24000 UP Madrassas Under Scrutiny to Determine Whether Foreign Funds Utilized for Illegal Activities Such As “Terrorism or Coercive Religious Conversions”

New Age Islam News Bureau

07 December 2023

 

Students attending class at a madrassa near Jamia Masjid in Old Delhi [PC: Hasan Akram and Mayank Chawla]

------

·         24000 UP Madrassas Under Scrutiny to Determine Whether Foreign Funds Utilized for Illegal Activities Such As “Terrorism or Coercive Religious Conversions”

·         EU Pledges €30bn To Protect Mosques and Synagogues Amid Hate Crime Rise

·         Fanatical Jewish Groups Plan to March to Al-Aqsa Mosque To ‘End Its Islamic Status’

·         Traditional Saudi Arabia Folk Dances, Music Showcased In Jazan

·         Ulema Of All the Religious Schools of Thought of Pakistan Urge Islamic World to Wage Jehad Against Israel

-----

India

·         'Love Jihad' In Reverse? Top Kerala Muslim Leader Opposes Interfaith Marriages

·         'No Other Way Than Taking Up Kashmir Issue To UN': Farooq Abdullah On Amit Shah's Jibe On Nehru

·         Urges Political Parties To Introspect How Hindi Heartland Has Come In The Grip Of Communal Elements

·         We are Gau Mata country: Himanta on DMK MP’s comment

·         ‘Prove Terror Link Charges, Will Leave Country’, Sufi Muslim Spiritual Preacher to Karnataka BJP MLA

·         If you are divided, the BJP benefits: Mamata Banerjee's call to Muslims on Sanhati Diwas

-----

Europe

·         EU should consider sanctions on Hamas, Israeli settler violence – document

·         'Vladimir Putin skirts Russia's war zones for Middle East trip'

·         University launches Muslims in Britain Research Group

·         Russia's Putin, Saudi Crown Prince Discuss Further OPEC+ Cooperation

-----

Mideast

·         Netanyahu Alleges Global Indifference to What Rights Group Calls 'Widespread' Sexual Crimes by Hamas

·         Israeli Forces and Hamas Fighters Engage in House-To-House Gunbattles in Khan Younis

·         Israel-Hamas war: Displaced Palestinians forced to fend for themselves in Gaza's south

·         UN chief Guterres calls on Security Council to declare ceasefire in Gaza

·         Israeli forces kill 4 West Bank Palestinians: ministry

·         Israel approves ‘minimal’ fuel increase to Gaza: PM office

·         Israel poses ‘greater than ever’ threat to global security: Iran

·         Iran FM urges Egypt to unconditionally open Rafah crossing to allow Gazans access to basic needs

·         Palestine issue will be main point of discussions in Moscow

·         How Hamas 'lulled Israel into complacency' with Islamic Jihad intelligence

·         Israel's strength lies in Islamic world's disarray: Turkish parliament speaker

-----

Arab World

·         Yemen: Upholding Muslim Honour and Supporting Palestinians

·         Yemen says fired batch of ballistic missiles into Israeli-occupied territories in support of Gaza

·         Saudi Arabia urges US restraint as Houthis attack ships in Red Sea

·         Saudi foreign minister, UN chief discuss situation in Gaza

·         Saudi, Australian Foreign Ministers Discuss Gaza Situation over Phone

-----

Pakistan

·         Pakistan Can Help End Israeli Aggression: Senior Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh

·         Afghans Face Risk of Rights Violations Upon Return, Say UN Rapporteurs

·         Imran to be indicted in jail for contempt next week

·         Bushra-Khosa phone call leak issue lands in IHC

·         Massacre of Palestinians: Alvi deplores world apathy

-----

Southeast Asia

·         China’s Campaign to Crack Down on Islam, Explained

·         Top China, US diplomats discuss Gaza situation

·         Selangor Sultan wants all mosques, surau to prepare audited financial statements

·         Philippines names two members of pro-Islamic State group as bomb suspects

·         Malaysia police arrest man over statements backing diplomatic ties with Israel

------

Africa

·         Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to Partner Hisbah Commission in Enforcing Sharia Law in Zamfara

·         Uganda Accuses U.S. Of Pushing 'LGBT Agenda' Using Aid After New Round Of Sanctions

·         Fraudulent Muslim-Muslim Ticket Was Sold to Us, Now Muslims Are Being Killed – Yusuf Knocks

·         Tinubu, Shettima

·         Nigeria: UN calls for "impartial" investigation after deadly drone attack on civilians

·         Sierra Leone arrests ex-president's guard over failed coup

·         Nigeria’s chief of army staff visits scene of deadly drone strike

·         Islamic finance segment hits $2.9 billion, says SEC

-----

North America

·         CAIR Welcomes UN Chief’s Invocation of Rare Article 99 Over Gaza Genocide

·         US Senate Blocks Ukraine, Israel Aid in Row Over Immigration

·         US House Asks Pakistan to Uphold Democratic Institutions, Human Rights

·         US supplied Israel with 10,000 tons of military equipment since Gaza war: Tel Aviv

·         CAIR-Minnesota Calls for Immediate Investigation into Death of Muslim Inmate in Brown

·         County, Wisconsin

·         CAIR Calls on House Committee to Stop Ignoring and Downplaying Islamophobia, Anti-Palestinian Racism

-----

South Asia

·         Taliban Arrests Three Commanders And 16 TTP Fighters in Afghanistan

·         Islamic Emirate Never Sought to Harm Other Countries: Deputy PM

·         UN experts urge protection for Afghan nationals in Pakistan

·         Schools Failing Boys: The Taliban’s Impact on Boys’ Education in Afghanistan – Human Rights Watch Report

·         WFP warns of uncertain future for returning Afghan migrants from Pakistan

·         Key Afghan-Pakistani border crossing closed amid gate construction dispute

Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau

URL:    https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/up-madrassas-foreign-funds-conversions-terrorism/d/131270

-------

 24000 UP Madrassas Under Scrutiny to Determine Whether Foreign Funds Utilized For Illegal Activities Such As “Terrorism Or Coercive Religious Conversions”

 

Students attending class at a madrassa near Jamia Masjid in Old Delhi [PC: Hasan Akram and Mayank Chawla]

------

Dec 7, 2023

Approximately 24,000 madrassas in Uttar Pradesh have come under intense scrutiny as authorities investigate allegations of receiving funds from abroad. The focus of the probe is to determine whether these funds were utilized for illegal activities such as “terrorism or coercive religious conversions.”

Top sources within the Uttar Pradesh police told media that out of the targeted madrassas, a staggering 8,448 have been identified as illegal. A report detailing their alleged illicit operations has already been submitted to the state government.

In the initial phase of the investigation, The authorities said that approximately 30-40 madrassas underwent scrutiny, revealing that nearly Rs 100 crore were directly injected into these institutions. The ongoing probe aims to trace the destination of these funds, with each transaction subject to rigorous Know Your Customer (KYC) verification. Individuals who received the money will be summoned to provide statements regarding the usage of these funds.

The authorities have said that the funds are reported to have originated from Europe and the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia. Officials have observed a growing trend of routing money through London, possibly due to increased scrutiny on funds originating from the Middle East.

“We are trying to find out who these people sending this money are. Their genuineness is under the scanner,” a source stated, emphasizing the need to investigate the authenticity of the entities transferring the funds.

Furthermore, concerns have been raised by the authorities about the possibility of the funds being routed through London by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Over the past few years, the emergence of several madrassas along the Nepal border has caught the attention of officials. Regions including Maharajganj, Siddharthnagar, Shravasti, Balrampur, Bahraich, Lakhimpur Kheri, and Pilibhit, which share borders with Nepal, have witnessed a notable increase in the establishment of these educational institutions.

Source: muslimmirror.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://muslimmirror.com/eng/24000-madrassas-under-scrutiny-in-uttar-pradesh-for-receiving-funds-from-abroad/

----

EU Pledges €30bn To Protect Mosques and Synagogues Amid Hate Crime Rise

 

Police outside the Tournelles Synagogue in Paris in October. The European Commission is to increase security outside places of worship. Photograph: Geoffroy van der Hasselt/AFP/Getty

------

 6 December 2023

The European Commission has promised a €30bn (£26bn) fund to increase security at mosques and synagogues across the continent as it condemned a recent rise in levels of antisemitism and Islamophobia as “un-European”.

Saying that tensions surrounding the Israel-Hamas war had provoked hostility “reminiscent of the darkest days of Europe’s history”, the commission called on social media companies to do more to remove hateful content.

Announcing the new fund, which will mostly be used to step up security around public spaces, community centres and places of worship such as synagogues and mosques, Margaritis Schinas, the vice-president of the commission, said no European should tolerate fellow citizens feeling unsafe.

He said: “If you visit a mosque or a synagogue in any European city, most likely you will see that there is a security perimeter. And this is the most un-European state, this is not part of our Europe. Europe should not look like this.

“I will personally never accept that Europe is a place where any religious community feels unsafe. And nor should any European accept that,” he added, as he launched the Europe against Hate campaign alongside Vera Jourová, the commission vice-president for values and transparency.

The commissioners said there had been a “spectacular” rise in antisemitic incidents in Europe, with an 800% increase reported in the Netherlands. In France the number of incidents recorded between 7 October and 15 November was 1,518, compared with 436 for the whole of 2023.

There had also been a sharp rise in Islamophobia, which Jourová said was similar to a “spike of hatred” towards Muslim communities after the 2015 refugee crisis. Last month the French Muslim Council said it had received 42 letters containing threats or insults in October alone. Mosques had also been targeted, with 17 receiving threatening letters and 14 vandalised, it said.

Jourová said: “We have to combat anti-Muslim bigotry and all forms of hatred and racism.”

She demanded that social media companies face up to their obligations under the new Digital Services Act, which requires them, for the first time, to be the ones to enforce hate speech and counterterror legislation across the EU.

Jourová singled out Elon Musk’s X, formerly Twitter, and TikTok as companies that must do more to remove hate speech from their platforms.

She said: “Much has to be done in the case of X and in the case of TikTok because this is what the Jewish communities are telling me they are really worried about, about these two platforms, and especially TikTok, as a problem because they are having an enormous influence on [how] the young generation thinks.”

The commission said it would push for stronger rules to counter illegal hate speech online under a code of conduct signed with online platforms, to be finalised in the next three months, in addition to the stricter regulation for large online platforms that has been introduced earlier this year in the Digital Services Act.

It is also supporting training for journalists on upholding media standards and recognising hate speech, while increasing support for factcheckers within the EU and the Arab-speaking world.

Source: yahoo.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/eu-spends-30bn-protect-mosques-172553357.html

------

Fanatical Jewish Groups Plan to March to Al-Aqsa Mosque To ‘End Its Islamic Status’

 

Photo: aa.com

-----

Mücahit Aydemir

07.12.2023

Fanatical Jewish groups plan to march to Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem to "end its Islamic status" and "Judaize" it.

Various far-right Jewish groups announced in a joint statement that they would hold the provocative march Thursday evening, which coincides with the first day of Hanukkah, a Jewish festival that lasts eight days.

The statement said the march, which was greenlit by the Israeli police, would be organized with the aim of "ending the administration of the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf in Masjid al-Aqsa,” which is responsible for the administration of the Muslim holy site, and "reestablishing full Jewish sovereignty" in Jerusalem and over Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The march will proceed towards Al-Aqsa Mosque from the Damascus Gate, one of the main gates of the Old City of Jerusalem.

Located in the Old City of occupied East Jerusalem, Al-Aqsa Mosque is under the auspices of the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Foundations, according to the Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty signed on Oct. 26, 1994.

But fanatical Jews have been raiding Al-Aqsa Mosque accompanied by the police since 2003, with the unilateral decision of Israel and the initiatives of some far-right organizations.

Radical Jews, who call the area the Temple Mount, encourage Israelis to raid Al-Aqsa to perform religious rituals, accompanied by calls to build a Jewish temple there.

The Waqf has warned that the raids of fanatical Jews have increased in recent years.

Israeli forces have imposed restrictions on Muslims entering Al-Aqsa Mosque since Oct. 7, when they launched attacks against the Gaza Strip, and are preventing Palestinians except the elderly from entering the mosque during Friday prayers.

Source: aa.com.tr

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/fanatical-jewish-groups-plan-to-march-to-al-aqsa-mosque-to-end-its-islamic-status-/3075408

----

Traditional Saudi Arabia Folk Dances, Music Showcased in Jazan

 

A total of 144 intermediate and high school students participated in the second National Folk Festival. (SPA)

-----

December 06, 2023

RIYADH: The Kingdom’s rich music and dance heritage was recently showcased by students from across the country in Jazan, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

The second National Folk Festival saw 144 intermediate and high school students participate in the event organized by the local education department at the Jazan Heritage Village.

