No Violent Protests in Prophet’s Name: Muslim Outfit, Jamaat Ulema e Hind National President Maulana Sohaib Qasami, To Issue Fatwa
New Age Islam News Bureau
13 June 2022
Muslim clerics associated with Delhi based ‘Jamaat
Ulama-e-Hind/ Photo: The Times of India
------
• Website Of Indian Govt’s Nagpur Institute Of Science
Hacked By 'DragonForce Malaysia' 'On Insult of Prophet'
• Outcast Those from Islam Who Indulged In Friday's
Violence: Muslim Rashtriya Manch
• ‘No Compromise on Honour of Prophet’: Minister
Explains Bangladesh Stand on Row
• Bilawal Discusses Persecution of Muslims in India
with OIC Secretary-General
India
• Prophet Remarks Row: Islam Says Nupur Sharma Should
Be Forgiven, Says Jamaat Ulama-e-Hind
• Bengal's Muslim Cleric's Body Urges CM Mamata
Banerjee Not To Allow Rallies or Protests
• Indian Officials Demolish Several Houses after
Protests Over Anti-Islam Remarks
• Prophet row: BJP Bengal chief holds demonstration in
Kolkata
• Maulana Asad National Urdu University Students to
Organize Protest against Bulldozing Of Muslim Houses
• Prophet row: 20 Muslims held in Gujarat for
protesting without permission
• Ironic as India improving ties with Muslim
countries: Shashi Tharoor on Prophet remark row
• J&K BJP Chief Recites Islamic Verse on Harmony
--------
Southeast
Asia
• Muslim Groups In Indonesia Caution India Over
Islamophobia, Call For Interfaith Dialogue
• Embrace Open-Mindedness about Religion and Culture,
Says PM
• Johor Has Embraced Comprehensive Approach to Islam:
MB
• From Sojourners to Mosque Builders, Book Documents
History of Singapore's Indian Muslims
--------
South
Asia
• Four 'key' Islamic State militants killed in
northern Afghanistan: Taliban
• The Taliban Claims Killing 8 ISIS Militants in
Taloqan City
• Armed Attack on Balkh Airport Staff Leaves Two Dead
and Six Wounded
• Explosion in Kunar Province Kills One Taliban Member
and Wounds Six Other
• Afghanistan: One Taliban member killed, six others,
including civilians injured in blast
• Bangladesh treads cautiously on support from China
--------
Pakistan
• Fear for democracy in Pakistan as ISI gets power
over civil service
• Pakistan military: Soldier killed in shootout with
militants
• Khan Slams Pak-American Visiting Israel, Linking to
Alleged U.S. Plot
• Bilawal forms body to discuss TTP’s ceasefire in
parliament
• Shia Body Demands Judicial Commission on Dua
Marriage Issue
--------
Arab
World
• Saudi Arabia, China Defence Officials Discuss
Relations At Shangri-La Dialogue
• UN in Lebanon demands security guarantees after
troops ‘threatened’
• Iraqi Shia Sadrist lawmakers resign from parliament
• Saudi Arabia, France defence forces hold joint
military drill: Report
• Egypt notifies Interpol about Muslim Brotherhood
leaders
• Russia blasts Israeli attack on Damascus airport,
urges Tel Aviv to stop its aggression
--------
Africa
• Play Politics by Democracy Tenets, Nigerian Islamic
Group Tells Politicians
• Lagos charges Muslim pilgrims on good conduct in
Saudi Arabia
• Osun: Muslims protest incessant ritual killings in
Iwo
• 8 killed in terrorist attack in Mali
• Terrorists release 11 kidnapped victims from train
attack in northwest Nigeria
• UN envoy urges Libyan rivals to end differences ‘in
a week’
--------
Mideast
• Erdogan Escalates Rhetoric against Greece and
Mobilizes Imams in His Re-Election Bid
• Iranian President Calls Israel's Assassination of
IRGC Officer a Desperate Move
• Supreme Leader: Resistance Only Way to Stand against
US Pressures
• Iran’s IRGC says airspace fighter died in ‘car
accident’ while on mission
• UN agency urges Iran to resume stalled nuclear talks
‘now’
• Israel says foiled Iran’s attack against Israelis in
Turkey as Tehran seeks ‘revenge’
• Israel court ruling leaves thousands of Palestinians
at risk of forced displacement
• Norway to label products from Israeli settlements
--------
Europe
• Pope Francis Praises Iranians’ Bravery in Global
Debates
• Türkiye’s concerns over Finnish, Swedish NATO bids
legitimate: Alliance chief
• Terror group YPG/PKK supporters hold demonstrations
in Finland, Sweden
• Imprisoned Azerbaijani Muslim leader goes on hunger
strike over profanity
--------
North
America
• 10 Pro-Israel Members of US Congress Propose
Anti-Iran Alliance
• Biden says a visit to Saudi Arabia would focus on
more than energy
Compiled by New
Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/violent-protests-prophet-jamaat-ulema-hind/d/127238
--------
No Violent Protests in Prophet’s Name: Muslim Outfit,
Jamaat Ulema e Hind National President Maulana Sohaib Qasami, To Issue Fatwa
Muslim clerics associated with Delhi based ‘Jamaat
Ulama-e-Hind/ Photo: The Times of India
------
Jun 13, 2022
NEW DELHI: Muslim clerics associated with Delhi based
‘Jamaat Ulama-e-Hind’ on Sunday claimed that they would soon issue a fatwa
backed by at least a 1,000 prominent signatories, urging Muslims to refrain
from joining any violent protests in the name of Prophet Muhammad. They said
while no insult to the Prophet will be tolerated, peaceful dialogue was the
only way to a solution as the Prophet's teachings profess love and peace.
Talking to reporters, Maulana Sohaib Qasami, head of
the outfit that was launched in 2015, accused Maulana Arshad Madani and Mahmood
Asad Madani, who are steering the rival factions of prominent Muslim organisation
Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, members of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board
(AIMPLB), and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi of "instigating Muslims to
take to protests", which ended up seeing violence.
This comes in the backdrop of the ongoing controversy
and incidents of violent protests in different parts of the country following
anti-Prophet remarks by two BJP members — one recently expelled and the other
suspended after a backlash from many Islamic nations.
Asked about the appeal of the Mahmood Madani faction
for peaceful protests, Qasami said it had not been heeded and those indulging
in violent protests should be called out.
Source: Times Of India
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
--------
Website Of Indian Govt’s Nagpur Institute Of Science
Hacked By 'DragonForce Malaysia' 'On Insult of Prophet'
Representational Image. (File Photo) New Indian
Express
----
12th June 2022
NAGPUR: The website of the Institute of Science,
Nagpur was found hacked on Sunday with the hackers identifying themselves as
'DragonForce Malaysia' whose message on its home page read that "it is a
special operation on the insult of our Prophet Mohammad", police said.
The restoration work of the website is going on, they
said.
The hacking of the website occurred amid protests in
parts of the country over the objectionable remarks made on Prophet Mohammad by
now-suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and expelled party leader Naveen
Kumar Jindal.
Several countries, including Saudi Arabia, United Arab
Emirates (UAE), Indonesia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Jordan, Bahrain, Maldives,
Malaysia, Oman, Iraq and Libya, have denounced their comments.
"The home page of the website carried a message
in which people were urged to unite and start a campaign against India. The
website was hacked through a malware. The hackers identified themselves as
'DragonForce Malaysia'," police inspector (Cyber) Nitin Phatangare said.
The message posted on the website's home page read:
"It is a special operation on the insult of our Prophet Mohammad. We
witnessed that you guys had abused Muslim people publicly."
Police have launched an investigation, the official
said.
"A similar case was reported in Mumbai on
Saturday. Since then, we were on alert," Phatangare added.
Established in 1906, Institute of Science, Nagpur, is
one of the oldest science colleges in Nagpur.
It is the oldest pure science higher educational
institute in central India and is affiliated to Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj
Nagpur University.
Source: New Indian Express
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
--------
Outcast
Those from Islam Who Indulged In Friday's Violence: Muslim Rashtriya Manch
It
also noted that Islam is recognized as a peaceful religion, but the Friday's
incidents of stone-pelting and rioting in different parts of the country
indicates that it has gone into the clutches of "Satan", the
RSS-linked Muslim Rashtriya Manch added
----
June
12, 2022
New
Delhi: The RSS-linked Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) on Sunday condemned the
Friday violence and demanded that those participated in it be outcast from
Islam, saying the incidents of stone-pelting, arson and rioting did not only
brought disrepute to the religion but also ashamed the Muslims.
In
a statement, the outfit, led by its founder and RSS national executive member
Indresh Kumar, called the incidents of violence "a conspiracy" to
create unrest in India and malign its image abroad, and urged the Muslims to
stay calm and do not get misled by anyone.
The
Muslim forum demanded that all the state governments take swift action against
such rioters to maintain law and order as well as peace, and asked the non-BJP
political parties including TMC, AAP, Samajwadi Party, Shiv Sena, Congress to
take action against their leaders "who indulge in insulting Hindu deities
and religion."
"In
wake of the the incidents of violence, an emergency online meeting of the all
key office bearers of the Manch (forum) was held on Saturday. The meeting,
presided over by national convenor Mohammad Afzal, strongly condemned the
incidents of stone pelting, arson and rioting that took place in different
parts of the country on Friday," the MRM said.
The
meeting noted that the incidents of Friday violence did not not only brought
disrepute to Islam, but ashamed the Muslims, the outfit said.
It
also noted that Islam is recognized as a peaceful religion, but the Friday's
incidents of stone-pelting and rioting in different parts of the country
indicates that it has gone into the clutches of "Satan", the outfit
added.
"The
Manch demands that all those who indulged in stone pelting, arson violence on
Friday and made hate speeches be outcast from Islam. It is Manch's appeal to all
Ulema and Maulvis to consider this demand," the MRM said.
"The
MRM demands that the TMC, AAP, Samajwadi Party, Shiv Sena, Congress and other
parties also take strict action against their leaders who indulge in insulting
Hindu deities and religion as well as incite violence," it added.
The
outfit alleged that the Friday violence was part of "a conspiracy to
create unrest in India and malign its image abroad in the name of protest
against certain remarks made by two BJP functionaries against Prophet Mohammad.
Noting
that the BJP has already taken action against its functionaries for their
remarks, the outfit appealed to the Muslim community to "remain calm and
do not get misled by anyone."
"The
MRM requests the Muslim society to understand that violence and hatred are not
the solution to any problem. Violence only leads to destruction. Prophet
Mohammad Saheb has also given the message of patience and love," it said.
Underlining
that the Constitution of the country does not allow anyone take the law into
one's hands, the MRM demanded that the state governments take "swift
action against those who indulged in violence to maintain law and order as well
as peace."
Source:
Firstpost
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
‘No Compromise on Honour of Prophet’: Minister Explains Bangladesh Stand on Row
Bangladesh
information minister Hasan Mahmud
----
Jun
12, 2022
By
Rezaul H Laskar
DHAKA:
Bangladesh will not compromise on any issue involving the honour of Prophet
Mohammed, though the controversy triggered by remarks by two former BJP
spokespersons is largely an “external issue”, Bangladesh information minister
Hasan Mahmud has said.
The
Bangladesh government welcomes the action taken by Indian authorities against
the BJP spokespersons and has no intention to “instigate the matter”, Mahmud
told a group of visiting Indian journalists late on Saturday.
Mahmud,
a senior leader of the ruling Awami League party, is the first member of the
government to speak out on the controversy over the remarks against Prophet
Mohammed by the two former BJP spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar
Jindal. Formal complaints have been registered against the spokespersons for
allegedly spreading hate in Delhi and Maharashtra..
Muslim-majority
Bangladesh stood out for the silence of the country’s government on the issue,
especially after Iran, Kuwait and Qatar summoned the Indian envoys to protest
and more than a dozen countries, including Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, the United
Arab Emirates and Turkey, condemned the remarks.
