80 Villages, Towns In Maharashtra Named After Muslim Kings; 32 After Aurangzeb Not Renamed
New Age Islam
News Bureau
15 March 2024
·
80
Villages, Towns In Maharashtra Named After Muslim Kings; 32 After Aurangzeb Not
Renamed
·
Rise Of
Khawarij, Takfiri Ideologies Alarming –Malaysian Religious Affairs
·
Council
Of Europe Leads First Coordination Meeting To Combat Anti-Muslim Discrimination
In Europe
·
Foreign
Minister: “South Africans Fighting For Israel Will Be Arrested”
·
US Senate
Leader Urges New Election In Israel Amid Gaza Crimes
-----
India
·
CAA: Indian
Union Muslim League Supports Kerala Govt Stance
·
Govt Forms
Tribunal To Look Into Ban on Jamaat-e-Islami, J-K
----
Southeast
Asia
·
European
Islamic Thinkers Want Malaysia To Formulate Strategies To Combat Islamophobia:
PM Anwar
·
Malaysia
reaffirms unwavering commitment to address Islamophobia, says Tok Mat
·
PM Anwar’s
stand on Gaza draws support from prominent global figures
·
Four
Facilities Built With Public Donations Destroyed In Palestine, Says Muslim Care
Malaysia
·
Singapore
to conduct airdrop operations to deliver aid supplies to Gaza
·
Consumer
boycott widens to include Israeli dates as Muslims in Malaysia, Indonesia
observe Ramadan
·
Religious
Ministry opens Hindu educational institutions
-----
Europe
·
UK
Government Warned New Extremism Definition Will ‘Vilify’ Muslims
·
In
Pro-Israel Move, UK Govt. Seeks New Definition Of Extremism To Target Muslims
·
German
Kids Banned From Drinking Water In Class Out Of Consideration For Muslim Pupils
During Ramadan
·
Protesters
who shut San Francisco bridge over Gaza war handed community service
·
55% of
French citizens support Israel against terrorism, survey shows
----
Africa
·
‘Respect
fasting, Muslims, don’t eat in public during fasting hours’
·
Ramadan:
Jigawa sets aside N2.8bn for breaking the fast
·
DRC: 7
million displaced and “unprecedented” crisis, according to the UN
----
North
America
·
US
Sanctions Three Israeli Extremists, Two Of Their West Bank Outpost Farms
·
Canada
suspends non-lethal military exports to Israel
·
Michigan
Arab and Muslim leaders fuming after second Biden visit this year with no
meeting
·
Alberta-designed
app aims to make balancing religion and life easier for young Muslims
·
Vote
Despite 80 Favorable Witness Testimonies, 100K+ Community Demands for Action
·
CAIR-Houston
Withdraws Support from Annual Houston Mayor’s Ramadan Iftar Over Failure to
Call for Gaza Ceasefire
·
US, UK
carry out new aerial aggression against Yemen
----
South
Asia
·
UNAMA's
Effectiveness 'Limited' So Far: Islamic Emirate
·
UK
provides £5.2 million additional humanitarian support to Rohingyas
·
Acting
Foreign Minister Discusses Bilateral Relations with Iranian Ambassador
·
Torkham
Crossing reopens exclusively for Afghan cancer patients
·
Iran
forcefully deported over 1,000 Afghan refugees
·
Afghanistan’s
assets in Switzerland reach $270 million
·
Witness
Accounts of Herat Uprising on 24th Hoot
·
'Harassment'
of Yunus to impact US-Bangladesh ties: US senator
·
Child
protection: Govt, UNICEF recruit 1,200 social workers
----
Mideast
·
Hezbollah
Tells Iran It Would Fight Alone In Any War With Israel
·
Police Gird
For First Ramadan Friday Violence After Hamas Calls To ‘Defend Al-Aqsa’
·
70,000
Palestinians perform Tarawih prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque despite Israeli
restrictions
·
Israeli
Regime Failed To Achieve Any Goals In War On Gaza: Iranian Foreign Minister
·
Hamas
calls for public mobilization in support of Gaza, al-Aqsa on first Friday of
Ramadan
·
Turkish
aid agency delivers Ramadan food packages to Palestine
·
Hamas
issues ceasefire proposal detailing exchange of hostages, prisoners
------
Arab
World
·
Yemen’s
Houthis Reported To Have A Hypersonic Missile, Possibly Raising Stakes In Red
Sea Crisis
·
Revolution
leader announces preventing ships linked to Zionist enemy from crossing through
Indian Ocean
·
Saudi
ministry reiterates hospitality rules in Makkah and Madinah during Umrah, Hajj
seasons
·
Saudi
city of Jubail to host UNESCO’s 6th International Conference on Learning Cities
·
Saudi
minister, Sweden’s MENA ambassadors discuss Gaza conflict
·
'MATARAT
Holding': Kingdom's Airports Ready to Receive Umrah Pilgrims During Ramadan
----
Pakistan
·
Pakistan
Court Rejects Imran Khan-Backed Sunni Ittehad Council's Reserved Seats Petition
·
PTI core
committee demands Imran’s immediate release
·
Pakistan
registers strong protest against implementation of India’s ‘controversial’
citizenship law
·
Free
Trade Agreement likely in Iran president’s visit to Pakistan: envoy
·
Islamabad
Court Reopens Graft Cases Against Nawaz’s Sons After Surrender
·
Major
setback to PTI: PHC dismisses SIC petitions for reserved seats
·
Gandapur
met Shehbaz with Imran’s permission: Gohar
----
Australia
·
Australia
Resumes Funding For UNRWA, Pledges More Gaza Aid
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/maharashtra-muslim-kings-aurangzeb/d/131928
-----
80 Villages, Towns In Maharashtra Named After Muslim
Kings; 32 After Aurangzeb Not Renamed
March 15, 2024
Zeeshan Shaikh
The Maharashtra cabinet on Wednesday decided to rename
Ahmednagar as Ahilyanagar after AhilyabaiHolkar.
Over the last few months the state government has gone
about renaming towns and cities in the state in an effort to give these places
an indigenous name. Since July 2023, the state has renamed three cities—
Aurangabad as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Osmanabad as Dharashiv and Ahmednagar
as Ahilyanagar.
While previous names of these cities are now a thing
of the past, the Mughals, Adilshahi and Nizamshahi rulers after whom these
cities were previously named have left a substantial legacy of their name
across various towns and villages in the state.
Of 44,661 cities, towns and villages of Maharashtra,
around 80 carry the name of Mughals, Adilshahi and Nizamshahi rulers who
governed various parts of the state.
The ruler after whom the maximum number of place—32
towns and villages— are named is Aurangzeb, followed by Jahangir who has 21
villages named after him. The state also has three villages named after Babar
and 11 after Shahjahan. Amongst other Muslim rulers, 11 villages are named
after Ahmed Nizam Shah and three villages after Asaf Jahi dynasty.
Many of these rulers, now deemed invaders, are
inseparably entwined with Maharashtra’s history and culture. Apart from the
historical monuments they left behind, the most visible legacy of their rule is
in the various towns and villages across India that bear their names.
Interestingly Aurangzeb, who is amongst the most
reviled Mughal rulers in Maharashtra, has left a significant imprint on the
state having villages named after him in 13 of the state’s 36 districts.
Despite the state government renaming Aurangabad as ChattrapatiSambhaji Nagar,
there are still two other villages in the recently renamed Ahmednagar district
that are called Aurangabad. Most of the other villages are called Aurangpur.
While there are a substantial number of standalone
names after these monarchs, most of the names are more syncretic like Mahuli
Jahangir, Shahjahanpur Chakla and AurangapurChawka.
Maharashtra also has a large number of villages which
showcase their links to Muslim history. It has 11 Islampurs spread over nine
districts, and a handful of Azampur’s, Jafrabad, Fatehabad Mirzapur and
Rahimpurs.
Source:
indianexpress.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/80-villages-towns-maharashtra-names-muslim-kings-aurangzeb-9214402/
---
Rise Of Khawarij, Takfiri Ideologies Alarming
–Malaysian Religious Affairs
Minister in the Prime
Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar — Picture by
Hari Anggara
------
15 Mar 2024
THE rise of the Khawarij and Takfiri ideologies in our
country has become alarming, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department
(Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr MohdNa’im Mokhtar.
To address this issue, he said the government is taking
measures to curb the spread of these ideologies.
"We are actively monitoring Islamic teachings,
conducting lectures and religious classes in public places like mosques and
surau and also on social media, to promote unity and prevent deviation from the
teachings of Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jamaah," he said when winding up the debate
on the motion of thanks for the Royal Address in the Dewan Rakyat.
Khawarij ideology involves condemning any government
perceived as 'oppressive', while Takfiri ideology involves easily accusing
others of apostasy.
MohdNa'im said the government would ensure that the
teachings of Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jamaah are firmly established and comprehended
by the Muslim community.
He highlighted that if any religious speakers
introduce confusing topics that threaten unity, they will receive a warning
from the Mufti department and their teaching licences may be revoked if they
don't adhere to regulations.
"The government's aim is for Malaysian Muslims to
follow Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jamaah and avoid labeling fellow Muslims as
disbelievers simply due to differences in opinions," he said.
On another note, MohdNa'im said the special committee
to study issues related to the competencies of the State Legislative Assembly
in enacting Islamic laws would present a report on their findings and
recommendations within six months to a year.
The report would be presented to the National Council
of Islamic Religious Affairs (MKI), and the Conference of Rulers for approval
before being tabled at the Cabinet meeting.
"We urge all parties to remain patient and allow
the Special Committee to carry out its study and present their recommendations
and perspectives on all arising issues.
He said the public should not worry about the impact
of the Nik Elin Zurina case on Syariah courts as it would not affect their
authority or the Syariah laws in different states. - Bernama, March 15, 2024
Source:
thevibes.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thevibes.com/articles/news/101293/rise-of-khawarij-takfiri-ideologies-alarming-mohd-naim
----
Council of Europe leads first coordination meeting to
combat anti-Muslim discrimination in Europe
Chatelet square, Paris,
France ( Yusuf Özcan - Anadolu Agency )
------
AysuBiçer
14.03.2024
The head of the Council of Europe spearheaded the
launch Thursday of the first coordination meeting on combating anti-Muslim
hatred and discrimination.
It marks a pivotal moment in addressing the pressing
issue of prejudice and discrimination against Muslim communities in Europe.
Marija Pejčinović Burić emphasized the importance of
recognizing the contributions made by Muslim communities to civic life across
Europe, during her opening address.
She highlighted, however, persistent challenges faced
by those communities, including prejudice, discrimination and even violence
rooted in religious intolerance.
Burić drew attention to the alarming increase in
anti-Muslim sentiment following recent conflicts in the Middle East, noting a
disturbing rise in racist incidents and antisemitic crimes across several
European countries.
Such acts, she said, are profoundly wrong and demand
urgent action.
"We must do everything possible to stop it, using
our own tools and working together to ensure the safety, security and dignity
of every Muslim, like every other European," she said, underscoring the
imperative for collective efforts to combat anti-Muslim hatred and
discrimination.
The meeting brings together key stakeholders,
including government officials, civil society representatives and community
leaders, to devise strategies to address the root causes of prejudice and foster
greater inclusivity.
Source:
aa.com.tr
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/council-of-europe-leads-first-coordination-meeting-to-combat-anti-muslim-discrimination-in-europe/3164706
------
Foreign Minister: “South Africans Fighting For Israel
Will Be Arrested”
Copyright © africanews/Patrick Post/Copyright 2024 The
AP. All rights reserved
-----
March 14, 2024
South Africa's foreign minister said her country's
citizens who fight in or alongside Israel's armed forces in Gaza will be
arrested upon their return, widening the divide between the two nations after
South Africa brought charges of genocide against Israel to the highest court of
the United Nations.
Foreign Minister NalediPandor commented earlier this
week during a demonstration in solidarity with the Palestinians attended by
representatives of South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) party.
She also encouraged people to demonstrate outside the
embassies of what she called the "five main supporters" of Israel and
its military action in Gaza. She did not name them but was certainly referring
to the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, among others.
“I have already started to alert South Africans
fighting alongside or in the Israeli Defense Forces: We are ready. When you
return home, we will arrest you,” Pandor said, to loud applause. assistance.
In December, the Department of Foreign Affairs said
the South African government was concerned that some of its citizens or
permanent residents had joined the Israeli Defense Forces to fight in Gaza and
warned that they could be prosecuted because They had not received permission
to do so under South African arms control laws.
People with dual South African and Israeli citizenship
could have their South African citizenship revoked, the Department of Foreign
Affairs said. Ms Pandor's comments represent an apparent hardening of the
government's position.
It is unclear how many South African citizens have
fought for Israel in the current war in Gaza. South Africa has a significant
Jewish population of around 70,000 people.
The South African government has supported the
Palestinian people and criticized Israel even before the current war.
The issue is close to the heart of the ruling ANC
party and many South Africans who for years have compared Israel's policies
towards Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank to the treatment of non-whites.
in South Africa during the apartheid era, marked by forced racial segregation
and oppression.
Israel denies South Africa's accusation that it
applied a form of apartheid to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, and
strongly rejects South Africa's accusation before the International Court of
Justice that it is committing genocide in Gaza. The verdict in this case could
take years.
Israel responded by accusing South Africa of being a
representative of the Hamas militant group that attacked southern Israel on
October 7, killing around 1,200 Israelis and taking 250 hostages back to Gaza,
thus starting the war.
The Israeli assault on Gaza has killed more than
31,000 Palestinians, driven most of the coastal enclave's 2.3 million residents
from their homes and caused a humanitarian catastrophe, with hundreds of
thousands of Palestinians on the brink of collapse famine.
Pandor asked participants at this week's Palestinian
solidarity dinner to make posters reading "Stop the Genocide" and
protest outside the embassies of what she calls Israel's "five major
supporters."
“Don’t just come to this dinner. Be visible in support
of the people of Palestine,” she said.
Source:
africanews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2024/03/14/naledi-pandor-south-africans-fighting-for-israel-will-be-arrested/
----
US Senate Leader Urges New Election In Israel Amid Gaza
Crimes
Senate Majority Leader Chuck
Schumer responds to a question from the news media during a press conference in
the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., March 12, 2024. (EPA Photo)
-----
MAR 14, 2024
The leader of the U.S. Senate, Chuck Schumer, called
for new elections to be held in Israel, in the harshest criticism yet by a
senior U.S. official of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's administration's
actions in Gaza, which is globally criticized for amounting to genocide.
Schumer, the highest-ranking elected Jewish American
in history, came amid increased pressure from President Joe Biden over the
mounting death toll in Gaza due to Israel's attacks.
"As a democracy, Israel has the right to choose
its own leaders, and we should let the chips fall where they may. But the
important thing is that Israelis are given a choice," said Schumer, the
head of the chamber's Democratic majority, without suggesting a timeline for a
vote.
"There needs to be a fresh debate about the
future of Israel after Oct. 7."
Schumer said Netanyahu was one of four "major
obstacles" to a two-state solution and peace, alongside Hamas and its
Palestinian supporters, radical right-wing Israelis and the Palestinian
Authority's leader Mahmoud Abbas.
He accused the Israeli leader of surrounding himself
with right-wing extremists and being "too willing to tolerate the civilian
toll in Gaza, which is pushing support for Israel worldwide to historic
lows."
"Israel cannot survive if it becomes a
pariah," Schumer, an outspoken ally of the Israeli government who visited
the country just days after the attacks, told colleagues on the Senate floor.
He warned that if Netanyahu's coalition continued to
pursue "dangerous and inflammatory" policies after the war, the
United States would look at playing "a more active role in shaping Israeli
policy by using our leverage to change the present course."
Vowing to destroy Hamas after the Oct. 7 attack,
Israel has carried out a relentless campaign of bombardment and ground
operations in Gaza, killing at least 31,341 people, most of them civilians,
according to the territory's health ministry. It has also imposed a brutal
blockade on the enclave, prohibiting the entry of vital humanitarian aid
supplies, including food, medicine and more.
The United Nations is warning of famine amid hampered
efforts to get more aid into the war-devastated Gaza Strip, and desperate
residents have stormed relief shipments.
Mediators failed to reach a truce between Israel and
Hamas for the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, which started on Monday,
and Hamas authorities have since reported more than 40 airstrikes across Gaza.
Daily aid airdrops by multiple nations have been
taking place but the air and sea missions are not seen as adequate, and the
U.N. has reported difficulty in accessing Gaza's north with aid.
"The Netanyahu coalition no longer fits the needs
of Israel after Oct. 7. The world has changed radically since then and the
Israeli people are being stifled right now by a governing vision that is stuck
in the past," Schumer said.
"Nobody expects Prime Minister Netanyahu to do
the things that must be done to break the cycle of violence, preserve Israel's
credibility on the world stage, and work towards a two-state solution."
Republican minority leader Mitch McConnell described
Schumer's call for new elections in Israel as "grotesque and
hypocritical," given Democrats' concerns about foreign interference in
U.S. elections.
"The Jewish state of Israel deserves an ally that
acts like one," he said.
Strains between Biden and Netanyahu have added
momentum to discussions within the U.S. administration about how it could use
its leverage to convince Israel not to carry out a ground offensive in the
south of the enclave, facilitate humanitarian relief and avoid further heavy
Palestinian civilian casualties, U.S. officials say.
Dismissing Biden’s strident criticism to MSNBC in
which he spoke of red lines and said Netanyahu was "hurting Israel more
than helping," the Israeli premier has vowed to press forward with the
military campaign in Rafah, the last part of the Gaza Strip where Israeli
forces have not carried out a ground offensive.
"You know what the red line is? That Oct. 7
doesn’t happen again," Netanyahu, who is known as Bibi and has had a long
and often tense relationship with Biden, told Politico on Sunday.
Israel has made clear to the U.S. that it is prepared
to withstand the international condemnation it had expected to face over its
overwhelming military response to the Oct. 7 Hamas incursion, according to a
person in Washington familiar with the matter.
While U.S. officials have said there is no sign of an
imminent assault on Rafah, Biden and his aides have issued repeated warnings
about the need for Israel's restraint there. European Union countries have said
an attack would be "catastrophic."
Public messaging from the United States has sharpened
since the deaths of more than 100 Palestinians earlier this month as they
rushed to get food from an aid convoy in northern Gaza.
Source:
dailysabah.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dailysabah.com/world/americas/us-senate-leader-urges-new-election-in-israel-amid-gaza-crimes
---
India
CAA: Indian Union Muslim League supports Kerala govt
stance
15th March 2024
Sameer Khan
Ernakulam: Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader PK
Kunhalikutty came out in support of the Kerala government’s decision not to
implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019.
Speaking to ANI on Thursday, Kunhalikutty questioned
the ‘need’ to implement such a law claiming that it is not welcomed by anyone.