Outstanding performances were delivered by Riyadh and Al-Qassim students with the “Samri” dance, and Najran youth with drums, SPA reported.

Students from the Northern Border region engaged spectators with the rhythmic “Dahha” dance art form, and those from Makkah presented “Majrour and Rajaz” folk music.

Jazan students took center stage with dynamic “Sword” and “Azzawi” dances, while Jeddah students enchanted with “Mezmar” and “Khobaiti” displays.

Al-Baha students showcased the spirited “Mashbanani” and “Ardah” dances, and Al-Ahsa students delivered vibrant “Ashouri” and “Haydah Al-Harbiyyah” music and dance.

Beyond being a platform for showcasing creativity, the festival is aimed at connecting students with the nation’s regional and national art forms, SPA reported.

Source: arabnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2421401/saudi-arabia

-----

Ulema Of All the Religious Schools of Thought of Pakistan Urge Islamic World to Wage Jehad Against Israel

 

Photo: Business Recorder

----

2023-12-07

ISLAMABAD: While declaring Jihad obligatory against Israel over atrocities committed in Palestine, especially in the Gaza Strip, the leadership of all the religious schools of thought have asked the leadership of the Muslim world to take a joint stance against Israeli aggression against Palestinians and liberate the occupied territories from occupation.

While addressing a day-long conference titled, “The Sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque and Responsibility of the Muslim Ummah”, prominent religious scholars and political leadership of the country representing diverse schools of thought here on Wednesday condemned major global powers for supporting Israel.

The conference called on the Muslim countries should end diplomatic and commercial relations with Israel as well as boycott Israeli products.

Addressing the gathering, the religious scholars and leaders highlighted Israel’s relentless aggression, branding it as a violator of international law since its illegal establishment.

The conference organised by Majlis Ittehad-e-Ummah Pakistan passed a joint declaration expressing full solidarity with the freedom of Al-Aqsa Mosque and condemning the oppression faced by Palestinian brothers.

The participants called for the freedom of Palestine and an end to Israeli atrocities in the occupied land. The declaration further stated that Jihad has become obligatory for the Muslim countries close to Israel and then for the rest of the Muslim world.

They also demanded the end of the siege of Gaza. The declaration asked the Egyptian government to keep the Rafah border crossing permanently open so that the supply of necessities can be ensured to the people of Gaza who are facing the worst kind of atrocities. They further said that the government of Pakistan must send a ship full of necessary assistance to the people of Gaza.

They emphasized the recent brutal bombings in Gaza, resulting in the martyrdom of over 15,000 Palestinians, including 6,000 children and numerous women. They declared these actions as war crimes against humanity, targeting mosques, churches, hospitals, and even newborns.

The Ulema and Mashaykh criticised Western powers for their complicity in supporting Israel’s crimes through financial, practical, and military assistance.

They called for an immediate end to the brutal bombings, war crimes, and all forms of support for Israel. They asserted that the entire land of Palestine belonged to its original inhabitants, condemning the unjust settlements established by Zionists. They urged the people of Palestine to resist this aggression, emphasizing the religious duty of Muslims to support the cause.

Labelling the current conflict as a grand defensive Jihad rooted in pure Islam, the scholars and leaders stressed liberating the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the land of the Last Prophet Peace Be Upon Him from Zionist dominance.

They demanded basic rights for the people of Palestine according to United Nations resolutions, calling for an end to military intervention, the siege on Al-Quds, Gaza Strip, and the West Bank, and the permanent opening of the Rafah border. They, expressing concern over the ongoing suffering of Palestinians, and called on the Islamic world to take a united defensive stand.

They urged Muslims worldwide to provide aid to the suffering people of Palestine and commended Pakistan’s efforts in sending aid ships to Gaza. The scholars and leaders appealed to experts in international law to file cases against Israel’s leaders in the International Court of Justice for war crimes.

They called for peaceful protests globally, exposing Israel’s inhuman acts and urged Muslims to boycott Israeli products and companies supporting Israel. They announced the celebration of Friday as Masjid al-Aqsa Day across the country, appealing to Muslims to hold strong protests, pass resolutions against Israeli atrocities in mosques, and inform the public about the issue of Palestine and their responsibilities.

Speaking on the occasion renowned religious scholar and President of Federal Al-Madaris al-Arabiya Mufti Taqi Usmani said that the Quaid-i-Azam while declaring Israel “an illegitimate child” had announced that he would never recognise Israel.

Mufti Usmani said that the two-state solution is not acceptable in any case, no Muslim can accept the state of Israel, and reject the demand for the establishment of two states in Palestine. Yes, the two-state solution should be avoided, the two-state solution means recognising Israel.

Mufti Usmani said that Jihad is obligatory on all Muslims in their capacity, they should help the Palestinians, the fighters of Hamas should be called Mujahideen instead of fighters, and the Islamic world has all kinds of resources which can be used to compel Israel to stop atrocities against Palestinians.

He said that Muslim countries are living a life of slavery, today, the fighters of Hamas have provided an opportunity for freedom, if the world of Islam unites and supports it, the Western powers cannot do anything.

Speaking on the occasion, JUI chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman said that some quarters are pushing rulers of the Muslim world to recognise Israel but “We will not allow our rulers as well as the rulers of the other Islamic countries to do so”.

Source: brecorder.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.brecorder.com/news/40277204/ulema-urge-islamic-world-to-wage-jehad-against-israel

------

 India

'Love Jihad' In Reverse? Top Kerala Muslim Leader Opposes Interfaith Marriages

Dec 7, 2023

KOZHIKODE: Samastha leader and Sunni Yuvajana Sangham state secretary Nazar Faizi Koodathayi on Wednesday said the CPM, DYFI and SFI were promoting interfaith marriages as part of their efforts to destroy the essence of religions. Speaking at a convention of Sunni Mahallu Federation at Koyilandi in Kozhikode, Faizi said the CPM supported 'abduction' of Muslim women so as to marry them off to non-Muslim men.

"Some people believe that marriage between Muslim and Hindu community members is secularism. They are widely promoting interfaith marriages. Even the party leaders are supporting this, and party offices are being used for this. Young Muslim women are being 'abducted' with the support of SFI, DYFI and CPM and married off to non-Muslims. Mahallu committees should be vigilant against those trying to destroy the identity of Muslim women, and they should join hands to fight the denouncement of religion," he said.

The SFI said Faizi's remarks were similar to 'love jihad' allegations raised by Sangh Parivar, while DYFI state secretary V K Sanoj said Faizi's remarks were unbecoming for a civilised society.

Later, when his speech evoked strong responses, Nazar Faizi Koodathayi clarified that he only meant to say Muslim women were being “brainwashed through love affairs”. “Secularism doesn’t mean mixing different religions. Each religion has its own identity. We cannot agree with the SFI’s slogans such as ‘My Body, My Choice’. We will strongly oppose any move to mix cultures through interfaith marriages. Such marriages will destroy the essence of religion,” he said. “The SFI does not denounce religion, but only promotes secularism.

Even a non-believer can work in this organisation. We will strongly oppose forces working to create divisions among students in the name of religion. Communal organisations such as ABVP, Campus Front and SIO can’t attract students only because of the presence of SFI on campuses in the state,” the SFI said in a statement.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kozhikode/love-jihad-in-reverse-samasthas-faizi-opposes-interfaith-marriages/articleshow/105799805.cms

-----

 

'No other way than taking up Kashmir issue to UN': Farooq Abdullah on Amit Shah's jibe on Nehru

06th December 2023

NEW DELHI: Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah defended the first PM of the country, Jawaharlal Nehru after Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday blamed Nehru for "two major blunders" — one of them for taking the Kashmir issue to the United Nations — saying that there was no other way but to take up the issue with the UN.

Speaking to the reporters here, the National Conference (NC) President said that Lord Mountbatten and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had also suggested that this should go to the United Nations. "There was no other way than this; Lord Mountbatten and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had also suggested that this should go to the United Nations," Abdullah said.

He further said that Poonch and Rajouri would have also gone to Pakistan if the army was not diverted to save the regions. "At that time, the army was diverted to save Poonch and Rajouri. If it had not been done, Poonch and Rajouri would have also gone to Pakistan," he added.

In a fiery session in the Lok Sabha, Shah made headlines by claiming that if Jawaharlal Nehru had taken the right steps, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) would be an integral part of India today.

Amit Shah deemed Jawaharlal Nehru's decisions during his tenure as prime minister, particularly the announcement of a ceasefire and involving the Kashmir issue in the United Nations, as historic blunders that inflicted significant suffering on Jammu and Kashmir.

Replying to a debate in the Lok Sabha on the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, Shah said if Nehru had taken the right steps, a large chunk of territory would not have been ceded and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir would have been part of India.

"I support the word that was used here—Nehruvian blunder. Because of the blunder that was committed during the time of Nehru, Kashmir had to suffer. With responsibility, I want to say that the two big blunders that happened during the tenure of Jawaharlal Nehru happened due to his decisions, because of which Kashmir had to suffer for years," Shah said.

"Kashmir had to suffer due to Nehruvian blunders. One was that when our Army was winning and as soon as the Punjab area was reached, a ceasefire was declared and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir was born. If the ceasefire had been declared three days later, PoK would have been part of India," the home minister said.

Source: newindianexpress.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2023/dec/06/no-other-way-than-taking-up-kashmir-issue-to-un-farooq-abdullah-on-amit-shahs-jibe-on-nehru-2639161.html

----

 

 

Jamaat-e-Islami Urges Political Parties To Introspect How Hindi Heartland Has Come In The Grip Of Communal Elements

December 06, 2023

Ziya Us Salam

Following the results of the four State Assembly elections, the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind has expressed concern over the direction in which national politics is moving with the Lok Sabha election set to be held next year. Steering clear of binaries, the Jamaat asked political parties to introspect on how the Hindi heartland has come in the grip of communal elements.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, the Jamaat’s vice president Malik Mohtasim Khan said: “We invite both winners and losers of these elections to seriously introspect, ponder, and reflect on the direction that our nation is taking and its impact on our core constitutional values. How communal and polarising tactics were played out, particularly in the Hindi heartland, is a matter of serious concern.”

Dwindling Muslim representation

Mr. Khan drew attention to the diminishing representation of Muslims in representative bodies. “The party that won the elections in three states did not offer a single ticket to the Muslim community in any State. The rampant use of communal statements by top politicians to divide the electorate on religious lines seems to have paid rich dividends.”

He felt the Opposition too fell into a reactionary mode and displayed “complete lack of seriousness, maturity, and sense of responsibility”. “Their lack of preparation, wrong selection of campaign leaders, and incorrect ticket distribution exposed their weakness on the electoral front,” he claimed, advising them to learn their lessons quickly in the light of the upcoming general election next year.

The Jamaat felt there were lessons to be learned from the BJP’s wins in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh just as one has to learn from the Congress’ victory in Telangana.

“The defeat of the Opposition parties in the Hindi heartland and the thumping victory in Telangana, both have many lessons to be learned, the most important being, that the Opposition cannot win the trust of people unless it shows unwavering commitment to the constitutional values of secularism and equal treatment to all religious and caste groups.”

Criticises soft Hindutva approach

The Muslim body criticised the soft Hindutva policy adopted by the Congress in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and drew attention to the need to put up a single candidate of the joint Opposition against the BJP. The Jamaat urged the Opposition to also reflect on its failure to arrive at a seat-sharing mechanism. At the same time, it advised the BJP to do some “genuine introspection over its policies and approach towards nation building” and “abandon its communal agenda and animosity towards minorities”.

Despite the electoral setback in the light of diminishing number of Muslim MLAs, the Jamaat urged the community to continue to have faith in the virtues of nation building and work hard for the development of the nation.

Source: thehindu.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/jamaat-e-islami-urges-political-parties-to-introspect-after-poll-results-in-four-states/article67611273.ece

-----

 

We are Gau Mata country: Himanta on DMK MP’s comment

Dec 6, 2023

Guwahati : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said India is a “Gau Mata” country and asserted that there is no dispute about it.

Sarma was responding to a query by reporters on DMK MP DNV Senthil Kumar’s controversial comment in Parliament on Tuesday in which he used a pejorative to describe Hindi heartland states while attacking the ruling BJP.