“We
are not compromising [on] the honour of the Prophet,” Mahmud said. “Wherever
[something] happens against the Prophet, we condemn it. But we congratulate the
Government of India at the same time [for taking] legal action against those
who said [something] against Prophet Mohammed.”
He
added: “First of all, this is an external issue, this is not an internal issue.
This is an issue of India and I don’t think that we have to say many things
about this... It has not got much attention here, not like in the Middle East,
Indonesia, Pakistan or the Maldives.”
Cities
across Bangladesh, from the capital Dhaka to the border region of Teknaf,
witnessed protests over the issue after the Friday prayers on June 10. In
Dhaka, thousands joined the protest near the Baitul Mukarram national mosque
and shouted slogans against the Indian government. They also called for a
boycott of Indian products.
The
protests were largely organised by hardline groups such as Jamiat Ulema
Bangladesh, Khelafat Majlis and Islam Oikyajot, which frequently accuse the
Awami League – under whose government ties with India have dramatically
improved in areas such as trade and connectivity – of selling out Dhaka’s
interests to New Delhi.
People
familiar with the matter said the Bangladesh government adopted a low-key
approach to the controversy in order not to give Islamic groups a handle to
beat the Awami League.
“If
the government had taken a tough position publicly, the hardline groups would
have pressured to do more. If nothing was done by the Indian side, the Islamic
groups would have said the Bangladesh government is doing nothing to push India
on the issue,” one of the people said.
The
people said Bangladeshi authorities also worked overtime to ensure the matter
was not blown up by the local media or by religious groups as it had the
potential to be misused by Islamic fundamentalists to target the country’s
minorities.
Mahmud
noted he condemned the controversial remarks at a public meeting, and that the
legal process in India will take due course against the BJP spokespersons. “An
FIR has been registered...Then, afterward the action will follow. But why
should I instigate the issue here?” he said.
He
brushed aside a question about controversial remarks made by home minister Amit
Shah regarding alleged illegal infiltration from Bangladesh, saying such
comments are usually an outcome of “domestic politics”.
“Because
of domestic politics, he has said so. We have very good relationship. For
domestic politics, politicians sometimes say many things. You don’t need to
give attention [to such remarks] all the time,” he said.
Mahmud
said his government has worked overtime to resolve issues involving
Bangladesh’s Hindu minority, which accounts for a little more than 10% of the
population of around 170 million. Referring to sectarian attacks targeting
Durga Puja pandals in Comilla, Chittagong and Rangpur areas last October, he
said he personally led efforts to protect Hindus in the Pirganj sub-district,
the hometown of Wazed Miah, the late husband of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Source:
Hindustan Times
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
Bilawal
Discusses Persecution of Muslims in India with OIC Secretary-General
Secretary-General
of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Hissein Brahim Taha and
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari. — Twitter/AFP/File
-----
June
12, 2022
Foreign
Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari shared on Sunday that he discussed the
persecution of Muslims in India with the Secretary-General of the Organisation
of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Hissein Brahim Taha.
Taking
to Twitter, Bilawal wrote: "Spoke to OIC SG HE Hissein Brahim Taha on the
totally unacceptable and condemnable remarks by Indian BJP officials towards
the Holy Prophet PBUH. Shared concerns on rising Islamophobia and persecution
of Muslims in India and the need to address that through collective efforts."
Earlier
today, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif requested the National Assembly Speaker
Raja Pervez Ashraf to hold a debate, and subsequently adopt a resolution to
condemn BJP leaders' blasphemous remarks against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the
upcoming session of the assembly on Monday.
In
a statement issued on Twitter, the premier denounced the violation of Prophet
Muhammad's (PBUH) honour and said that the sacrilegious remarks have hurt the
sentiments of 1.25 billion Muslims across the world.
"We
want to send out a clear message to the entire world by passing a resolution
that we are ready to render any sacrifice for the honour of Hazrat Muhammad
(PBUH)," Shehbaz wrote.
Last
week, two senior officials of India’s ruling party BJP issued derogatory
remarks against the Holy Prophet (PBUH), inviting severe condemnation and
backlash from Muslims in India and abroad.
Source:
The News
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
India
Prophet remarks row: Islam says Nupur Sharma should be forgiven, says Jamaat Ulama-e-Hind
12th
June 2022
NEW
DELHI: Jamaat Ulama-e-Hind president Suhaib Qasmi on Sunday said that former
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nupur Sharma, who allegedly made
controversial remarks on Prophet Muhammad, should be forgiven as per Islam. He
added that the organisation of Muslim scholars disagreed with the nationwide
protests in wake of her remarks.
Jamaat
Ulama-e-Hind called a press conference in Delhi today over Sharma's remarks and
nationwide protests after Friday prayers.
Qasmi
said, "Islam says Nupur Sharma should be forgiven. We disagree with the
protest that started across the country after Friday prayers against Nupur
Sharma and her derogatory remarks."
Apart
from this, Jamaat Ulama-e-Hind also welcomed the decision of the Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP) to suspend Sharma. "We are welcoming the decision of
the law because India is the law of the land and we are not going to take the
law into our hands. The law does not allow to come on the road and break the
rule," Qasmi said at the press conference.
Jamaat
Ulama-e-Hind has decided to issue a 'fatwa' through which it will urge people
not to support any kind of violence in connection with Nupur Sharma and her
remarks. "The fatwa will come against Asaduddin Owaisi and Mohammad
Madani," the Jamaat said.
Jamaat
Ulama-e-Hind also appealed to the government to investigate several Muslim
organizations and their funding and said it will not allow other Muslim
organizations to incite violence.
Protests
erupted in various parts of the country over the controversial remarks by
suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and expelled leader Naveen Jindal. The
protest turned violent in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Jharkhand. In Ranchi,
two people died during the violent protest.
Notably,
some Gulf nations also expressed outrage against the controversial remarks
against the Prophet.
Meanwhile,
the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday asked the police heads of states
and Union Territories to be prepared and alert as they will be on target.
On
Friday, MHA issued a statement to all state and Union Territory police after
several incidents of violence were reported from different parts of the country
over the controversial remarks of suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma and
expelled leader Naveen Jindal against Prophet Muhammad.
Source:
New Indian Express
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Bengal's
Muslim Cleric's Body Urges CM Mamata Banerjee Not To Allow Rallies or Protests
13
JUN 2022
An
association of Muslim clerics, on Sunday night, urged West Bengal Chief
Minister Mamata Banerjee not to grant permission to any more rallies to protest
against controversial comments on Prophet Mohammad by two BJP leaders. The
association also mentioned that people cannot be held to ransom by violence,
The
Bengal Imams Association also asked members of the community not to fall into
the traps of vested interests and indulge in violence. President of the
association, Md Yahia, said in a video statement that violence, arson and
attacking properties and police personnel by a section of minority community
members in the name of agitation have hurt the economy and caused great
hardships to the general public.
"While
the comments of Nupur Sharma and another BJP leader are unacceptable and we are
awaiting administrative action, we cannot hold people of the state to ransom by
violent protests that are taking place in pockets of Howrah, Murshidabad, and
Nadia districts. Setting on fire properties and pelting the police with stones
and being lathi-charged by the police cannot boost the image of a devoutly
religious man or his icon," he said.
Source:
Outlook India
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Indian
officials demolish several houses after protests over anti-Islam remarks
June
13, 2022
Authorities
in India's Uttar Pradesh state have demolished the homes of several people
accused of involvement in riots last week triggered by derogatory remarks made
by ruling party figures about Islam's Prophet Mohammad, officials said on
Sunday.
In
Indian Kashmir, police arrested a youth for posting a video threatening to
behead the ruling party's former spokeswoman who had made some of the remarks,
officials said. The video, circulated on YouTube, has been withdrawn by
authorities.
Muslims
have taken to the streets across India in recent weeks to protest against the
anti-Islamic comments by two members of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu
nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Clashes
have broken out between Muslims and Hindus and in some cases between protesters
and police in several areas. Police in Uttar Pradesh arrested more than 300
people in connection with the unrest.
Some
in India's minority Muslim community see the comments as the latest instance of
pressure and humiliation under BJP rule on issues ranging from freedom of
worship to the wearing of hijab head scarves.
The
BJP has suspended its spokeswoman Nupur Sharma and expelled another leader,
Naveen Kumar Jindal, for the comments, which have also caused a diplomatic row
with several Muslim countries.
Police
have filed cases against the two and the government has said the comments do
not reflect its views.
Muslim
groups have demanded their arrest, while some hardline Hindu groups label them
as brave and nationalist politicians.
Over
the weekend the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh state, Yogi Adityanath, ordered
officials to demolish any illegal establishments and homes of people accused of
involvement in riots there last week, the BJP's state spokesperson said.
The
house of an alleged mastermind of the riots, whose daughter is a female Muslim
rights activist, was demolished amid a heavy police presence on Sunday.
Properties of two more people accused of throwing stones after Friday prayers
were also demolished in the state.
Mrityunjay
Kumar, Adityanath's media adviser, tweeted a photo of a bulldozer demolishing a
building and said, "Unruly elements remember, every Friday is followed by
a Saturday."
Opposition
leaders said Adityanath's government was pursuing an unconstitutional method to
silence protesters.
On
Sunday, Jindal said his family faced continuous threats and some of his
followers said a crude bomb was defused near his residence in capital New
Delhi.
Prime
Minister Narendra Modi has so far not commented on the communal unrest.
In
the eastern state of West Bengal, authorities enforced an emergency law
prohibiting public gatherings in the industrial district of Howrah until June
16.
BJP's
West Bengal president on Sunday staged a sit-in protest and accused neighboring
Bangladesh, a mainly Muslim nation, of inciting violence in the state.
On
Friday, two teenagers were killed in clashes between Hindus and Muslims in
eastern India, police said on Saturday. Police opened fire to break up the
violence in the city of Ranchi in Jharkhand state but it was not clear if the
two victims were killed by the police or by rioters.
Senior
police official Surendra Kumar Jha said at least 14 police officials were
injured in the incident in Ranchi and other areas. A curfew was imposed and
Internet services suspended to stop the unrest escalating.
Source:
CNN
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/06/12/asia/india-demolish-houses-islam-remarks-intl-hnk/index.html
--------
Prophet
row: BJP Bengal chief holds demonstration in Kolkata
Jun
12, 2022
KOLKATA:
West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar on Sunday held a sit-in before the
statue of Mahatma Gandhi here protesting against the alleged failure of the
West Bengal government to contain violence in Howrah district. The Gandhi
statue at the Mayo Road-Dufferin Road crossing in central Kolkata has been witness
to numerous protests.
Majumdar,
who started his agitation around noon, also flayed the alleged attempt of the
TMC-run government to stop opposition leaders from meeting people, hit by the
recent violence.
Widespread
violence broke out in Howrah district on Friday over inflammatory comments by
now-suspended BJP functionaries Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal.
The
BJP leader alleged that the police had not taken prompt action to prevent the
violence from spiralling in Panchla, Uluberia, Dhulagarh in Howrah district,
and Beldanga in Murshidabad district at the outset.
Majumdar
and his supporters were arrested on Saturday while trying to visit Howrah
district where several saffron party offices were attacked, as the district was
under prohibitory orders and gatherings of five or more people were banned
there.
The
BJP leader and his companions were, however, later released.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Maulana
Asad National Urdu University Students to Organize Protest against Bulldozing
Of Muslim Houses
13th
June 2022
Hyderabad:
Students of Maulana Asad National Urdu University (MANUU) have called for a
protest on Monday against the demolition of Muslim houses in various states.
The
protest titled “Stop Attack on Muslims Down with Bulldozer RaJ” will commence
at 7:15 PM from OAT to Bab-e-Ilm. In order to support the protest online, one
may use the hashtag “#StandwithAfreenFatima”. MANUU students have called for
the protest to register dissent against anti-Muslim violence in different
states and buldozing of Muslim houses.