“Why should they implement a law that has not been
welcomed by anyone in India? What is the need? Why are they taking a partisan
stand in the matter of citizenship? There is no precedent of any such
legislation elsewhere in the world. No one likes it. It is not welcomed by
anyone. So why are they forcing it on people?” Kunhalikutty said.
“There are many states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and
West Bengal that are against this law. We are with the Kerala government and
will pass a resolution taking a stand against this law,” he said.
Earlier, on March 11, after the Union Home Ministry
notified the rules of the CAA, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declared
that Kerala will not implement the Act.
“LDF government approached the Supreme Court to
confirm that Kerala would not implement the Citizenship Amendment Act. Kerala
is the first state to move a plea against CAA in the Supreme Court. The state
will initiate further legal action soon,” Vijayan said.
On March 14, the Communist Party of India (CPI) Rajya
Sabha MP and CPI Kerala State Secretary Binoy Viswam approached the Supreme
Court challenging the implementation of the CAA.
“Provisions of the CAA are prima-facie against the
secular tenets of our Constitution and we have approached the Supreme Court
requesting to halt the implementation of the dreaded law, which goes against
the inclusive fabric of Indian society”, he said.
Binoy Viswam in a statement said that the CPI has been
steadfastly opposing CAA from the initial period itself.
Apart from Kerala, Chief Ministers of West Bengal and
Tamil Nadu have also announced that the CAA will not be implemented in their
respective states.
On March 11, the Union Home Ministry notified the
rules of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), days ahead of the announcement of
the Lok Sabha election schedule.
The CAA rules, introduced by the Narendra Modi
government and passed by Parliament in 2019, aim to confer Indian citizenship
to persecuted non-Muslim migrants–including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists,
Parsis, and Christians–who migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan
and arrived in India before December 31, 2014.
Source:
siasat.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.siasat.com/caa-indian-union-muslim-league-supports-kerala-govt-stance-2992394/
---
Govt forms tribunal to look into ban on
Jamaat-e-Islami, J-K
14th March 2024
New Delhi: The Centre has constituted a tribunal,
consisting of Justice Navin Chawla of the Delhi High Court, for the purpose of
adjudicating whether or not there is sufficient cause for declaring the
Jamaat-e-Islami, Jammu and Kashmir (JeI) as a banned organisation.
On February 27, the central government had extended
the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami, Jammu Kashmir, for five more years for its
activities against the security, integrity and sovereignty of the nation.
“Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred
by sub-section (1) of section 5 read with sub-section (1) of section 4 of the
Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967), the central government
hereby constitutes the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal consisting of
Justice Navin Chawla, Judge, High Court of Delhi, for the purpose of
adjudicating whether or not there is sufficient cause for declaring the
Jamaat-e-Islami, Jammu and Kashmir (JeI) as an unlawful association,” a home
ministry notification said.
The outfit was first declared an ‘Unlawful
Association’ on February 28, 2019.
While extending the ban for five more years, the home
ministry said the Jel has been indulging in activities which are prejudicial to
internal security and public order and have the potential to disrupt the unity
and integrity of the country.
The home ministry has listed 47 cases registered
against the JeI and that include an NIA case for collection of funds and used
to encourage violent and secessionist activities.
The funds were also used by the active cadres and
members of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiba and other terrorist
organisations through a well-established network of their cadres to organise
violent protests, create public unrest and communal disharmony, thus creating a
sense of fear and insecurity in Jammu and Kashmir and all over the country, the
home ministry said.
Source:
siasat.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.siasat.com/govt-forms-tribunal-to-look-into-ban-on-jamaat-e-islami-j-k-2992128/
---
Southeast
Asia
European Islamic Thinkers Want Malaysia To Formulate
Strategies To Combat Islamophobia: PM Anwar
15 Mar 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, March 15 — European Islamic thinkers and
scholars have proposed that Malaysia take the initiative to formulate effective
strategies in combating Islamophobia.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said this was
discussed during his meeting with them in Berlin, Germany, yesterday.
Among those involved were thinkers and scholars from
the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT), the Arab World
Institute, and the Middle East and Mediterranean Research Centre (CERMOM).
“I used my free time in Berlin to discuss and exchange
views with my fellow thinkers and scholars in Europe.
“Our discussions touched on several issues, including
the role of scholars and new challenges arising from rampant Islamophobia in
Europe today,” he said in a Facebook post today.
The Prime Minister said that during the meeting, they
also discussed the steps that need to be taken to address these issues,
especially in the West.
“Insya-Allah, my friends and I will continue to be the
main drivers in combating Islamophobia,” he said.
Anwar is currently in Germany for a six-day official
visit, starting March 11. — Bernama
Source:
malaymail.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/03/15/pm-anwar-european-islamic-thinkers-want-malaysia-to-formulate-strategies-to-combat-islamophobia/123579
---
Malaysia reaffirms unwavering commitment to address
Islamophobia, says Tok Mat
15 Mar 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, March 15 — As the world observed the
third anniversary of the International Day to Combat Islamophobia today, March
15, Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan reaffirmed the
country’s unwavering commitment to address Islamophobia and all acts of
violence and hatred against individuals based on their religions or beliefs.
In a statement issued on Friday drawing attention to
the unfortunate phenomenon of anti-Muslim hatred, Mohamad said Malaysia continued
to uphold the spirit of Article 1 of the United Nations (UN) Declaration of
Human Rights, which states “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity
and rights”.
“Malaysia remains steadfast in its commitment to
collaborate with all stakeholders in combating Islamophobia,” he said.
Malaysia, he said remained appalled by the
legitimisation of offensive, disrespectful and provocative actions, including
the repeated desecration of the Holy Quran, that continues to fuel hatred and
violence against Muslims and religious minorities.
“These actions are the deadly manifestation of
Islamophobic acts, which have dangerously risen to “epidemic proportions” as of
late.
“If left unchecked, these acts will undoubtedly lead
to a vicious cycle of violence and extremism which would undermine efforts
towards establishing and maintaining international peace and harmony,” he said.
Mohamad said Malaysia welcomed various initiatives
conducted by the United Nations General Assembly, the Human Rights Council and
the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, which called for strengthened
international efforts to promote a culture of tolerance and peace based on
respect for human rights and diversity of religions and beliefs.
Source:
malaymail.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/03/15/malaysia-reaffirms-unwavering-commitment-to-address-islamophobia-says-tok-mat/123582
----
PM Anwar’s stand on Gaza draws support from prominent
global figures
15 Mar 2024
BERLIN, March 15 — Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar
Ibrahim’s criticism on Western countries’ lack of action against Israel’s
atrocities in Gaza has drawn support from prominent figures across various
fields globally.
Former All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams in a
posting on X (formerly Twitter) said history cannot be forgotten when
discussing issues.
“But I of course cannot accept the fact that when you
discuss issues, we’re only confined to one particular incident forgetting the
thousands and thousands of victims from the Nakba (catastrophe) of 1947-48,” he
wrote.
Mashallah @anwaribrahim speaking facts, said the
two-time World Cup winner with New Zealand in 2011 and 2015, who has been
critical of the situation in Gaza.
Anwar drew international spotlight when he criticised
Western countries during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf
Scholz in Berlin on March 11, for their lack of action against Israel’s
atrocities in Gaza.
The premier, who is on a six-day official visit to
Germany, criticised Western countries for their lack of action against Israel’s
atrocities in Gaza, questioning the humanity of the West and condemned their
“selective” and “ambivalent” attitude towards the conflict.
Acclaimed British-American journalist Mehdi Hasan said
Anwar is now standing for the majority of the world’s people in defending the
right of Palestine people.
“We have reached a point where the prime minister of
Malaysia @anwaribrahim now speaks for the majority of the world’s people and
not a European or Western leader,” he wrote in X.
French journalist Arnaud Betrand, @RnaudBertrand,
shared the same clip of Anwar’s stance, describing it as “an immensely
satisfying must-watch,” and praising his rebuke of a fellow speaker.
Betrand also shared Anwar’s quote where the premier
stated that solution cannot be achieved by being so one-sided, in terms of
looking only at one particular issue and erasing 60 years of atrocities.
Renowned Swedish-Lebanese singer-songwriter Maher Zain,
@MaherZain, expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, tweeting,
“Thank you Mr Prime Minister @anwaribrahim” for his contribution to the
discourse.
Portuguese politician and author Bruno Macaes
@MacaesBruno wrote on X:
“A stunning exchange in Berlin between Scholz and
Anwar Ibrahim. We live in a new world. Germany just didn’t get the memo. The
contrast in public speaking ability also striking”.
Anwar had said that Israel’s decades-long policies
against Palestinians and its atrocities were the root cause of the ongoing
conflict.
More than 31,000 people have been killed since the
beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza nearly five months ago. — Bernama
Source:
malaymail.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/03/15/pm-anwars-stand-on-gaza-draws-support-from-prominent-global-figures/123600
----
Four facilities built with public donations destroyed
in Palestine, says Muslim Care Malaysia
15 Mar 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, March 15 — Four facilities, worth RM7.5
million and constructed through public donations via Muslim Care Malaysia
(MCM), have been destroyed in Palestine since the conflict erupted on Oct 7
last year.
MCM president ZulkifliWahijan said these facilities
are the Muhammad Al Amin Mosque, Rafah Immigration Complex, Enaya Physiotherapy
Centre and Palestinian Endowment Complex.
“Three of these four assets have been completely
obliterated, while the business complex (Palestinian Endowment Complex) can be
repaired as its fundamental structure remains intact.
“God willing, restoration work will be carried out
once the situation allows. We will also rebuild our destroyed buildings,” he
told reporters.
He was met at the charity iftar event (Palestine,
Syria and Yemen) here last night, with former Minister in the Prime Minister’s
Department Datuk Seri Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri also present.
A sum of RM2 million was successfully raised during
the event, which was attended by 500 participants, including representatives
from various corporate companies.
Zulkifli said MCM aims to raise RM5 million throughout
this Ramadan, with all funds earmarked for Palestine, Syria and Yemen.
“Sixty per cent of the contributions will be directed
towards Palestine, currently suffering from relentless attacks for nearly six
months.
“Additionally, the aid will be extended to Syria,
which has been in war for over 10 years, and Yemen, which is currently
experiencing a crisis,” he said.
According to Zulkifli, MCM has disbursed RM3 million
to Palestine from October 2023 to March this year, covering winter relief and
food assistance.
Members of the public who wish to contribute can do so
by channelling their donations to Muslim Care Malaysia Maybank account
564490211159 or Bank Islam 14014010147470. — Bernama
Source:
malaymail.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/03/15/four-facilities-built-with-public-donations-destroyed-in-palestine-says-muslim-care-malaysia/123574
---
Singapore to conduct airdrop operations to deliver aid
supplies to Gaza
15 Mar 2024
SINGAPORE, March 15 — Singapore will be conducting
humanitarian airdrop operations to deliver aid supplies to Gaza.
Singapore will be delivering its third tranche of
humanitarian assistance to Gaza via Amman, Jordan.
The Defence Ministry (Mindef) said in a statement on
Friday that the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has deployed an A330
Multi-Role Tanker Transport and C-130 transport aircraft, including 69
personnel today for the missions.
“At the invitation of the Jordanian government, the
C-130 will stay on and conduct humanitarian airdrop operations staged out of
Jordan with support from the Jordanian Armed Forces,” said Mindef.
In a separate statement, the Foreign Ministry (MFA)
said its Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan is scheduled to make a working visit
to Amman, Jordan from March 16 to 17 to hand over the humanitarian assistance.
“His visit reaffirms Singapore’s strong ties with
partners in the Middle East, which has allowed the republic to deliver
effective and timely humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza,” said MFA.
MFA said Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
has written to King Abdullah II of Jordan to convey the Singapore government’s
appreciation to the Royal Jordanian government for facilitating the delivery.
In a Facebook post, Lee expressed Singapore’s
commitment to assisting civilians in Gaza and called on the international
community to collaborate in alleviating suffering and saving as many innocent
lives as possible.
“Singapore will do what it can to help the civilians
in Gaza. Given the dire humanitarian situation, the international community
should work together to alleviate the suffering and save as many innocent lives
as possible,” he said. — Bernama
Source:
malaymail.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/singapore/2024/03/15/singapore-to-conduct-airdrop-operations-to-deliver-aid-supplies-to-gaza/123603
----
Consumer boycott widens to include Israeli dates as
Muslims in Malaysia, Indonesia observe Ramadan
15 Mar, 2024
Hadi Azmi,JosephSipalanandJohannesNugroho
Dates from Israel are the latest goods to fall foul of
a consumer boycott across Muslim nations in Southeast Asia, after Malaysian
customs arrested a man for allegedly mislabelling the fruit for local sale,
while Indonesia’s highest Muslim authority reminded the public to snub Israeli
imports of the sweet snack during the holy month of Ramadan.
Muslims across the region have observed a months-long
boycott of Israeli goods and companies in protest against the brutal assault on
Gaza, which has killed over 30,000 Palestinians so far, according to the
Hamas-run Health Ministry, the overwhelming majority of them civilians. Israel
says 1,200 of its citizens were killed by the October 7 attack on its territory
by Hamas militants, who took scores more hostage into Gaza.
The boycott, amped up by social media, has hit the
bottom line of some companies in Malaysia over apparent links to Israel,
prompting a plea from the wealthy owner of the local unit of Starbucks for
consumers to ease up on his firm, and legal action by McDonald’s for damages.
Now Israeli dates, a sweet fruit eaten to break fast
during Ramadan, are in the cross hairs of a consumer campaign which is flying
across Malaysian and Indonesian chat groups over fears Israeli dates are being
sold to unwitting buyers in the Muslim nations.
A Malaysian minister on Thursday warned “strict action”
would be taken against people who “mislead consumers” after a man was detained
in a raid on a warehouse in Klang Port, Selangor.
“During the raid, officers confiscated 73 packs of
jumbo medjool dates believed to have come from Israel,” ArmizanMohd Ali,
minister in charge of domestic trade and cost of living told parliament on
Thursday, responding to questions.
“We view this issue seriously and will take strict
action against those who mislead consumers,” he said.
Customs officials on Wednesday said the dates were
bulk-imported along with other food items from European countries in 2022,
according to local news reports.
The dates were declared as “foodstuff” and later
repackaged for sale on the local market, customs deputy director general Datuk
Sazali Mohamad said.
Malaysia has long maintained strict trade sanctions on
Israel. Any import or export between the two countries can only be carried out
with a special permit from the ministry of investment, trade and industry.
Last December, Malaysia announced an immediate ban on
vessels owned by Israeli shipping giant Zim from docking and unloading cargo at
its ports, along with any ship bearing the Israeli flag.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim this week said he made
“no apologies” for maintaining diplomatic links with Hamas despite Western
pressure to denounce the militant group.
Anwar, who is seeking the approval of an increasingly
vocal Muslim electorate, has been among the loudest critics of Israel’s assault
on Gaza.
Malaysia’s public has also led Southeast Asia’s
boycott drive.
A day before the start of the Ramadan fasting month,
Malaysia’s national newswire released a graphic on its social media accounts on
the various types of dates that were popular among Malaysians, which included a
brief reminder to avoid buying boycotted goods such as dates from Israel, the
West Bank and Jordan Valley.
In the weeks ahead of Ramadan, Malaysian social media
was awash with posts urging Muslims to be wary of unknowingly buying dates from
Israel, listing 32 brands which have allegedly flooded the local market.
“Be careful, everyone! Pay attention to everything we
buy in our daily lives, continue the boycott of products from companies that
are enriching Israel,” read a Facebook post by one Hairul Nizam, who shared a
video claiming that Israel grows its dates for export on Palestinian land.
“Starbucks, McD, and all brands that fatten them up,
we maintain a boycott. Replace them with local brands or companies that support
the Palestinian struggle.”
Many of the posts included long lists of brands that
allegedly sourced the mildly-sweet fruit from Israel, with some even accusing
local Chinese businesses of ignoring Muslim sensitivities by selling repackaged
Israeli dates on the local market.
Fatwa on fruit
In neighbouring Indonesia, home to the world’s largest
Muslim population, the boycott has also resonated with dates getting a call-out
by religious authorities.
The country’s highest clerical body the Indonesian
Council of Ulema (MUI) and Nadhatul Ulema, the largest Muslim mass organisation,
issued separate injunctions against consuming dates imported from Israel or
those grown in the West Bank.
“We wish to remind Indonesians, Muslim or otherwise,
to be on the side of humanity and refrain from buying Israeli dates during
Ramadan,” said Sudarnoto, MUI chair for international relations on Wednesday,
adding emphatically the boycott of products by “corporations affiliated with
Israel” must continue.
Separately, Nadhatul Ulema chairman AhmdFahrurRozi,
said his organisation, representing 40 million Indonesian Muslims, supported
MUI’s fatwa on declaring Israeli dates “haram” or forbidden.
“This is the most peaceful way for us to show
solidarity with the Palestinian people,” he said.
Indonesian media has released a host of brand names
for Israeli dates.
A wholesale seller of dates based in southern
Surabaya, who asked to remain anonymous, said it was possible some of the
non-label dates sold in bulk had Israeli origin.
“But we can’t tell for sure because they arrived from
importers with no label whatsoever,” she explained, adding unlabelled dates
were typically cheaper.
According to data from the Central Bureau of
Statistics, in 2023 Indonesia’s import of dates amounted to US$80.5 million,
almost 30 per cent of which originated from Egypt. There is no specific data on
dates imported from Israel.
Hasan Johnny Widjaya, chairman of the Indonesian
Importers of Fruit and Vegetables claimed his members had no business links
with Israeli companies. “No dealing with Israel at all, so no imported dates
from them!”
Despite the assurances, Surabaya homemaker Amirah
Purborekso, 35, admitted she was still worried about unknowingly buying Israeli
dates.
“Logically, sellers, after knowing about the fatwa,
would probably conceal the origin of their dates if they came from Israel.”
She said she had taken part in the ongoing boycott of
Israeli-affiliated products for months now and was determined to carry on.
“So for dates, I’ll just buy those that come in boxes
with clear labels and information on where they came from.”
Source:
scmp.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3255423/consumer-boycott-widens-include-israeli-dates-muslims-malaysia-indonesia-observe-ramadan
----
Religious Ministry opens Hindu educational
institutions
March 14, 2024
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Religious Affairs Ministry has
officially inaugurated Widyalaya, a specialized educational institution
designed to nurture students in Hindu religious values.
"I think we should be thankful for this. It will
be a place to compete in advancing our education quality," said Abu
Rokhmad, the ministry's Acting Secretary General, on Thursday.
He said that Widyalaya will impart not only general
and mandatory knowledge but also religious knowledge to students. He also
encouraged Hindu families to entrust Widyalaya institutions with their
children's education.