The comment drew instant condemnation from the BJP as well as DMK’s ally the Congress and he apologised for his remarks.

Speaker Om Birla expunged the remarks.

“My only request to him (Kumar) is that in the future state that it is as Gau Mata country and not Gau Mutra country. What is the problem with that? Calling ourselves a Gau Mata country is a matter of pride,” Sarma said at a press conference.

“What could be better if someone calls it (the country) Gau Mata pradesh? We are a Gau Mata country, there is no dispute about it … Calling it Gau Mutra pradesh is derogatory … He (Kumar) should have said Gau Mata pradesh,” Sarma, a prominent BJP leader of the Northeast, said.

In an obvious reference to the apology by Senthil Kumar, the Assam chief minister said “We (BJP) have won (the recent election in the states), so we should be graceful enough. We have to win in the future too.

“We have to work for the society and country in the next three months so that (Narendra) Modi Ji becomes the Prime Minister with 350-400 seats,” he said alluding to the 2024 Lok Sabha poll.

BJP MPs created a ruckus on Wednesday too over the controversial north-south divide remark and the House witnessed a brief adjournment during the Question Hour. (With PTI inputs)

Source: muslimmirror.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://muslimmirror.com/eng/we-are-gau-mata-country-himanta-on-dmk-mps-comment/

------

 

‘Prove Terror Link Charges, Will Leave Country’, Sufi Muslim Spiritual Preacher to Karnataka BJP MLA

7th December 2023

Neha Khan 

Vijayapura: Syed Tanveer Hashmi a.k.a Tanveer Peera, a Sufi Muslim spiritual leader, on Thursday challenged BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal that if terror link allegations were proved against him, he will leave the country and if not then the leader should go to Pakistan.

Tanveer Peera said that if charges were not proved, then MLA Yatnal should resign from his post and go to Pakistan.

Yatnal had alleged that Tanveer Peera has connections with the IS terror outfit. He had also questioned the CM Siddaramaiah for sharing dais with him at a religious convention held in Hubballi on December 4.

The MLA had also shot a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and shared pictures of Tanveer Peera on his alleged recent visits to the Middle East and meeting terror sympathisers and radical Islamic operatives.

“There is no truth in the allegations made against me by Yatnal. I had taken part as the Chief Guest in the Convention held in Hubballi on December 4. Various preachers from Dargahs, CM Siddaramaiah, Minister of Law H.K. Patil, other ministers and MLAs were present. CM is not confined to any community or society. It is the duty of the CM to serve all religions and castes,” Tanveer Peera stated.

“Not able to tolerate the growing stature of CM Siddaramaiah, MLA Yatnal has made allegations against me. He has given statements against Muslim community. This is done only for political mileage,” he charged.

“Let Yatnal provide all documents to the central and state investigating agencies and prove IS connection in a week. He should release the evidence to prove that I have connections with terrorists. Otherwise he should resign from his MLA post and go to Pakistan,” he challenged.

“If it is proved that I have terror links, I will leave the country. My disciples and students will also leave the country,” Tanveer Peera stated.

Tanveer Peera also shared the footage of the patriotic song “saarejahan se acha Hindustan hamara” on his social media.

Syed Tajuddin Qadri, the organiser of the conference stated that Tanveer Peera is not just a scholar. He is a Sufi. In 2016, he was one of the organizers of the Sufi World Conference. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had attended that conference, why was Yatnal silent then? Why didn’t he speak then if what he was saying was true?

Yatnal on Wednesday alleged that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had shared dais with a person who has connections with IS terrorists.

Speaking to reporters in Belagavi, MLA Yatnal had alleged that the person with IS connections took part in the South India Muslim Religious Leaders Convention held near Basha Peer Dargah in Hubballi city on December 4.

Source: siasat.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.siasat.com/prove-charges-will-leave-country-muslim-sufi-preacher-to-karnataka-bjp-mla-2929416/

----

 

If you are divided, the BJP benefits: Mamata Banerjee's call to Muslims on Sanhati Diwas

07.12.23

Saibal Gupta

Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday emphasised unity as a countermeasure against potential division, which the BJP would encourage to make electoral gains.

The Trinamul Congress chief was delivering a speech over the phone at a programme held by the party’s minority sell to commemorate the demolition of Babri Masjid.

Minister Aroop Biswas was on the dais at the event titled Sanhati Divas (Integration Day).

In her address, Mamata cautioned against falling for provocations and urged the minority community to stand united for the sake of ousting the BJP from power at the Centre next year.

“If you are divided, the BJP benefits. Today is the day to take an oath to be united,” she said.

Analysing the election results from three Hindi heartland states, the chief minister asserted that fragmentation of anti-BJP votes had benefited the saffron camp. She stressed the need for voting en masse for the most suitable candidates — suggesting those of her party, in Bengal’s 42 Lok Sabha seats — to defeat the BJP.

According to Mamata, the fight against the divisive politics of the BJP was not merely for power but also for the protection of the people, their fundamental rights and basic civil liberties.

“The BJP is trying to divide the country. If we stay united, then it will become very easy to defeat the BJP. So, in this situation, it is very important to stay united. They are trying to divide you in the name of religion. You should not indulge in rumours and false propaganda,” she said. “Trust us. Keep faith in us. The Trinamul Congress will defeat the BJP.”

Taking a veiled swipe at the Indian Secular Front, Mamata urged the minority community to avoid a split of votes.

She also stressed the importance of respecting religious places, while cautioning against their names being misused. In a clear reference to the ongoing political dynamics, she conveyed her disapproval of divisive politics and called on people to refrain from participating in it.

In the 2021 Assembly polls, Muslim votes consolidated with the Trinamul Congress, enabling it to secure 120 of 141 seats with a significant presence of members of the community.

Source: telegraphindia.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/if-you-are-divided-the-bjp-benefits-mamata-banerjee-to-muslims-on-sanhati-diwas/cid/1985106

------

 

Europe

 

EU should consider sanctions on Hamas, Israeli settler violence – document

December 07, 2023

BRUSSELS: The European Union should consider toughening sanctions on Hamas and its finances, and imposing sanctions on Israeli settlers responsible for violence in the West Bank, the bloc’s diplomatic service says in a paper prepared for EU foreign ministers.

The “orientation note,” seen by Reuters on Wednesday, sets out options for ministers to consider at a meeting in Brussels on Monday as they contemplate further responses to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and preparations for the time after the war.

Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that killed some 1,200 people in a cross-border assault on Israel from Gaza on Oct. 7, is already listed by the EU as a terrorist organization, meaning any funds or assets that it has in the EU should be frozen.

But the paper suggests the EU could “reinforce sanctions against Hamas and other terrorist groups” by further targeting finances and disinformation. It suggests the EU could set up a special sanctions program dedicated to Hamas.

EU sanctions decisions generally need the approval of all 27 member countries, which have struggled to agree common positions on the current crisis as many have different and strongly held views on the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

France and several other EU countries have said they are already working together to advance proposals to impose sanctions — asset freezes and travel bans — on Hamas commanders.

Senior EU officials, including foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, have also expressed alarm over rising violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied territory of the West Bank.

The discussion paper, prepared by the European External Action Service and other EU officials, suggests an EU response could include bans on travel to the EU for those responsible and other sanctions for violation of human rights.

Source: arabnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2421501/world

-----

 

'Vladimir Putin skirts Russia's war zones for Middle East trip'

Dec 7, 2023

NEW DELHI: In one of the rare trips abroad since the beginning of the Ukraine war, Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Saudi Arabia Wednesday after visiting the United Arab Emirates.

This visit is one of only a few Putin has made outside the former Soviet Union since the Ukraine invasion, with previous trips including Iran and China, highlighting Moscow's intent to strengthen its role in the Middle East.

During his visit, Putin met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss enhanced collaboration on oil prices, as members of the OPEC+ group. This meeting, as reported by a Kremlin spokesperson, reflects the ongoing coordination between Russia and Saudi Arabia, which the crown prince commended for easing tensions in the Middle East.

The discussions between Putin and the crown prince, who is effectively in charge of the world's leading oil exporter, were organized swiftly after Putin's visit to the UAE. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, as cited by Russian media, emphasized the continued cooperation within OPEC+, comprising the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and Russia-led allies.

'Putin skirts Russia's war zones'

Putin's journey to two Arab nations was marked by a flight path that strategically avoided flying over several regions where Russia has been involved in conflicts in recent years.

As per a Newsweek report, radar data revealed that the plane, RA-96024, operated by Rossiya Airlines and known for transporting top officials, left Moscow just before 8:30pm ET on Tuesday. The aircraft initially headed southeast, disappearing from radar near Tula, about 200 miles from the Ukrainian border. When it reappeared on radar around 1:20am ET on Wednesday, it was near Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, and had notably circumvented Georgia by over a hundred miles. The plane then reportedly flew over Iran, avoiding Syrian airspace, before landing in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, shortly after 1pm local time.

The plane's radar signal was offline while west of Ukraine, leaving its exact route during this part of the trip unclear. However, both before and after this period, it maintained a considerable distance from the Ukrainian border.

This avoidance comes in the context of Ukraine's use of US-supplied ATACMS missiles since October, which have a range of 190 miles, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's expressed willingness to target Putin, citing Russian attempts on his life.

(With inputs from agencies)

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/vladimir-putin-skirts-russias-war-zones-for-middle-east-trip/articleshow/105800055.cms

-----

 

University launches Muslims in Britain Research Group

06/12/2023

Liverpool Hope University has set-up a new interdisciplinary research group to examine the challenges faced by British Muslims in 21st-century Britain.

The Muslims in Britain Research Group was launched by the School of Humanities on Wednesday 29 November.

Its main aims are to develop and share new ideas of research in the field; increase interdisciplinary research; identify areas of collaborative research; organise research seminars and conferences; and seek external funding for collaborative research projects.

The group will also be building partnerships with other research groups and centres and is actively looking to work with local and national Muslim community organisations on collaborative research projects and knowledge exchange partnerships.

Professor Ron Geaves, Honorary Visiting Professor at Cardiff University delivered the keynote address at the launch event.

A former Professor of Comparative Religion at Liverpool Hope, his address focused on the historic origins and significance of the community of Muslims established in Liverpool in 1889 by the enigmatic convert William Henry Abdullah Quilliam (1856-1932) and the establishment of Britain’s first registered mosque in Brougham Terrace.

Professor Geaves also demonstrated how Liverpool’s historic Muslim presence impacts on the city today and was followed by guest speaker, Dr Leon Moosavi, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology at the University of Liverpool.

Dr Moosavi underscored the need for academics working on Muslims in Britain to be more engaged with the community, which will be central to the group's work.

If you are interested in joining the Muslims in Britain Research Group, or would like to collaborate with them, please content the group’s convenor, Dr Salman Al-Azami.

Source: hope.ac.uk

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.hope.ac.uk/news/allnews/university-launches-muslims-in-britain-research-group.html

------

 

Russia's Putin, Saudi Crown Prince Discuss Further OPEC+ Cooperation

Dec 7, 2023

(Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed further cooperation on oil prices on Wednesday as members of OPEC+, a Kremlin spokesperson was quoted as saying.

A Saudi account of the meeting said the crown prince praised joint coordination between the two countries "that helped remove tensions in Middle East".

Putin and the crown prince, de facto ruler of the world's largest crude exporter, had the hastily arranged talks hours after the Kremlin leader visited Saudi Arabia's Gulf neighbour, the United Arab Emirates.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, quoted by Russian news agencies, said cooperation would continue within OPEC+, which includes the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies led by Russia.

The meeting took place after a fall in oil prices despite an OPEC+ pledge to cut output further.

"We talked again about cooperation in OPEC+," Interfax news agency quoted Peskov as saying. "The parties agree that our countries bear a great responsibility for interaction in order to maintain the international energy market at the proper level, in a stable, predictable state."

Putin, who has rarely left Russia since sending troops into Ukraine in February 2022, had also been expected to discuss Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza.

The Saudi Press Agency quoted the crown prince as saying: "We share many interests and many files that we are working on together for the benefit of Russia, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Middle East and the world as well."

In remarks at the beginning of their talks, shown earlier on Russian television, Putin thanked MbS, as the crown prince is widely known, for his invitation. He had originally expected him to visit Moscow, "but there were changes to plans".

Their next meeting should take place in Moscow, he said, and "Nothing can prevent the development of our friendly relations."

Russia's defence ministry had earlier shown the Kremlin chief's Ilyushin-96 aircraft flanked by Sukhoi-35S fighter jets on its flight from Russia to the United Arab Emirates.