The
protest comes at a time when Muslim activists are being targeted for protesting
against former Bhartiya Janata Party spokesperson Nupur Sharma, who made a
derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad.
Student
activist Afreen Fatima’s house demolished
The
Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) on Sunday demolished the house of Javed
Ahmad, alias Pump, the alleged mastermind of the June 10 violence in Prayagraj,
amid heavy police deployment. Ahmad is Fatima’s father.
Source:
Siasat Daily
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Prophet
row: 20 Muslims held in Gujarat for protesting without permission
12th
June 2022
Ahmedabad:
As many as 20 Muslim leaders, including women were arrested by the police on
Sunday afternoon after they gathered in the Juhapura area in Ahmedabad to
organise a march without permission, to protest against BJP’s former
spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s statement on Prophet.
Police
tried to convince them to return home, but when they did not agree and tried to
proceed, police had to resort to a mild lathi-charge to disperse the mob.
Ahmedabad
Zone-7 Deputy Commissioner of Police B.U. Jadeja told the media, “Since
Saturday evening, fake messages were in circulation on social media about a
protest march to be organised in the Juhapura area. To ensure that no untoward
incident occurs, police were deployed well in advance in the area.”
Police
were expecting that large numbers of women would join the march, and women
police too were deployed in the area. In the afternoon, when they attempted to
march, police stopped them and some leaders were arrested while rest were
convinced to return home, said the officer. Heavy police deployment has been
made in the area.
The
arrested Muslim leaders were taken to Vejalpur police station in Ahmedabad.
In
another development, Surat police have arrested five persons for printing and
circulating posters of Nupur Sharma. These posters were posted in Kadarshani
Nal Road area in Surat city, they had even circulated video of posters on
social media.
Source:
Siasat Daily
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Ironic
as India improving ties with Muslim countries: Shashi Tharoor on Prophet remark
row
Jun
12, 2022
Congress
MP Shashi Tharoor on Sunday said it is ironic that the India government took
"impressive steps" to strengthen its relations with Islamic countries
in the past few years but the proliferation of hate speech threatens those ties
gravely. In an interview to news agency PTI, the Congress MP said PM Modi
should break his silence on the Islamophobic incidents in the country as his
silence is being interpreted by some as condoning what has been happening. Also
Read: 'If Prophet Muhammad was...': Taslima Nasreen amid row over controversial
remark
The
comment comes after India faced a huge backlash from Muslim countries over
former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma's comment on Prophet Muhammad. Following
the uproar, the BJP suspended Nupur Sharma from the primary membership of the
party, while the government clarified that the opinion of Nupur Sharma, a
'fringe element', is not reflective of the government's opinion.
Protests,
some of them violent, took place in several states demanding Nupur Sharma's
arrest.
"Exemplary
action against any and all offenders will have a salutary effect in reducing
such cases in future," Shashi Tharoor said adding that he never considered
any need for blasphemy laws in the country. "The existence of a blasphemy
law tends to encourage both excessive frivolous litigation and mob misconduct
by those who take the law into their own hands. I think our current hate speech
laws and Section 295A are quite adequate to deal with such misbehaviour,"
Tharoor said, as quoted by PTI.
Source:
Hindustan Times
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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J&K
BJP chief recites Islamic verse on harmony
13th
June 2022
By
Fayaz Wani
SRINAGAR: After the controversial remarks on Prophet
Muhammad by now suspended BJP leaders, Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Ravindra
Raina on Sunday recited the Islamic verse of Prophet Muhammad about respecting
religions, and said some mischievous persons want to disturb the peace by
poisoning the society.
Addressing
a rally of party workers at the border district of Rajouri on the occasion of
the joining of the saffron party by Congress leader Mohammad Qayoom Mir, Raina
said this country belongs to all. “It belongs to Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and
Christians. It belongs to every Indian,” he said.
The
Hindus and Muslims, he said, gave sacrifices for the freedom of the country.
“If Chander Shekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, Jhansi Ki Rani, Lal
Lajpat Rai sacrificed their lives for freedom of India, then Bahadur Shah Zafar
and Ashfaqulla Khan and others also gave their lives for Independence. It was
due to their sacrifices that India got freedom”.
Indirectly
referring to the recent controversial remarks by BJP leaders Nupur Sharma and
Navin Jindal, Raina said, “Every person should respect every religion. Every
religion teaches giving respect and honour to others”. Talking about Prophet
Muhammad, he recited an Islamic verse about respecting religions, which says,
“To you be your religion, and to me my religion”.
Later,
talking to reporters, Raina said some mischievous persons want to disturb the
peace and communal harmony by poisoning society. “No religion preaches hatred.
Every religion preaches and teaches humanity, love compassion. We all should
live in communal harmony and respect one another”.
Source:
New Indian Express
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Southeast
Asia
Muslim
Groups In Indonesia Caution India Over Islamophobia, Call For Interfaith
Dialogue
12
Jun 2022
JAKARTA,
June 12 (Jakarta Post/ANN): Muslim groups in Indonesia are calling for India to
be careful and to not condone Islamophobia while urging interfaith dialogue
amid the recent controversy over offhand remarks by members of India’s ruling
party that appeared to target Islam.
Earlier
this week, Indonesia joined the chorus of Muslim majority countries condemning politicians
from India’s ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) whose remarks were deemed to
have insulted the Prophet Muhammad.
BJP
national spokesperson Nupur Sharma reportedly made the controversial remarks
during a recently televised debate. Separately, the BJP’s chief spokesperson
Naveen Kumar Jindal also reportedly uploaded a social media post about Islam
that was later deleted.
Muhammadiyah
secretary-general Abdul Mu’ti said that Indonesia’s second largest Muslim
organization lauded the government for condemning the two BJP politicians’
derogatory remarks about Islam.
However,
it also urged that significant steps be taken at the international level.
“The
statements by the two BJP politicians are against the anti-Islamophobia
declaration endorsed by the United Nations,” Mu’ti told The Jakarta Post on
Thursday.
Mu’ti
went on to say that India should not condone Islamophobia and urged the ruling
regime take significant steps to prevent “primordial actions” that could lead
to further divisions.
Meanwhile,
Nahdlatul Ulama chairman Yahya Cholil Staquf called the BJP politicians’ moves
“improper” and that the party should be held responsible for the actions of its
politicians.
The
leader of the largest Muslim organization said the incident should be a lesson
to all religious groups because it was neither the first nor the last time that
a group was targeted for its beliefs.
He
underlined that any group could become either victims or perpetrators of
intolerance at different points in the history of interfaith relations.
“We
need honest dialogue that lead to universal consensus on the norms of
interreligious relations and the common values that are held by different
groups so we can live together in peace and harmony,” Yahya told the Post.
The
Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) released a statement earlier that condemned the
BJP politicians’ remarks, saying that they should be focusing on finding
solutions instead of creating conflicts that fueled hate against Islam.
Source:
The Star
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Embrace
open-mindedness about religion and culture, says PM
June
12, 2022
JOHOR
BAHRU: Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has urged members of Keluarga
Malaysia (Malaysian Family) to adopt the concept of ‘tasamuh’, an Arabic term
meaning tolerance or open-mindedness.
Speaking
at the opening ceremony of the national Quran recital contest, he said there
should be an attitude of acceptance and mutual respect for the various
religions and cultures practised in the country.
He
said the diversity of cultures and customs in Malaysia was a unique
characteristic that should be celebrated, thus creating a peaceful and
prosperous society.
“Any
culture that is not against the Islamic faith can be accepted without any
stigma and discrimination,” he said, adding that tasamuh was the main basis of
uniting a multi-religious and multicultural society.
He
also urged Muslims to benefit from technological advances that allowed them to
easily read the Quran or listen to readings of the Quran.
Johor
menteri besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the state had embraced a comprehensive
approach to Islamic teachings which covers all aspects, including
administration and education.
He
said Islamic values were also nurtured consistently through various
Quran-related programmes organised by the state government over the years.
“Johor
is not regressive when it comes to defending Islam,” he said.
Source:
Free Malaysia Today
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Johor
has embraced comprehensive approach to Islam: MB
06-
13- 2022
JOHOR
BAHRU: Johor has embraced a comprehensive approach to Islamic teachings which
covers all aspects, including in its administration and education, said Menteri
Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.
He
said Islamic values were also nurtured consistently through various
Quran-related programmes organised by the state government over the years.
“Johor
is not regressive when it comes to defending Islam, Islam is the state religion
and this must last forever.
“The
state administration also ensures that children in Johor receive religious
education by providing Quran learning and the Johor religious school system is
now over 100 years,” he said when speaking at the opening of the National
Al-Quran Recitation and Memorisation Competition (MTHQK) at the Iskandar
Islamic Centre, here yesterday.
The
ceremony was officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Meanwhile,
Onn Hafiz said he was proud and grateful that Johor was selected to be the host
for the MTHQK after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The
last time Johor hosted the event was in 2012 when the event was held at the
Persada Johor International Convention Centre.
The
six-day event which began yesterday features 110 participants.
Source:
The Sun Daily
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.thesundaily.my/local/johor-has-embraced-comprehensive-approach-to-islam-mb-BX9321715
--------
From
sojourners to mosque builders, book documents history of Singapore's Indian
Muslims
Ng
Wei Kai
12
Jun 2022
SINGAPORE
- A number of Indian Muslims here face a dilemma: To hold on to the languages
and customs of their forefathers or to embrace a "practical
assimilation" into the wider Muslim community. This issue is raised in the
new book Indian Muslims In Singapore: History, Heritage And Contributions,
which documents the history, heritage and contributions of the community.
It
is authored by Dr Ab Razak Chanbasha and published by the Centre for Research
on Islamic and Malay Affairs (Rima). Launched by President Halimah Yacob on
Saturday (June 11), the book traces the community’s transition from groups of
sojourners who came to colonial Singapore to make a living into a settled
community forming a sizeable minority within both the Indian and Muslim
populations.
Rima
is a subsidiary of AMP Singapore, which raised more than $250,000 for the
benefit of the community in conjunction with the book launch.
As
at 2020, Indian Muslims constituted about 23 per cent of the Indian community
and 13 per cent of the Muslim community.
Speaking
to an audience of about 140 at the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore,
President Halimah said that while the contributions of some Indian Muslim
pioneers like writer Munshi Abdullah are well documented, others have only been
remembered in word-of-mouth accounts and are not sufficiently researched and
codified.
“This
book therefore strives to fill this gap for the Indian Muslim community, so
that we can better appreciate the significance of their contributions,” she
said. “Let us emulate the pioneers who never viewed their circumstances as
limiting, but instead focused on how they could do better for the community and
their children; always looking at the possibilities ahead.”
The
book begins by tracing the ethnic and geographical origins of the community and
the trades they came to work in the growing port city that was Singapore in the
1800s.
Muslims
of various ethnicities migrated here from British India, including Tamils from
the south and Gujeratis from the west. Some set down roots and began building
mosques, including Angullia Mosque and Bencoolen Mosque.
The
book details the history of these mosques, the families, institutions and
personalities behind them, and the religious and civic contributions of the
community, many of whom donated generously to social causes. There is a chapter
on prominent figures, including former MP Mohamed Kassim Abdul Jabbar and
Singapore’s first attorney-general, Professor Ahmad Ibrahim.
In
an interview before the launch, Prof Ahmad Ibrahim’s grandson, Mr Ibrahim
Tahir, 48, said he is happy his grandfather’s life and achievements have been
recorded in the book.
Mr
Ibrahim, who owns bookstore Wardah Books, said: “It is good not just for the
community and the family but because stories like his can lift young people’s
aspirations. He was at the centre of things, and operating in a multiracial
country and system, he was a minority without being marginal and held a seat at
the table.”