"Are Hindus keen to send their children to
Widyalaya? Do our Hindus trust the educational institutions they initiate on
their own? We would prove this," he said.
Rokhmad expressed the hope that Widyalaya will serve
as an education solution for residents and create intelligent, skilled, moral,
wise, and religious pupils.
He also commended the ministry's Directorate General
of Hindu Community Guidance for initiating the fundamental educational
breakthrough.
Director General I NengahDuija expressed gratitude for
the establishment of Widyalaya as part of efforts to bolster education for
Indonesian Hindus.
"We also express gratitude to President Joko
Widodo and Minister YaqutCholilQoumas for the Widyalaya institution that has
been awaited for a long time by Hindus throughout Indonesia," Duija added.
The Widyalaya educational institution is distinct from
Pasraman education, which focuses on Hindu religious teachings. It will run
parallel with the existing Madrasah institution for Indonesian Muslims.
Widyalaya offers early-age education
(PratamaWidyalaya), primary education (Adi Widyalaya), junior secondary
education (MadyamaWidyalaya), and senior secondary education (UtamaWidyalaya)
or vocational Widyalaya.
So far, 105 formal Pasraman institutions in 34
provinces nationwide have been converted into Widyalaya institutions based on
Decision No. 70-176 of 2024, dated March 7, 2024.
Source:
antaranews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://en.antaranews.com/news/308484/religious-ministry-opens-hindu-educational-institutions?utm_source=antaranews&utm_medium=desktop&utm_campaign=top_news
----
Europe
UK government warned new extremism definition will
‘vilify’ Muslims
March 14, 2024
LONDON: Muslim groups in the UK have warned the
government that its plans to redefine extremism will stoke division and “vilify
the wrong people.”
The government revealed proposals on Thursday to
update legislation that currently defines extremism as “vocal or active
opposition to British values.”
The new definition will add that it includes
“promotion or advancement of ideology based on hatred, intolerance or violence
or undermining or overturning the rights or freedoms of others, or of
undermining democracy itself.”
Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and
Communities Michael Gove, the architect of the new definition, warned in a
statement earlier this month that pro-Palestine marches in London “have been
organised by extremist organisations.”
CAGE International, Friends of Al-Aqsa, the Muslim
Association of Britain, Muslim Engagement and Development, and 5Pillars said
the proposals are “an attack on civil liberties” that target “law-abiding
individuals and groups that oppose government policy by labelling them as
‘extremist.’”
A spokesperson for the five groups said in a
statement: “This new extremism definition is a solution looking for a problem.
It attacks one of the cherished cornerstones of our pluralistic democracy —
that of free speech.
“Anyone, regardless of faith or political colour
should be free to criticise the government of the day without being labelled as
‘extremist.’”
Earlier this week, the archbishops of Canterbury and
York said the plans could “disproportionately” target British Muslim
communities.
Source:
arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2476846/world
---
In pro-Israel move, UK govt. seeks new definition of
extremism to target Muslims
14 March 2024
The British government seeks to define extremism to
target the Muslim community and pro-Palestine advocacy organizations.
Speaking in parliament on Thursday, Communities Minister
Michael Gove identified a number of Muslim organizations, which he said the
government planned to “hold to account” using the new definition because of
their “Islamic orientation.”
In an earlier statement, Gove said the definition had
been updated to respond to an increase in “anti-Semitism.”
Gove said a surge in extremism since Israel launched
its brutal aggression in Gaza posed “a real risk” to the UK.
He said the new definition would be used by government
departments and officials to identify “extremist organizations, individuals and
behaviors.”
Organisations or individuals added to the list will
not be able to receive government or public funding.
There have been pro-Palestinian protests in cities
across Britain since October 7, 2023, when Israel launched the brutal campaign
in Gaza.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has repeatedly criticized
the pro-Palestinian protests.
Civil liberties advocates, community groups and
lawmakers have criticized the British government’s rhetoric on extremism.
The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), the largest body
representing Muslims in the UK, described the plan as “undemocratic, divisive,
and potentially illegal.”
“As the government presses ahead with its flawed
proposals, many of us are questioning: on what grounds are these groups being
labelled as extremist, and will there be legal avenues to challenge such
determinations imposed by the government?” said Zara Mohammed,
secretary-general of the MCB.
The Runnymede Trust, a race equality think tank, said
the definition was an “attack on civil society.”
“It has bypassed parliamentary scrutiny and will
likely shut down organizations supporting people of color, who are critical of
the government of the day,” it said in a post on X.
“This definition governs what people are thinking,
rather than doing, and will likely silence those who oppose the govt's
position, for example on pro-Palestinian marches and critical race theory.
Muslim groups and orgs supporting people of color will be targeted as a
result.”
Amnesty International said the definition was a “smash
and grab on our human rights,” while Liberty called the definition “deeply
cynical and completely unworkable.”
In a statement, the organizers of a series of national
protests calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, said the definition was an “assault
on core democratic freedoms.”
Meanwhile, a new campaign in the United Kingdom has
been launched for people and businesses to no longer pay tax over complicity in
Israel’s campaign in the besieged Gaza Strip.
Source:
presstv.ir
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/03/14/721892/UK-Gove-extremism-Muslims
---
German Kids Banned From Drinking Water In Class Out Of
Consideration For Muslim Pupils During Ramadan
March 14, 2024
THOMAS BROOKE
Teachers at a comprehensive school in Germany have
banned children from drinking water in their classrooms out of consideration
for Muslim pupils fasting during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
As reported by NIUS, fifth graders at the unnamed
school located in the greater Frankfurt area, have informed their parents they
were prohibited from drinking in class because a handful of students were
fasting.
“At dinner, we always talk about how the day was. I
asked my daughter what was new at school. She then told us that two teachers
had forbidden the students from drinking in class because three of the 27
children were fasting,” a father of one of the pupils told the site.
It is understood that while the water ban is not an
official school policy, it has been enforced by two separate teachers who have
prevented students from accessing the water dispenser in the hall or having
water bottles on their desks.
“You can always fill up your bottles in the hallway
outside, there’s a water dispenser,” the father said, describing the usual
practice during lessons.
“We found this announcement strange. On the one hand,
the children in fifth grade are between 10 and 11 years old. Even for religious
Muslims, the fasting requirement only applies from the age of 14. The fact that
24 children have to take three children into consideration when it comes to
basic physical needs – that’s a strange intervention,” he added.
The school refused to comment on the story.
Muslims observing the fasting at Ramadan must abstain
from consuming any food or drink during the hours of daylight, including water.
Frankfurt made headlines last week after it became the
first German city to install festive lights to celebrate Ramadan in its city
center.
The city’s Green mayor said the lights were that of
“togetherness” and “against anti-Muslim racism”
“By decorating during Ramadan, the city of Frankfurt
is sending an important signal to Muslims and appreciates the people of Muslim
faith in this city,” the governing German Green Party wrote in an application
to the city council last year.
“They are lights of togetherness, against
reservations, against discrimination, against anti-Muslim racism, and also
against anti-Semitism,” said Frankfurt Mayor NargessEskandari-Grünberg, of the
same party.
Source:
rmx.news
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.rmx.news/germany/german-kids-banned-from-drinking-water-in-class-during-ramadan/
---
Protesters who shut San Francisco bridge over Gaza war
handed community service
March 15, 2024
SAN FRANCISCO, California — Seventy-eight protesters
were ordered to do five hours of community service and pay restitution to avoid
criminal proceedings for allegedly blocking traffic on the San
Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge for hours in November to demand a cease-fire in
Gaza, prosecutors said.
The November 16 protest came as San Francisco was
hosting President Joe Biden and other world leaders for the Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation summit. Protesters calling for a ceasefire have also
blocked major roadways in cities including Los Angeles, New York, Boston and
Philadelphia.
“This is a victory not only for those exercising their
right to protest a genocide being fueled by their tax dollars, but for the
growing global movement demanding freedom for the Palestinian people,” Aisha
Nizar, one of the protesters, said in a news release. “We emerge from this case
even stronger and more united in our commitment to one another and to the
people of Palestine.”
About 200 protesters participated in the San Francisco
demonstration during the global trade summit, and they blocked all lanes of
traffic into San Francisco on the bridge’s upper deck, with some drivers
tossing their keys into the bay. Eighty people were arrested, and 29 vehicles
were towed. Protesters demanded that Biden call for an immediate ceasefire in
the war between Israel and Hamas.
The 80 suspects faced charges of false imprisonment,
refusing to comply with a peace officer, unlawful public assembly, refusing to
disperse and obstruction of a street, sidewalk or other place open to the
public. Prosecutors dropped one case for insufficient evidence, and another
person declined the court’s offer for a pre-trial diversion program.
The remaining 78 accepted the court’s offer, which
will include each person paying a to-be-determined restitution amount to
someone who needed to be evacuated from the bridge, according to the San
Francisco District Attorney’s Office.
FILE – Demonstrators shut down the San
Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge in conjunction with the APEC Summit taking place
on November 16, 2023, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/ Noah Berger)
“We remain committed to ensuring that San Francisco is
a safe city for everyone who lives and enters our city,” District Attorney
Brooke Jenkins said in a statement. “We will continue to ensure that
appropriate avenues for the expression of free speech and social advocacy exist
and are protected in San Francisco. I truly believe that we can achieve
engaging in free expression while maintaining the safety of our communities.”
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors in January
approved a resolution calling for an extended ceasefire in Gaza that condemned
Hamas as well as the Israeli government and urged the Biden administration to
press for the release of all hostages and delivery of humanitarian aid. Dozens
of other US cities have approved similar resolutions that have no legal
authority but reflect pressure on local governments to speak up on the
Israel-Hamas war.
More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in
Gaza, the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry says. The ministry doesn’t
differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count, but it says women
and children make up two-thirds of the dead.
Israe launched the war in response to Hamas’s October
7 on southern Israel, in which about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were
killed and 253 others kidnapped.
Source:
timesofisrael.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.timesofisrael.com/protesters-who-shut-san-francisco-bridge-over-gaza-war-dealt-community-service/
---
55% of French citizens support Israel against
terrorism, survey shows
MARCH 14, 2024
A comprehensive survey conducted by the European
Leadership Network (ELNET) in collaboration with the French polling institute
IFOP has found that 55% of French citizens support Israel in its fight against
terrorism. This poll, which gathered opinions from 1,206 representative French
citizens, sought to understand public sentiments regarding terrorism, national
security, and the level of support for Israel amidst increasing global threats.
The study reveals a widespread concern among the
French public, with 83% considering the terrorist threat within France as high.
Furthermore, 73% of respondents believe combating Islamist terrorism is a
crucial challenge of our time, while 90% feel the terrorist threat is either
escalating or remains as severe as it was in 2012.
Majority feared of terror attack in France
In the wake of the Hamas attacks on Israel on October
7, a significant 72% of those surveyed expressed fear that France could face
similar acts of terrorism. This concern translates into a majority of 55%
showing solidarity with Israel in its counter-terrorism efforts, demonstrating
a notable level of support and awareness of the global dimensions of terrorism.
Additionally, the survey highlighted a palpable
anxiety about the potential for terrorist attacks in France, with 75% of participants
worried about the possibility. It also showed that 59% advocate for increased
security cooperation between France and Israel, and 82% recognize Israel as
being the most exposed to terrorist threats today.
ELNET has acknowledged the survey's findings, stating,
"These results underscore the shared challenges and threats faced by
Europe and Israel in the fight against terrorism. It's clear that the citizens
of Europe, much like their governments, understand the importance of standing
united in this fight based on our shared values and the common threats we face.
ELNET will continue to work tirelessly to bring European countries closer to
Israel, fostering stronger bonds and cooperation in our mutual quest for
security and peace."
Source:
jpost.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-792028
---
Africa
‘Respect fasting, Muslims, don’t eat in public during
fasting hours’
March 15, 2024
The Chief Imam, Falomo Lagos Central Mosque, Dr
Tajudeen Adebayo, said the public should respect the sensibility of the fasting
Muslim faithful by avoiding eating in their presence.
Adebayo said that eating in the public during the
hours of fasting, debased the sensibility of those fasting and could discourage
people from the self-denial ritual.
The cleric spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
in Lagos yesterday, against the backdrop of some Muslims that were caught
eating when they should be fasting.
NAN reports that Hisbah, the Islamic Police, on
Wednesday in Kano arrested 10 men and a female groundnut vendor for allegedly
eating in the public during the hours of fasting.
The Hisbah spokesperson, Mr LawalFagge, who confirmed
the arrest, said that the men were arrested near a Kano market while the female
vendor was caught eating from her wares.
Fagge said that the arrest was facilitated by a
tip-off from onlookers.
Commenting on the incident, the Lagos cleric said that
in an ideal Islamic setting, fasting during the Ramadan is scared and should be
respected by all.
“Fasting is mandatory on every mature healthy Muslim
who is not on a journey. Exempted from fasting are sick people, travelers, the
elderly, pregnant and breastfeeding women who cannot bear it.”
Source:
thenationonlineng.net
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thenationonlineng.net/respect-fasting-muslims-dont-eat-in-public-during-fasting-hours/
----
Ramadan: Jigawa sets aside N2.8bn for breaking the
fast
March 14, 2024
Francis Ugwu
The Jigawa State Government has set aside N2.83
billion for a special Ramadan Iftar (breaking of fast) feeding programme.
The government said it intends to provide meals for
the poor and vulnerable in the state.
This was made known in a statement by Jigawa State’s
Commissioner for Information, Sagir Musa.
The commissioner disclosed that the decision was taken
during the State Executive Council meeting on Wednesday.
According to him, the steps were taken with the utmost
aim to alleviate the hardship caused by the rising cost of food in the country.
Musa said the programme will be implemented through
609 feeding centres, with a focus on providing three different food items to
182,700 poor and vulnerable people daily.
He added that there will be dedicated feeding centres
to be established at each of the state’s 10 tertiary institutions.
He further disclosed that the feeding programme would
be implemented for three weeks and that approximately 3.8 million vulnerable
persons would benefit from it throughout the Ramadan period.
The Jigawa State Executive Council additionally
allocated N1.125 billion for emergency procurement of additional rice and
spaghetti to ensure adequate food supply across the state.
Source:
dailypost.ng
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://dailypost.ng/2024/03/14/ramadan-jigawa-sets-aside-n2-8bn-for-breaking-the-fast/
----
DRC: 7 million displaced and “unprecedented” crisis,
according to the UN
March 14, 2024
Escalating violence in eastern Democratic Republic of
Congo has led to the displacement of at least 250,000 people over the past
month, a senior United Nations official said on Wednesday, describing the
situation as a humanitarian crisis.
Far from the country's capital, Kinshasa, eastern
Congo has long been overrun by more than 120 armed groups seeking a share of
the region's gold and other resources while carrying out massacres. The result
is one of the world's largest humanitarian crises, with an estimated 7 million
people displaced, many of whom are beyond the reach of aid.
"It's really heartbreaking (and) what I saw is
really a horrible situation," Ramesh Rajasingham, director of coordination
at the United Nations humanitarian office, told the Associated Press. Mr.
Rajasingham travelled to the city of Goma, where many people took refuge. “Such
several people displaced in such a short time is unprecedented,” he said.
Amid intensifying fighting with security forces, the
M23 rebel group – the most dominant in the region and believed to have links to
neighbouring Rwanda – continued to attack villages, forcing many to flee to
Goma, the region's largest city, whose estimated population of 2 million is
already overwhelmed by inadequate resources.
Although M23 has said it targets security forces and
not civilians, it has besieged several communities, with about half of North
Kivu province under its control, according to Richard Moncrieff, Crisis' Great
Lakes region director. Group, leaving many people trapped and beyond the reach
of humanitarian aid.
“We fled insecurity, but here too, we live in constant
fear,” said Chance Wabiwa, 20, in Goma where she took refuge. “Finding a
peaceful place has become a utopia for us. Perhaps we will never have this
chance again,” said Chance Wabiwa.
Re-elected for a second five-year term in December,
Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi accused neighbouring Rwanda of providing
military support to the rebels. Rwanda denies the accusations, but UN experts
have said there is substantial evidence of the presence of its forces in Congo.
Regional and UN peacekeeping forces have been asked to
leave Congo after the government accused them of failing to resolve the
conflict.
Mr Rajasingham said humanitarian agencies were doing
their best to reach people affected by the conflict, but he warned that "a
huge influx of people poses challenges that are beyond what we can do at the
moment".
“We must find a solution to the suffering, the
displacement, the loss of livelihoods, the loss of education,” he said.
Source:
africanews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2024/03/14/drc-7-million-displaced-and-unprecedented-crisis-according-to-the-un/
----
North
America
US sanctions three Israeli extremists, two of their
West Bank outpost farms
MARCH 14, 2024
TOVAH LAZAROFF
The United States stepped up its opposition to West
Bank Jewish extremist violence against Palestinians as it sanctioned Thursday
three Israelis and two illegal outpost farms owned by them, alleging that they
were used as a base for attacks. It’s the first time that sanctions have been
issued against West Bank outposts connected to violence against Palestinians.
“These West Bank outposts are owned or controlled by
designated individuals, have acted as a base from which to watch violent acts,
and are illegal, even under Israeli law,” US State Department spokesperson
Matthew Miller told reporters in Washington.
“It is critical that Israel take additional action to
stop settler violence and hold accountable those responsible for it. Not just
for the sake not just for the sake of the victims of this violence but for
Israel's standing in the world.” The US “will continue to take its own actions
to hold accountable those engaging in extremist violence,” he added.
The Biden administration had sanctioned four Israeli
extremists for violent acts against innocent Palestinians in the West Bank
already in February. Thursday’s action expanded that list to seven, targeting
three men. Zvi Bar Yosef, Moshe Sharvit, and Nerya Ben Pazi. It also sanctioned
their agricultural entities, two outposts, one owned by Bar Yosef called Zvi’s
Farm and one owned by Sharvit called Moshe’s Farm.
US National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby
clarified that the issue here was not the status of the farms as unauthorized
outposts but rather that they were considered assets owned by two of the men.
“The outposts are … being sanctioned because they are … owned by sanctioned
individuals,” Kirby stated.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich (Religious Zionist Party)
accused the Biden administration of caving to the Boycott, Sanctions, and
Divestment Movement against Israel, whose purpose is to “eliminate the
settlement enterprise and establish “a Palestinian terrorist state.”
“The Israeli government is in favor of settlements,
and these measures are completely unacceptable,” Smotrich stated, adding, “We
will fight to revoke them.”
ShlomoNe’eman, who heads the Yesha Council and the
Gush Etzion Regional Council, accused the Biden administration of scapegoating
the residents of Judea and Samaria instead of fighting Palestinian terrorism.