Putin's delegation included top oil, economy, foreign affairs, space, nuclear energy officials and business leaders.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attend a meeting in Riyadh

At his first stop in Abu Dhabi, President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan welcomed his "dear friend", while a fly-past of UAE jets trailed the colours of the Russian flag.

"Our relations, largely due to your position, have reached an unprecedentedly high level," Putin told him. "The UAE is Russia's main trading partner in the Arab world."

Putin said Russia and the UAE cooperated as part of OPEC+, whose members pump more than 40% of the world's oil, adding that they would discuss the Israeli-Hamas conflict and Ukraine.

His first face-to-face talks with MbS since October 2019 came days after an OPEC+ meeting was delayed over disagreements - superseding what should have been an MbS visit to Moscow.

Putin's last visit to the region was in July 2022, when he met Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Iran. The Russian president was due to host his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi in Moscow on Thursday.

Source: tolonews.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://tolonews.com/world-186379

-----

 

Mideast

 

Netanyahu alleges global indifference to what rights group calls 'widespread' sexual crimes by Hamas

 06th December 2023

JERUSALEM: A man hiding in a pit during the Oct. 7 Hamas assault on an outdoor music festival in Israel said he heard someone nearby screaming she was being raped.

Elsewhere in the area, a combat paramedic saw the body of a young woman with her legs open, her pants pulled down, and what looked like semen on her lower back. An army reservist who was tasked with identifying those killed by the militants said some of the women were found wearing only bloodied underwear.

Such accounts given to The Associated Press, along with first assessments by an Israeli rights group, show that sexual assault was part of an atrocities-filled rampage by Hamas and other Gaza militants who killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took more than 240 hostages that day.

While investigators are still trying to determine the scope of the sexual assaults, Israel's government is accusing the international community, particularly the United Nations, of ignoring the pain of Israeli victims.

"I say to the women's rights organizations, to the human rights organizations, you've heard of the rape of Israeli women, horrible atrocities, sexual mutilation — where the hell are you?" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a news conference Tuesday, switching to English to emphasize the point.

U.S. President Joe Biden called the reports of sexual violence "appalling" and urged the world to condemn "horrific accounts of unimaginable cruelty."

Two months after the Hamas attacks on the music festival, farming communities and army posts in southern Israel, police are still struggling to put together the pieces.

In the immediate aftermath of the attacks, priority was given to identifying bodies, not to preserving evidence. Police say they're combing through 60,000 videos seized from the body cameras of Hamas attackers, from social media and from security cameras as well as 1,000 testimonies to bring the perpetrators to justice. It has been difficult finding rape survivors, with many victims killed by their attackers.

The group Physicians for Human Rights Israel, which has a record of advocating for Palestinian civilians in Gaza suffering under Israel's longtime blockade of the territory, published an initial assessment in November.

"What we know for sure is that it was more than just one case and it was widespread, in that this happened in more than one location and more than a handful of times," Hadas Ziv, policy and ethics director for the organization, said Tuesday. "What we don't know and what the police are investigating is whether it was ordered to be done and whether it was systematic."

Hamas has rejected allegations that its gunmen committed sexual assault.

'THEY'RE RAPING ME'

Ron Freger fled the music festival when Hamas attacked and said he heard a woman screaming for help.

"I was lying in a pit (and) I heard (a girl) yelling: 'They're raping me, they're raping me!'" he told the AP.

Several minutes later, he heard gunshots close by and she fell silent, he said. "The feeling in that moment is one of complete powerlessness. I'm lying in this hole and I have no ability to do anything. I have no weapon, I have nothing, I'm surrounded by other people who are hiding with me and we're completely powerless," said the 23-year-old from the northern Israeli town of Netanya.

Last month, Israel's police chief presented to the international news media videotaped testimony of a rape witness at the music festival. Her face blurred, she said she watched militants gang-rape a woman as she lay on the ground. The men then stood her up as blood trickled from her back, yanked her hair and sliced her breast, playing with it as they assaulted her. The last man shot her in the head while he was still inside her. The woman in the video described watching the militants as she pretended to be dead.

"I couldn't understand what I saw," she said.

A combat medic told the AP that he came across half a dozen bodies of women and men with possible signs of sexual assault when he reached one of the attacked communities.

One girl had been shot in the head and was lying on the floor, her legs open and pants pulled down, with what looked like semen on her lower back, said the medic who spoke on condition of anonymity because his unit was classified. Other bodies had mass bleeding around the groin with limbs at distorted angles, he said.

At the Shura military base where victims are being identified, Shari Mendes, a member of the army reserve unit that deals with the identification and religious burial preparation of female soldiers, said some of the women's bodies came in with little clothing, such as parts of their pajamas. Some only had bloodied underwear.

'WIDESPREAD' CRIMES

Based on open-source information and interviews, the Physicians for Human Rights Israel report documents incidents at the music festival, homes around the Gaza Strip and an Israeli military base, all attacked by Hamas.

"It is becoming more apparent that the violence perpetrated against women, men and children also included widespread sexual and gender-based crimes," it says.

Before this war, Hamas, an Islamic militant group sworn to Israel's destruction, wasn't known to use rape as a weapon, said Colin P. Clarke, director of research at The Soufan Group, a global intelligence and security consulting firm. Its tactics included suicide bombings and shooting attacks on Israeli soldiers and civilians.

A country like Israel should have the means to do rigorous testing to confirm if people were sexually assaulted in a more systematic way, said Nidhi Kapur, a specialist on sexual abuse in situations of armed conflict.

"Forensic testing should have been a priority to build a full picture of the attack," said Kapur, who has worked in the region. "In a conflict you first take care of the survivors, you don't count bodies."

On Tuesday, Netanyahu and members of his war cabinet held a tense and emotional meeting with recently released hostages and family members of hostages still held in Gaza. Some of the recently released hostages shared testimonies of sexual abuse during their time in Gaza, participants said.

Separately, a doctor who treated some of the 110 released hostages told the AP that at least 10 men and women among those freed were sexually assaulted or abused, but did not provide further details. He spoke on condition of anonymity to protect the hostages' identities.

According to the Israeli military, 138 hostages, including 15 women, are still held by Hamas and other militant groups in Gaza. Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, a military spokesman, said the army is "absolutely" concerned about sexual violence against female hostages.

FAILURE TO SUPPORT WOMEN

On Monday, Israel hosted a special event at the United Nations, where former U.S. Secretary of State

Hillary Clinton, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and top technology executive Sheryl Sandberg were among those who criticized what they called a global failure to support women who were sexually assaulted and in some cases killed.

But some groups say Israel isn't making it easy to investigate.

The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said it requested access to Israel and the Palestinian territories to allow it to collect information from the events that took place on Oct. 7 and 8, and since then, but Israel has not responded to its requests, said Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the U.N. Human Rights Office.

Israel says the office has preexisting biases against Israel and it will not cooperate with the body. Israeli officials said they would consider all options for independent international mechanisms to investigate.

Rights experts say the United Nations is best placed to conduct a fair, credible and impartial investigation.

"These accounts are horrifying and deserve an urgent, thorough, and credible investigation," said Heather Barr, associate director for the women's rights division at Human Rights Watch.

Source: newindianexpress.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2023/dec/06/netanyahu-alleges-global-

indifference-to-what-rights-group-calls-widespread-sexual-crimes-by-hamas-2639124.html

-----

 

Israeli forces and Hamas fighters engage in house-to-house gunbattles in Khan Younis

07.12.23

Liam Stack

House-to-house gunbattles were raging around the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, as Israeli forces and Hamas fighters clashed on Tuesday in some of the heaviest fighting of the two-month-old war, Israeli commanders said.

Major General Yaron Finkelman, head of Israel’s southern command, described the fighting as “the most intense day since the beginning of the ground operation”, which started in late October.

Hamas said it had killed 10 Israeli soldiers in the city and had injured several more, a claim that could not be immediately verified. Nir Dinar, a spokesperson for the Israeli military, said the army did not comment on casualties until after soldiers’ families were notified.

Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza, also claimed in online posts that its fighters had totally or partially destroyed 24 Israeli military vehicles; that its snipers had shot at least six soldiers in the city; and that eight Israeli soldiers were injured with an anti-personnel bomb, though it did not say where.

None of Hamas’ claims could be immediately verified, but the pace of the posts seemed to confirm Israeli accounts of intense urban combat around Khan Younis, the largest city in the coastal enclave’s south.

Since a temporary truce collapsed last week, Israel has focused its campaign on southern Gaza, particularly in and around Khan Younis, where it says Hamas leaders and fighters are concentrated.

Hamas fighters are embedded in the strip’s densely packed buildings and hidden in an expansive network of underground tunnels, making close-quarters fighting unavoidable, Israeli officials said.

“Our forces find in nearly every building and house weapons and in many houses terrorists, and engage them in combat,” said Herzi Halevi, chief of the general staff of the Israeli military. “We understand that part of their method is the weapons left in the houses. A terrorist arrives in civilian clothing and conducts combat from there.”

Finkelman said Israeli forces were “in the heart of Khan Younis” and remained “in the heart of Jabalia” and “in the heart of Shuja’iyya”, two residential areas in northern Gaza, which has been largely depopulated after weeks of intense airstrikes and instructions from Israel for Palestinians to leave the area.

Hundreds of thousands of civilians fled to Khan Younis and other areas of southern Gaza after Israel ordered them to leave northern Gaza in the first month of the war.

But in recent days, Israel has issued new evacuation orders for large areas of southern Gaza. Human rights groups and aid agencies say civilians are now being pushed into a patchwork of smaller and smaller areas with no guarantee of safety.

On Tuesday, Reuters interviewed Ibrahim Esbeitan, father of an injured 2-month-old baby, Adnan, who was born on the second day of the war. Esbeitan was seeking medical care for the baby in a crowded hospital in Khan Younis.

“They told us to leave Gaza City, there’s a war in Gaza, so we left and came here to the south just like they asked,” Esbeitan said, gesturing at his infant son on a gurney. “But this is what we’ve found in the south. What can we do?”

Palestinian medics said hospitals were overflowing with dead and wounded civilians, many of them women and children, and supplies were running out. The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War said Hamas fighters were using improvised explosive devices and anti-personnel mines in a shift of tactics as the fighting moved to close ground combat.

Source: telegraphindia.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.telegraphindia.com/world/israeli-forces-and-hamas-fighters-engage-in-house-to-house-gunbattles-in-khan-younis/cid/1985099

-----

 

Israel-Hamas war: Displaced Palestinians forced to fend for themselves in Gaza's south

 07th December 2023

RAFAH: A plastic sheet rigged up as a tent, branches gathered from here and there to make a fire -- at the southern tip of Gaza, displaced Palestinians are settling in as best they can.

Thousands of Palestinians are fleeing Khan Yunis -- Gaza's main southern city, now surrounded by the Israeli army -- towards Rafah, less than 10 kilometres (six miles) away on the territory's closed border with Egypt.

Many among them had already been displaced once in recent weeks, heading south to escape heavy fighting between Israel and Hamas in the north. "We arrived here with no shelter and got rained on last night. There isn't anything to eat -- no bread, no flour," Ghassan Bakr told AFP.

The grocery stores in Rafah, like elsewhere in Gaza, are empty. At the market, the farmers who can still cultivate their land sell tomatoes, onions, cabbages and other vegetables.

On a sidewalk, children throw themselves at a large pot of semolina prepared by a charity, scraping at the bottom with bowls and plastic containers.

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are living in "utter, deepening horror", the UN's human rights chief said Wednesday, nearly two months after the start of the war, which has displaced around three-quarters of the territory's 2.4 million people.

The fighting was triggered by Hamas's bloody October 7 attack on Israel, during which 240 people were taken hostage and around 1,200 were killed, most of them civilians, Israeli authorities say.

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said Tuesday that 16,248 people had been killed since Israel's campaign began, more than 70 percent of them women and children.

'No roofs, no walls'

Makeshift tents have sprung up in the sandy wasteland between half-finished buildings, with lines strung between them for drying laundry. All around are suitcases, stacks of firewood and displaced people wandering about with jerrycans, looking for water.

"There have been bombardments, destruction, leaflets dropping, threats and phone calls to evacuate and leave Khan Yunis, but to go where?" asked Khamis al-Dalu.

More than 80 percent of Gazans are either refugees or descendants of refugees who were driven out or left their land when Israel was founded in 1948. "Where do you want us to go for God's sake?" Dalu continued, his temper flaring.

"We left Khan Yunis and now we're in tents in Rafah, with no roofs, no walls."