Dr
Razak, 63, who is a physicist by training and a board member at Rima, said the
book is meant for the general reader.
“The
book is by no means exhaustive or complete, but I hope it can serve as a
starting point for more research into the community.”
Source:
Straits Times
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South
Asia
Four
'key' Islamic State militants killed in northern Afghanistan: Taliban
12
June, 2022
The
Taliban has announced the deaths of four leaders of the Islamic State in an
operation in the Taloqan district in northern Afghanistan.
Taliban
spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid announced the news via Twitter, saying in
Pashto that “Four key figures, including Younis Uzbekistani, a key Khawarij
commander, were killed during the operation.”
‘Khawarij’
is the term the Taliban use for the Islamic State’s Afghanistan branch, usually
called the Islamic State of Khorasan Province by most western media outlets.
Afghan
news outlet The Khaama Press News Agency reported that eight insurgents were
killed during this operation.
Source:
The New Arab
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://english.alaraby.co.uk/news/four-islamic-state-militants-killed-afghanistan-taliban
--------
The
Taliban Claims Killing 8 ISIS Militants in Taloqan City
By
Saqalain Eqbal
12
Jun 2022
According
to the Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, the group’s forces killed eight ISIL
members during a special operation in Taloqan, Takhar province’s capital.
He
announced on his Twitter handle that the operation was carried out this
Saturday evening, 11th of June, in Taloqan’s fourth district.
He
stated the special operation was carried out to target an ISIS training center
in Taloqan, and that eight ISIS militants were killed in the operation,
including the group’s senior commander, Younes Uzbekistani.
At
the same time, Taliban forces are said to have clashed in Taloqan, while local
sources in Takhar province claim an armed clash between supporters of Mawlawi
Qadir Hami and other Taliban members.
Source:
Khaama Press
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https://www.khaama.com/the-taliban-claims-killing-8-isis-militants-in-taloqan-city-77586/
--------
Armed
Attack on Balkh Airport Staff Leaves Two Dead and Six Wounded
By
Saqalain Eqbal
12
Jun 2022
Unidentified
gunmen assaulted a car carrying Mazar-e-Sharif airport personnel in Balkh
province, killing two employees and wounding six others, according to the
Taliban security officials.
The
incident took place at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 12, in the 10th district of
Mazar-e-Sharif, the provincial capital, according to Mohammad Asif Waziri, the
spokesman for the Taliban police office in Balkh.
According
to Waziri, on the way to the airport, the car carrying technical department
employees was attacked. Waziri, on the other hand, certainly did not state
whether the Taliban members were killed in the incident.
The
attack has yet to be claimed by any group or individual.
Due
to security concerns and the safety of the staff, foreign airlines have not
resumed flights from Kabul and other Afghan cities since the Taliban retook
control of Afghanistan.
Source:
Khaama Press
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https://www.khaama.com/armed-attack-on-balkh-airport-staff-leaves-two-dead-and-six-wounded-76875/
--------
Explosion
in Kunar Province Kills One Taliban Member and Wounds Six Other
By
Saqalain Eqbal
12
Jun 2022
According
to local sources in Kunar province, an explosion in Asadabad, the provincial
capital, killed a Taliban member and injured six others, including two
civilians.
The
explosion happened on Sunday, June 12, at around 9:00 p.m. in Kunar province’s
center, Asadabad.
The
explosion, which was reported to be caused by a landmine, was said to have
targeted a former security forces Ranger vehicle which is now in the hands of
the Taliban.
The
injured were rushed to Asadabad Government Hospital, where at least two of them
were regarded to have critical health condition according to the provincial
health officials.
Officials
from the Taliban in the province have yet to comment on the occurrence, and no
group or individual has claimed responsibility.
Meanwhile,
two more explosions were reported in the provincial capitals of Kunduz and
Badakhshan. Both bombings, according to local informants in the two provinces,
were targeted on Taliban forces.
Source:
Khaama Press
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Afghanistan:
One Taliban member killed, six others, including civilians injured in blast
June
12, 2022
At
least one Taliban member was killed and six others, including a civilian,
sustained injuries in a blast explosion that rocked Afghanistan’s Kunar.
The
blast took place in the city of Kunar’s centre Assadabad on Sunday when a mine,
which was planted in the vehicle of Taliban forces exploded, according to Tolo
News citing local security officials.
“A
blast today in Kunar’s centre Assadabad killed an Islamic Emirate forces member
& injured 6 others, including a civilian, said local security officials,
adding that a mine was placed in a vehicle of the Islamic Emirate. Eyewitnesses
said multiple civilians were harmed,” TOLO News tweeted.
The
cases of blast in Afghanistan is not new. Earlier, on Saturday, several people
were injured after a blast took place in Afghanistan’s Kabul.
The
blast took place at Batkhak Square in the 10th district of Kabul, Tolo News
said in a Tweet.
Citing
a spokesman for the Kabul police, the Afghan media outlet said that many people
had been killed while many were injured in the explosion. According to him, the
blast was caused by an improvised explosive device planted in a passenger car.
A
similar case was reported on Thursday, where five Taliban members and one
civilian were killed in an IED blast in the Spin Boldak district of
Afghanistan.
Taking
to Twitter, Reporterly, a local media outlet in Afghanistan said, “Five Taliban
members and a civilian were killed and another member of this group was wounded
in a roadside IED blast in Spin Boldak district of #Kandahar, local sources
reported. According to sources, the blast took place at around 0800hrs on
Thursday morning June 09.”
Earlier,
on June 6, a blast took place in Police District-4 of Kabulfrom with explosives
carried on a bicycle, the Kabul security department said.
Security
forces have arrived in the area to investigate the matter, reported TOLO News.
Previously,
on May 25, three explosions rocked the capital of Balkh province, leaving at
least 9 people killed and 15 others injured. Meanwhile, on the same day, a
blast at Masjid Sharif Hazrat Zakaria mosque in Kabul City left at least two
worshippers dead, according to officials.
In
response to the attacks in Balkh and Kabul, the US Special Envoy for Women and
Human Rights in Afghanistan, Rina Amiri said that the Taliban must ensure
people’s security and prevent atrocities.
Source:
Free Press Journal
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Bangladesh
treads cautiously on support from China
Jun
12, 2022
NEW
DELHI: Even as Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina prepares to inaugurate later this
month the landmark China-built Padma bridge, which promises to transform the
country's economy, Dhaka is treading cautiously on economic assistance from
China.
The
Hasina government, according to an official source in Dhaka, has nixed a
proposal for a high-speed Dhaka-Chittagong railway line that China was
aggressively pursuing.
According
to Indian authorities, Bangladesh has been mindful of India's security
interests while allowing Chinese companies to implement projects in the
country.
Bangladesh
is one of the few Muslim-majority countries that have not officially lodged a
protest with India over the remarks by BJP spokespersons against the Prophet.
Bangladesh
information minister Hasan Mahmud told a visiting Indian media delegation on
Saturday Dhaka's thankful to the Indian government for the action against those
who insulted the Prophet.
Significantly,
while a Chinese firm has built the multi-purpose bridge on the Padma river,
Bangladesh is proud of the fact that its government financed the construction
without any loan assistance from China or any other country or entity.
The
6-km bridge built on the choppy waters of the Padma is expected to provide a
major fillip to trade and commerce in Bangladesh's southwest region and,
according to official estimates, increase the country's GDP by 1.2 percent.
While
India didn't have any role in the construction of the bridge, for Indian
authorities it's still a source of satisfaction that it will bring Bangladesh
closer to India by reducing the rail travel time from Dhaka to Kolkata by
almost 3 hours.
"There's
no impact so far on India's security from China's involvement in economic
projects. As for loans, Bangladesh has a great debt-to-GDP ratio and has much
more exposure to loans from ADB or even Japan," said a source.
To
many, Bangladesh is a lot more organised about what it wants than perhaps Sri
Lanka. This possibly could be the reason why, as an official source said, Dhaka
believes investment in a $10-billion high-speed train for linking the capital
to Bangladesh's second-largest city might be unnecessary for now.
The
decision to not go ahead with the proposal, after carrying out a feasibility
study, is still significant given that China had been pushing Dhaka to sign an
MoU to carry forward the proposal. Chinese ambassador Li Jiming was last week
reported to have written to the Bangladesh government last week for an early
signing of the MoU.
Bangladesh
also saw street protests last week in Dhaka and other places against the
remarks by BJP spokespersons targeting the Prophet. When asked why Bangladesh
had not officially condemned the comments, Mahmud said Bangladesh condemns such
insults to the Prophet "wherever it happens" and that Bangladesh
"congratulates" India for taking legal action.
According
to diplomatic sources, Hasina is also expected to visit India in a few months.
The visit will probably be the last high-level contact between the 2
governments before the elections in Bangladesh next year. How fair or credible
the elections will be is debatable though as the main opposition party, jailed
Khaleda Zia's BNP, insists it will participate only if the elections are held
under a caretaker government.
Source:
Times Of India
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Pakistan
Fear
for democracy in Pakistan as ISI gets power over civil service
12
Jun 2022
Pakistani
politicians and activists have raised fears about the military increasing its
control over the country’s public life after the new prime minister, Shehbaz
Sharif, gave the ISI spy agency vetting power over civil service appointments.
The
move has placed the verification and screening of government officials in
charge of postings, appointments and promotions in ISI hands, leading to
concerns of a shrunken civilian space.
Pakistan’s
powerful military, which ruled the country directly for three decades, and its
premier intelligence agency have a long history of meddling in politics and
controlling politicians.
It
is widely perceived in Pakistan that politicians need the military’s backing to
come to power, but many now fear that bureaucrats could also need the same
support for their appointment and postings.
“If
we keep in mind Pakistan’s history of takeovers and the sway that military has
over our politics, this decision will weaken civil bureaucracy and compromise
their independence,” said senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar. “We have shot
ourselves in the foot and it’s a decision worth reconsidering.”
Raza
Rabbani, the former chair of the senate, called Sharif’s decision an attack on
the constitution. “The concept of civilian supremacy is tarnishing,” he said.
Before
ousting the former prime minister, Imran Khan, in a no-confidence vote in
April, opposition parties now in power had criticised the military for its
meddling in politics, rigging elections and bringing Khan into office.
Ayesha
Siddiqa, an author and expert on military affairs of Pakistan, said it was
depressing that none of the senior leadership of the major political parties
had condemned Sharif’s move.
“The
government’s notification has legalised military intelligence’s power over
other institutions,” she said. “At the same time [it has] sown seeds for a
long-term disempowerment of the political class to strengthen its position and
that of the parliament to weaken the military’s control over politics.”
Maryam
Nawaz, the leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and daughter of the
former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, defended the prime minister’s decision.
“ISI
works with the government and it directly works under the prime minister,” she
told local media. “If the prime minister has taken such a step, he knows very
well how to assign responsibilities and tasks to which organisation and at what
time.”
Siddiqa
disputed her reading of the situation, saying a Pakistani prime minister could
only dream about controlling the ISI. “ISI is theoretically under the prime
minister’s office but in reality, it has never been controlled by the head of
government.
“In
the last decade, the ISI chief has become almost as powerful an officer as the
army chief due to power to intervene in politics and society … Maryam Nawaz’s
statement is nothing but a wish to control the ISI.”
The
military has always refuted allegations that it meddles in politics and rigs
elections.
The
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, an NGO, has also expressed concern over
the prime minister’s decision. “Even if this practice was already in place, it
goes against democratic norms,” it said. “The role of the military in civilian
affairs needs to recede if Pakistan is to move forward as a democracy.”
Pervaiz
Rasheed, a former information minister, said there were already laws governing
the appointment and promotion of bureaucrats and that if the government wanted
to adopt another system it should have amended the constitution via parliament
rather than issuing an executive order.