MK Limor Son-Harmelech (Otzma Yehudit) warned that
“the campaign against violent settlers is beginning to show its consequences.”
"Today it is the pioneers on the hilltops, and
tomorrow it will be soldiers serving in the IDF. The Israeli government must
become involved before it spins out of control," Son-Harmelech said.
Americans for Peace Now called the sanctions against
the outposts a significant step in the Biden administration’s recognition of
the role outposts play in violent attacks against innocent Palestinians.
“By targeting outposts rather than solely focusing on
individuals, the United States is sending a powerful message that it will not
tolerate logistical or financial support for settlers’ attacks against
Palestinian civilians,” Peace Now said.
Americans for Peace Now’s President and CEO, Hadar
Susskind, added, “For too long, illegal outposts have served as launchpads for
settler violence. These actions, including freezing assets and imposing visa
bans, demonstrate the United States’ firm commitment to curbing settler
violence.”
The State Department said that the sanctions targeted
“those who undermine peace, security, and stability in the West Bank, which
undermine the national security and foreign policy objectives of the US,
including the viability of a two-state solution, ensuring Israelis and
Palestinians can attain equal measures of security, prosperity, and freedom,
and reducing the risk of regional destabilization.”
In targeting Bar Yosef, it alleged that he had
“engaged in repeated violence and attempts to engage in violence against
Palestinians in the West Bank.”
His outpost farm, it alleged, was used “as a base from
which he perpetrates violence against Palestinians and prevents local
Palestinian farmers from accessing and using their lands.”
Sharvit, the State Department alleged, has “repeatedly
harassed, threatened, and attacked Palestinian civilians and Israeli human
rights defenders in the vicinity” of his farm.
It alleged that Sharvit had threatened Palestinians
from the village of Ein Shibli to such an extent that some 100 of the village’s
residents had fled for “their lives.”
Sharvit’s farm was used as “a base from which he
perpetrates violence against Palestinians,” the State Department alleged.
In targeting Ben Pazi, the State Department alleged
that he had “expelled Palestinian shepherds from hundreds of acres of land.” It
further alleged that “in August 2023, settlers including Ben Pazi attacked
Palestinians near the village of Wadi as-Seeq.”
Source:
jpost.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-791846
---
Canada suspends non-lethal military exports to Israel
MAR 14, 2024
Canada's non-lethal military exports to Israel have
been paused since January, a Canadian government was reported as saying on
Thursday, amid growing concerns about Israel's violations in the Gaza Strip.
The source, who requested anonymity because of the
sensitivity of the situation, did not give more details. The freeze was first
reported by the Toronto Star.
Earlier this month, the Canadian government was sued
by pro-Palestinian and human rights advocates over the export of military goods
and technology to Israel.
The lawsuit, filed in a federal court, argues that
Canadian laws prevent military exports to Israel because there is
"substantial risk" they could be used to violate international law
and commit serious acts of violence against women and children, according to a
statement from the applicants.
Pressure has been mounting to cancel military exports
to Israel, which is accused of carrying out a genocide against Palestinians in
Gaza.
Human rights organizations and independent entities in
the United Kingdom have criticized the country, alleging that it is complicit
in Israel's suspected war crimes due to its ongoing arms sales.
They argue that the failure to cease weapon exports to
Israel, deemed in violation of international humanitarian law, warrants
scrutiny and criticism.
Human rights organizations and independent entities in
the United Kingdom have criticized London, alleging that the city is complicit
in Israel's suspected war crimes due to its ongoing arms sales.
They argue that the failure to cease weapon exports to
Israel, deemed in violation of international humanitarian law, warrants
scrutiny and criticism.
Amid the raging Israeli war on Gaza, which has caused
a dire humanitarian situation in the besieged enclave, the surge in boycott
calls against firms perceived to be tied to Israel has increased in many
Muslim-majority countries, including Türkiye.
Source:
dailysabah.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dailysabah.com/business/defense/canada-suspends-non-lethal-military-exports-to-israel
---
Michigan Arab and Muslim leaders fuming after second
Biden visit this year with no meeting
Allie Raffa and Monica Alba and Jillian Frankel
March 15, 2024
SAGINAW, Mich. — For the second time this year,
President Joe Biden visited Michigan without any in-person meetings with
members of its Arab American or Muslim communities as he faces protests at
campaign events and at the ballot box over Israel’s military action in Gaza.
According to the Biden campaign, the president on
Thursday visited Saginaw, which it called “a diverse city with a plurality
Black and large Latino population,” for an organizing meeting. It said Biden
would deliver remarks to highlight “the stark contrast between his agenda of
lowering costs for Michiganders and Donald Trump’s attacks on working families
in the state, including his comments this week promising to cut Medicare and
Social Security.”
But Biden’s team kept the location of the stop close
as it tries to minimize the chances of protests and interruptions at events
over Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war.
In January and February, officials from the campaign
and the White House traveled to Dearborn to meet with some members of the
Muslim and Arab American communities, but Biden himself didn’t join on either
occasion.
Several leaders of the community also chose not to
attend as they continue to press Biden to engage more directly with them,
demand an immediate cease-fire in the war and place conditions on further U.S.
military aid to Israel.
There were still protests in Saginaw on Thursday as
activists from the “Abandon Biden” movement held a news conference in the
town’s center, urging him to support a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war.
But some organizers say too much violence has already
taken place under the Biden administration’s leadership for them to consider
re-electing Biden in November.
“I voted for Biden; I had a Biden sign in my front
yard, actually. And I am now the co-chair of the Abandon Biden campaign. So is
that on me or is that on Joe Biden?” said Khalid Turaani, one of the group’s
leaders. “I think Joe Biden’s total failure to address the humanitarian crisis,
the genocide that is going on in Gaza, is really a war crime. I mean, it really
is a war crime. In a perfect world, I think Joe Biden will be among Benjamin
Netanyahu in The Hague.”
In late January, the United Nation’s highest court,
the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, ordered the
Israeli government to take steps to prevent genocide in Gaza but didn’t
directly call for a cease-fire in the war or issue a ruling that Israel had
committed genocide.
Turaani warned politicians not to underestimate the
growing movement across key battleground states like Michigan, Georgia,
Wisconsin and Pennsylvania heading into the general election.
“If you want to bet on brushing off this movement,
good luck in November,” Turaani said, adding, “We want to make sure that Joe
Biden is going to be a one-term president, and we’ll make sure that his loss
will be coupled with a disgrace of the genocide in Gaza.”
While Biden made several stops around Saginaw, senior
White House officials met privately with Arab American and Muslim community
leaders in Chicago, which has a large Palestinian American population.
A source familiar with the plans said the officials
heard community leaders speak openly about their concerns surrounding the war
in Gaza, as well as rising Islamophobia in the U.S. The source said not all
community members who were invited to the meeting attended.
“There are some Muslim leaders who have been pushing
the administration to keep trying with communities, even if the White House
keeps getting the cold shoulder at first. They want to see the effort,” said
another person familiar with the Arab American and Muslim community’s concerns.
The White House didn’t respond to a request for
comment.
It was Biden’s first time back in Michigan since he
clinched his party’s 2024 presidential nomination — and since last month’s
primary, in which about 13% of voters in the Democratic contest chose the
“uncommitted” option, many of them protesting his handling of the Israel-Hamas war.
That added up to more than 100,000 voters across the state, raising concerns
about Biden’s general election prospects after he beat former President Donald
Trump by 154,000 votes in Michigan in 2020.
According to census data, roughly 300,000 people of Middle
Eastern and North African descent live in Michigan. Many of those who vote have
leaned toward Democrats in the past.
Biden had hoped for a temporary cease-fire by the
beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which started this week. But the
plans didn’t materialize after talks between Hamas and Israel failed to produce
a deal.
Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud said no one from the
White House reached out ahead of Biden’s visit to Saginaw.
He added that local members of the Arab American and
Muslim community care more about seeing policy changes than having additional
conversations with Biden’s team.
“I think the perspective of the community is dialogue
for the sake of dialogue is really not meaningful. What we’re looking for is
for action, you know, because lip service doesn’t really get you anywhere,”
Hammoud said. “We’ve seen now a change of tone where the president recognizes
Palestinian suffering, but what we want are actual concrete steps that are
taken to reduce that Palestinian suffering.”
He also said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s
calls for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s resignation and for new
elections in Israel didn’t go far enough.
“What we have known for decades, Senator Schumer has
come to realize — that Benjamin Netanyahu is not a partner nor an ally to the
American government or to the American people, and it’s time that we did away
with this fascist and with this war criminal,” Hammoud said.
Asked whether he’ll actively campaign against Biden
heading into the general election if the White House doesn’t hear his concerns,
Hammoud sidestepped slightly and said the region doesn’t have until November to
resolve the war.
“People around the world wake up each day and what we
find is a kill count — how many innocent men, women and children had been
killed,” he said. “And so frankly, we don’t have until November. We’re
advocating for a change today to help prevent the killing of innocent men,
women and children. And that’s what our focus will be on.”
Source:
yahoo.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.yahoo.com/news/michigan-arab-muslim-leaders-fuming-033541295.html
----
Alberta-designed app aims to make balancing religion
and life easier for young Muslims
Mar 14, 2024
Omar Sherif
Hasnain Baloach remembers it being a challenge from a
young age to balance his religious identity and the world around him.
The Pakistani-born Calgarian grew up in a world he
says was vastly different from his Islamic traditions — and without a circle of
friends who held the same core values and perspectives.
All of that, he said, made him hesitant, at times, to
practise his faith and stick to his spirituality.
"There's been many different moments where, based
on my faith, or based on the practice of my faith, I've been judged or I've
been looked down on," Baloach said.
"The newer generation not only has to face the
stigma associated with practice but also can't connect due to a generational
gap and lack of a circle of friends around them that supports them."
Driven by an ambition to help other Muslims, Baloach
made Tawhid, a community and faith-based app designed for Muslims, to address
the problems he and others within the community go through.
The University of Calgary graduate has worked in tech
for more than six years with companies that tried to solve issues for
industries like construction and health care, among others, but he noticed a
glaring gap.
A man is pictured.
Hasnain Baloach launched the app just before Ramadan.
(Submitted by Hasnain Baloach)
"The Muslim community, it was just very
underserved," Baloach said.
"I never saw a single founder that was trying to
solve an issue existing for Muslims or within the Muslim community."
Baloach said Tawhid is an app that will help young
Muslims in the West balance their everyday lives with their religion.
It launched just before the Islamic holy month of
Ramadan, which started Monday in Canada.
Islam and tech
Tawhid is a subscription-based app that asks users to
pay a $10 monthly fee that will be donated to a charity when the user completes
the unique tasks they've set out for themselves.
It was born out of an idea and practice that Baloach
had for years.
He would write reminders on the notes app on his
iPhone, things that would keep him grounded in his faith and connect to his
community.
The tasks included pillars of the Islamic faith like
daily prayer (salah) or fasting (sawm).
But they also included aspects of the religion that
aren't typically associated or known to non-Muslims as staples of the religion,
like smiling often and forgiving others immediately.
"A lot of times people view Muslims or Islam as
something that's a religion," Baloach said.
"But I would say it's also a way of life and more
of a culture as well."
Spiritual connection through community
There are four parts to the app: goals, progress of
those goals, daily reflections and a support circle.
Each element of the platform, Baloach said, works
toward tackling challenges he's seen and heard Muslims in Canada struggle with.
"Even if your workplace or university is very
encouraging of practising faith, it's still very difficult to do when you're
around with a circle of friends that doesn't," Baloach said.
"[The app] helps people feel that … inclusion and
feel like they're part of something where they're bonded with one
another."
The inclusion and community element of the app is
brought about through a number of features, including one dubbed "Open
Your Door."
A logo of a company.
The app's founder and CEO Hasnain Baloach says he
wanted to make something to tackle a gap in the tech space. (Submitted by
Hasnain Baloach)
It's something that gives users the opportunity to
connect with like-minded Muslims and build a community — and was a draw to
Tawhid for early-user Sarah Khan.
"Starting off as a Muslim in Canada was a bit
tough," said Khan. "I was trying to find the right space for
me."
Khan was born in Mumbai and came to Calgary as an
international student. For her, it was tough to fit into the community and she
felt as though she couldn't find like-minded people she could connect with.
Having an app, she said, is something that changes the
perception.
"I think that virtual space definitely makes it
more comfortable," Khan said.
Another element she said motivated her to sign on was
that the platform delves into the why behind certain practices and pillars of
Islam.
"Most of the time we don't know why we're doing
particular tasks, like why do we [read] the Qur'an every day," Khan said.
"It gives you that knowledge you might not
have."
Source:
cbc.ca
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/muslim-calgary-ramadan-tawhid-app-1.7134124
---
CAIR Denounces Committee Chair’s Refusal to Bring
Maryland Ceasefire Gaza Resolution for Vote Despite 80 Favorable Witness
Testimonies, 100K+ Community Demands for Action
Ismail Allison
March 14, 2024
Muslim civil rights group applauds community
engagement, rebukes alleged Islamophobic encounters, failure of democratic
process
The Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic
Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy
organization, today denounced House Rules Committee Chair Anne Healey’s stated
decision to not bring HJ0002 House Joint Resolution for Ceasefire to a vote
despite overwhelming support and calls from constituents across the state.
The resolution has received favorable witness
testimonies from over 80 individuals, with three testimonies opposing, and
garnered more than 100,000 calls and emails to state lawmakers urging passage.
The measure calls for an immediate ceasefire, release of all hostages, and flow
of humanitarian aid into the region where at least dozens of Palestinians
including children have succumbed to starvation due to the Israeli government’s
blocking of aid. At least 40,000 Palestinian civilians, mostly children and
women, have been killed in the last 160 days of genocide.
CAIR Joins Broad-Based Coalition Testifying in Support
of Maryland Gaza Ceasefire Resolution, Urges House Rules Committee to Vote in
Favor
Video: CAIR Rep Testifies in Support of HJ0002 Ceasefire
Resolution in Maryland General Assembly
The Washington, D.C., based civil rights organization
highlighted concerns about advocates’ alleged Islamophobic encounters with
Chair Healey who, according to multiple eyewitness reports outright refused to
meet with Muslim advocates seeking to speak with her on different occasions,
and the perceived failure of the democratic process in this decision.
“This action, or lack thereof, not only disregards
constituents’ voices, but it is also disrespectful to the personal impact
testimonies of witnesses who spoke before the committee pleading and urging
them to not ignore the continued assault on their families and loved ones,”
said CAIR’s Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw. “Chair Healey’s refusal
to bring HJ0002 for a vote also undermines the principles of inclusivity and
fairness within the democratic framework. Our diverse communities deserve to
have their voices heard, and it’s deeply troubling that committee members are
being stonewalled from the opportunity to even vote on legislation that has
generated such overwhelming interest.”
CAIR’s criticism underscores the importance of
addressing issues of discrimination and ensuring that all voices are heard and
respected in the decision-making process, regardless of religious or ethnic
backgrounds. The civil rights group applauds all community members who have
persevered and steadfastly advocated on this this resolution.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance
understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR esproteger las libertadesciviles,
mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a
losmusulmanesenlosEstadosUnidos.
Source:
cair.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-decries-committee-chairs-refusal-to-bring-
maryland-ceasefire-gaza-resolution-for-vote-despite-80-favorable-witness-testimonies-100k-community-demands-for-action/\
----
CAIR-Houston Withdraws Support from Annual Houston
Mayor’s Ramadan Iftar Over Failure to Call for Gaza Ceasefire
Ismail Allison
March 14, 2024
The Houston chapter of the Council on American-Islamic
Relations (CAIR-Houston) today announced its decision to withdraw support from
the Houston Mayor’s Iftar, featuring Houston Mayor John Whitmire as the keynote
speaker, following the mayor’s failure to call for a ceasefire in the ongoing
conflict in Gaza. The Houston Mayor’s Iftar, or fast-breaking meal, is scheduled
for Sunday, March 17, 2024.
Despite consistent pleas before city council from
Palestinian youth and others from diverse backgrounds for a ceasefire, Mayor
Whitmire has refrained from taking a stand for peace and urging an immediate
ceasefire in the conflict that has resulted in immense suffering for innocent
civilians.
Israel has killed more than 31,000 Palestinians,
mostly women and children, and a number of children have died of the
Israeli-imposed famine in Gaza.
CAIR-Houston believes that silence in such
humanitarian crises is tantamount to complicity. The civil rights organization
has twice raised the issue of the ceasefire directly to Mayor Whitmire during
City Hall public forums and via email. Despite these efforts, the mayor has not
taken decisive action to address the urgent need for a ceasefire in Gaza. More than 20 Muslim organizations have joined
the demand for “No Ceasefire-No Iftar” and have withdrawn from the event.
William White, Director of CAIR-Houston, stated, “As
an organization dedicated to promoting justice and advocating for the rights of
all people, we cannot in good conscience support an event hosted by an
individual who chooses to remain silent in the face of human suffering. The
failure to call for a ceasefire disregards the lives of countless civilians
caught in the crossfire.”
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance
understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR esproteger las libertadesciviles,
mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a
losmusulmanesenlosEstadosUnidos.
Source:
cair.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-houston-withdraws-support-from-annual-houston-mayors-ramadan-iftar-over-failure-to-call-for-gaza-ceasefire/
----
US, UK carry out new aerial aggression against Yemen
15 March 2024
The US and UK have conducted new airstrikes on Yemen,
as tensions remain high in West Asia over the Israeli war on the besieged Gaza
Strip.
Yemen’s al-Masirah TV said Hajjah Governorate was
targeted three times on Friday.
Hajjah borders the Red Sea to the west. The crucial
waterway has witnessed tensions over the past months as the Israeli war on Gaza
continues.
Yemeni armed forces have been attacking Israeli-linked
ships in the Red Sea to force the regime to stop its genocide in Gaza.
The US and the UK launched airstrikes on Yemen in
mid-January for what they called protecting international shipping.
Yemen rejects their claim and has retaliated by
targeting American and British ships in the Red Sea. It holds the two Western
states responsible for the mounting tensions.
Marine security monitors said Friday a missile strike
damaged a ship in the Red Sea off Yemen after Ansarullah pledged to expand its
operation.
The British navy's United Kingdom Marine Trade
Operations, and security firm Ambrey, said a vessel had reported to have been
struck by a missile and sustained “some damage" west of the Yemeni port of
Hudaydah in the early hours of Friday.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility from
Yemen’s armed forces.
On Friday, Ansarullah spokesman Mohammed Abdul-Salam
vowed to prevent Israeli-linked merchant vessels from sailing in the Indian
Indian Ocean.
“Given the stepped-up Israeli military aggression
against Gaza, we declare that Yemeni Armed Forces have intensified their
retaliatory measures, and will now target Israeli ships traveling in the Indian
Ocean on the way to the Cape of Good Hope [at the tip of South Africa],” he
wrote in a post published on X social media platform, formerly known as Twitte.