'Defenceless civilians'

In Khan Yunis, the fighting continued on Wednesday. In otherwise deserted streets, a few remaining residents navigated the rubble left by Israeli strikes as the injured were ferried to hospitals.

"We were sitting and all of a sudden there was a strike. I was hit in the head by a falling stone," Hussein Abu Hamada told AFP.

"We're devastated, mentally overwhelmed," said Amal Mahdi, who also survived a raid. "We need someone to help us, to find a solution for us to get out of this situation."

On Wednesday afternoon, the Israeli army dropped leaflets over the city inscribed with a verse from the Koran: "And the flood seized them while they were wrongdoers" -- an apparent reference to the October 7 attack, dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Flood by Hamas.

The Israeli army did not immediately respond to questions about the leaflets.

"What did we do wrong?" asked Umm Shadi Abu el-Tarabeech, in Rafah after being displaced from the north.

"We don't have guns, we're not terrorists and we haven't done anything bad. We're defenceless civilians. We've looked for refuge in one place after the other, and now they're dropping these?" she said.

"What is the purpose of these words?"

Source: newindianexpress.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2023/dec/07/israel-hamas-war-displaced-palestinians-forced-to-fend-for-themselves-in-gazas-south-2639218.html

-----

 

 

UN chief Guterres calls on Security Council to declare ceasefire in Gaza

December 07, 2023

EPHREM KOSSAIFY

NEW YORK: In a dramatic constitutional move, the UN secretary-general has invoked one of the few powers that the Charter gives him, to call on the Security Council to declare a ceasefire to avert a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza that could have “potentially irreversible implications for Palestinians as a whole and for peace and security in the region.”

He cautioned that such an outcome should be avoided “at all cost.” In a letter to the Security Council seen by Arab News, Guterres invoked Article 99 of the UN Charter, which says the secretary-general “may bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion, may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.”

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said this was the first time Guterres had felt compelled to invoke the article since taking office in 2017.

In his letter, Guterres said the more than eight weeks of fighting had “created appalling human suffering, physical destruction and collective trauma across Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”

He added: “Since the start of Israel’s military operation, more than 15,000 people have reportedly been killed, over 40 per cent of whom were children. Thousands of others have been injured. More than half of all homes have been destroyed.”

He said: “Some 80 per cent of the population of 2.2 million has been forcibly displaced, into increasingly smaller areas. More than 1.1 million people have sought refuge in UNRWA facilities across Gaza, creating overcrowded, undignified and unhygienic conditions. Others have nowhere to shelter and find themselves on the streets.”

Guterres also said “the health care system in Gaza is collapsing. Hospitals have turned into battlegrounds. Nowhere is safe in Gaza.”

He warned that amid the constant bombardment across the enclave “and without shelter or the essentials to survive, I expect public order to completely break down soon.”

Guterres reiterated his plea for a “humanitarian ceasefire to be declared,” adding: “This is urgent. The civilian population must be spared from greater harm.”

Dujarric called it a “very powerful move” on behalf of the secretary-general, and expressed hope that the 15-member Security Council “will be moved to push and put in place a humanitarian ceasefire.”

The spokesman said: “I think we’re getting to a point of near paralysis of our humanitarian operations where 15,000 people have reportedly already died, where 130 of our (UNRWA) colleagues have died. (The secretary-general) doesn’t use the word catastrophe lightly.”

Asked by Arab News what took Guterres so long to invoke Article 99 given that “catastrophe” was used from the first week to describe Gaza’s plight, Dujarric said the secretary-general has been “extremely clear, has been involved. Everything is done, in a sense, in a methodical way.

“One doesn’t invoke this article lightly … Given the situation on the ground and the risk of complete collapse not only of our humanitarian operations but of civil order, it’s something that he felt needed to be done now.”

Meanwhile, the World Food Programme sounded the alarm that “the resumption of hostilities in Gaza will only intensify the catastrophic hunger crisis that already threatens to overwhelm the civilian population.”

In a statement, the UN agency said: “The renewed fighting makes the distribution of aid almost impossible and endangers the lives of humanitarian workers.”

The UAE and Russia have called for a Security Council meeting on Friday “in the light of the deteriorating situation on the ground and given today’s appeal of the secretary-general for an urgent humanitarian ceasefire.”

The two council members have said they want the talks to focus on “the resumption of hostilities in Gaza and the inconsistency of the plans announced by Israel to its obligations under International Humanitarian Law.”

Source: arabnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2421476/middle-east

------

 

Israeli forces kill 4 West Bank Palestinians: ministry

December 07, 2023

RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories: Israeli forces shot dead four Palestinians, two of them teenagers, in the north of the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, the Palestinian health ministry said.

Sixteen-year-old Omar Abu Bakr was killed by “a bullet to the chest fired by soldiers from the occupation (Israel) in Yabad,” the health ministry said in a statement.

Abdul Nasser Mustafa Riyahi, 24, succumbed to his wounds after being shot in the Balata refugee camp near Nablus, according to the ministry.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa said Israeli forces had burst into the camp in the morning and surrounded a house.

“Confrontations broke out during which the soldiers opened live fire at the Palestinians injuring four. One of them later died of his wounds,” it said.

Earlier, the health ministry said Israeli troops had killed two Palestinians elsewhere in the West Bank’s north.

It said Abdul Rahman Imad Khaled Bani Odeh, 16, and Moath Ibrahim Zahran, 23, were killed by Israeli fire in the village of Tamun and the nearby Al-Fara refugee camp.

An AFP correspondent in Tamun saw Israeli soldiers enter the village to make arrests and witnessed clashes breaking out with residents.

Further south, in the Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem, three Palestinians “were wounded by the bullets of the occupation (Israel), one of them seriously,” the ministry said in a separate statement.

The Israeli army did not immediately respond to AFP’s request for comment.

Violence in the West Bank has flared since the outbreak of the war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian Authority says Israeli fire and settler attacks in the West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967, have killed more than 250 Palestinians during the current conflict.

Hamas gunmen from Gaza launched an unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 240 hostages, Israeli officials say.

In response, Israel has carried out air strikes and a ground offensive in Gaza that have killed more than 16,200 people, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run government there.

Source: arabnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2421561/middle-east

-----

 

Israel approves ‘minimal’ fuel increase to Gaza: PM office

December 07, 2023

JERUSALEM: Israel on Wednesday approved a “minimal” increase in fuel supplies to war-torn Gaza to prevent a “humanitarian collapse,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said.

The announcement comes as the United Nations warned of a total breakdown of public order in Gaza as fighting intensifies in the south of the Palestinian territory.

A “minimal supplement of fuel — necessary to prevent a humanitarian collapse and the outbreak of epidemics” had been approved to enter “into the southern Gaza Strip,” Netanyahu’s office wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

It said the fuel supply increase was “necessary to avoid a humanitarian collapse and the outbreak of epidemics in the south of the Gaza Strip,” which is controlled by Hamas.

“The minimal amount will be determined from time to time by the War Cabinet according to the morbidity situation and humanitarian situation in the Strip,” it added.

On Wednesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he feared that public order would “completely break down soon” in Gaza.

“Amid constant bombardment by the Israel Defense Forces, and without shelter or the essentials to survive, I expect public order to completely break down soon due to the desperate conditions, rendering even limited humanitarian assistance impossible,” he said in a letter to the UN Security Council.

For the first time since becoming UN chief in 2017, Guterres invoked Article 99 of the Charter, which allows him to “bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.”

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen hit back, saying Guterres’ mandate was a “danger to world peace.”

G7 leaders, including Israel’s key partners, called on Wednesday for “more urgent” action to tackle the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Israel’s announcement comes two days after its main ally, the United States, called for more fuel to be allowed into Gaza, with US diplomats referring to “very frank conversations.”

More than 16,200 people, most of them women and children, have been killed in Gaza by Israeli bombardments since October, according to Hamas health officials.

Fighting between Israel and Hamas began when Hamas militants launched a deadly cross-border attack on October 7, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli authorities.

Source: arabnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2421526/middle-east

------

 

Israel poses ‘greater than ever’ threat to global security: Iran

07 December 2023

Iran has warned that the threat posed by Israel to global peace and security is now “greater than ever” amid the regime’s bloody aggression against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kan’ani made the remarks in an X post on Thursday after UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres invoked Article 99 of the UN Charter, urging the Security Council to act on the Gaza war.

Infuriated by Guterres’ move, Israeli foreign minister Eli Cohen claimed that the UN chief was supporting the Palestinian Hamas resistance group and called for his resignation, charging that his tenure was “a danger to world peace.”

Kan’ani said the fact is that “the Zionist regime has been a real threat to global peace and security since its illegal establishment and that its true nature has become more obvious to the world after Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.”

He was referring to the historic operation that Hamas conducted on October 7 against the occupying entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

“The Zionist regime showed that it does not give any credit to international mechanisms and institutions,” the Iranian diplomat said.

“Now more than ever, it (Israel) is a threat to global peace and security as well as the entire humanity. The world has a responsibility to deal with this global threat.”

In his letter to the Security Council, Guterres said the war had brought the humanitarian system in Gaza to the verge of collapse and risked “aggravating” threats to “international peace and security”.

He also called on the 15-member body to “press to avert a humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza and unite in a call for a full humanitarian ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian resistance fighters.

In a statement to journalists along with the letter, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said that this was the first time Guterres had felt compelled to invoke Article 99, since taking office in 2017.

He explained that the UN chief was taking the step “given the scale of the loss of human life … in such a short amount of time.”

Dujarric further described the use of Article 99 as a “dramatic constitutional move” that Guterres hoped would put more pressure on the Security Council - and the international community at large - to demand a ceasefire in Gaza.

Since the start of the aggression against Gaza, the Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 16,248 Palestinians, including 7,112 children and 4,885 women, and injured 43,616 others.

Some 7,600 people are also missing and assumed buried under the rubble in Gaza, which is under “complete siege” by Israel.

An estimated 1.9 million people – roughly three-quarters of the Gaza population – have been displaced due to the genocidal Israeli assault.

Source: presstv.ir

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/12/07/715945/Israel-poses-threat-global-security-more-than-ever-Tehran

------

 

Iran FM urges Egypt to unconditionally open Rafah crossing to allow Gazans access to basic needs

07 December 2023

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has urged Egypt to "unconditionally" open the Rafah crossing to allow the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip immediate access of to medicine, food, and fuel.

"It is highly expected that top authorities in Egypt will open the Rafah border crossing unconditionally to send medicine, food and fuel to the entire Gaza [Strip]," Amir-Abdollahian said in a post on X on Wednesday.

"Today, the eyes of the women and children of Gaza, who are without water, medicine, or food, are on the Rafah border and [they are waiting for] Egypt’s decisive decision," he wrote.

The Rafah border, located in the south of the Gaza Strip, is one of two main crossings for inhabitants of Gaza and the only crossing that is not directly controlled by the Israeli regime.

All goods and humanitarian aid cross through the Rafah border. But because of the blockade imposed on Gaza by Israel, the border has only intermittently been open to Palestinians.

Palestinians have accused Egypt of bolstering the Israeli blockade of Gaza by refusing to reopen the Rafah crossing.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the coastal territory, including hospitals, residences, and houses of worship, since Palestinian resistance movements carried out a surprise attack, dubbed Operation al-Aqsa Storm, against the regime on October 7.

Since then, the Israeli regime has also imposed a complete blockade on Gaza, impeding the Strip’s access to food, water and medicine.

At least 16,248 Palestinians, including 7,112 children and 4,885 women, have been killed and more than 43,616 others injured in relentless air and ground attacks on the territory since October 7.

The Gaza-based Ministry of Health said Wednesday that a total of 800,000 Palestinians in the northern part of the besieged Strip are currently without health coverage.

The ministry warned against "acts of genocide committed by Israel in the northern Gaza Strip."

Israel does not allow the 60 tons of Iranian humanitarian aid to enter the besieged Gaza Strip through Egypt’s Rafah border crossing.

In a statement on X, the ministry spokesperson Ashraf Al-Qudra said the Israeli occupation deliberately aims to undermine health care infrastructure in northern Gaza.

Source: presstv.ir

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/12/07/715944/Iran-Egypt-Gaza-Rafah-border-crossing-Amir-Abdollahian-medicine-fuel

-----

 

Palestine issue will be main point of discussions in Moscow

Dec 7, 2023

TEHRAN, Dec. 07 (MNA) – The Iranian President, before his trip to Moscow, said on Thursday morning that the issue of Palestine will be one of the most "important points of discussion" in Moscow.