Source:
The Guardian
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Pakistan
military: Soldier killed in shootout with militants
Jun
12, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
A Pakistani soldier was killed during an exchange of fire with militants in the
tribal district of North Waziristan near the Afghan border, the military said
Sunday.
The
shootout took place in the Datta Khel area and security forces quickly started
a search-and-clearance operation to locate militants who fled, the military
said in a statement.
No
militant group immediately claimed responsibility. The militant Pakistani
Taliban recently extended a cease-fire agreement and are holding talks with
Pakistani authorities.
Source:
Times Of India
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Khan
Slams Pak-American Visiting Israel, Linking to Alleged U.S. Plot
By
Arif Ahmadi
13
Jun 2022
ISLAMABAD,
Pakistan – Former Prime Minister Imran Khan criticized the Pakistani-American’s
visit to Israel in a desperate reaction, according to sources, linking the
visit to the alleged American conspiracy to destabilize his government.
A
group of 15 Pakistani-Americans recently visited Israel, shocking the country
who do not maintain diplomatic relations with Jerusalem and do not allow its
citizens to visit the country for whatsoever reason.
Naila
Ali, the head of the Pakistan-American interfaith delegation that visited
Israel, responded to Khan’s criticism of the visit by telling him to stop
exploiting Muslim women peacemakers to give your authority lost.
“Stop
using Muslim women peacemakers to yield your lost power”, as she asked Imran to
stop maligning women, reported Islam Khabar.
Pakistan
that claims to be the citadel of Islam, does not have diplomatic relations with
Israel – the reason paving the way for so much hue and cry over the Israel
visit of Pakistani Americans.
Although,
the 2020 accord United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain signed with Israel was
named Abraham Accord to emphasize the commonality of the fatherhood of Jews and
Muslims, but it seems the time has yet to pass to determine the outcome of such
a historical move.
Earlier,
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan once again has pointed finger at the United
States for his downfall, according to sources, reclaiming that Washington had
orchestrated his ouster.
Speaking
with CNN journalist, Khan called for a huge rally to protest his downfall on
Wednesday, exclaiming he would still run for the office at the next election
due in October 2023.
“Whenever
the next elections take place, not only will we run, but I can predict that
this will be the biggest party in Pakistan’s history, because people are so
incensed and feel insulted that these criminals have been foisted upon us,”
Khan told CNN, referring to Pakistan’s new government.
When
asked to provide evidence for his claims, Khan said there were note takers on
both the US and Pakistani sides at the meeting, but did not answer directly
when asked whether he would make any notes publicly available.
However,
the US government has repeatedly denied involvement in Khan’s ouster, saying
the allegations are not true.
“There
is no truth to these allegations,” a US State Department spokesperson told CNN,
having previously and repeatedly denied involvement in Khan’s ouster.
Source:
Khaama Press
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/khan-slams-pak-american-visiting-israel-linking-to-alleged-u-s-plot/
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Bilawal
forms body to discuss TTP’s ceasefire in parliament
June
13, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
Following ceasefire announced by Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Foreign
Minister and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on
Sunday formed a committee to engage other political parties for taking up the
issue in parliament.
According
to the PPP secretariat, the party chairman in continuation of the party meeting
on Saturday discussed the issue of terrorism in the country, particularly in
the light of recent developments in Afghanistan involving Afghan Taliban and
the banned TTP.
The
three-member committee formed by Mr Bhutto-Zardari comprises Qamar Zaman Kaira,
Sherry Rehman and Farhatullah Babar.
It
may be mentioned that after an in-depth discussion on the issue on Saturday,
the party had reiterated its position that the parliament alone was the best
forum for a conversation on the issue.
In
the first week of this month, the banned TTP formally announced an indefinite
ceasefire with Pakistan following two days of talks with a grand tribal jirga
in Kabul. The group has set a major condition of reversal of the merger of the
Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to cut any
peace deal with Pakistan.
The
PPP meeting discussed questions like the purpose of the entire exercise, the
forces behind it and the desired objectives.
In
a related development, speakers at a consultation here were of the opinion that
Pakistan needed to be “assertive” and should negotiate with the TTP from a
“position of strength”.
Lawmakers,
academicians, former diplomats, retired army officers and experts on security
and Afghan affairs participated in the discussion on ‘Afghan peace and
reconciliation: Pakistan’s interests and policy options’ organised by
Islamabad-based Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS).
Former
corps commander and inspector general (IG) of Frontier Corps retired Lt Gen
Tariq Khan was not in favour of talks with the banned group. “If we have to
talk to them, we should only negotiate on the terms of surrender,” he said.
Referring
to the condition of the TTP about reversal of Fata’s merger, he showed surprise
and questioned how a militant group can demand to govern a part of Pakistani
territory.
Source:
Dawn
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1694548/bilawal-forms-body-to-discuss-ttps-ceasefire-in-parliament
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Shia
body demands judicial commission on Dua marriage issue
June
13, 2022
KARACHI:
A
representative body of the Shia community has demanded a judicial commission to
probe into the controversy surrounding the marriage of Dua Zehra, daughter of
Syed Mehdi Ali Kazmi, with Zaheer Ahmed.
Shia
Ulema Council of Pakistan Central Additional General Secretary Allama Nazir
Abbas Naqvi told a press conference at Imambargah Azakhana Zahra that the case
of Dua Zehra's so-called free-will marriage with Zaher Ahmed is becoming very
sensitive. "We do not want to influence court decisions or the
investigative agencies, however, we demand that to set up a transparent
Judicial Inquiry Commission.”
Allama
Qazi Noorani, Allama Razi Haider, Allama Nisar Qalandari, Allama Waqar Somani,
Askari Dev Jani were present.
Source:
Tribune Pakistan
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2361299/shia-body-demands-judicial-commission-on-dua-marriage-issue
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Arab
World
Saudi
Arabia, China Defence Officials Discuss Relations At Shangri-La Dialogue
11
June, 2022
Saudi
Arabia’s assistant minister of defense for executive affairs Khaled bin Hussein
al-Biyari, met with China’s Defense Minister Wei Fenghe on the sidelines of the
Shangri-La Dialogue, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on
Saturday.
The
officials discussed bilateral relations in the defense and military sectors as
well as topics of mutual interest.
Al-Biyari
led the Kingdom’s defense ministry delegation to the Shangri-La Dialogue which
kicked off in Singapore on Friday.
The
Shangri-La Dialogue, which concludes on June 12, involves top-level military
officials, diplomats, and weapons makers from around the globe.
It
is the first time the event has been held since 2019 after it was postponed
twice because of COVID-19.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
UN
in Lebanon demands security guarantees after troops ‘threatened’
12
June, 2022
The
UN's mission in Lebanon called Sunday for the country's military to guarantee
the security of its peacekeepers, alleging personnel were “threatened” by armed
men the day before.
The
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has long been deployed in the
country's south -- a stronghold of the powerful Shia movement Hezbollah -- to
maintain a barrier with Israel, as the two countries technically remain at war.
A
routine UNIFIL patrol was confronted on Saturday by “a group of men in civilian
clothes” near the Arab al-Louaize district in southern Lebanon, force
spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said in a statement.
The
men “threatened the soldiers and tried to take their weapons”, he said.
“Attacks,
threats and acts of intimidation against UNIFIL peacekeepers... are a matter of
serious concern, and we call on the Lebanese armed forces to guarantee the
safety, security and freedom of movement” of the UN force, he said in a
statement.
Lebanese
authorities have not commented on Saturday's incident.
UNIFIL
was beefed up after a devastating month-long war in 2006 between Israel and
Hezbollah.
Hezbollah
was the only faction allowed to keep its arms after the end of Lebanon's
1975-1990 civil war, and tensions between its supporters and UN peacekeepers
are far from rare, although usually quickly contained.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Iraqi
Shia Sadrist lawmakers resign from parliament
12
June, 2022
Lawmakers
from the Sadrist bloc in Iraq's parliament resigned on Sunday after their
leader, powerful Shia Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, asked them to step down
amid a prolonged stalemate over forming a government.
Sadr's
party was the biggest winner in an October general election, increasing the
number of seats it holds in parliament to 73. But political disagreement among
parties have hindered the parliament from electing a president and forming a
government.
Sadr,
a populist who has positioned himself as a staunch opponent of both Iran and
the US, said in a handwritten statement that his request to lawmakers to resign
was “a sacrifice from me for the country and the people to rid them of the
unknown destiny”.
Soon
after, the parliamentary speaker accepted the resignations.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Saudi
Arabia, France defence forces hold joint military drill: Report
11
June, 2022
Saudi
Arabia’s and France’s defense forces kicked off a joint military exercise in
the northwest part of the Kingdom, the official Saudi Press Agency reported on
Thursday.
Titled
‘Santol 2,’ the Royal Saudi Land Forces (RSLF) and the French Armed Forces
trained together to “raise combat readiness, gain more field experience and
work to unify military concepts,” SPA reported.
The
Assistant Commander of the Northwest area for Operational Affairs, Major
General Khalid bin Mohammed al-Khashrami said that the multi-day exercise “aims
to strengthen the bonds of cooperation and joint action, and exchange
experiences in the military fields, which contribute to raising the military
combat capability and increasing coordination between the Saudi armed forces
and the friendly French armed forces.”
The
teams reportedly used both live ammunition and simulators for the exercise.
Both
countries share strong diplomatic ties. French President Emmanuel Macron has previously
worked with Saudi leaders to cooperate on solving the economic crisis in
Lebanon.
He
visited the Kingdom as part of a Gulf tour in December, becoming the first
major Western leader to do so since 2018.
Saudi
Arabia and Red Sea coastal countries including Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan,
Somalia, Sudan and Yemen recently concluded a joint military drill earlier in
June, according to SPA.
The
mission, similar to Santol 2 “raised combat preparedness” and contributed to
“upgrading the security abilities to protect the seas and regional and
international water passages and guarantee maritime navigation in the Red Sea.”
Late
last month, the Saudi Air Force took part in a drill with F-15 C/SA jets while
the US Air Force brought the F-16 and F-18 fighters.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Egypt
notifies Interpol about Muslim Brotherhood leaders
MOHAMMED
ABU ZAID
June
12, 2022
CAIRO:
The Egyptian judiciary has issued a notification to Interpol to include six
Muslim Brotherhood leaders on a “red notice” for smuggling funds abroad to
finance terrorism.
The
Supreme State Security Criminal Court decided to notify Interpol in order to
track the leaders, arrest them and hand them over to Egyptian authorities.
The
list includes former Secretary-General Mahmoud Hussein and Medhat Ahmed
Al-Haddad, a former official of the Brotherhood in Turkey.
The
court accused the defendants of “taking the leadership of a terrorist group,
the Brotherhood, and joining that group knowing its purposes.”
The
referral order stated that between 2015 and 2021 they joined a terrorist group,
smuggled funds abroad and possessed inflammatory publications.
A
red notice obligates all police agencies in all Interpol member states to respond
immediately to the request, work to implement what it says and deport the
wanted persons to their countries.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2101896/middle-east
--------
Russia
blasts Israeli attack on Damascus airport, urges Tel Aviv to stop its
aggression
13
June 2022
Russian
Ambassador to Syria Alexander Efimov has strongly condemned the latest Israeli
missile attack on the Damascus International Airport, calling on the Tel Aviv
regime to put an end to its vicious acts and naked aggression or await serious
repercussions.
Speaking
in an exclusive interview with Arabic-language al-Watan daily, Efimov stated
that such irresponsible moves pose great dangers to civilian aircraft and civil
aviation, and that the Israeli regime must stop such wicked actions straight
away.
The
airport was targeted by a volley of missiles fired from the Israeli-occupied Golan
Heights at approximately 4:20 a.m. local time (01:20 GMT) on Friday, state
media reported.
The
Syrian Ministry of Transport said in a statement on Saturday that runways
remained out of service at the airport following the attack.
