavering solidarity with Palestine once again this Sunday, in the unofficially renamed Triantán na Palaistíne (Palestine Triangle).
Well have Songs, Poetry, Music, Campaign and Event Sharing

https://ainriail.org/event/dun-laoghaire-for-palestine-community-vigil-in-solidarity-with-palestine-28

Vigil on the day war threatens in Middle East

The 117th vigil took place on the day Israel and US attack Iran

March 2026

Reports today (March 1st) that Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead killed by an air strike from Israel. President Trump promised to end foreign wars yet here we are with US and Israeli forces engaged in bombing Iran. There have been retaliations by Iran. The UK’s involvement is as yet unclear but RAF jets are reported to be airborne in defence of some Gulf states and no doubt other assistance has been offered.

About 30 attended the 117th vigil in Salisbury in what seems almost a forlorn hope of seeing peace in the region. To engage in yet more military actions with all the tens of thousands already dead, seems an utterly pointless exercise which may bring short-term advantages but has no prospect of longer term stability.

Both Israel and the US are concerned by Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Yet no mention is ever made that Israel is a nuclear state. The Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation estimate the country has 90 such weapons and sufficient nuclear material for another 100. Considerable secrecy surrounds this fact and needless to say western media almost never mention it.

Part of the rationale for these recent attacks is to rid Iran of its murderous leadership the head of which appears to have been killed yesterday. The idea that the death of Khamenei is going to lead to some kind of peaceful conclusion and regime change is fanciful. Even if the current regime is deposed in some kind of coup or insurrection, who knows who or what will replace them? There is no obvious successor and the immediate outcome is likely to be instability. This action is more to do with domestic troubles being experienced by Messrs Trump and Netanyahu. And what about the Board of Peace?

Israeli supporting press are broadly in favour. Bringing peace, human rights and stability to a country by dropping bombs on it seems an odd way to go about things. We tried that in Iraq…

• Executions continue at pace in Florida
• Nigeria and Shell Oil: 30 years on
• Vigil on the day war threatens in Middle East
• Talk in Southampton
• Coffee morning

The Ceasefire that isn’t

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://theorkneynews.scot/2026/02/28/the-ceasefire-that-isnt/