Before leaving Tehran, Ebrahim Raeisi told reporters that his visit to Moscow was at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Iranian president, referring to the long record of relations between Tehran and Moscow, added that the two states have taken steps that show the shared view of the two states on bilateral, regional, and international issues.

He outlined that the two countries' cooperation through BRICS, and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) have further deepened the Tehran-Moscow ties.

Collaboration in various fields including agriculture, fuel, and energy will also be among the key terms of discussion in Moscow, according to the head of the Iranian government.

He called on the importance of the issue of Palestine saying the ongoing issues in Palestine have made "all people worldwide to be worried."

In the end, he emphasized the urgent need for a cease-fire in Gaza, providing humanitarian aid to the Gazans, and granting Palestinians their rights.

Source: mehrnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://en.mehrnews.com/news/209278/Palestine-issue-will-be-main-point-of-discussions-in-Moscow

-----

 

How Hamas 'lulled Israel into complacency' with Islamic Jihad intelligence

DECEMBER 7, 2023Hamas provided Israel with intelligence on fellow Gaza-based terror group Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in the months leading up to the former's October 7 massacre in southern Israel, the Washington Post reported on Thursday morning.

The terror group passed on information on the PIJ to Israel with the hopes of maintaining an Israeli belief that Hamas was interested in the Strip's stability, rather than entering a conflict with Israel, the report, which cited an unnamed Israeli official, noted.

As per the official, Hamas had for years attempted to strengthen the Israeli misconception of the terror group's true intentions through attempts to focus on civilian issues, such as working with Israel to raise the number of work permits given to Gazans.

Before October 7, Israel had issued close to 20,000 active work permits for Palestinians in Gaza, who have been unable to work since Hamas launched its mass infiltration and attacks on Israelis.

Hamas lulled Israel into false sense of complacency

In addition, Hamas sought to "lull Israel into complacency" by holding large demonstrations at the Gaza border in the months leading up to the attack, "to get the IDF used to the sight of crowds at the border," the Washington Post cited senior IDF intelligence officer Miri Eisin as saying.

Hamas refrained from attacking Israel in previous Gaza operation

The report continued, noting that Hamas made an effort to refrain from entering into a direct conflict with the IDF since Operation Guardian of the Walls in 2021, fought primarily between Israel and the Islamic Jihad, in preparation for its long-planned October 7 attack.

At the time, Hamas was criticized by Palestinian factions for failing to join Islamic Jihad in firing rockets at Israel. Over the past few years, reports in several Palestinian and Arab media outlets have referred to rising tension between the two terror groups.

Source: jpost.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-776967

-----

 

Israel's strength lies in Islamic world's disarray: Turkish parliament speaker

Gazi Nogay

07.12.2023

Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus spoke out against Israel's attacks on Gaza on Wednesday.

"Today, Israel's greatest strength does not rely on its capabilities. Unfortunately, its greatest strength lies in the disarray and fragmentation of the Islamic world,” he said in an interview with Qatar's Al-Sharq newspaper.

In the interview, Kurtulmus discussed Türkiye-Qatar relations, inter-parliamentary experience sharing, Israel’s illegal attacks on Gaza, efforts to prosecute Israel at the International Criminal Court, the international community's stance against Israel's attacks and Türkiye's diplomatic efforts for Gaza.

Responding to a question about Türkiye-Qatar relations, he emphasized that relations between the two countries are at an excellent level, based on friendship.

He expressed his belief that the relations between Türkiye and Qatar would set an example for regional countries.

"Maintaining these relations will be auspicious for both countries. These relations continue at a high and strategic level," he said.

Describing what the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) did in response to Israel's attacks on Gaza, Kurtulmus highlighted that joint statements condemning Israel's brutal attacks were published with the signatures of all political parties in the parliament.

He mentioned their efforts to reach out internationally for all kinds of humanitarian aid to be delivered to Gaza.

Kurtulmus pointed out that the stance of the Turkish parliament reflects the reaction of the Turkish people to Israel's attacks.

"The TBMM directly represents the pulse of the people," he said.

Regarding the international response to the Gaza attacks, he expressed disappointment that despite nearly 60 days passing since Israel launched attacks on the enclave, the reactions from Islamic countries and organizations have been insufficient.

"Unfortunately, the most painful aspect is this. People are following and condemning what is happening in Gaza with great sorrow, but unfortunately, effective steps cannot be taken. Measures to stop this enmity and barbarism cannot be taken," he said.

Kurtulmus emphasized that the roots of the current situation with Israel's attacks on Gaza should be traced back to the developments that led to them, not just the events starting on Oct. 7.

He mentioned former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's statement about changing the borders of 22 Islamic countries and the subsequent events in Palestine, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Libya.

Source: aa.com.tr

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/israels-strength-lies-in-islamic-worlds-disarray-turkish-parliament-speaker/3075394

-----

 

Arab World

 

Yemen: Upholding Muslim Honour and Supporting Palestinians

Dec 7, 2023

TEHRAN, Dec. 07 (MNA) – Yemen is a country that’s been grappling with war and siege since 2015.

As part of Saudi Arabia’s denigrating campaign, anyone in the country, except for ousted President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and his small group of protégés, have been unjustly portrayed as uncultured and underdeveloped individuals with little to contribute to their nation and the region.

Yemen's history over the past few centuries has been rife with recurrent struggles against colonialism. From their subjugation under the Ottomans and the British to disputes over control of their oil fields in the Al-Jawf Province, Yemenis have persistently fought for sovereignty over their ancestral land and its resources.

The most recent quest for Yemeni independence commenced in 2014, when citizens staged a popular uprising against the Saudi-supported government of Mansur Hadi. Eager to establish a self-governing state free from foreign influences, their efforts culminated in the creation of the Ansarullah Resistance Movement.

Subsequently, Saudi Arabia along with Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and Sudan launched an invasion on the country to bring back the unpopular government of Mansour Hadi. The coalition was largely backed by the U.S., as well as Israel.

When members of the Ansarullah movement were at the pinnacle of their fight against the Saudi-led invasion, they resembled a small militia group that had no air force or navy. Pictures captured of Yemeni military operations showed some of the Ansarullah movement’s fighters lacking the most basic equipment needed to win a military conflict. Some of the fighters had to stand against barrages of fire barefoot, while some others were missing one or two limbs.

Nonetheless, Yemenis eventually managed to take control of their country's destiny. The Ansarullah movement now governs the capital Sana’a and large swathes of territory. Even though the war is technically not over yet, due to ongoing talks with the Saudi side, the people of Yemen feel like they have been offered a glimpse of autonomy, as their politicians can finally make decisions on their own for the first time in several decades.

It is, however, important to note that Yemen had to pay a heavy price for its newfound freedom. The US-backed war on the country has resulted in the deaths of over 377,000 individuals, directly and indirectly through malnutrition and illness—children account for 70 percent of these fatalities. The UN has consistently raised alarm, characterizing the country's plight as one of the gravest humanitarian crises in contemporary history.

As Ansarullah consolidates its power in Yemen, Western-backed media and individuals have begun to cast doubt on whether the 2014 revolution in the Arab nation will bear the fruits of the hardships that were endured.  But recent developments in the region have reaffirmed for Yemenis that their efforts to reclaim control of their nation were the right decision.

As the West streams its financial and logistical support into Israel and Arab states stay maddeningly impotent in the face of the regime’s crimes in Gaza, Yemen has emerged as the sole Arab force, alongside Lebanon’s Hezbollah, that has come to the Palestinians’ rescue.

Yemen began its support for Gaza by targeting positions inside the occupied territories. Many around the globe might have anticipated such a move by Sana’a. Yemen’s next move, however, deeply stunned the world. The country began targeting Israeli ships in the Red Sea—one of the most crucial transit routes in the global economy. Yemen has seized one Israeli ship and attacked three others, vowing to continue targeting Israeli seacraft until the regime ceases its genocidal assaults on the besieged Gaza Strip.

The unwavering confidence and determination of Yemeni soldiers have arguably been the most remarkable aspect of their operations. While reports indicate that Yemen’s armed groups used sophisticated ballistic missiles and drones to target Israeli vessels, in the seizure of the Galaxy Leader Yemen demonstrated that facing the enemy successfully and dealing a heavy blow to its forces doesn't necessarily require the use of the most advanced weaponry. Through spectacular bravery and courage, Yemeni helicopter-borne troops took control of the vessel, challenging prevailing perceptions shaped by Hollywood-generated imagery. Western countries and Israel have so far only made empty threats, not daring to engage in a new fight with Yemen.

The operation took place as several Arab states in the region, who have spent billions of dollars on Western-made weapons in the past decades, have not yet mustered up the courage to fire a single shot at Israeli positions.

This event showcased local countries' ability to defend themselves even amid challenging circumstances. It showed that what truly matters is the willingness and courage to do what is right, and not the amount of money you’ve collected from oil sale.

In retaliation for these actions, Israel utilized its influence to halt the distribution of UN-funded food in Yemen, a nation where millions are still in need of assistance due to the Saudi-led war. The World Food Program (WFP) announced the suspension of food distribution in northern Yemen "due to a dip in funding" on Tuesday.

Despite international pressure to once again stop Yemenis in their pursuit of freedom, it is unlikely that people in the historic Arab country would stop waving Palestinian flags and cease their support towards their brothers and sisters in the occupied territories. After all, Yemen is one of the oldest centers of civilization. It would be naïve to believe the country would back down on its beliefs and values, without putting up a proper fight.

Source: mehrnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original 

https://en.mehrnews.com/news/209273/Yemen-Upholding-Muslim-honor-and-supporting-Palestinians

----

 

Yemen says fired batch of ballistic missiles into Israeli-occupied territories in support of Gaza

06 December 2023

Yemen’s Army says it has fired a batch of ballistic missiles at Israeli military positions in support of Gaza’s resistance.

Yemen’s Armed Forces said in a statement on Wednesday they targeted Umm al-Rashrash city in the southern part of the occupied Palestine.

The statement vowed Yemen will continue military operations against the occupied territories until the aggression against Gaza stops.

It said they’ll also keep preventing Israeli ships from navigating in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea.

Earlier, the Israeli regime said it had shot down one ballistic missile over the Red Sea using the Arrow air system.

Media reports said the incident set off sirens in Umm al-Rashrash, called Eilat by the regime, though it said the missile did not enter the occupied territories' airspace.

Separately, a US defense official told Western media that they had shot down a Yemeni drone flying towards the Israeli-occupied territories this morning.

Separately, the UK's Maritime Trade Operations agency said it had received reports of an incident involving a suspected drone over the Red Sea, west of the Yemeni port of Hudaydah.

Yemeni forces have launched several ballistic missiles and drones at the Israeli-occupied territories since the beginning of the Israeli war on Gaza in October.

The Yemeni armed forces said last Sunday that they fired missiles at two Israeli ships in the Red Sea.

Also on November 19, the Yemeni army naval forces boarded a commercial ship believed to be ultimately owned by a major Israeli businessman linked to the Tel Aviv regime.

Source: presstv.ir

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/12/06/715921/Yemen-says-fired-missiles-into-Israeli-occupied-territories-in-support-of-Gaza

----

 

Saudi Arabia urges US restraint as Houthis attack ships in Red Sea

 2023-12-07

RIYADH/DUBAI: Saudi Arabia has asked the United States to show restraint in responding to attacks by Yemen’s Houthis against ships in the Red Sea, two sources familiar with Saudi thinking said, as Riyadh seeks to contain spillover from the Hamas-Israel war. The Iran-aligned Houthis have waded into the conflict that has spread around the Middle East since war erupted on Oct. 7, attacking vessels in vital shipping lanes and firing drones and missiles at Israel itself.

The group which rules much of Yemen says its attacks are a show of support for the Palestinians and has vowed they will continue until Israel stops its offensive on the Gaza Strip - more than 1,000 miles from their seat of power in Sanaa.

The Houthis are one of several groups in the Iran-aligned “Axis of Resistance” which have been attacking Israeli and US targets since the start of the conflict on Oct. 7, when their Palestinian ally Hamas sparked the war by attacking Israel.

Their role has added to the conflict’s regional risks, threatening sea lanes through which much of the world’s oil shipped, and worrying states on the Red Sea as Houthi rockets and drones fly towards Israel.

Riyadh, the world’s top oil exporter, has watched with alarm as Houthi missiles have been fired over its territory.

With the Houthis stepping up attacks on shipping over the past weeks, two sources familiar with Saudi thinking said Riyadh’s message of restraint to Washington aimed to avoid further escalation. Riyadh was so far pleased with the way the United States was handling the situation, the sources added.