“Landing
and departing flights were suspended today till further notification as a
result of the Israeli aggression, since it caused heavy damage to the airstrips
in several localities and to the navigation lights in addition to the damage
[that] occurred in the airport lobby,” the statement read.
The
ministry added that flights are expected to resume in cooperation with air
carriers as soon as repair work is concluded.
The
Russian ambassador to Damascus also denounced the Turkish military operation as
“a flagrant violation of Syria’s national sovereignty and territorial
integrity,” blaming Turkish offensives for the escalation of tensions and
insecurity in the northern part of the war-ravaged country.
The
Russian diplomat stressed that the deployment of Syrian government forces along
the Turkish-Syrian border can only guarantee security in the region, arguing
that the Turkish military campaign inside Syria comes despite the Ankara
government’s official statements in which it claims to be respectful of its
neighbor’s sovereignty.
Efimov
also dismissed reports of disagreements between Russia and Iran over Syria,
saying Moscow and Tehran are cooperating closely with each other to work out an
effective solution to the ongoing Syrian conflict.
He
underscored that the presence of Iranian and Russian military advisors on
Syrian soil follows a request from the Damascus government.
The
Russian ambassador further noted that Moscow and Tehran are working in close
cooperation with each other and are carrying out various missions without any
competition.
High
time Israelis left Palestinian lands: Abbas
Meanwhile,
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Palestinians will never compromise one
iota of their lands, stressing that it is high time for the Tel Aviv regime to
leave the occupied territories.
He
made the remarks at a meeting with a US delegation headed by the Assistant
Secretary of State for Near East Affairs Barbara Leaf in the central West Bank
city of Ramallah on Saturday.
Abbas
said the existing status quo cannot be tolerated in the absence of a political
mechanism aimed at the international protection of the Palestinian people, as
well as Israel’s failure to fulfill its obligations under international
agreements and resolutions.
“Our
goal is to get rid of the occupation on the basis of international resolutions.
East al-Quds is and will remain the eternal capital of the State of Palestine,”
the Palestinian president pointed out.
Abbas
noted that mass incursions by extremist Jewish settlers into al-Aqsa Mosque in
the occupied Old City of al-Quds, the ongoing expulsion of Palestinians from
al-Quds, demolition of their homes, and targeted killings of Palestinians have
become daily realities under Israel’s military occupation.
“We
will not compromise on our national principles and we will remain steadfast in
our land. It is time for the Occupation to leave,” he underlined.
Source:
Press TV
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Africa
Play
Politics By Democracy Tenets, Nigerian Islamic Group Tells Politicians
By
Rauf Oyewole
13
June 2022
Ahead
of the 2023 general elections, Hilaquz Zikir Association of Nigeria has called
on politicians to play politics in line with tenets of democracy.
The
Islamic organisation also urged Nigerians to intensify prayers for the peace
and unity of the country to overcome the myriad of challenges facing it.
The
association, during its 11th National Zikir and special prayers for sustainable
peace in Nigeria, yesterday, in Bauchi, admonished politicians to fear their
creator.
National
Education Secretary of the association, Dr. Aminu Abdullahi, said that only
prayers could save the country from collapse, adding that Nigeria would sure
overcome the security issues.
According
to Abdullahi, for peace to reign, as Nigerians elect their leaders in 2023, the
citizens must continue to pray for the right leadership to be enthroned.
He
urged politicians to play politics devoid of bitterness and sentiments,
pointing out that politics should not be a do-or-die affair, but to accept
God’s will.
“Politicians
should adhere to tenets of democratic rules and play politics devoid of
rancour. It is possible to do politics in a clean way; it must not be a
do-or-die affair. You cannot have what God has not destined for you, no matter
how hard you try. So, I advise politicians to fear God in all they do,
especially now that we are approaching the 2023 general elections,” he said.
Governor
Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State commended the association for its prayers for the
peace of the country and the state, urging it to always educate its followers
on the need to live in peace with everyone, irrespective of religious
differences.
Source:
Guardian Nigeria
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://guardian.ng/news/play-politics-by-democracy-tenets-islamic-group-tells-politicians/
--------
Lagos
charges Muslim pilgrims on good conduct in Saudi Arabia
By
Sunday Aikulola
13
June 2022
Deputy
Governor Obafemi Hamzat has urged Lagos State pilgrims for this year’s hajj to
be of good conduct during stay in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
He
gave the charge, yesterday, at one-day seminar and special prayers for the
intending pilgrims, organised by Lagos State Pilgrims Welfare Board in Ikeja.
Hamzat
admonished them to represent Nigeria well in the holy land.
Source:
Guardian Nigeria
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https://guardian.ng/news/lagos-charges-muslim-pilgrims-on-good-conduct-in-saudi-arabia/
--------
Osun:
Muslims protest incessant ritual killings in Iwo
June
12, 2022
By
Sikiru Obarayese
Muslim
faithful in Iwo, Osun State protested incessant ritual killings in the town and
the tagging of perpetrators as Islamic clerics.
The
Muslims led by some religious leaders from different organisations, staged the
protest on Sunday in Iwo, Ola Oluwa Local Government of Osun State.
The
clerics were carrying placards that read, “Islam against rituals,” “Ritualists
are not among Alfas,” and “No more ritualists in Iwoland,” among others.
One
of the religious leaders, who spoke with journalists during the protest,
Missioner of NASFAT in Iwo, Sheikh Tajudeen Bilal, ritual killing is rampant
“among the wolves in dog’s skin, who people are calling alfas”.
The
perpetrators, according to him are not Muslims but are bad people who have
covenant with the devil.
“Because
Al-Qur’an has made us to know that every form of killing is a sin. It also made
us to know that whoever kills a soul, it is as if he kills the whole world.
“This
is a gathering of Muslims groups, we are a coalition of NASFAT, Salaf,
Taqomunu, Quwwatulahi Haq and a host of other in Iwoland.
Source:
Daily Post
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://dailypost.ng/2022/06/12/osun-muslims-protest-incessant-ritual-killings-in-iwo/
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8
killed in terrorist attack in Mali
Fatma
Esma Arslan
13.06.2022
DAKAR,
Senegal
At
least eight people were killed Sunday in a terrorist attack in southern Mali.
The
attack was carried out by unidentified gunmen at a checkpoint in the city of
Koutiala, local authorities told an Anadolu Agency correspondent.
Eight
others were wounded and one person went missing.
In
May this year, an Italian family and a Togolese citizen were abducted by
unidentified individuals near Koutiala.
The
Liptako-Gourma region bordering Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger has become the
target of terrorist groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and Daesh/ISIS in recent
years.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/8-killed-in-terrorist-attack-in-mali/2612116
--------
Terrorists
release 11 kidnapped victims from train attack in northwest Nigeria
Olarewaju
Kola
12.06.2022
MAIDUGURI,
Nigeria
Eleven
of 61 passengers have been released after they were abducted by terrorists more
than two months ago in a train attack in northwest Kaduna State in Nigeria,
officials said Saturday.
Spokesman
for the negotiator, Tukur Mamu, said, “six females and five males” were freed
after being abducted March 28 on a Abuja-Kaduna bound passenger train.
The
release came after intense negotiations led by one of the leading Islamic
clerics in the country, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, and the terrorists.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
UN
envoy urges Libyan rivals to end differences ‘in a week’
Moataz
Wanees
12.06.2022
TRIPOLI,
Libya
UN
Special Adviser on Libya Stephanie Williams on Sunday urged the country’s
rivals to establish a constitutional framework within one week for holding
elections in the conflict-ridden nation.
"This
final round comes at a critical juncture for your country. After eleven long
years of division, dysfunction, conflict, chaos and polarization, the Libyan
people are exhausted," Williams said at the opening session of the third
and final round of talks in Cairo, Egypt, between Libya's House of
Representative (parliament) and the High Council of State, which acts as a
senate.
"Your
Libyan compatriots look at you, expecting anxiously tangible results: a firm
and consensual constitutional basis that will pave the way for holding
transparent elections within the shortest timeframe possible," she added.
Williams
also urged Libyans to "put down weapons,” adding that there are
"spoilers" who will look to distrust the talks.
The
final round of talks is expected to address 30% of the conflicting points,
while the other 70% were addressed in the past rounds of the discussions.
For
more than three months, there have been two governments in Libya: the national
unity government in Tripoli led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh and the one granted
confidence in early March by the Tobruk-based House of Representatives headed
by former Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Mideast
Erdogan
escalates rhetoric against Greece and mobilizes Imams in his re-election bid
13
June 2022
Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has led Turkey for the past 20 years,
announced during a speech in Izmir on June 9 that he will seek re-election in
next year's elections.
As
Turkey is facing a serious economic crisis, Erdogan, seeing his popularity
falling rapidly in repeated opinion polls, is trying to win votes by escalating
his rhetoric against Greece and by mobilizing the big network of imams to
persuade Turkish expatriates to vote for him.
Speaking
after watching military exercises in Izmir, on the same day he confirmed that
he will run in the June 2023 elections, Erdogan increased tensions with
Turkey's neighbour Greece, warning Athens to stop arming Aegean islands that do
not have a military status.
In
Turkey's view, the Aegean islands were given to Greece under the 1923 Lausanne
Treaty and the 1947 Paris Treaty on the condition that they would not be armed.
Ankara accuses Greece of having military units and weapons systems mainly on
the Dodecanese islands in East Aegean.
"I
warn Greece to avoid dreams, acts and statements that will result in regret.
Come to your senses, " Erdogan said and added that Turkey will not
renounce its rights in the Aegean and will not back down from using rights that
are established by international agreements when it comes to arming
islands."
Erdogan's
coalition partner and leader of the ultra-nationalist MHP Party Devlet Bahceli
also accused Greece of escalating tensions and said that the Greeks are playing
with fire.
"The
question of the Dodecanese islands, which is the continuation of Anatolia, is a
wound that has not yet closed," declared Bahceli and ominously added:
"The stolen items must be returned to the owner, whether voluntarily or by
force."
Furthermore,
Bahceli claimed that the nine military bases that the US has set up in Greece
are a threat to Turkey's national identity. "Greece's request for F-15 and
F-16 aircraft from the US is not an invitation to peace, but to polarization,
" he said.
The
response of the Greek Government is that Turkey deliberately misinterprets the
treaties regarding armed forces on these Greek islands and insists that it has
legal grounds to defend itself in the face of Ankara's hostile actions.
Ankara
has recently launched a barrage of violations of Greek airspace. Greek aircraft
always identify and intercept the Turkish fighter jets.
It
is noted that in the summer of 2020, the ongoing dispute between Athens and
Ankara over significant gas deposits in the eastern Mediterranean almost led to
a military conflict after Turkish research ships had been crossing Greek waters
for many days.
Erdogan
in the past few weeks has kept lashing out at Greece, trying to "put it in
its place", threatening it with severe consequences. He does this because,
on the one hand, he sees Athens as a soft and easy target, and, on the other,
he increases tensions with NATO ally Greece as a leverage on the United States
regarding his plans to invade northern Syria and to get recognition of his
demands on the energy resources of Eastern Mediterranean.
The
Turkish President and his ultra-nationalist ally Bahceli have seen their
popularity falling in opinion polls and fear a voter backlash, as Turkey's
inflation keeps soaring at 73 per cent, while energy and food prices are
reaching unprecedented heights, unemployment keeps rising and the value of the
Turkish Lira is declining rapidly.
That
is why on March 31, the Turkish Parliament, where Erdogan's AKP and Bahceli MHP
currently control the majority, voted to lower the election threshold from 10
to 7 per cent, because polls showed that MHP will remain under the 10 required
per cent threshold in a possible election.
Erdogan
is also greatly worried about the declining popularity of his own party AKP,
because the latest opinion polls show that the support it enjoys has fallen to
27.7 per cent, from the 42.6 per cent it scored in the 2018 elections. So,
Erdogan needs every single vote he can get to narrow the gap with the
opposition parties.