He added that shipping companies linked to Israel
should take into serious consideration the threat to target merchant ships in
the Indian Ocean, and bear in mind that any ship affiliated to the occupying
regime will not be spared from Yemeni naval missiles.
The remarks came hours after Ansarullah leader
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said Yemeni Armed Forces would continue their retaliatory
operations against Israeli-affiliated commercial vessels and prevent the
passage of the ships even through the Indian Ocean and through the Cape of Good
Hope.
About 34 Yemeni fighters have been killed since the
Yemeni military began to attack shipping lanes in solidarity with the people of
Palestine, Houthi said in a televised speech broadcast live from the capital
Sana’a on Thursday evening.
Houthi noted that 73 ships have been targeted in
Yemeni operations in support of Gaza so far, adding rarely does any ship
associated with the Israeli enemy pass through Bab al-Mandab.
“This week, support operations included 12 operations
targeting ships and barges, executed with a total of 58 ballistic and cruise
missiles and drones in the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, and the Gulf of Aden,” he
said.
“Our operations this time reached unprecedented
ranges, with 3 operations reaching the Indian Ocean, by the grace of Allah,” he
added. “The total number of targeted ships and barges reached 73.”
Houthi underscored that the operations will continue as
long as the aggression and siege on Gaza persist.
Yemeni citizens have declared their full support for
Palestine's struggle against the Israeli occupation, especially in light of the
destructive war on Gaza that commenced on October 7 following the unexpected
Operation Al-Aqsa Storm conducted by Palestinian resistance groups in the
coastal sliver.
Source:
presstv.ir
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/03/15/721911/Ansarullah-vows-to-bar-Israel-linked-ships-from-sailing-in-Indian-Ocean,-target-them
----
South
Asia
UNAMA's Effectiveness 'Limited' So Far: Islamic
Emirate
NawidSamadi
March 14, 2024
Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Islamic
Emirate, said that UNAMA's activities in the country are important; however, it
must present its reports on Afghanistan impartially.
Mujahid added that UNAMA has not made a significant
effort to reflect the realities since the return of the Islamic Emirate into
power.
The spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate said:
"Unfortunately, the effectiveness of UNAMA has been very limited so far,
the realities and developments that have taken place in Afghanistan have not
been accurately shown in the United Nations, the focus has only been on two or
three negative issues that have been found, and they have been used in a
propagandistic manner."
UNAMA's mission is supposed to end on March 17.
Some political analysts believe that extending UNAMA's
mission in Afghanistan will have a positive effect on the situation in
Afghanistan.
"UNAMA's programs in Afghanistan are very
impactful, and I hope that UNAMA's mission in Afghanistan will be extended,”
said Sayed Qaribullah Sadat, a political analyst.
"The mission and continued presence of UNAMA in
Afghanistan are considered important both politically and non-politically;
however, this mission should be more transparent and defined within the
framework of national interests and the collective well-being of the Afghan
people,” said Farhad Abrar, an international relations analyst.
UNAMA's mission in Afghanistan is set to end on the
17th of this month, and the UN Security Council is scheduled to hold a meeting
today (Thursday) to vote on extending UNAMA's mission.
Source:
tolonews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-187826
---
UK provides £5.2 million additional humanitarian
support to Rohingyas
Mar 14, 2024
The UK is providing an additional £5.2 million (Tk
73.2 crore) of humanitarian support to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, said
the British High Commission in Dhaka today.
The announcement came during the launch of the 2024
humanitarian appeal for the Rohingya response in Bangladesh, the Joint Response
Plan, in Geneva yesterday.
Implemented by the World Food Programme (WFP),
International Organization for Migration (IOM), and UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR),
this new package of UK assistance will provide food and cooking gas to Rohingya
refugees in Cox's Bazar.
British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Sarah Cooke,
said: "I am pleased to announce this new package of £5.2 million to
respond to humanitarian needs in the refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, and provide
vital food and cooking gas to the Rohingya."
The UK stands with Rohingya refugees and neighbouring
Bangladeshi communities affected by this crisis, she said.
"We recognise Bangladesh's significant efforts in
its hosting of the Rohingya, and remain committed to finding a long-term
solution," said the high commissioner.
"In the interim, we are providing humanitarian
assistance to support those affected. We will be announcing additional support
later this year," she said.
Source:
thedailystar.net
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/uk-provides-ps52-million-additional-humanitarian-support-rohingyas-3566736
----
Acting Foreign Minister Discusses Bilateral Relations
with Iranian Ambassador
2024-03-14
KABUL (BNA): Mawlavi Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Acting
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate, met with the Ambassador of
the Islamic Republic of Iran and Hassan KazemiQomi, the Special Representative
of the Iran President for Afghanistan Affairs, on Wednesday.
Hafiz Zia Ahmad Takal, the Deputy Spokesperson of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reported that the meeting focused on bilateral
relations, trade, transit, and recent political developments in the region.
Both parties acknowledged the progressing relations
between Afghanistan and regional nations, considering it beneficial for the
entire region.Takal also mentioned that the Iranian special representative
provided updates on a recent meeting in Doha.
In conclusion, Muttaqi discussed the challenges faced
by Afghans in Iran, the enhancement of Afghanistan’s electricity imports, the
development of the Chabahar port, and the arrival of water in Nimruz and Sistan
due to recent rainfalls and floods. He emphasized the importance of these
issues in the context of bilateral relations.
Source:
bakhtarnews.af
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/acting-foreign-minister-discusses-bilateral-relations-with-iranian-ambassador/
---
Torkham Crossing reopens exclusively for Afghan cancer
patients
Fidel Rahmati
March 14, 2024
After four days of closure, the Torkham crossing has
reopened exclusively for cancer patients, announced an official on Thursday.
Afghan and Pakistani authorities have reached an agreement permitting patients
to cross the border without the need for passports or visas.
The Afghan National Television reported that cancer
patients with a “six-month cancer card” can travel to Pakistan without needing
a visa.
This was conveyed by the state-controlled media under
Taliban rule, stating that the Information and Culture Directorate of Nangarhar
province has encouraged these patients to visit Torkham promptly.
Recently, SadiqullahQuriashi, the media officer of the
Information and Culture Directorate in Nangarhar, told the media outlets that
Pakistani authorities have informed this group that they will not allow these
patients to cross border crossings without a visa.
Torkham border crossing has been closed to patients
for at least the past three days. Following the release of this news, a large
number of patients and their families appealed to the Pakistani government and
Afghan officials to take action to resolve this issue.
Due to the lack of medical facilities for cancer
patients in Afghanistan, many of them used to travel to neighboring countries,
including Pakistan and India, for treatment. However, after the collapse of the
republic, the majority of patients now seek therapy in Pakistan.
Meanwhile, the forced deportation of Afghan refugees
has intensified amidst the dire humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. With the
Taliban’s control, many refugees face the threat of expulsion from neighboring
countries, including Pakistan.
The closure of border crossings exacerbates the plight
of vulnerable populations, such as cancer patients, who urgently require
medical treatment abroad.
Source:
khaama.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/torkham-crossing-reopens-exclusively-for-afghan-cancer-patients/
----
Iran forcefully deported over 1,000 Afghan refugees
Fidel Rahmati
March 14, 2024
The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriates Affairs
stated that more than a thousand Afghan migrants returned to the country after
being expelled by Iran.
The ministry announced on Thursday, March 14, in a
statement that 1,740 Afghan migrants returned to the country.
According to the ministry’s statement, the mentioned
migrants returned to the country through the Islam Qala border in Herat
province after being expelled.
According to the migrants’ statement, families and
individuals returned to the country by force or voluntarily.
Officials at the Ministry of Migrants Affairs also
stated that 37 unaccompanied children were referred to the WARCHILD institute
for identification of their families.
Iran and Pakistan have recently imposed strict
restrictions on Afghan migrants, causing Afghan citizens who have sought refuge
in these countries due to poverty and unemployment through illegal means to
face difficulties.
Afghan returnees from countries such as Iran and
Pakistan face dire challenges, particularly during the harsh winter months and
amid ongoing humanitarian crises.
With limited resources and inadequate shelter, they
endure extreme cold weather conditions, exacerbating their precarious
situation. Many lack access to basic necessities such as food, clean water, and
proper healthcare, further amplifying their vulnerability.
Source:
khaama.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/iran-forcefully-deported-over-1000-afghan-refugees/
----
Afghanistan’s assets in Switzerland reach $270 million
Fidel Rahmati
March 14, 2024
Members of the Afghanistan Trust Fund in Switzerland
have stated that out of Afghanistan’s $3.5 billion bank reserves in
Switzerland, only about $270 million has been accessed so far.
Anwar ul-Haq Ahadi, one of the members of the
Afghanistan Trust Fund in Switzerland, recently told Radio Azadi that within a
year and a half of the fund’s establishment, its profits had reached
approximately $270 million.
Mr. Ahadi added that a small amount of this money has
been allocated for administrative purposes, but the rest is being preserved.
He also mentioned that with the agreement of the
fund’s four board members, the funds could be used as a backup to support the
value of the Afghan currency.
It is worth noting that the Afghanistan Trust Fund in
Switzerland was established on September 14, 2022, to safeguard Afghanistan’s
bank reserves of $5 billion.
Economic experts argue that Afghanistan’s bank capital
should not be spent and could serve as financial backing for Afghanistan.
Although the Taliban regime back in Kabul has
repeatedly demanded the return of Afghanistan’s frozen funds from the United
States, which are said to be around $9 billion, they have not yet gained access
to this money.
Source:
khaama.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/afghanistans-assets-in-switzerland-reach-270-million/
---
Witness Accounts of Herat Uprising on 24th Hoot
March 14, 2024
Today, Thursday, 24th of Hoot (March 14) marks the
45th anniversary of the bloody uprising of 1357 (solar year) by the people of
Herat against the communist regime of that time.
More than four decades after this bloody event,
witnesses of the uprising said they have not forgotten that horrific day.
It is said that this uprising was the beginning of
other Afghans' uprisings against the communist regime and the former Soviet Red
Army in the country.
Ghulam Mohammad, who fought against the communist
regime's military forces in the city of Herat during the uprising of March 14,
said that in this uprising, all people, including women and children, rose
against the military of that government.
This 63-year-old man added that the communist regime's
military forces ruthlessly shot all the uprisers and spilled blood.
He told TOLOnews’ reporter in Herat: "The
situation was very bad. We fought with sticks and pickaxes in hand."
Witnesses of the 24th Hoot uprising have bitter and
horrific stories of the massacre and bloodshed of people on this day.
"The communists were bombing and shooting at us,
thank God we were not killed. We were here in Herat for twenty-four days,” said
Fazl Ahmad, a Herat resident.
Ahmad Ali Ghordarwazi, one of the former Jihadi
commanders in Herat, who played a significant role in fighting against the
former Soviet Red Army and the communist regime under their support, said that
the uprising by the people of Herat led to other uprisings of the Afghan people
against the former Soviet Red Army and eventually led to defeat of the former
Soviet Union and the regime under its support.
"After this day, the people of Afghanistan
realized the depth of the atrocities and crimes of the ruling regime in
Afghanistan and felt that there is no other way but to fight,” he said.
The residents of Herat rose up on the 24th of Hoot
1357 - March 14, 1979, against the communist regime of that time. It is said
that on this day, more than 24,000 of the uprisers lost their lives and
thousands of others were wounded and disabled in this bloody event.
Source:
tolonews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://tolonews.com/index.php/afghanistan-187831
-----
'Harassment' of Yunus to impact US-Bangladesh ties: US
senator
Mar 15, 2024
US Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) yesterday
said Bangladesh government's failure to end a "seemingly personal vendetta
against Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus" will negatively impact
US-Bangladesh partnership.
He made the comment during a meeting with Bangladesh
Ambassador to the US Muhammad Imran.
The meeting follows a letter Durbin sent along with US
Senators Todd Young (R-IN), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Jeff Merkley
(D-OR), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ed Markey (D-MA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Peter
Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Cory Booker
(D-NJ) to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina calling for the end of Yunus'
harassment.
In a statement after the meeting, Durbin said he met
Muhammad Imran to discuss the "persistent harassment" of Prof Yunus.
"As such, in today's meeting with Mr Imran, I
again called for an end to the harassment of Professor Yunus."
The statement said, over the last decade, Professor
Yunus has faced more than 100 unsubstantiated cases in Bangladesh.
The harassment campaign against Professor Yunus has
been denounced by more than 100 Nobel Prize winners, including former President
Obama.
Durbin led the effort in the US Congress to award
Professor Yunus the Congressional Gold Medal in 2013, recognising his
pioneering contributions in the fight against global poverty.
"The United States values its longstanding
relationship with Bangladesh, and I appreciate its early help to Rohingya
refugees fleeing violence in Burma," said Durbin.
"But a failure to end this seemingly personal
vendetta against Muhammad Yunus will negatively impact that partnership. As
such, in today's meeting with Mr. Imran, I again called for an end to the
harassment of Professor Yunus."
Source:
thedailystar.net
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/diplomacy/news/harassment-yunus-impact-us-bangladesh-ties-us-senator-3567166
----
Child protection: Govt, Unicef recruit 1,200 social
workers
Mar 15, 2024
The government in collaboration with Unicef has
recruited more than 1,200 social workers in child protection services, said a
press release of the Unicef.
A 3-day orientation training of trainers in Dhaka for
the social workers, organised by the Department of Social Services and Unicef,
concluded yesterday.
Addressing the event, Social Welfare Minister Dipu
Moni said, "The recruitment of the new batch... is a testament to our
commitment towards enhancing child protection system."
Charles Whiteley, EU Ambassador to Bangladesh; and
Sheldon Yett, Unicef Representative to Bangladesh, also spoke.
Source:
thedailystar.net
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/child-protection-govt-unicef-recruit-1200-social-workers-3566951
----
Mideast
Hezbollah tells Iran it would fight alone in any war
with Israel
MARCH 15, 2024
With ally Hamas under attack in Gaza, the head of
Iran's Quds Force visited Beirut in February to discuss the risk posed if
Israel next aims at Lebanon's Hezbollah, an offensive that could severely hurt
Tehran's main regional partner, seven sources said.
In Beirut, Quds chief EsmailQaani met Hezbollah leader
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the sources said, for at least the third time since
Hamas' deadly October 7 attacks on southern Israel and Israel's devastating
retaliatory assault on Gaza.
The conversation turned to the possibility of a full
Israeli offensive to its north, in Lebanon, the sources said. As well as
damaging the Shi'ite Islamist group, such an escalation could pressure Iran to
react more forcefully than it has so far since October 7, three of the sources,
Iranians within the inner circle of power, said.
Over the past five months, Hezbollah, a sworn enemy of
Israel, has shown support for Hamas in the form of limited volleys of rockets
fired across Israel's northern border.
At the previously unreported meeting, Nasrallah
reassured Qaani he didn't want Iran to get sucked into a war with Israel or the
United States and that Hezbollah would fight on its own, all the sources said.
"This is our fight," Nasrallah told Qaani,
said one Iranian source with knowledge of the discussions.
Calibrated to avoid a major escalation, the skirmishes
in Lebanon have nonetheless pushed tens of thousands of people from their homes
on either side of the border. Israeli strikes have killed more than 200
Hezbollah fighters and some 50 civilians in Lebanon, while attacks from Lebanon
into Israel have killed a dozen Israeli soldiers and six civilians.
In recent days, Israel's counter-strikes have
increased in intensity and reach, fueling fears the violence could spin out of
control.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant indicated on
Sunday that Israel planned to increase attacks to decisively remove Hezbollah
fighters from the border in the event of a Gaza ceasefire, although he left the
door open for diplomacy.
In 2006, Israel fought a short but intense air and
ground war with Hezbollah that was devastating for Lebanon.
Israeli security sources have said previously that
Israel did not seek any spread of hostilities but added that the country was
prepared to fight on new fronts if needed. An all-out war on its northern
border would stretch Israel’s military resources.
Iran and Hezbollah are mindful of the grave perils of
a wider war in Lebanon, two of the sources aligned with the views of the
government in Tehran said, including the danger it could spread and lead to
strikes on Iran's nuclear installations.
The US lists Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism and
has sought for years to rein in Tehran's nuclear program. Israel has long
considered Iran an existential threat. Iran denies it is seeking a nuclear
weapon.
Speaking with Iranian and Lebanese sources
For this story, Reuters spoke to four Iranian and two
regional sources, along with a Lebanese source who confirmed the thrust of the
meeting. Two US sources and an Israeli source said Iran wanted to avoid
blowback from an Israel-Hezbollah war. All requested anonymity to discuss
sensitive matters.
The US State Department, Israel's government, Tehran,
and Hezbollah did not respond to requests for comment.
The Beirut meeting highlights strain on Iran's
strategy of avoiding major escalation in the region while projecting strength
and support for Gaza across the Middle East through allied armed groups in
Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, analysts said.
Qaani and Nasrallah "want to further insulate
Iran from the consequences of supporting an array of proxy actors throughout
the Middle East." said Jon Alterman of Washington's Center for Strategic
and International Studies think tank, responding to a question about the
meeting.
"Probably because they assess that the
possibility of military action in Lebanon is increasing and not
decreasing."
Already, Tehran's carefully nurtured influence in the
region is being curtailed, including by Israel's offensive against Hamas along
with potential US-Saudi defense and Israel-Saudi normalization agreements, as
well as US warnings that Iran should not get involved in the Hamas-Israel
conflict.
Qaani and Nasrallah control tens of thousands of
fighters and a vast arsenal of rockets and missiles. They are the main
protagonists in Tehran's network of allies and proxy militias, with Qaani's
elite Quds Force acting as the foreign legion of Iran's Revolutionary Guards.
While Hezbollah has publicly indicated it would halt
attacks on Israel when the Israeli offensive in Gaza stops, US Special Envoy
Amos Hochstein said last week a Gaza truce would not automatically trigger calm
in southern Lebanon.
Arab and Western diplomats report that Israel has
expressed strong determination to no longer allow the presence of Hezbollah's
main fighters along the border, fearing an attack similar to Hamas' incursion
that killed 1,200 people and took 253 hostages.
"If there is a ceasefire in (Gaza), there are two
schools of thought in Israel, and my impression is that the one that would
recommend continuing the war on the border with Hezbollah is the stronger
one," said Sima Shine, a former Israeli intelligence official who is
currently head of the Iran program at the Institute for National Security
Studies:
A senior Israeli official agreed that Iran was not
seeking a full-blown war, noting Tehran's restrained response to Israel's
offensive on Hamas.
"It seems that they feel they face a credible
military threat. But that threat may need to become more credible," the
official said.