“They pressed the Americans about this and why the Gaza conflict should stop,” one of the sources said.

The White House declined to comment.

The Saudi government did not respond to an emailed request for a comment on the discussions.

As Saudi Arabia presses for a ceasefire to halt what it has called a “barbaric war” in Gaza, its diplomacy reflects a wider policy aimed at promoting regional stability after years of confrontation with Iran and its allies.

Focused on expanding and diversifying the Saudi economy, Riyadh this year normalised ties with Tehran and is seeking to exit the war it has been waging with the Houthis in Yemen for nearly nine years.

The sources said Saudi Arabia was seeking to advance the Yemen peace process even as war rages in Gaza, worrying it could be derailed. Yemen has enjoyed more than a year of relative calm amid direct peace talks between Saudi and Houthi officials.

The Houthi attacks during the Hamas-Israel war have elevated their profile in the Iran-aligned camp which also includes Hamas, Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Iran-backed militias in Iraq.

The Houthis have emerged as a major military force in the Arabian Peninsula, with tens of thousands of fighters and a huge arsenal of ballistic missiles and armed drones.

Source: brecorder.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.brecorder.com/news/40277149/saudi-arabia-urges-us-restraint-as-houthis-attack-ships-in-red-sea

-----

 

Saudi foreign minister, UN chief discuss situation in Gaza

December 07, 2023

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan discussed on Wednesday the situation in Gaza  with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry said.

Guterres called Prince Faisal and they discussed the importance of making more effort to reach an immediate ceasefire.

Israel is waging a ground and air offensive against Hamas in all parts of Gaza, resulting in mass civilian deaths and causing a humanitarian catastrophe.

Source: arabnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2421516/saudi-arabia

----

 

Saudi, Australian Foreign Ministers Discuss Gaza Situation over Phone

Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received a phone call today from Foreign Minister of Australia Penny Wong, with whom he discussed developments in Gaza Strip, stressing the need for an immediate ceasefire and the delivery of emergency relief assistance to Gaza.

 The ministers expressed concern over the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and stressed that Israel needs to comply with and respect international humanitarian law.

Source: alriyadhdaily.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

http://alriyadhdaily.com/article/53346a73680844b2ac6f1bbaa4f66f38

-----

 

Pakistan

 

Pakistan Can Help End Israeli Aggression: Senior Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh

December 07, 2023

Rizwan Gilzai

ISLAMABAD:Senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Wednesday sought Pakistan's support against the Israeli occupation and defended the October 7 raids by Hamas fighters, saying that they acted in self-defence to pre-empt the Jewish state’s plans for usurping more Palestinian territories.

In a virtual address to the National Dialogue on 'The Sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque and Responsibility of the Muslim Ummah', organised by Majlis Ittehad-e-Ummah Pakistan, Haniyeh stressed the need for addressing the challenges facing the Palestinian people.

Haniyeh highlighted the arrest of approximately 16,000 Palestinians and desecration of holy sites by Israel in violation of international norms. He expressed disappointment over the non-implementation of the Oslo Accords. Praising Pakistan as a brave nation, he suggested that if Israel faced resistance from Pakistan, the cruelty against the Palestinian people could cease.

Expressing hope in Pakistan's support, he referred to the country as a land of Mujahideen. He spoke the high expectations, the Palestinians had of Pakistan. Haniyeh accused the United States and other countries of supporting Israel. He claimed that Israel had planned a sudden attack on Gaza with the intention of permanent destruction of the enclave.

“Hamas is countering Israel's most advanced weapons. We are determined to thwart Israel's intentions.” Addressing the conference, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman Fazl said that in prevailing circumstances, the role of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan was getting more and more important along with China and Russia.

He urged China and Russia to move to stop the US in the Gulf. Fazl announced that the observation of the ‘Protection of Al-Aqsa Mosque Day on Friday (tomorrow). The next Friday, the JUI-F chief added, there would be protests across the country. He announced his full support for the conference’s joint declaration.

On the occasion, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Amir Sirajul Haq called for boycotting the companies which supported Israel. Renowned scholar and President of Al-Madaris al-Arabiya Mufti Taqi Usmani said that the two-state solution for the resolution of the Palestinian issue was not acceptable.

“A two-state solution means recognising Israel. No Muslim can accept Israel,” he said, adding that it was the duty of every Muslim to help the Palestinians as much as possible. He said that Hamas men should be called Mujahideen instead of fighters.

He lamented that despite immense wealth and resources, the Muslim countries were living a life of slave. “If the world of Islam unites and cooperates, the Western powers cannot do any harm,” he said, urging the Muslim countries to demand immediate halt to the Israeli atrocities on the Palestinians.

Caretaker Religious Affairs Minister Aneeq Ahmed said that if the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) failed to resolve the Gaza crisis, then it would a failure of the Muslim leaders. He emphasised the important role Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia could play in the prevailing circumstances.

Later, the joint declaration of the conference was issued. The declaration said that the scholars from different school of thought strongly condemned the Israeli atrocities on Gaza and demanded an end to Israel's brutal bombing and war crimes against the Palestinian people.

The conference demanded the liberation of Al-Aqsa Mosque; an end to the blockade of Gaza Strip; permanent opening of the Egypt-Rifah border; increasing Pakistan’s relief shipment for the Gaza people; severing diplomatic and trade relations with Israel and boycott of Israeli products.

Source: tribune.com.pk

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2449201/pakistan-can-help-end-israeli-aggression-haniyeh

-----

 

Afghans face risk of rights violations upon return, say UN rapporteurs

December 7, 2023

Amin AhmedISLAMABAD: Eight Special Rapporteurs of the Human Rights Council of United Nations have warned that Afghan nationals forced to leave Pakistan since November 1, face risk of human rights violations upon return.

In a joint statement issued in Geneva on Wednesday, the UN experts said the Afghan nationals most likely to be affected include women and girls, victims of trafficking, religious and ethnic minorities, former government officials, persons with disabilities, older persons, and other refugees and migrants.

“We wish to caution the government of Pakistan that the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP), which came into effect on 1 November 2023, does not include provisions for individual assessment of irreparable harm and risks that may be faced by Afghan nationals who are forced to return to Afghanistan,” the experts said.

The special rapporteurs are part of what is known as the ‘Spe­cial Procedures’ of the Hum­an Rights Council. Special Proce­du­res, the largest body of independent experts in the UN human ri­­ghts system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world.

They urged the international community to provide support for the hosting of Afghan refugees, including increased opportunities for resettlement, and rights-based family reunification. The experts have been in contact with the government of Pakistan about these concerns, the joint statement says.

“Afghan nationals, in particular, women and girls, face risks of being trafficked or re-trafficked in the country or during displacement. Persons belonging to religious and ethnic minorities are particularly at risk of persecution upon return,” they warned.

“We are concerned that the adoption of the plan and failure to ensure effective protection for Afghan nationals may violate the absolute prohibition of refoulment under customary international law,” the UN experts said.

They warned that the plan would have a grave impact on women and girls, given the pattern of large-scale systematic human rights violations and discrimination against women and girls in Afghanistan, amounting to gender persecution.

“Women and girls deported to Afghanistan risk being subjected to child and forced marriage, trafficking in persons, and denial of the rights to education, to work, and to freedom of movement and equal protection of the law,” the experts said.

“We are deeply concerned at allegations of forced evictions of Afghan nationals in Pakistan by landlords,” the experts stated. They also expressed concern at reported cases of arbitrary arrests of Afghan nationals in Pakistan, including children, since the beginning of 2023, warning that unsubstantiated linkages must not be drawn between the presence of refugees and migrants, and risks of terrorism.

“Pakistan has hosted Afghan nationals for more than two decades. It is critical now, that Afghan nationals continue to receive protection, without discrimination, and that the human rights of all migrants, refugees, victims of trafficking, and all those with continuing fear of persecution, including gender persecution, are ensured,” the experts said.

Source: dawn.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.dawn.com/news/1795750/afghans-face-risk-of-rights-violations-upon-return-say-un-rapporteurs

----

 

Imran to be indicted in jail for contempt next week

December 7, 2023

Iftikhar A. Khan

ISLAMABAD: A four-member bench of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will be going to Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail to char­g­e­-­sheet PTI’s founding chairman Imran Khan and former central leader of the party Fawad Chaudhry in contempt cases on Dec 13.

Announcing its verdict on Nov 30, an ECP bench headed by member from Sindh Nisar Ahmed Durrani had referred to the Oct 11 order requiring Mr Khan’s production before it on Oct 24. It says a report was submitted by AIG, OPS, Punjab stating that there were a number of special information reports, which indicate that hostile intelligence agencies along with their local accomplices may carry out subversive activity to create law and order situation and production of Mr Khan would be a high risk.

It also cites a report of the interior ministry which said “…. since for security reasons, trial of other cases against PTI Chairman are being conducted inside Adiala jail, the Ministry of Interior strongly proposes that the Honourable Commission may also conduct the subject proceedings against the said accused person in Adiala jail”.

“Now after having consultation with Ministry of Law and Justice, report is furnished by the Ministry of Interior, wherein it is inter alia stated that the commission may opt to hold contempt proceeding in the Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi,” the order, a copy of which is available with Dawn, reads. The order also mentions that the matter of contempt against the respondent was pending adjudication since August 2022.

ECP fixes petitions assailing PTI’s intra-party polls for hearing tomorrow

It says the previous order sheets reveal that directions for personal appearance of respondent were issued (vide orders dated 12.09.2022, 27.09.2022, 11.10.2022, 26.10.2022, 17.01.2023 and 24.01.2023) but he did not appear. It also transpires that bailable warrants of arrest (vide orders dated 03.01.2023 and 28.02.2023) against the respondent were also issued.

“It is also matter of record that adjournments were also sought on one or the other pretext which were granted. However, respondent, despite availing sufficient latitude did not appear for the reasons best known to him.” Though the respondent was detained in Adiala Jail, exemption of respondent from his personal appearance was also granted in August before his detention, the ECP mentioned.

The commission had initiated contempt proceedings against Imran Khan, former party leader Asad Umar and former minister Fawad Chaudhry last year for allegedly using “intemperate” language against the chief election commissioner and the electoral watchdog.

At the previous hearing, ECP member from Sindh Nisar Durrani had told Mr Khan’s lawyer Shoaib Shaheen that the interior ministry had submitted a report stating that Mr Khan could not be presented and proposed that the commission send a team to jail to indict him. His lawyer had expressed concern, pointing out that his jail trial would send a wrong message.

However, the ECP declared to conduct indictment proceedings against him and the ex-minister in jail and asked the interior ministry to make necessary arrangements in this regard. It also directed the ministry to complete all necessary requirements within two days.

Intra-party polls

Meanwhile, the ECP has fixed for preliminary hearing around a dozen petitions challenging PTI’s intra-party elections and seeking the exercise afresh for tomorrow (December 8). The 11 petitions, to be taken up for hearing also include the one filed by Akbar S Babar, founding member of the party who gained prominence after filing foreign funding case against the PTI.

The ECP has rejected as baseless social media reports about registration of ghost voters in Mur­ree and other constituencies. “Un­d­er Sec­tions 26 and 27 of the Elections Act, 2017 a voter can only be registered on either the permanent or temporary address mentioned on his identity card. It is not necessary for any voter to be present in the electoral constituency,” a spokesman for the ECP explained. He said this was the reason for variation in the proportion of population and registered voters of different constituencies.

Source: dawn.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.dawn.com/news/1795748/imran-to-be-indicted-in-jail-for-contempt-next-week

-----

 

Bushra-Khosa phone call leak issue lands in IHC

December 07, 2023

Awais Yousafzai

ISLAMABAD: The leaked audio call issue between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi and her counsel Sardar Latif Khosa has reached the Islamabad High Court.

Bushra Bibi filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court against the recording and leaking of the audio call and submitted that making the conversation between a lawyer and a client public would disrupt the legal system.

The petition said petitioner Bushra Bibi is the wife of the former prime minister and Sardar Latif Khosa is her lawyer, while the conversation between the lawyer and the client was recorded and leaked.

The audio call between Bushra Bibi and lawyer Khosa was distorted and made public in the media in a twisted fashion with the aim to harass the petitioner and affect her family life.

The petition stated that the prime minister’s secretary, defence secretary and interior secretary and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority chairman have already submitted before the court that no agency is allowed to record conversations of citizens secretly. It alleged that the audio call was not only recorded but also made public by through the PTA and agencies.

