Robert Swift

Robert Swift is a freelance Scottish journalist and writer, based in Jerusalem. His work focuses on technology, Middle Eastern politics, and security and military affairs.

Recent Articles
Beitar Jerusalem F.C. fans seen before the start of the match between their team and Hapoel Haifa F.C. at the final of the State Cup in the Teddy stadium, Jerusalem, May 9, 2018. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
With its racist history, can a Jerusalem football team accept an Arab owner?
As Emirati sheikh buys shares in Beitar Jerusalem, the notorious club is confronting its racist ultra-fans in hopes of reviving its competitive edge.
By Robert Swift January 4, 2021
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, March 9, 2016. (Flash90)
The Middle East is leaving Palestinians behind. Will it be different with Biden?
With no strategy to counter Arab states' alignment with Israel, it is unclear how much a change in the White House will benefit Palestinians.
By Robert Swift October 29, 2020
Illustrative photo of a concert in Gaza City, November 21, 2013. (Emad Nassar/Flash90)
From science to classical music, Israel clamps down on Palestinian culture
The last months have seen Israel crack down on cultural figures and intellectuals in the occupied territories. Critics say the attacks are part of a larger strategy of suppressing Palestinian civil society.
By Robert Swift August 26, 2020
Israelis protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outside Prime Minister's Residence in Jerusalem, July 25, 2020. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)
Who are the Israeli protesters at Netanyahu’s doorstep?
The disparate protest groups filling Jerusalem’s streets have been labeled by Israeli authorities as anarchists and even traitors. But who are the demonstrators, and what do they want?
By Robert Swift July 27, 2020
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a statement to the press regarding implementing Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley and it's Jewish settlements, in Ramat Gan on September 10, 2019. (Hadas Parush/Flash90)
How Europe could rethink its economic ties with Israel
Israel has ignored EU criticisms of West Bank annexation while enjoying funds for science and technology. It will not halt its plans if relations are unchanged.
By Robert Swift and Ben Fisher June 10, 2020
Israeli border police wear face masks as protection from the coronavirus as they stand guard in the Muslim quarters in Jerusalem's Old City. March 15, 2020. (Yossi Zamiri/Flash90)
Coronavirus gives Israel the perfect cover to tighten its grip over Palestinians
Israel is taking advantage of the world's distraction during the pandemic to push for annexation, deeper surveillance, and more control over Palestinians.
By Robert Swift April 26, 2020
A security guard checks the temperature of customers to identify if they have fever in a Rami Levy supermarket in Jerusalem on March 18, 2020. (Olivier Fitoussi/FLASH90)
The coronavirus pandemic will end. Israel’s extreme surveillance will not
Israel is preventing oversight of its virus policy while partnering with high-tech companies to monitor citizens. Critics worry these methods are here to stay.
By Robert Swift March 19, 2020
Meeting of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin, Germany, February 16, 2016. (Amos Ben Gershom/GPO)
What is stopping Europe from challenging the ‘Deal of the Century?’
The EU's fixation on the two-state solution has detached it from changes in Israeli politics and U.S. policy. It has the clout to act, but does it have the will?
By Robert Swift March 8, 2020
Palestinians pick olives during harvest season at a farm near the separation wall in the West Bank village of Deir Debwan, October 18, 2019. (Wisam Hashlamoun/Flash90)
Legacy of South African Bantustans hangs over Trump deal
South Africa's Bantustans were designed to weaken and fragment the black population. Under Trump's plan, Palestine could face a similar fate.
By Robert Swift February 9, 2020
Most Read
  1. ‘Lavender’: The AI machine directing Israel’s bombing spree in Gaza
  2. Six months after October 7, a lament for the paths not chosen
  3. ‘The soldiers opened the way for the settlers’: Pogroms surge across West Bank
  4. The unexceptional violence of Israel’s ‘Haredi battalion’
  5. ‘A mass assassination factory’: Inside Israel’s calculated bombing of Gaza
  1. ‘Lavender’: The AI machine directing Israel’s bombing spree in Gaza
  2. Six months after October 7, a lament for the paths not chosen
  3. ‘The soldiers opened the way for the settlers’: Pogroms surge across West Bank
  4. ‘A mass assassination factory’: Inside Israel’s calculated bombing of Gaza
  5. The unexceptional violence of Israel’s ‘Haredi battalion’
  1. ‘Lavender’: The AI machine directing Israel’s bombing spree in Gaza
  2. ‘A mass assassination factory’: Inside Israel’s calculated bombing of Gaza
  3. Even without a UN veto, Gaza remains hostage to American power
  4. Why do Israelis feel so threatened by a ceasefire?
  5. The spiraling absurdity of Germany's pro-Israel fanaticism