Washington, via Hochstein, and France have been
working on diplomatic proposals that would move Hezbollah fighters from the
border area in line with UN resolution 1701 that helped end the 2006 war, but a
deal remains elusive.
A war in Lebanon would be a blow for Iran
A war in Lebanon that seriously degrades Hezbollah
would be a major blow for Iran, which relies on the group founded with its
support in 1982 as a bulwark against Israel and to buttress its interests in
the broader region, two regional sources said.
"Hezbollah is in fact the first line of defense
for Iran," said Abdulghani Al-Iryani, a senior researcher at the Sana'a
Center for Strategic Studies, a think tank in Yemen.
If Israel were to launch major military action on
Hezbollah, the Iranian sources within the inner circle of power said, Tehran
may find itself compelled to intensify its proxy war.
An Iranian security official acknowledged, however,
that the costs of such an escalation could be prohibitively high for Iran's
allied groups. Direct involvement by Iran, he added, could serve Israel's
interests and provide justification for the continued presence of US troops in the
region.
Given Tehran's extensive, decades-long ties with
Hezbollah, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to put distance between
them, one US official said.
Since the Hamas attack on Israel, Iran has given its
blessing to actions in support of its ally in Gaza, including attacks by Iraqi
groups on US interests. It has also supplied intelligence and weapons for
Houthi operations against shipping in the Red Sea.
But it has stopped well short of an unfettered
multi-front war on Israel that, three Palestinian sources said, Hamas had
expected Iran to support after October 7.
Before the Beirut encounter with Nasrallah, Qaani
chaired a two-day meeting in Iran in early February along with militia
commanders of operations in Yemen, Iraq, and Syria, three Hezbollah
representatives, and a Houthi delegation, one Iranian official said.
The official said Revolutionary Guard
Commander-in-Chief Major General Hossein Salami was also present. Hamas did not
attend.
"At the end, all the participants agreed that
Israel wanted to expand the war and falling into that trap should be avoided as
it will justify the presence of more US troops in the region,” the official
said.
Shortly after, Qaani engineered a pause in attacks by
the Iraqi groups. So far, Hezbollah has kept its tit-for-tat responses within
what observers have called unwritten rules of engagement with Israel.
Despite decades of proxy conflict since Iran's 1979
revolution, the Islamic Republic has never directly fought in a war with
Israel, and all four Iranian sources said there was no appetite for that to
change.
According to the Iranian insider, Supreme Leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is not inclined to see a war unfold in Iran, where
domestic discontent with the ruling system last year spilled over into mass
protests.
"The Iranians are pragmatists, and they are
afraid of the expansion of the war," said Iryani.
"If Israel were alone, they would fight, but they
know that if the war expands, the United States will be drawn in."
Source:
jpost.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-792104
---
Police gird for first Ramadan Friday violence after
Hamas calls to ‘defend Al-Aqsa’
March 15, 2024
Thousands of police were deployed Friday across the
Old City of Jerusalem in case of disturbances after Hamas called on Palestinian
worshipers to barricade themselves inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque during the first
Friday prayers of the holy month of Ramadan.
Police said that in addition to the 3,000 officers and
Border Police soldiers, police commissioner KobiShabtai, Jerusalem district
commanders, and Shin Bet security officials would visit the several command
posts set up in the Old City, where they would receive real-time updates on the
situation.
In a statement Thursday, Hamas called on followers to
“participate urgently in defending Al-Aqsa Mosque against the aggression that
lurks in these critical times.”
In past years during Ramadan, Palestinians have
barricaded themselves inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is situated on the
Temple Mount, some with explosives and rocks. Police operations to clear them
out have often resulted in violence.
Last year, two consecutive nights of clashes between
officers and Palestinians at the mosque sparked barrages of rocket fire from
Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.
This year’s Ramadan comes amid tinderbox tensions
stemming from the ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza, triggered by the group’s
shock October 7 attack, when thousands of terrorists rampaged through southern
Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking 253 hostages.
File: Israeli policemen detain a Palestinian man at
the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound atop the Temple Mount following clashes that
erupted during the Islamic holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Jerusalem on April
5, 2023. (Ahmad GHARABLI / AFP)
Terror groups have called on Palestinians to come to
Al-Aqsa Mosque to confront Israel over the war in Gaza.
Police officers scuffled with some attendees at the
entrance to the Temple Mount on the first night of Ramadan on Sunday, but the
holy site has been relatively peaceful since.
On Tuesday, police quickly denied claims on social
media that barriers being set up aimed to block entry into the Temple Mount.
Police have warned terror groups are trying to spread false information about
the site to stir up violence.
“In practice, there is no blocking of the gates of the
Temple Mount, which is open for the entry of worshipers from all gates. This is
maintenance work (replacing old fences with new ones) at the security posts,”
police said.
Officials from the Jordanian-backed Islamic trust that
administers the Al Aqsa Mosque compound told Haaretz that evening prayers have
attracted relatively large crowds of worshipers compared to previous years and
that 50,000 were expected to arrive for midday prayers on Friday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged last week
that the number of worshipers allowed to pray on the Temple Mount in the first
week of Ramadan would be the same as in previous years and that no restrictions
would be imposed on Arab Israelis, overruling the wishes of National Security
Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, an ultranationalist firebrand who oversees the Israel
Police.
COGAT, the Israeli defense body in charge of civilian
affairs in the West Bank, has ruled that Palestinian residents’ access to the
site for Friday’s prayers will be limited to men over 55, women over 50, and
children under 10.
The Temple Mount is the holiest place in Judaism,
where two biblical Temples once stood, and the Al-Aqsa Mosque is the
third-holiest shrine in Islam, making the site a central flashpoint of the
Israeli-Arab conflict.
Source:
timesofisrael.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.timesofisrael.com/police-gird-for-first-ramadan-friday-prayers-after-hamas-calls-to-defend-al-aqsa/
----
70,000 Palestinians perform Tarawih prayers at Al-Aqsa
Mosque despite Israeli restrictions
Said Amouri
15.03.2024
Around 70,000 Palestinian worshippers performed
Tarawih prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem on Thursday
despite Israeli restrictions.
Tarawih prayers are special night prayers that are
performed during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
In a brief statement, the Islamic Endowments
Department in Jerusalem said 70,000 worshippers attended Tarawih prayers at
Al-Aqsa Mosque on the fifth night of Ramadan.
Eyewitnesses told Anadolu that Israeli forces were
deployed at the gates leading to the mosque and prevented thousands of
Palestinian youths from entering.
Israel has restricted Palestinian worshippers’ access
to Al-Aqsa Mosque amid growing tensions across the occupied West Bank due to
the Israeli army’s ongoing offensive on the Gaza Strip following an Oct. 7
cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas that has left more than
31,300 people dead.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world's third-holiest site for
Muslims. Jews call the area the Temple Mount, claiming it was the site of two
Jewish temples in ancient times.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is
located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980
in a move never recognized by the international community.
Source:
aa.com.tr
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/70-000-palestinians-perform-tarawih-prayers-at-al-aqsa-mosque-despite-israeli-restrictions/3164954
----
Israeli Regime Failed To Achieve Any Goals In War On
Gaza: Iranian Foreign Minister
Mar 15, 2024
TEHRAN, Mar. 15 (MNA) – The Iranian Foreign Minister
Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said that the Zionist Israeli regime has achieved none
of its goals in its brutal aggression on the Gaza Strip and the signs of
Israel’s historic defeat are emerging.
Amir-Abdollahian made the comments in a
message to the leaders of the resistance groups on Thursday night.
The top Iranian diplomat congratulated the leaders of
the resistance groups, as well as to the resilient and steadfast nations of
Lebanon and Palestine, on the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan.
In the congratulatory message for Secretary-General of
Lebanon's Hezbollah Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah, Head of the Political Bureau of
Hamas Ismail Haniyeh, and Secretary-General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad
Movement Ziyad al-Nakhalah, the Iranian minister praised all resistance forces
for standing against the “hateful and criminal Zionist regime”.
He also paid tribute to “the honorable families of the
martyrs and wounded in the ongoing conflict, as well as to the resilient and
steadfast nations of Lebanon and Palestine”.
“Muslims around the world have embraced this sacred
month as the occupying regime in al-Quds continues to commit crimes against
humanity and genocide against the oppressed Palestinian nation, particularly
the vulnerable women and children of this revered land. This comes when the
responsible international institutions, including the United Nations Security
Council, have failed to take effective and deterrent action to halt the
genocide perpetrated by the Israeli regime,” Amir-Abdollahian stated.
Denouncing the inaction from those who purport to
champion human rights in the face of the Israeli crimes in Palestine, he lauded
the “heroic, dignified, and historic resistance displayed by the resistance
forces and the steadfast Palestinian nation in the face of the regime armed to
the teeth and bolstered by unwavering support from the American government.”
“In light of these dignified and honorable efforts,
the Zionist enemy has failed to achieve any of its stated objectives, and the
aspects of this regime's historic failures have come to the surface,” he added,
the Foreign Ministry’s website reported.
“With sincere and unwavering faith in the assured
fulfilment of God's promise of victory, I solemnly commemorate the memory of
all the martyrs of the resistance during these virtuous and luminous days and
nights,” Amir-Abdollahian noted.
At least 31,341 Palestinians have been killed and
73,134 injured in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7.
Source:
mehrnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://en.mehrnews.com/news/213036/Israeli-regime-failed-to-achieve-any-goals-in-war-on-Gaza
----
Hamas calls for public mobilization in support of
Gaza, al-Aqsa on first Friday of Ramadan
[15/March/2024]
GAZA March 15. 2024 (Saba) - Hamas has called on the
masses of the Palestinian people and all Arab and Islamic peoples and their
institutions to escalate the movement and protest and confront the Zionist
enemy.
Hamas's statement came upon the entry of the first
Friday of the blessed month of Ramadan in support of the steadfastness and
resistance of the people of Gaza and in support of al-Quds and al-Aqsa Mosque.
The movement called on Arab and Islamic nations to
make the first blessed Friday in particular an arena of massive and continuous
movement and escalation in the squares in victory and support for the
steadfastness of the people in the Gaza Strip, their sacrifices and resistance,
and continued pressure until the aggression stops and the opening of crossings
and bringing in relief aid.
Source:
saba.ye
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3313145.htm
---
Turkish aid agency delivers Ramadan food packages to
Palestine
AlperenAktaş
14.03.2024
A Turkish aid agency on Thursday delivered Ramadan
food packages to the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs to be
distributed among 1,000 families residing in refugee camps in various cities of
Palestine.
The socio-economic hardships stemming from the Israeli
longstanding occupation policies in the West Bank and the deadly war on Gaza
have been intensifying.
Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on the
Palestinian enclave, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern
Gaza, on the verge of starvation.
The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population
into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and
medicine, while most of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or
destroyed, according to the UN.
In addition to the increased unemployment and poverty
after the war, pressure and attacks on cities like Jenin, Tulkarm, Qalqilya,
Tubas, Nablus, and Ramallah, particularly targeting refugee camps in these
cities, are also escalating.
Orhan Aydin, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination
Agency (TIKA) coordinator for Palestine, said that they will continue to stand
by the Palestinian people throughout the month of Ramadan, conducting
activities such as food distribution, providing provisions to soup kitchens,
and organizing iftar programs in various parts of Palestine, including Gaza.
As part of the Ramadan assistance, the relief agency
also visited the Al Am'ari Refugee Camp, which has recently been subjected to
attacks, and distributed food packages among needy families.
Israel has waged a deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip
since a Hamas attack last October which killed some 1,200 people.
More than 31,300 people have since been killed and
73,100 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.
Israel stands accused of genocide at the International
Court of Justice, which in an interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to
stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance
is provided to civilians in Gaza.
Source:
aa.com.tr
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/turkish-aid-agency-delivers-ramadan-food-packages-to-palestine/3164691
----
Hamas issues ceasefire proposal detailing exchange of
hostages, prisoners
15 Mar 2024
DUBAI, March 15 — Hamas has presented a Gaza ceasefire
proposal to mediators and the US which includes the release of Israeli hostages
in exchange for freedom for Palestinian prisoners, 100 of whom are serving life
sentences, according to a proposal seen by Reuters.
Hamas said the initial release of Israelis would
include women, children, elderly, and ill hostages in exchange for the release
of 700-1000 Palestinian prisoners, according to the proposal. The release of
Israeli “female recruits” is included.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu said the new Hamas position was based on “unrealistic demands”.
Egypt and Qatar have been trying to narrow differences
between Israel and Hamas over what a ceasefire should look like as a deepening
humanitarian crisis has one quarter of the population in the battered Gaza
Strip facing famine.
Hamas said ceasefire negotiations had faltered over
the past few weeks due to Netanyahu’s rejection of its demands, which include a
permanent ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal from the strip, the return of the
displaced in the south of the enclave to the centre and the north, and stepping
up aid without restrictions.
In February, Hamas received a draft proposal from Gaza
truce talks in Paris which included a 40-day pause in all military operations
and the exchange of Palestinian prisoners for Israeli hostages at a ratio of 10
to one — a similar ratio to the new ceasefire proposal.
Release of all detainees
Israel also rejected that draft proposal, citing its
long-held goal of not ending the war until it destroyed Hamas. Hamas insists an
agreement should end the war.
According to the latest proposal, Hamas said a date
for a permanent ceasefire would be agreed upon after the initial exchange of
hostages and prisoners as well as a deadline for an Israeli withdrawal from
Gaza.
The group said all detainees from both sides would be
released in a second stage of the plan.
The war was triggered by a Hamas-led attack on
southern Israeli towns on October 7 that left 1,200 people dead and 253 taken
hostage, according to Israeli tallies.
Since then, Israel’s air, sea and ground assault on
Gaza has killed more than 31,000 people and wounded over 71,500, according to
Gaza health authorities.
The conflict has spread to other parts of the volatile
Middle East. Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah has frequently exchanged fire with
Israel along the border.
Pro-Iranian armed groups in Iraq have attacked US
forces in the country and Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis have attacked shipping
lanes in and around the Red Sea to show their solidarity with Palestinians in
the Gaza war.
Late yesterday, Hamas said it presented to mediators a
comprehensive vision of a truce based on stopping what it calls Israeli
aggression against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, providing relief and aid,
the return of displaced Gazans to their homes, and the withdrawal of Israeli
forces. With the war now in its sixth month, the UN has warned that at least
576,000 people in Gaza are on the brink of famine and global pressure has been
growing on Israel to allow more access for aid. — Reuters
Source:
malaymail.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2024/03/15/hamas-issues-ceasefire-proposal-detailing-exchange-of-hostages-prisoners/123619
----
Arab
World
Yemen’s Houthis reported to have a hypersonic missile,
possibly raising stakes in Red Sea crisis
March 15, 2024
DUBAI, UAE: Yemen’s Houthis claim to have a new,
hypersonic missile in their arsenal, Russia’s state media reported Thursday,
potentially raising the stakes in their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and
surrounding waterways against the backdrop of Israel’s war with Hamas in the Gaza
Strip.
The report by the state-run RIA Novosti news agency
cited an unidentified official but provided no evidence for the claim. It comes
as Moscow maintains an aggressively counter-Western foreign policy amid its
grinding war on Ukraine.
However, the Houthis have for weeks hinted about
“surprises” they plan for the battles at sea to counter the United States and
its allies, which have so far been able to down any missile or bomb-carrying
drone that comes near their warships in Mideast waters.
On Thursday, Abdul Malik Al-Houthi, the Houthis’
secretive supreme leader, said the militia will start hitting ships heading
toward the Cape of Good Hope in Africa’s southern tip. Until now, the militia
has largely struck ships heading into the Red Sea toward the Suez Canal, and
such an escalation would target the longer, alternative route used by some
vessels. It remains unclear how they would carry any possible assault out.
Meanwhile, Iran and the US reportedly held indirect
talks in Oman, the first in months amid their long-simmering tensions over
Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program and attacks by its proxies.
Iran, the Houthis’ main benefactor, claims to have a
hypersonic missile and has widely armed the militia with the missiles it now
uses. Adding a hypersonic missile to their arsenal could pose a more formidable
challenge to the air defense systems employed by America and its allies,
including Israel.
“The group’s missile forces have successfully tested a
missile that is capable of reaching speeds of up to Mach 8 and runs on solid
fuel,” a military official close to the Houthis said, according to the RIA
report. The Houthis “intend to begin manufacturing it for use during attacks in
the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, as well as against targets in Israel.”
Mach 8 is eight times the speed of sound.
Hypersonic weapons, which fly at speeds higher than
Mach 5, could pose crucial challenges to missile defense systems because of
their speed and maneuverability.
Ballistic missiles fly on a trajectory in which anti-missile
systems like the US-made Patriot can anticipate their path and intercept them.
The more irregular the missile’s flight path, such as a hypersonic missile with
the ability to change directions, the more difficult it becomes to intercept.
China is believed to be pursuing the weapons, as is
America. Russia claims it has already used them.
In Yemen, Abdul Malik Al-Houthi boasted that his
fighters “continue to expand the effectiveness and scope of our operations to
areas and locations the enemy never expects.” He said they would prevent ships
“connected to the Israeli enemy even crossing the Indian Ocean ... heading
toward the Cape of Good Hope.”
The Houthis have attacked ships since November, saying
they want to force Israel to end its offensive in Gaza, launched in response to
Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel. The ships targeted by the Houthis,
however, have increasingly had little or no connection to Israel, the US or
other nations involved in the war. The militia has also fired missiles toward Israel,
though they have largely fallen short or been intercepted.
The Houthis don’t have a navy, nor weapons reaching
into the far distances of the Indian Ocean, making their Cape of Good Hope
threat difficult. However, Iran is suspected of targeting Israeli-linked
vessels previously in the Indian Ocean. The Houthis have claimed attacks
assessed to have been carried out by Iran in the past, such as the 2019 attack
on Saudi Arabia that temporarily halved its oil production.
After seizing Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014, the
Houthis ransacked government arsenals, which held Soviet-era Scud missiles and
other arms.
As the Saudi-led coalition entered Yemen’s conflict on
behalf of its exiled government in 2015, the Houthis’ arsenal was increasingly
targeted. Soon — and despite Yemen having no indigenous missile manufacturing
infrastructure — newer missiles made their way into militia’s hands.
Iran long has denied arming the Houthis, likely
because of a yearslong United Nations arms embargo on the militia. However, the
US and its allies have seized multiple arms shipments bound for the rebels in
Mideast waters. Weapons experts as well have tied Houthi arms seized on the
battlefield back to Iran.
Iran also now claims to have a hypersonic weapon. In
June, Iran unveiled its Fattah, or “Conqueror” in Farsi, missile, which it
described as being a hypersonic. It described another as being in development.