As
in the 2018 presidential election, Erdogan won almost 60 per cent of the ex-pat
votes, he is quite aware that the votes of the Turkish diaspora have become
extremely important and to this end uses government-appointed imams to
communicate messages to voters in mosques.
To
achieve this, the President of Turkey relies on the Diyanet (the Religious
Affairs Directorate) which is run by Ali Erbas, somebody he personally chose,
to propagate political Islam and AKP's positions and ideology.
In
less than a decade, Diyanet's budget quadrupled to $ 1 billion, and it employs
over 120,000 people, making it one of Turkey's largest state institutions -
bigger than the Ministry of Interior. Diyanet has become a giant government
bureaucracy for the promotion of Sunni Islam.
Diyanet
offers Qur'an courses, especially summer courses for children, issues fatwas on
demand, but also comments on political affairs and has extensive financial
interests. Some people call it the "Diyanet holding".
Earlier
this month, most probably acting on Erdogan's orders, Ali Erbas organized in
Ankara a big meeting of Diyanet's most important cadres in Europe as well as
attaches and consuls and reportedly asked them to canvass the diaspora to vote
for Erdogan.
Later
participants were taken to the presidential palace for a private audience with
Erdogan. What was said at the meeting remains unknown, as the Presidential
Palace did not issue any press release on the meeting.
Source:
Catch News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Iranian
President Calls Israel's Assassination of IRGC Officer a Desperate Move
2022-June-12
President
Rayeesi made the comments on Sunday in a meeting with family members of
martyred Colonel Hassan Sayyad Khodayee, who was assassinated in a terrorist
attack in Tehran on May 22 after two motorcyclists shot him five times before
fleeing the scene.
The
IRGC officer was dismounting his car to enter his home in an eastern
neighborhood of the capital when three bullets hit him in the head and two
bullets in the hand.
“The
fact that the enemies of the Islamic Republic, instead of confronting on the
battlefield, carry out such cowardly assassinations, is a sign of their
desperation and despair while (indicative of) triumph and power of the Islamic
Republic,” Rayeesi said.
He
lauded the sacrifices of the martyred IRGC membe,r and wished patience and
blessings to the bereaved family of Colonel Khodayee.
The
New York Times on May 25 cited an intelligence official as saying that Israel
had informed American officials that it was behind the assassination.
President
Rayeesi said at the time that "the global arrogance" was behind the terrorist
act, vowing “definite revenge” for the blood of the martyr.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Supreme
Leader: Resistance Only Way to Stand against US Pressures
2022-June-12
During
the meeting in Tehran on Saturday, Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the US’s
enormous pressure campaign and hybrid warfare against both Iran and Venezuela,
and noted, "The successful experience of the two countries showed that
resistance is the only way to counter such pressures."
He
lauded the victory of the Venezuelan government and nation in a tough struggle
against the US and a hybrid and all-out war it has waged against Caracas, and
stated, "Your resistance and that of the people of Venezuela is very
valuable because it enhances the value, status and merits of a nation and a
country as well as its leaders."
"Today,
the US views Venezuela in a different (manner) compared to the past," the
Leader said.
Ayatollah
Khamenei praised the progress Iran has made in science and technology in the
face of US sanctions, and said, "Such major steps have been taken under
the circumstances that the heaviest and most unprecedented sanctions and
pressures have been imposed on the Iranian nation, and the Americans themselves
called it the 'maximum pressure' (policy)."
In
his remarks, the Leader also welcomed a 20-year partnership agreement signed
between Tehran and Caracas aimed at bolstering bilateral cooperation in various
fields, and emphasized that the Iranian and Venezuelan governments must further
strengthen their relationship.
In
order to have long-term cooperation, it is necessary to pursue and implement
agreements, Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out.
He
referred to cordial ties between Iran and Venezuela, and stated, "The two
countries do not have such close relations with any (other) country, and the
Islamic Republic of Iran has shown that it takes risks in times of danger and
offers a helping hand to its friends."
Ayatollah
Khamenei also commended Maduro's anti-Zionism stance as "very genuine and
brave".
During
the meeting, which was also attended by Iranian President Ebrahim Rayeesi, the
Venezuelan president thanked Iran's support for the people of his country in
their hard battle against US pressure.
He
pointed to the dire economic situation that Venezuela has been facing in recent
years, and said the US has started a gradual war of attrition and
multi-dimension warfare against Caracas.
However,
Venezuela has succeeded in fully confronting the US aggression through resistance
and making use of the opportunities arisen as a result of sanctions, Maduro
said, adding that the South American country is now facing better conditions in
comparison with previous years.
He
also noted that Venezuela is drawing up a precise roadmap for improving
cooperation with Iran in various fields, particularly science and technology.
Elsewhere
in his remarks, the Venezuelan president voiced support for Palestinians, and
said that is why the Zionist regime has been hatching plots against Caracas
through Israeli spy agency Mossad.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Iran’s
IRGC says airspace fighter died in ‘car accident’ while on mission
12
June, 2022
Iran's
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said an airspace fighter died in a
“car accident” while he was on a “mission” in the city of Khomein,
semi-official news agency Tasnim reported on Sunday.
The
report said Ali Kamani, identified as a fighter of the aerospace unit, died in
a car accident in the town of Khomein, southwest of the capital Tehran. The
report described him as a “martyr” who died “defending the homeland during the
mission.”
The
report did not provide further details as to the nature of the “mission” or
what led to the “car accident.”
Kamani’s
death comes three weeks after the assassination of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps (IRGC) Colonel Sayad Khodai.
Khodai
was shot dead in his car by two assailants on a motorcycle in Tehran on May 22.
Iranian
President Ebrahim Raisi vowed to avenge Khodai’s death and Iranian officials
pointed to Israel being the culprit for the attack.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
UN
agency urges Iran to resume stalled nuclear talks ‘now’
12 June,
2022
The
International Atomic Energy Agency on Sunday urged Iran to resume talks “now”
to avoid a crisis that could make it “extremely more difficult” to salvage the
2015 nuclear accord.
Iran
this week disconnected some cameras allowing international inspectors to
monitor its nuclear activities in response to a Western resolution passed June
8 in which the UN agency denounced Tehran's lack of cooperation.
Twenty-seven
surveillance cameras “have been removed,” IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi
said in an interview broadcast Sunday by CNN, calling it a “very serious move.”
“Recent
history tells us that it is never a good thing to start saying to international
inspectors, go home... things get much more problematic,” he added.
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The
2015 deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, gave Iran relief
from crippling economic sanctions in exchange for curbs on its nuclear activities.
But
in 2018, then-US president Donald Trump unilaterally pulled out of the pact and
reimposed sanctions, prompting Iran to begin rolling back on its own
commitments.
Talks
to revive the deal have stalled since March.
In
the CNN interview, Grossi said he was telling his Iranian counterparts, “We
have to sit down now, we have to redress the situation, we have to continue
working together.
“The
only way for Iran to get the confidence, the trust they so badly need in order
to move their economy forward... is to allow the inspectors of the IAEA to be
present.”
Without
the surveillance cameras, Grossi said, his agency will soon be unable to
declare whether the Iranian nuclear program is “peaceful” -- as Tehran has
repeatedly insisted -- or whether Iran is developing an atomic bomb.
Even
if the Iranians reconnect the cameras in a few months, Grossi said, whatever
work they do in the meantime will remain secret, possibly rendering useless any
agreement.
Therefore,
he said, the recent Iranian action makes “the way back to an agreement
extremely more difficult.”
While
Trump pulled the US out of what he said was a badly flawed accord, his
successor Joe Biden has said he is ready to again embrace the deal so long as
Iran also respects its own commitments.
But
negotiators have met with repeated frustration, and the possibility of failure
appears closer than ever.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Israel
says foiled Iran’s attack against Israelis in Turkey as Tehran seeks ‘revenge’
12 June,
2022
Israeli
security officials foiled an Iranian attack targeting Israelis in Turkey last
month, Israeli public broadcaster Kan radio reported on Sunday.
The
Israeli officials coordinated with their Turkish counterparts to thwart the
attack planned by an “Iranian network” in Turkey.
Israel
had issued last month a warning to its citizens against travel to Turkey amid
fears that Israelis would be targeted in a “revenge attack” for the
assassination of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Colonel Sayad
Khodai.
Khodai
was shot dead in his car by two assailants on a motorcycle in Tehran on May 22.
Iranian
President Ebrahim Raisi vowed to avenge Khodai’s death and Iranian officials
pointed to Israel being the culprit for the attack.
Iranian
media reported at the time that members of an Israeli intelligence service
network had been discovered and arrested by the IRGC.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Israel
court ruling leaves thousands of Palestinians at risk of forced displacement
12 June,
2022
Some
1,200 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank region of Masafer Yatta face the
risk of forced removal to make way for an army firing zone after a decades-long
legal battle that ended last month in Israel’s highest court.
The
ruling opened the way for one of the largest displacements since Israel
captured the territory in the 1967 Middle East war. But residents are refusing
to leave, hoping their resilience and international pressure will keep Israel
from carrying out the evictions.
“They
want to take this land from us to build settlements,” said Wadha Ayoub Abu
Sabha, a resident of al-Fakheit, one of a group of hamlets where Palestinian
shepherds and farmers claim a historic connection to the land.
“We’re
not leaving,” she said.
In
the 1980s, Israel declared the area a closed military zone known as “Firing
Zone 918.”
It
argued in court that these 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres) along the Israel-West
Bank boundary were “highly crucial” for training purposes and that the
Palestinians living there were only seasonal dwellers.
“It
has been a year of immense grief,” said Abu Sabha, her voice breaking as she
sat in one of the few tents left standing, lit by a single light bulb.
The
communities in this part of the South Hebron Hills traditionally lived in
underground caves. Over the past two decades, they have also started building
tin shacks and small rooms above ground.
Israeli
forces have been demolishing these new constructions for years, Abu Sabha said,
but now that they have the court's backing, the evictions are likely to pick
up.
Steps
away, her family’s belongings were reduced to a pile of rubble after soldiers
arrived with bulldozers to raze some of the structures. She lamented the
significant losses - the dwindling livestock even more than the destroyed
furniture.
Much
of the argument during the protracted case centered on whether the Palestinians
who live across the area are permanent residents or seasonal occupants.
The
Supreme Court concluded that the residents “failed to prove their claim of
permanent habitation” before the area was declared a firing zone. It relied on
aerial photos and excerpts from a 1985 book that both sides cited as evidence.
The
book, titled “Life in the Caves of Mount Hebron,” was authored by Israeli
anthropologist Yaacov Havakook, who spent three years studying the lives of Palestinian
farmers and shepherds in Masafer Yatta.
Havakook
declined to comment and instead referred Reuters to his book. But he said he
had tried to submit an expert opinion on behalf of the residents following a
request from one of their lawyers, and was prevented from doing so by the
Israeli defense ministry, where he was employed at the time.
International
criticism
The
United Nations and European Union condemned the court ruling and urged Israel
to stop the demolitions and evictions.
“The
establishment of a firing zone cannot be considered an ‘imperative military
reason’ to transfer the population under occupation,” the EU spokesperson said
in a statement.
In
a transcript of a 1981 ministerial meeting on settlements uncovered by Israeli
researchers, then-Agriculture Minister Ariel Sharon, who later became prime
minister, suggested the Israeli military expand training zones in the South
Hebron Hills to dispossess the Palestinian residents of their land.
“We
want to offer you more training zones,” Sharon said, given “the spread of Arab
villagers from the hills toward the desert.”
The
Israeli military told Reuters the area was declared a firing zone for “a
variety of relevant operational considerations” and that Palestinians violated
the closure order by building without permits over the years.
According
to the United Nations, the Israeli authorities reject most Palestinian
applications for building permits in “Area C,” a swathe of land making up
two-thirds of the West Bank where Israel has full control and where most Jewish
settlements are located. In other areas of the West Bank, Palestinians exercise
limited self-rule.