Iran’s mission to the UN did not respond to a request
for comment Thursday. Asked about the hypersonic claim, Pentagon spokesperson
Sabrina Singh said: “We have no indication that they even have that
capability.”
Israel’s military declined to comment.
Also Thursday, The Financial Times reported that the
US and Iran held indirect talks in Oman in January that America hoped would
curtail the Red Sea attacks. The last known round of such talks had come last
May.
Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency indirectly
acknowledged the talks but insisted they were “merely limited to negotiations
on lifting anti-Iran sanctions.”
The US State Department did not deny the January talks
took place in a statement to The Associated Press, saying: “We have many
channels for passing messages to Iran.”
“Since Oct. 7, all of (the communications) have been
focused on raising the full range of threats emanating from Iran and the need
for Iran to cease its across-the-board escalation,” it added.
The assaults on shipping have raised the profile of
the Houthis, whose Zaydi people ruled a 1,000-year kingdom in Yemen up until
1962. Adding a new weapon increases that cachet and puts more pressure on
Israel after a ceasefire deal failed to take hold in Gaza before the Muslim
holy month of Ramadan.
Earlier in March, a Houthi missile struck a commercial
ship in the Gulf of Aden, killing three of its crew members and forcing
survivors to abandon the vessel. It marked the first fatal attack by the
Houthis on shipping.
Other recent Houthi actions include an attack last
month on a cargo ship carrying fertilizer, the Rubymar, which later sank after
drifting for several days.
A new suspected Houthi attack targeted a ship in the
Gulf of Aden on Thursday, but missed the vessel and caused no damage, the
British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. A
later attack similarly missed a vessel in the Red Sea off Yemen’s port city of
Hodeida, the center said early Friday.
Fabian Hinz, a missile expert and research fellow at
the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said he wouldn’t be
surprised if Iran transferred a new, hypersonic weapon to the Houthis. However,
the question is how maneuverable such a weapon would be at hypersonic speeds
and whether it could hit moving targets, like ships in the Red Sea.
“I wouldn’t exclude the possibility that the Houthis
have some system that has some maneuvering capability to some extent,” Hinz
said. “It is also possible for the Iranians to transfer new stuff for the
Houthis to test it.”
Source:
arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2477086/middle-east
----
Revolution leader announces preventing ships linked to
Zionist enemy from crossing through Indian Ocean
[15/March/2024]
SANA'A 15. March 2024(Saba) - The leader of the
revolution, al-Sayeed Abdul-Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi, announced ships linked
to the Israeli enemy would be prevented from crossing through the Indian Ocean
in the direction adjacent to South Africa, towards the usurping enemy entity.
Al- Sayeed Abdulmalik Badr al-Din al-Houthi said in a
speech this evening about the latest developments, and as long as the
aggression, siege and starvation of the Palestinian people in Gaza continues,
we firm in our position.
He revealed the serious intention to continue
expanding the scope of military operations to areas and locations that the
enemy never expected.
Al-Sayeed added, "We are moving, with Allah grace
to prevent the crossing of ships linked to the Israeli enemy, even across the
Indian Ocean and from South Africa towards the Good Hope Road."
He stated that there is no choice at all for the
Americans or the British, except to stop the aggression against Gaza and stop
the starvation of the people in Gaza.
Al-Sayeed Abdul-Malik Badr Al-Din Al-Houthi called on
the masses of the Yemeni people to demonstrate in millions of people tomorrow,
Friday in Al-Sabeen Square in the capital, Sana’a and the rest of the
governorates to solidarity with the Palestinian people.
He urged the need for the popular momentum to remain
parallel to the level and military position targeting the Israeli enemy, and
for there to be continuity in the weekly outing of millions.
The Leader of the Revolution pointed out that the
Zionist crimes in the Gaza Strip continue for the 160th day and are genocide in
every sense of the word, indicating that the martyrs of Gaza are not just
numbers that people hear, but rather are human lives.
He stated that the huge numbers of martyrs and
wounded, most of whom children and women, are a disgrace to a world that claims
to be civilized and sings of rights.
Al-Sayeed pointed out the severe suffering of the
residents of the Gaza Strip as a result of the siege and starvation, and it is
interesting to hear statements about the possibility of martyrs falling due to
thirst.
Sayeed Abdul-Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi denounced the
failure and negligence of Muslims, especially most Arab countries, which
contributes to the crime of the century against the Palestinian people.
He explained that the American increasing its
contribution to the continuation of the Israeli crime against the Palestinian
people by preventing the cessation of the aggression and insisting on the
continuation of the siege.
He stated that the American landing operations do not
cover a small percentage of the need, and it aimed at deceiving public opinion.
The leader of the revolution said, "In exchange
for the limited aid that the Americans drop from the air in a seditious and
dishonorable way, they provide tons of bombs to kill the people of Gaza."
He added, "If Muslims had taken a serious
approach to supporting the Palestinian resistance, even with less than what
America and the West offering to the enemy, the picture would have been
different from battle in Gaza."
Al-Sayeed Abdul-Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi stated
that the Palestinian resistance in the first trench is fighting the battle of
the entire nation, wondering, “Why the Islamic countries not moving to support
it?”
He pointed out that it become shameful to talk about
providing support to the Palestinian resistance, as if it should not be helped
to continue the battle against the Zionist enemy, even though America and
Western countries not embarrassed to provide the deadliest weapons to the
Israeli enemy.
The leader of the revolution criticized some Arab
regimes that not only failed the Palestinian resistance, but also abused it,
distorted it, and included it on terrorist lists.
He expressed his regret that some Arab countries
criminalize the jihad of resistance fighters in Gaza and prevent donations to
them.
Al-Sayeed Abdulmalik Badr al-Din al-Houthi reiterated
that the Israeli enemy is a dangerous and bad enemy that poses a danger to
humanity and life.
The leader of the revolution stated that the Israeli
enemy did not achieve, through its heinous crimes, nor the extent of American
support, to break the will of the Palestinian people in Gaza.
He reported that hundreds of thousands of enemies
suffering from great psychological trauma, widespread psychological illness,
and clear evasion of conscription.
Al-Sayeed Abdul-Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi surprised
by the lack of the official side in the Arab and Islamic world to take a
serious practical stance to support the Palestinian people.
He touched on how the enemy soldiers boasted about
killing a defenseless and sick elderly man on his bed and proud of it.
Al-Sayeed stressed the need for Muslims to bear the
responsibility of confronting enemies as they pose a threat to human society in
general and to Muslims before others.
He also asked, "When will the nation stand up and
take action? What do you want the situation in the Gaza Strip to reach? Do you
want more than these tragic scenes?"
He urged everyone to review themselves and evaluate
their positions, indicating that some had not reached the point of boycotting
American and Israeli goods and products.
Al-Sayeed Abdul-Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi considered
the shameful position and continued disregard of most Arab and Islamic regimes
for the tragedy of the Palestinian people to have consequences and penalties.
He pointed out that Yemeni military operations are
continuing with missile bombardment to target ships linked to involved with
Israeli enemy.
The leader of the revolution stated that the support
operations this week were 12 operations targeting ships and were carried out
with 58 ballistic missiles in the Red and Arab seas and the Gulf of Aden.
He explained that the military operations this time
reached unprecedented extents, and three operations reached the Indian Ocean,
with God’s grace, and the total number of targeted ships reached 73 ships and
barges.
He pointed out that last Friday, the million people
turned out in 146 squares in various governorates and very huge numbers.
Al-Sayeed pointed out that the American-British
aggression on Yemen will not affect the course of military operations in the
Red and Arabian Seas.
He stated that American intransigence and escalation
of aggression produces one result, which the expansion of the conflict and the
cycle of war and events at the regional level in general.
Source:
saba.ye
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3313160.htm
----
Saudi ministry reiterates hospitality rules in Makkah
and Madinah during Umrah, Hajj seasons
March 15, 2024
RIYADH: Tourism and hospitality operators in Makkah
and Madinah have been reminded they must follow all regulations, instructions
and guidelines that apply to them, along with the contents of circulars issued
by the General Directorate of Civil Defense, to help keep pilgrims and other
visitors safe during Umrah season in the holy month of Ramadan, and the
upcoming Hajj season.
The Saudi Ministry of Tourism said on Thursday that
all facilities must have officially approved evacuation plans in place in case
of emergencies, and strategies for responding to a range hypothetical
situations that might arise, developed in coordination with Civil Defense.
The ministry said the reminder is part of its efforts
to ensure public safety and provide quality services that meet all requirements
of regulations governing the sector.
Source:
arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2477041/saudi-arabia
---
Saudi city of Jubail to host UNESCO’s 6th
International Conference on Learning Cities
March 15, 2024
RIYADH: Jubail in Saudi Arabia, a member of UNESCO’s
Global Network of Learning Cities, will host the sixth International Conference
on Learning Cities between Dec. 3 and 5.
“UNESCO learning cities are uniquely positioned to
instill climate consciousness and equip local residents with the green skills
essential for a sustainable society,” Isabell Kempf, the director of the UNESCO
Institute for Lifelong Learning said during the announcement on Thursday.
“The sixth International Conference on Learning Cities
in Jubail will pave the way for impactful climate action.”
The international event will be hosted by Jubail
Industrial City at the offices of the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu. It
comes as the commission, which was founded in 1975, prepares to celebrate its
50th anniversary. King Salman will serve as patron of the event, in keeping
with his views on the importance of international cooperation in efforts to
confront global challenges and achieve sustainable development through
education, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
“Hosting this international conference confirms the
pioneering role of Jubail Industrial City as a role model in the field of
education for sustainable development,” the SPA added.
“Hosting the conference also represents an important
opportunity to exchange experiences and ideas with cities around the world, and
develop joint action plans to enhance the role of learning cities in facing
global challenges, especially climate change.”
The Global Network of Learning Cities said Jubail was
chosen to host the conference in recognition of its commitment to the event,
the initiatives it has developed to enhance lifelong learning opportunities for
all, and its active participation in the network since joining in 2020.
Jubail Industrial City received the UNESCO Learning
Cities Award in 2021 for its efforts to enhance sustainable development, boost
entrepreneurship and improve skills, in keeping with the spirit of the network.
The theme of the conference will be “Learning Cities
at the Forefront of Climate Action,” which officials said is in line with the
aims of the Saudi and Middle East Green Initiatives launched in 2021 by Crown
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, chairman of the Supreme Committee for Green Saudi
Arabia.
“The UNESCO Learning City pointed to national programs
launched as part of the Saudi Vision 2030, such as the Human Capability
Development Program, aimed at building a national strategy for the development
of citizens’ capabilities,” the Institute for Lifelong Learning said.
“Adopting a lifelong-learning perspective and
involving the participation of government agencies, the private sector and the
non-profit sector, this strategy stretches from early childhood through to
general education, university education, technical and vocational training, and
continuous training.”
The conference in December will offer an opportunity
for municipal officials, those with an interest in the field of learning and
education, and representatives of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities
to come together to exchange information, ideas, solutions and best practices
related to the promotion of lifelong learning.
The network, which includes 356 cities in 79
countries, says it aims to encourage learning within families and communities,
and facilitate learning in the workplace, through the use of modern
technologies, the promotion of quality and excellence in learning, and by
fostering a culture of lifelong learning among member cities to help promote individual
empowerment, social inclusion, economic development, cultural prosperity and
sustainable development.
“During ICLC 6, participants, including policymakers,
learning city mayors, lifelong learning and sustainability experts,
private-sector representatives, nongovernmental organizations, civil society,
researchers, educators and United Nations entities, will work together to
identify and strengthen lifelong learning policies for climate action,
resilience and the establishment of sustainable cities,” the Institute for
Lifelong Learning said.
Source:
arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2477021/saudi-arabia
----
Saudi minister, Sweden’s MENA ambassadors discuss Gaza
conflict
March 14, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State for Foreign
Affairs and Climate Affairs Envoy Adel Al-Jubeir on Thursday met Swedish
ambassadors to the Middle East and North Africa region.
The meeting, which was held at the foreign ministry’s
headquarters in Riyadh, was headed by the Swedish Ambassador to the Kingdom
Petra Menander, the ministry said in a statement.
During the meeting, they discussed ways to enhance and
develop joint cooperation between the two kingdoms, and reviewed Saudi Arabia’s
efforts to maintain regional security and stability.
The envoys also discussed developments in the
situation in Gaza and its surrounding areas, and supporting all efforts to stop
the escalation of military operations.
The need for securing corridors for the delivery of
vital humanitarian and medical aid was also tackled, and they also exchanged
views on regional and international issues of common interest.
The meeting comes as more than 30 government officials
from Sweden traveled to Riyadh this week for the country’s annual meeting of
regional ambassadors.
Source:
arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2476901/saudi-arabia
----
'MATARAT Holding': Kingdom's Airports Ready to Receive
Umrah Pilgrims During Ramadan
15 Mar, 2024
MATARAT Holding has announced that the Kingdom's
international and domestic airports are ready to receive Umrah pilgrims during
the holy month of Ramadan. They have prepared an integrated operational plan to
accommodate the expected increase in pilgrims during this season.
The Command and
Control Center of MATARAT Holding enhances all airport operations to raise
operational and media readiness. They continuously monitor operations, predict
communication crises, monitor and deal with risks, and boost operational
performance to improve the travel experience through the Kingdom's airports.
MATARAT Holding
works to provide everything that will facilitate arrival procedures and reduce
the time taken to complete arrival and departure procedures for travellers
through the Kingdom's airports. They harness all facilities in coordination
with government and private agencies operating at airports and supervise the
implementation of the approved operational plan, which includes making the
necessary preparations and equipping the terminals, locations, and facilities
to receive pilgrims and complete their arrival procedures at Saudi airports.
MATARAT Holding
launched the 'Passengers with No Bags' service in the first quarter of 2024 to
provide comfort and smoothness in operational procedures. This service allows
passengers and Umrah pilgrims to complete their travel procedures from their
residences and load their luggage 24 hours before departure.
Source:
alriyadhdaily.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://alriyadhdaily.com/article/eba2f7f5e3fd45658ae437c77b3feb6a
---
Pakistan
Pakistan court rejects Imran Khan-backed Sunni Ittehad
Council's reserved seats petition
Mar 14, 2024
NEW DELHI: In a setback to the imprisoned former
Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan's party, a top Pakistani court on Thursday
dismissed a petition by the Sunni Ittehad Council seeking reserved seats in the
national and provincial assemblies.
The Peshawar high court, in unanimously rejected the
petition filed by SIC, as reported by Geo News.
The Election Commission of Pakistan had earlier
rejected the seat quota appeal by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-backed Sunni
Ittehad Council on March 4, citing legal defects and violation of mandatory
provisions.
Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan
argued that a party must win a general seat to be eligible for reserved seats,
with support from ECP lawyer Sikander Basheer Momand. Despite independent
candidates supported by PTI winning the most seats in the National Assembly, a
post-poll alliance between PML-N and PPP formed a coalition government.
SIC's lawyer, Barrister Ali Zafar, highlighted the
absence of specific deadlines in the Constitution for submitting lists for
reserved seats. The court, led by Chief Justice Mohammad Ibrahim Khan,
emphasized that participating parties will secure seats as per the law.
Barrister Zafar defended the possibility of
resubmitting lists and stressed the ECP's authority to issue a second schedule,
citing Section 104. He argued that the proportion of reserved seats should
align with the number of general seats won. The chief justice noted the importance
of filling these seats for a complete parliament.
Barrister Zafar urged the court to interpret the
Constitution without gaps. He emphasised the need for transparency in the
election process for reserved seats. The court acknowledged the ECP's role in
upholding justice through legislation. The decision underscores the legal
complexities surrounding reserved seats and the significance of adherence to
constitutional provisions.
Source:
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/pakistan-court-rejects-imran-khan-backed-sunni-ittehad-councils-reserved-seats-petition/articleshow/108493402.cms
----
PTI core committee demands Imran’s immediate release
March 15, 2024
IkramJunaidi
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) core
committee on Thursday denounced former prime minister Imran Khan’s detention
and demanded an immediate order for his release from imprisonment.
The committee, in its meeting, discussed various
issues, especially the delay of appeals in cases against PTI’s founding
chairman, the security of his wife, Bushra Bibi, and the recount of votes in
various constituencies in Punjab in detail.
According to a statement, during the meeting, the PTI
legal team provided an overview to the core committee regarding Mr Khan’s
cases.
The forum strongly condemned the incarceration of the
PTI founding chairman in these cases.
Voices concern over threats to health, life of Bushra;
Sher Afzal Marwat demands accountability on ‘mistakes’
They made it clear that the state’s intentions to
subject Mr Khan to “political vendetta” had been fully evident from the speedy
trial in fabricated cases like Toshakhana and cipher, where he was handed down
sentences in a hasty manner.
The PTI core committee expressed annoyance over the
tactics used to delay appeals against court decisions.
The participants demanded that all the cases against
Imran Khan should be proceeded in accordance with the Constitution and law, and
orders should be issued for the release of the PTI founding chairman by ending
all these cases forthwith.
The committee voiced serious concerns regarding
threats to the health and life of former first lady Ms Bushra. Members strongly
denounced her detention in Banigala sub-jail against her will, endangering her
life. The forum called for providing foolproof security to the former first
lady and immediate redressal of threats to her health and life.
Moreover, the forum termed the recounting of votes in
various constituencies of Punjab as unconstitutional, adding that after Feb 8,
the constitutional seats of PTI were being stolen under the pretext of
“unconstitutional” vote recounts and were being gifted to PML-N.
The PTI core committee reiterated its demand that all
those constituencies should also be audited in the light of the actual Form-45s
and all PTI’s “stolen” seats should be returned to the party in accordance with
the Constitution and law.
Marwat laments ‘mistakes’
While reacting to the PHC’s decision, PTI leader Sher
Afzal Marwat said Imran Khan was disappointed with the order and has issued
directions to challenge it.
However, he linked the party’s legal trouble to “two
mistakes” regarding PTI’s decision to forge an alliance with other parties.
According to Mr Marwat, the PTI founder approved the
alliance with JUI-Sherani and a three-member committee, including him, Asad
Qaiser, Barrister Gohar held multiple meetings with the party’s leadership and
almost agreed on the terms of reference for the alliance.
Mr Khan gave the green signal to sign the ToRs, but a
few days later, “JUI-Sherani was sidelined”, claimed Mr Marwat. “There is still
a question mark on why it happened and the party must introspect on this
issue.”
The second mistake, Mr Marwat claimed, was made after
the proposed alliance with Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen.
“The only reason for that alliance was to save PTI’s
reserved seats, but some people started a sectarian propaganda,” said Mr
Marwat.
He added that it was later “decided” to ally with the
Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) and the party “lost 80 seats due to these two wrong
decisions”.
“Whoever made these decisions should be identified,
and the party must take disciplinary action against them,” he said, adding that
despite being a high-ranking PTI official, he, too, is in no position to assign
culpability to anyone.
“Imran Khan’s instructions were ignored, and even I
have no idea whose directives were implemented,” said Mr Marwat, adding that
the party was aware that the alliance with SIC would lead to legal challenges.
While calling the 2024 general elections “a
revolution”, Mr Marwat lamented that the nation handed “a heavy mandate to
PTI”, but the party’s seats “are being reduced with every passing day”.
Source:
dawn.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1821525/pti-core-committee-demands-imrans-immediate-release
----
Pakistan registers strong protest against
implementation of India’s ‘controversial’ citizenship law
March 14, 2024
Pakistan on Thursday registered a strong protest
against the implementation of India’s controversial Citizenship Amendment Act
(CAA), according to a report from state-run Radio Pakistan.
On March 11, India had announced rules to implement a
2019 citizenship law that critics call anti-Muslim. The Modi government had not
crafted implementation rules for the law after protests and sectarian violence
broke out within weeks of the law’s enactment in December 2019. Scores were
killed and hundreds injured during days of clashes.
The CAA grants Indian nationality to Hindus, Parsis,
Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Christians who fled to Hindu-majority India from
Muslim-majority Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan before December 31, 2014.
It is designed so that non-Muslims caught in the
National Registry of Citizens dragnet would be able to use the CAA route to
regain citizenship, leaving the Muslims out.
After the Modi-led government implemented the
legislation just days before a general election was announced, protests broke
out in the eastern state of Assam and the southern state of Tamil Nadu late on
Monday evening but there were no reports of damage or any clashes with security
forces.
The US government and the United Nations a day ago
also expressed concerns about the contentious religion-based citizenship law in
India, with the UN calling the legislation “fundamentally discriminatory in
nature”.
In her weekly press briefing today, Foreign Office
(FO) Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch termed the Indian parliament’s
legislation “evidently discriminatory in nature as they differentiate amongst
the people based on their faith”.
She said the regulation and laws were premised on a
“false assumption” that minorities are being persecuted in Muslim countries of
the region and the “facade of India being a safe haven for them”.
The FO spokesperson pointed out that the rising wave
of Hindutva under the BJP government led to rapid political, economic and
social victimisation of Muslims and other minorities in India.
She said the discriminatory steps further exposed the
“sinister agenda of transforming India into Hindu Rashtra”. Baloch advised the
Indian authorities to also “stop pre-choreographed targeting and systematic
marginalisation of minorities”.
The FO spokesperson highlighted that a few days ago, a
group of UN special rapporteurs had urged corrective actions to protect human
rights and attacks against minorities in the run-up to India’s national
elections.
Baloch urged India to take action to protect its
minorities, especially Muslims who, she said, were in a very difficult
situation because of the “rising Hindutva”.
Condemns Modi govt actions in occupied Kashmir
The spokesperson went on to strongly condemn the
Indian decision to declare the Kashmir National Front in Indian Occupied
Kashmir (IOK) as “illegal”.
“With this, a total of nine Kashmiri political parties
have been outlawed in the IOK,” she said, adding that these oppressive measures
reflected a vicious intent by India to stifle dissent and freedom of expression
in the IOK in complete disregard of international laws.
Baloch asserted that India should immediately lift
curbs on the banned Kashmiri political parties, release all political prisoners
and forthwith implement the UN Security Council resolutions.
Concerns over the sufferings of Palestinians
The FO spokesperson also voiced concerns over the
ongoing atrocities against the Palestinians by Israel.
She urged the UN Security Council to fulfil its
responsibilities to bring an end to the suffering of Palestinians.
Source:
dawn.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1821454/pakistan-registers-strong-protest-against-implementation-of-indias-controversial-citizenship-law
---
Free Trade Agreement likely in Iran president’s visit
to Pakistan: envoy
March 15, 2024
Kalbe Ali
ISLAMABAD: Iranian Ambassador Dr Reza Amiri Moghadam
said on Thursday that a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is likely to be finalised in
the upcoming visit of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to Pakistan.
Addressing the business community during his visit to
the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), the Iranian envoy said
the FTA would increase mutual trade and several bilateral economic and trade
agreements would also be signed during the visit.
He also said that the two countries need to have
strong air, maritime and sea links, which will strengthen the economic
relations and Pakistan will also be connected to regional and global trade.
The ambassador emphasised the closeness of maritime
links, especially Karachi and Gwadar and Chabahar and Bandar Abbas ports and
said that Gwadar and Chabahar should be declared as sister ports.
The Iranian ambassador said that the current bilateral
trade volume was just $2.5 billion, which increased by 11 per cent in the last
11 months.
“After the FTA and bilateral agreements for the
promotion of mutual trade, there is a strong possibility that the mutual trade
between Pakistan and Iran would reach $5bn in the next few years,” he added.
He said that Pakistan and Iran can fulfil 70pc of each
other’s needs by engaging in mutual trade, just as Iran imports halal meat,
Pakistan can do a lot of work in Iran in this sector.
The envoy added that the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline
was a significant project, which would benefit both the domestic and industrial
sectors of Pakistan.
“Iran is serious about resolving Pakistan’s energy
problems and that is why Tehran completed the gas pipeline project for $1bn in
2009 so that Pakistan could meet its energy needs,” he said, adding that it was
essential that the project is completed at the earliest.
He added that Iran was already trading in gas and the
energy sector with Turkiye, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, therefore Pakistan can
also follow the procedure adopted by these countries.
He acknowledged that the banking channel between
Pakistan and Iran was a serious issue, but Iran has banking links with Turkiye,
Bahrain and Iraq.
Source:
dawn.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1821528/free-trade-agreement-likely-in-iran-presidents-visit-to-pakistan-envoy
-----
Islamabad court reopens graft cases against Nawaz’s
sons after surrender
March 15, 2024
ISLAMABAD: An Islamabad accountability court has
reopened three corruption references against the two sons of former prime
minister Nawaz Sharif after their surrender.
The cases against Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz were
reopened on Thursday after the court suspended their perpetual arrest warrants
and granted them bail against surety bonds of Rs50,000 each.
Mr Sharif’s sons were declared proclaimed offenders
after they failed to join the investigation in Avenfield Apartment, Al-Azizia
and Flagship Investment references filed by the National Accountability Bureau
(NAB).
The proceedings against them were consigned to record
since they remained overseas.
Judge grants bail to Hassan, Hussain against Rs50,000
surety bonds
Last week, the brothers submitted applications before
the accountability court through their attorney, Qazi Misbahul Hassan, seeking
the suspension of their arrest warrants so that they could join the proceeding.
After the court allowed their application and stopped
the police from arresting them, they appeared before the accountability judge
Nasir Javed Rana on Thursday.
Their counsel argued that since the absconding
suspects have surrendered, their perpetual warrants of arrest may be withdrawn.
The court marked their attendance and withdrew their
warrants.
The counsel also filed acquittal applications under
section 265-K of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The said section empowers the court to acquit the
accused at any stage of the trial.
Mr Hassan argued that his clients were implicated in
the Flagship Investment and Al-Azizia references along with their father, and
the three of them were also nominated in the Avenfield Apartments reference
along with Maryam Nawaz Sharif and her spouse, retired Capt Muhammad Safdar.
According to the counsel, Mr Sharif was convicted in
Avenfield Apartments and Al-Azizia reference but was acquitted in the Flagship
Investment case.
He argued that an Islamabad High Court (IHC) division
bench had already acquitted Mr Sharif, Ms Maryam and her husband in the two
references over lack of evidence.
In the trial of his clients, Mr Hassan argued, the
prosecution would rely on the same evidence which has been discarded by the
high court.
As far as the Flagship Investment reference is concerned,
the accountability court acquitted Mr Sharif, while NAB also withdrew its
appeal against his acquittal.
The court later adjourned the hearing till Friday
(today).
Talking to the media in the courtroom, Mr Hussain said
that he was a Pakistani citizen and never remained part of any government.
He said the people of Pakistan are well aware of “what
happened with the Sharif family”.
Mr Hussain said the time has arrived to end political
victimisation and overhaul the NAB Ordinance.
However, it is the discretion of the government and
the parliament, he added.
In response to a question, he said that PTI founder
Imran Khan is also entitled to a fair trial. He hoped his uncle in the Centre
and his sister in Punjab “will not disappoint the people of Pakistan”.
Source:
dawn.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1821523/islamabad-court-reopens-graft-cases-against-nawazs-sons-after-surrender
----
Major setback to PTI: PHC dismisses SIC petitions for
reserved seats
March 15, 2024
PESHAWAR/ ISLAMABAD: Upholding the Election Commission
of Pakistan’s decision, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday unanimously
dismissed the writ petitions filed by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) for
claiming national and provincial assemblies’ seats reserved for women and
minorities.
The SIC, joined by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
(PTI)-backed independently elected legislators, had filed two petitions in the
PHC against the ECP decision, which had denied the reserved seats to the party
and allotted them to other political parties.
The five-member PHC larger bench consisting of Chief
Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, Justice Ijaz Anwar, Justice Muhammad Attique Shah,
Justice Shakeel Ahmad and Justice Syed Arshad Ali issued the short order after
hearing arguments from both sides. The court had heard the state counsels, ECP
and lawyers representing other political parties on Wednesday and adjourned the
hearing to Thursday on the request of SIC counsel, Qazi Muhammad Anwar, as the
lead counsels for the party, Barrister Ali Zafar and Babar Awan, had not
reached the court to advance arguments.
When the court resumed the hearing into the case on
Thursday, Barrister Ali Zafar argued that his client party’s candidates took
part in the recent general elections in an independent capacity as the election
symbol was taken from the PTI ahead of balloting. He said the candidates were
allotted different election symbols for the elections. Zafar argued that as
many as 86 MNAs-elect, 90 MPAs from KP, 107 from Punjab, nine in Sindh and one
member from Balochistan, joined the SIC later. He said the independents joined
the SIC as reserved seats could be obtained only after joining a political
party. He argued that the SIC members in the assemblies now have a right to the
reserved seats.
Ali Zafar also submitted that the SIC should have been
given 78 seats in proportion to the seats won by the independents in the
general elections who later joined the party. But, he said, instead these seats
were allotted to other political parties. The counsel said the SIC had a right
to 26 reserved seats in the KP Assembly and eight seats in the National
Assembly from the KP province. He said some political parties had submitted
applications with the ECP and requested the electoral watchdog to give them
these reserved seats. He termed such parties as Qabza Mafia.
Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim reminded the SIC counsel that
he was terming other parties as ‘grabbing mafia’ but the seats were allotted to
them by the ECP. Ali Zafar argued that a political party remained a political
party even if it did not contest elections. He said the SIC enjoyed rights like
other political parties as it had an election symbol and was able to contest
elections. The SIC counsel argued that the definition of a parliamentary and
political party was described in the Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi case. He pointed
out that the Balochistan Awami Party was given reserved seats as well in the
2018 general elections.
Justice Syed Arshad Ali, however, reminded Ali Zafar
that there was a difference between the PTI and SIC. He said the PTI had no
election symbol but the SIC had one but both did not take part in the general
elections. The judge asked the SIC counsel if the PTI-backed independents did
not know that the SIC had not submitted lists for reserved seats to the ECP
when they joined this party. He said reserved seats were allotted to a party
only when it had a representation in parliament.
Justice Arshad reminded Ali Zafar that the SIC had not
won any seat in the general elections. He asked the counsel if an independent
could join a party that had not secured any seat in the general elections as
the law mentions the word “secure”. The court said that even the SIC chief
didn’t contest elections from the platform of his party. “Have you not weakened
the PTI case by joining the SIC?” the judge asked the counsel.
The judge said even after the Supreme Court verdict,
they had time to conduct the intra-party elections but they did not. Barrister
Ali Zafar said the PTI conducted the intra-party elections but the ECP did not
recognise it. Justice Ishtiaq asked him why reserved seats could not be
allotted to other parties if they were not given to SIC.
Justice Ijaz Anwar said according to the law, reserved
seats would be given to the parties taking part in elections. Justice Arshad
remarked that Section 104 explains the mechanism for reserved seats as it
states that when a list is submitted, then another list can be given.
“Section 104 says that if a political party
participates in an election, it will give a list,” the lawyer argued. He
earlier argued that whoever wins the number of seats, they get reserved seats
in the same proportion.
The chief justice remarked: “Their seats cannot be
increased. If these seats are not given [to other parties], parliament will not
be complete.” The lawyer requested the court to interpret the Constitution in a
way that there remains no gap in its interpretation.
The ECP lawyer, Sikandar Bashir Mohmand, argued that
the PHC was taking up the writ petitions which pertained to the reserved seats
in all the assemblies but it did not come under the jurisdiction of this court.
He said the petitions filed in the Sindh High Court resembled the pleas filed
here. Barrister Ali Zafar countered by arguing that the pleas filed in Punjab
and Sindh were limited to the respective provincial assemblies, but the one
being heard by PHC pertains to the reserved seats of the province issued in the
National and KP provincial assemblies. He argued that while the SIC had not
submitted the list, the Lahore High Court had given a decision that there was
no such prohibition.
Additional Advocate General Mubashar Manzoor in his
arguments said the SIC became a parliamentary party after the independents
joined it. He said the political party definition says it has taken part in the
election, not necessarily this election. He said SIC was a political party even
if it had taken part in the 2018 general elections.
Meanwhile, in a media talk outside the Adiala Jail,
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan spoke about the PHC decision about the
reserved seats, stating that they will challenge it in the Supreme Court. “We
appeal to the Supreme Court to form a larger bench and hear it soon,” he said.
Barrister Gohar highlighted an ongoing attempt to
change their candidates in recounting as part of a conspiracy. “According to
the law, they cannot be recounted,” he said, adding that there are many cases
where there is an ongoing attempt to recount. He appealed to the judiciary to
stop this, warning that it may spread hostility. He expressed dissatisfaction
with the ECP, stating, “We do not accept the government’s victory as a victory,
these results have come as per Form 47.”
Separately, talking to reporters outside the
Parliament House, senior PTI leader Asad Qaiser said why they are doing this
type of seat allotment. “This country has to run as per the Constitution and
law.” He made it clear that if this trend of taking away his party seats
continued, then they would be left with no option but to resist. He added if
they wanted to end all options, ‘then we are ready for any kind of fight they
wish’.
“Even if we are left with ten MNAs, we will resist and
fight. Don’t push us to that extent that we leave aside all options. We came to
this assembly which does not command any respect, so that some kind of system
works. But you want to turn the country into a banana republic, which will then
haunt you,” he warned.
Asad Qaiser claimed he knew that chief election
commissioner was given the task to give some 20 seats to PMLN, which belonged
to PTI and then he would in turn be made ambassador in Canada. He pointed out
that anyone could be made an MNA; election tribunals have been formed and the
chief election commissioner is doing all this. A drama is being staged with
regards to recount now.
Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Omar
Ayub also alleged that a plan was made to defeat them by re-counting in 20
constituencies. The PTI leader said that they wanted to bring their own people
into the assembly to pass legislation of their choice. He claimed that their
candidates were winning on 202 seats but their mandate was stolen.
Meanwhile, in its reaction, the PTI core committee in
its meeting reiterated the demand that all the constituencies should also be
audited in the light of the actual Form 45 and all of PTI’s ‘stolen seats’
should be returned to it in accordance with the Constitution and law. The
committee also discussed the ‘unconstitutional recount’ of votes in various
constituencies in Punjab. It claimed the constitutional seats of PTI were being
stolen under the pretext of unconstitutional vote recounts and were being
gifted to the PMLN unlawfully.
Source:
thenews.com.pk
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1168339-major-setback-to-pti-phc-dismisses-sic-petitions-for-reserved-seats
----
Gandapur met Shehbaz with Imran’s permission: Gohar
March 15, 2024
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman
Barrister Gohar Ali Khan Thursday said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister
Ali Amin Gandapur’s meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was necessary as
the Centre owed a lot of money to the province.
Speaking to the media here, he said: “Obviously, he
had to make a demand to a person who is occupying the prime minister’s slot.”
He said that Gandapur met Shehbaz with the permission
of PTI founder chairman Imran Khan.
He added that a working relationship was in any case
necessary to get the provincial government’s money released from the Centre.
Another senior PTI leader Sher Afzal Marwat alleged
that Attaullah Tarar started his ministry by lying that the PTI was trying to
get Pakistan defaulted, which is totally untrue and PTI and its chairman had
strongly denied this.
He regretted that Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz
was checking the price of onion by boarding a helicopter, which cost much more
than that.
Source:
thenews.com.pk
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1168352-gandapur-met-shehbaz-with-imran-s-permission-gohar
----
Australia
Australia resumes funding for UNRWA, pledges more Gaza
aid
March 15, 2024
SYDNEY: Australia will restore funding to the United
Nations relief agency for Palestinians, weeks after the agency lost hundreds of
millions of dollars in support following Israeli allegations that some of its
Gaza-based staff participated in the Oct. 7 attack.
The Australian government also pledged Friday to
increase aid for the besieged enclave, with Foreign Minister Penny Wong
expressing horror at the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Australia’s move follows Sweden, the European
Commission and Canada in reinstating funding for the United Nations Relief and
Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, which had seen its international funding
frozen while the allegations were investigated.
“The best available current advice from agencies and
the Australian government lawyers is that UNRWA is not a terrorist
organization,” Wong told reporters Friday in Adelaide while she announced the
aid package.
“(We have) been working with a group of donor
countries and with UNRWA on the shared objective of ensuring the integrity of
UNRWA’s operations, rebuilding confidence, and so importantly, ensuring aid
flows to Gazans in desperate need.”
Australia, alongside 15 international partners, froze
funding to UNRWA in January, leaving the agency — which employs roughly 13,000
people in Gaza and is the main supplier of food, water and shelter there — on
the brink of financial collapse.
A small number of the agency’s staff were fired
following the accusations.
Israel has claimed that 450 UNRWA employees were
members of militant groups in Gaza, though it has provided no evidence.
Wong also pledged an additional 4 million Australian
dollars ($2.6 million) to UNICEF to provide urgent services in Gaza, and a C17 Globemaster
plane will also deliver defense force parachutes to help with the US led
airdropping of humanitarian supplies into the enclave, which is on the brink of
famine, according to the UN.
The US is also scrambling to open a new humanitarian
aid corridor by building a floating dock off the coast of Gaza so aid can flow
by sea.
Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, in which about 1,200 people,
mostly civilians, were killed and around 250 taken hostage, sparked Israel’s
retaliatory invasion of Gaza that has killed more than 31,000, according to
local health officials, left much of the enclave in ruins and displaced some 80
percent of Gaza’s 2.3 million people.
Source:
arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2477161/world
-----
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/maharashtra-muslim-kings-aurangzeb/d/131928