UN
data also showed that Israel has marked nearly 30 percent of Area C as military
firing zones. The designations have put 38 of the most vulnerable Palestinian
communities at increased risk of forced displacement.
Meanwhile,
settlements in the area have continued to expand, further restricting
Palestinian movement and the space available for residents to farm and graze
their sheep and goats.
“All
of these olives are mine,” said Mahmoud Ali Najajreh of al-Markez, another
hamlet at risk, pointing to a grove in the near distance. “How can we leave?”
The
3,500 olive trees he planted two years ago - he counted each one - were
beginning to bud.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Norway
to label products from Israeli settlements
12
June, 2022
Israel
on Saturday condemned Norway’s decision to label products from Israeli
settlements with their place of origin.
A
statement from Israel’s foreign ministry said the position “will adversely
affect bilateral relations between Israel and Norway, as well as Norway’s
relevance to promoting relations between Israel and the Palestinians.”
The
ministry was referring to Norway’s longstanding role as a mediator in the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Norway’s
social democrat government announced its new policy on Friday, saying it was
not enough to label products coming from the occupied territories as Israeli.
The
measure mainly concerns imports of wine, olive oil, fruits and vegetables, and
will apply to products from the occupied West Bank “including East Jerusalem”
and occupied areas of the Golan Heights, Oslo said.
Foreign
Minister Anniken Huitfeldt stressed in an interview with Norwegian news agency
NTB that this in no way constituted a boycott of Israel.
“Norway
has good relations with Israel,” she added. “That must continue.”
The
European Commission recommended its member states follow this practice in 2015,
a decision confirmed by the European Court of Justice in 2019.
Norway
said that the principle behind its decision, as set out in the 2019 ruling, is
that consumers should not be deceived by misleading labelling on the origin or
products.
During
the Trump administration, the United States announced that goods made in
Israeli settlements in the occupied territories could be labelled Israeli.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Europe
Pope
Francis praises Iranians’ bravery in global debates
June
13, 2022
Director
of Iranian seminary schools’ affairs presenting a report on his visit to
Vatican, said here on Sunday that the Pope has told him in a meeting he praises
the Iranians’ bravery in global debates.
Ali-Reza
Aarafi quoted Pope Francis as saying in that visit that he respected the
Iranians from three different points of the view, the first of which is because
he has read the Iranian history deeply, and found it praiseworthy, secondly,
the fact that the Iranians are faced with lots of difficulties and hardships,
but are still the only country with a religious political system, and thirdly,
the Iranians’ bravery in international negotiations.
Source:
ABNA24
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Türkiye’s
concerns over Finnish, Swedish NATO bids legitimate: Alliance chief
Selen
Temizer
12.06.2022
BRUSSELS
Türkiye’s
security concerns about the NATO membership bids of Sweden and Finland are legitimate,
the alliance’s chief reiterated on Sunday.
"These
are legitimate concerns. This is about terrorism, it's about weapons
exports," Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told a joint news conference
during a visit to Finland alongside Finnish President Sauli Niinisto.
"We
have to remember and understand that no NATO ally has suffered more terrorist
attacks than Türkiye,” he added, referring to attacks by the PKK, Fetullah
Terrorist Organization (FETO) – the group behind a 2016 defeated coup – and
Daesh/ISIS, among other terror groups.
Stressing
that Türkiye has been a key ally for the alliance owing in part to its
strategic location on the Black Sea between Europe and the Middle East,
Stoltenberg pointed to its support for Ukraine since Russia launched its war on
Feb. 24.
He
furthermore praised the Turkish contribution to the war against the terrorist
group Daesh/ISIS and work to get Ukrainian grain exports to world markets.
When
a critical ally like Türkiye shares our concerns on terrorism, we should take
this into serious consideration, Stoltenberg said.
Niinisto,
for his part, stressed the importance of keeping dialogue channels open with
Türkiye to reach a solution.
Arguing
that Finland’s stance on Türkiye’s concerns over terrorism is no different from
other NATO allies, he said he said he was having a hard time understanding why
Finland was “picked out.”
Russia’s
war on Ukraine prompted Finland and Sweden to formally apply to join NATO on
May 18.
But
Türkiye, a longstanding member of the alliance, has voiced objections to their
membership bids, criticizing the countries for tolerating and even supporting
terrorist groups such as the PKK/YPG, as well as for weapons embargos against
Türkiye.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Terror
group YPG/PKK supporters hold demonstrations in Finland, Sweden
Atila
Altuntas
11.06.2022
STOCKHOLM,
Sweden
Even
as Finland and Sweden’s continued support for the terrorist group YPG/PKK has
held up their NATO membership bids, supporters of the terror group took to the
streets of the countries’ capitals and openly held protests Saturday.
YPG/PKK
sympathizers gathered before the Finnish parliament and called on Helsinki to
reject Turkish demands that it cease supporting and tolerating the terrorist
group.
The
protest stretched on for about two hours, with participants carrying banners
and symbols of the terror group.
In
Sweden, carrying posters showing the convicted YPG/PKK ringleader, who is
serving a life sentence in Türkiye, supporters of the YPG/PKK met in Norra
Bantorget Square in the capital Stockholm and called on the government to
impose an arms embargo on Ankara.
Sweden
is under pressure from Türkiye to end its support for the YPG/PKK terror group
if it wants to join NATO, with Ankara saying the bloc is a security alliance
and that any potential members must take a clear stance against terrorism.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Imprisoned
Azerbaijani Muslim leader goes on hunger strike over profanity
12
June 2022
The
imprisoned leader of Azerbaijan’s Movement for Muslim Unity (MMU) has
reportedly gone on an open-ended hunger strike in protest at blasphemous
remarks by members of the country’s Office for Combating Organized Crime
(BMCMI).
Sheikh
Taleh Bagirzade took the action, dubbed “Strike Till Martyrdom”, a few days ago
after learning that BMCMI agents – affiliated with the Azerbaijani Ministry of
Internal Affairs, had offended God and made profane comments during the
interrogation of a group of Muslim activists who had made an appeal for mercy
in a detention center of the Office for Combating Organized Crime, commonly
known as bandotdel.
Baqirzade
has called on Azerbaijani authorities to put all those responsible for the
profanity on trial, emphasizing that he will not abandon his hunger strike
until all perpetrators are handed out fitting punishment.
Meanwhile,
a group of imprisoned young Muslim activists has gone on hunger strike in
solidarity with Baqirzade.
Jabbar
Jabarov, a prisoner from the town of Nardaran, jailed journalist Polad Aslanov,
who ran the independent news websites Xeberman and Press-az, and Abbas Hussein,
another MMU member have followed suit.
Lately,
a number of Azerbaijani clerics were detained by Baku police forces outside
court during the hearing of Razi Hemmatov another MMU member.
“Bandotdel
interrogators took off my clothes and ripped off my underwear as they drew
their batons to assault me. It was when I appealed for mercy. The officers,
however, paid no attention to my appeals, kept using foul language and beating
me all over the body,” Mayel Karimov, a Muslim activist who was among those
arrested, recounted.
He
added, “The interrogators finally agreed to stop the torture after I signed a
written pledge that I will not participate in anti-government protests anymore.
But, they threatened to show no restraint if I appeared outside the court once
again.”
In
December 2016, the Baku Court of Serious Crimes sentenced Baqirzade and 17
other defendants to life imprisonment on charges of plotting to overthrow the
Azerbaijani government.
Human
rights activists, however, say they are prisoners of conscience.
They
were arrested in late 2015 after Azerbaijani forces carried out a raid on a gathering
of people in the eastern town of Nardaran.
The
attack took place as Shias had gathered for a religious ceremony to mark
Arbaeen, the 40th day since the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS), the
third Shia Imam, and his followers in the Battle of Karbala.
Following
the raid, in which four people were killed by security forces, the town’s
residents staged a number of demonstrations.
Source:
Press TV
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North
America
10
pro-Israel members of US Congress propose anti-Iran alliance
11
June 2022
A
group of pro-Israel members of Congress has called on the United States to
support the Israeli regime and nine Arab countries in establishing an
integrated missile system to counter Iran, in what is an acknowledgment of the
Islamic Republic’s growing military might in the region.
The
proposal has been dubbed the Deterring Enemy Forces and Enabling National Defenses
(DEFEND) Act. It would authorize the Pentagon to cooperate with Israel,
Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United
Arab Emirates to develop and deploy integrated air and missile defenses against
the alleged threat posed by Iran, RT website reported on Saturday.
Democrats
Jacky Rosen (Nevada), Cory Booker (New Jersey), Joni Ernst (Iowa), and James
Lankford (Oklahoma) have introduced it in the Senate. Meanwhile, Democrats Brad
Schneider (Illinois), David Trone (Maryland), and Jimmy Panetta (California)
joined forces with Republicans Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Washington), Ann Wagner
(Missouri), and Don Bacon (Nebraska) in the House of Representatives support
the bill.
All
10 lawmakers are members of the Abraham Accords Congressional Caucus,
established earlier this year.
The
Abraham Accords refer to a series of secret deals brokered by the
administration of former US President Donald Trump in 2020 that normalized
relations between Israel and four Arab countries – the United Arab Emirates,
Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco.
The
accords broke a longstanding consensus in the Arab world that normalization
with Israel would only come with major concessions for Palestinians.
Observers
have warned that the move by some Arab countries to establish relations with
the Zionist regime will not only fail to ensure their protection and security
but will also double the problems of these states and those of the region and
[other] Arab countries.
The
news of deals signed by a few Arab dictatorships to normalize diplomatic
relations with Israel under intense US pressure has sparked widespread anger in
other Islamic countries.
Meanwhile,
the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy has warned
neighboring countries against allowing Israelis into the Persian Gulf, saying
such a move would bring nothing but chaos and instability to the region.
In
a visit to the Persian Gulf island of Greater Tunb on Saturday, Rear Admiral
Alireza Tangsiri hailed the Persian Gulf’s “good security,” which he attributed
to cooperation and synergy among neighboring countries.
However,
he said, if a country allows "the miserable child-killer regime" in
Tel Aviv to establish a foothold in this region, that country and the entire
region will be inflicted with insecurity, chaos, and instability.
The
warning came two days after Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett visited the
United Arab Emirates (UAE), marking his second official trip to the Persian
Gulf country since the two sides formally normalized their relations in 2020.
Bahrain,
Morocco, and Sudan were other Arab countries that normalized their ties with
Israel. The normalization deals have been a “stab in the back” for the
Palestinians while exposing an increasing level of apathy on the part of the
Muslim-majority countries toward the Palestinian people’s sufferings.
Recent
reports suggest that Saudi Arabia is also moving in the same direction, even
though the kingdom has so far refrained from officially normalizing with Israel
due to domestic considerations.
Source:
Press TV
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Biden
says a visit to Saudi Arabia would focus on more than energy
12
June, 2022
US
President Joe Biden said on Saturday he has “not yet” made a decision about
visiting Saudi Arabia, but a visit to the Kingdom would include an agenda that
focused on more than discussing energy.
Asked
what if there are commitments Washington is waiting for from Riyadh, Biden
said: “The commitments from the Saudis don’t relate to anything having to do
with energy. It happens to be a larger meeting taking place in Saudi Arabia.”
He
added: “That’s the reason I’m going. And it has to do with national security
for them — for Israelis. I have a program — anyway. It has to do with much
larger issues than having to do with the energy piece.”
The
White House plans to announce as early as Monday a Biden trip to Saudi Arabia,
the Wall Street Journal reported, citing two US officials with direct knowledge
of the plans.
The
WSJ report said Biden will travel to the Kingdom next month as part of a
broader trip to the region that includes a stop in Israel.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/violent-protests-prophet-jamaat-ulema-hind/d/127238