The court was requested to direct the federal government’s institutions and law enforcement agencies to desist from recording phone calls and making them public, and to remove all spying devices.

Source: thenews.com.pk

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1135922-bushra-khosa-phone-call-leak-issue-lands-in-ihc

-----

 

Massacre of Palestinians: Alvi deplores world apathy

2023-12-07

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Ari Alvi, on Wednesday, deplored the “alarming sign of the apathy of the world,” for its failure to prevent the massacre of innocent Palestinian people including women and children by the Israeli occupation forces during its ongoing invasion of Gaza and the West Bank.

Speaking as a chief guest at the inaugural session of the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI)’s two-day “The Islamabad Conclave 2023” titled, “Pakistan in a Changing World,” President Alvi further deplored by saying that “the civilized world today has forgotten the principles of morality and is witnessing the prevalence of wars waged by powerful against weaker segments.”

“The situation in Gaza is an alarming sign of the apathy of the world which could not stop the massacre of innocent people including women and children…The gruesome images coming out of Gaza have failed to awaken the world’s conscience,” he said, adding that the current world urgently requires an approach centered on love, empathy, and forgiveness.

The president said that war is not a solution to resolve any conflict and always results in a never-ending vicious cycle of violence. He also expressed disappointment over the approach of democratic countries supporting wars, saying that morality must be the anchor of human thinking.

He also expressed concerns over the prevailing global scenario, citing the need for a return to principles of morality. He emphasized the importance of justice, consistent application of international rules, and respect for the rights of Palestinians.

Sharing insights on Pakistan’s dynamic approach in the face of global challenges, DrAlvi stressed the importance of the strategic shift to geo-economics, aligning policies with regional and systemic developments. He called for a conscious rediscovery of Pakistan’s vision amid superpower rivalries and interference from neighbouring states.

The president also called for socio-economic justice, equal opportunities, and empowerment of women to ensure real progress.

In his address, General Zubair Mahmood Hayat (retired), former chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), said that the emerging global landscape was marked by evolving defence partnerships, military build-up, expansion of alliances, collapsing existing arms control regime, nuclear modernization, militarization of outer space, cyberspace, artificial intelligence, and biotechnologies.

He said that the global equation was being framed between democracy vs dictatorship, good vs bad, moral vs immoral, and superior vs inferior beings. “In a classical strategic sense, it was a recipe for disaster. The great power competition, lack of strategic leadership at the global level, unilateralism, and demolition of human rights have given birth to the liberty to use force for the achievement of ends. In this context, the concepts like de-coupling, de-risking, and building strategic resilience were taking shape,” he added.

Former foreign secretary Tehmina Janjua, in her remarks, highlighted the shift from a bipolar to a multi-polar system, the emergence of block politics, delocalization, transboundary challenges like climate change, development of emerging technologies, ever-changing geography of innovation, and a sharp turn to right-wing populism in many countries were the major geo-political shifts.

She added that natural disasters, food insecurity, aggressive state behaviour, spiraling regional conflicts, and arms race were major outcomes of these major geo-political shifts.

While highlighting Pakistan’s perspective, Muhammad Kamran Akhtar, additional secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) stated that there are temptations in India to start a limited war with Pakistan under the nuclear threshold.

He said that Pakistan’s proposal of the Strategic Restraint Regime was blatantly rejected by India on the basis of extra-regional security concerns. In the absence of communication and the growing hegemonic designs of India, he added that the militarization of emerging technologies would undermine strategic stability in the region.

“Therefore, the development of new confidence-building measures (CBMs) at the regional level to address the new challenges posed by emerging technologies is the need of the hour,” he stressed.

Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Ambassador (retired) Asif Durrani in his address highlighted the security threat posed by Afghanistan-based Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the fresh increase in incidents of terrorism post-Taliban regime.

He regretted that the Afghanistan issue has gone to the backburner with the Israel-Hamas conflict and the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine while the Middle East is onthe verge of further escalation.

He, however, identified China as a factor of stability in the region. He also mentioned the Chinese role in helping Pakistan to address its economic challenges in the context of CPEC projects.

In his welcoming remarks, Director General ISSI Ambassador Sohail Mahmood (retired) stressed that throughout human history, change has been the only constant.

He added that the speed, depth and breadth of change in the world at this particular juncture is “breath-taking.”

“From war in Europe to genocide in Gaza, from deepening geo-strategic rivalries to unprecedented growth of new and emerging technologies, and from existential threat of climate change to green transition and digital transformation, the world we are living in is changing in profound ways,” he said.

He added that it would be unforgivable for any country to either be oblivious of this dynamic and far-reaching transformation or remain static in its strategic outlook despite knowing about this change.

He also highlighted the ISSI’s role in providing research-based policy inputs and serving as a platform for dialogue on issues relating to foreign policy and national security.

Source: brecorder.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.brecorder.com/news/40277192/massacre-of-palestinians-alvi-deplores-world-apathy

------

 

Southeast Asia

 

China’s campaign to crack down on Islam, explained

07.12.2023

Islam has been in China for more than 1,300 years, and Muslims there have a long and storied history.

But that legacy is currently under threat, as China’s 22 million Muslims face an ongoing “Sinicisation” process that aims to fully assimilate this minority into the majority Han-Chinese society. The suppression of the Turkic Uighurs in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region has long been discussed and documented.

But Chinese-speaking Muslims (the Hui) and Islam in China’s interior provinces have similarly, if not more quietly, been subject to a fierce campaign. In the past five years, some 1,700 mosques in China have been destroyed or modified to remove their iconic minarets and domes, according to a striking new report.

Meanwhile, some local municipalities have banned Chinese students under the age of 18 from entering mosques or learning about Islam. Muslim bookstores have been closed and religious publications are prohibited. Even Halal signs in Arabic have been removed from Muslim restaurants.

To understand this phenomenon, one has to understand the history of Islam in China and China’s political dynamics associated with its Marxist ruling ideology.

Since the Ming Dynasty in the 14th century, Islam and Muslims as a whole had already been assimilated into Chinese societies and cultures. During this time period Muslims adopted the Chinese language.

Muslim religious professionals such as Buddhist and Daoist clergies registered with and were authorised by the Chinese state. Muslim intellectuals took part in the Confucian civil service exam. The Muslim populace married Han Chinese.

Islam began to be interpreted in Confucian terms and a rich Han Kitab (or Chinese book) literature began to emerge.

Muslims of various origins, cultures, and languages now became Sino-Muslim, or Chinese-speaking Muslim, and Islam became Sino-phone Islam. Or in other words, Muslims became Chinese and Islam was Sinicised, as evidenced by the construction of pagodas, or temple-shaped mosques, and the formation of Confucian-Muslim literati.

However, things began to change in the early 20th century, especially after China launched the Open Door policy to foreign investors in the late 1970s. Islam and Muslims in China began to be influenced by Middle Eastern dynamics, especially by Arab culture and way of understanding. Chinese Muslims who used to study in Ottoman Türkiye now went to Arab countries including Egypt’s Al Azhar University and schools in Gulf Arab countries.

Students brought back increased Arabic vocabularies in daily life. Restored mosques often adopt Middle Eastern or Arabesque style. All these practices and adoptions were tolerated during the Open Door policy from the 1970s to 2010. However, they began to be seen as an obstacle to China’s Han cultural populism and ethnic nationalism.

Since the collapse of the former Soviet Union and East European socialist countries, Marxism has faced global decline and the Chinese communist party has sought to legitimise and consolidate Marxism (which cherishes class struggle and justifies the dictatorship of the proletariat working class) through Sinicisation.

As Chinese President Xi Jinping described, Mao Zedong, the founding father of Communist China, had combined Marxism with the “specific realities” (or conditions) of China’s revolutionary period. Mao, however, did not tie Marxism to traditional Han Chinese culture, probably due to the inherent incompatibility between socialism, which was aimed at eradicating social classes, and Confucianism which reinforced social hierarchies.

In a majoritarian populist world today following the collapse of the socialist bloc and the Marxist ideology globally since the 1990s, Xi attempts to root Marxism in Chinese history and tradition for political legitimacy and cultural confidence, a cultural appeal for making China great again or the Chinese version of “Make America Great Again.”

After becoming president in 2012, Xi said he wanted to pursue the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation—essentially making the majority Han Chinese civilization great again. At the 20th National Party Congress in 2022, Xi re-affirmed that “to uphold and develop Marxism, we must integrate it with China’s fine traditional culture. Only by taking root in the rich historical and cultural soil of the country and the nation can the truth of Marxism flourish here.”

This strategy has led to the demotion of non-Han cultures and religions by accusing them as foreign. Arab-influenced domes and mosques are now deemed non-traditional, un-socialist, and even reactionary.

As a 2018 document revealed, Xi and the Party Central Committee made a series of important decisions and arrangements on Islam since the 18th National Congress, specifying the ultimate directions and major tasks regarding Islam.

They identified as worrisome certain trends such as “de-Sinicisation,” “Saudisation,” and “Arabisation” in architecture, clothing, religious rituals, scripture interpretation, and the use of the Arabic language. The Sinicisation movement targeting Islam and Muslims in China’s interior regions entails demolishing Arab-style minarets and even mosques, banning the religious exchange between Chinese Muslims and Arab Muslims, and eradicating everything that is considered Middle Eastern or Arabesque.

The new wave of Sinicisation first of all is a majoritarian populism aiming at consolidating and legitimising the Chinese communist rule through Han nationalism and by Sinicising/Hanifying non-Han ideology such as Marxism and non-Han cultures/religions such as Islam. Sinicisation requires maximisation of assimilation of non-Han cultures and religions into Han culture/history.

“Arabisation” and “Saudisation” of Islam in general, and Wahhabi-inspired Islam in particular in contemporary China constitute “de-Sinicisation” in modern China, as the 2018 document denounces. Sinicisation of (Arab-influenced) Islam, to some extent, represents a cultural decoupling with the (Wahhabi-inspired) Arab world.

In other words, Sinicisation essentially aims to secularise Islam. In addition to affecting China’s Islamic architecture, the process will also affect the interpretation of Islamic texts. It will require using Confucian/Chinese/Communist terms to interpret Islam in order to make Islam adapt to contemporary ruling ideology of socialism and majoritarian cultural norms.

For Chinese-speaking Muslims, this isn’t the first time they have had to forcefully adapt to Chinese realities and dynamics. From the Ming dynasty’s (neo)-Chinese Confucianism to early 20th-century Chinese nationalism and to post-1949 Chinese communism, Chinese-speaking Muslims have experienced various political and social turmoil and strived to preserve their Islamic faith through adaptation and accommodation.

Despite grievances, many Chinese Muslims see this as a test of their Islamic faith and will continuously adjust non-essential aspects of their religious life while sticking to the central tenets of Islam in a non-Muslim country.

Finally, to curb foreign (Arab) religious influences on Chinese Muslims and to control Islamic institutions will likely lead to eradication of (Arab/Wahhabi-inspired) Islam and the development of Chinese indigenous Islam by reviving the Han Kitab tradition and by forming a Confucian Islam.

In the best scenario, the possible result of the Sinicisation of Islam in China could be the emergence of a Sino-Islam closely tied to Chinese history, culture, and ideology, not Middle Eastern tides and dynamics.

Source: trtworld.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.trtworld.com/opinion/chinas-campaign-to-crack-down-on-islam-explained-16114374

-----

 

Top China, US diplomats discuss Gaza situation

December 7, 2023

BEIJING: The top diplomats from China and the United States discussed the Gaza situation in a call on Wednesday, saying agreed on the need to de-escalate the unrest as Turkiye rejects “buffer zone” plan for Gaza.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken “reiterated the imperative of all parties working to prevent” the unrest from spreading, according to the US State Department.

Beijing said Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed in turn that, regarding the ongoing crisis, “the top priority is to cease fire and end the war [on Gaza] as soon as possible”.

“Major countries must adhere to fairness and justice, uphold objectivity and impartiality, demonstrate calm and rationality, and make every effort to cool down the situation and prevent larger-scale humanitarian disasters,” Wang said, according to the foreign ministry.

• Erdogan rejects ‘buffer zone’ plan for enclave • Kishida tells Netanyahu civilian casualties should be minimised

He reiterated Beijing’s calls for a two-state solution to the crisis, stressing that “any arrangement involving the future of Palestine must reflect the will of the Palestinian people”.

“China is willing to work with all parties to make efforts to this end,” he said. Washington has been pressing Beijing to use its influence to push for calm in the region.

‘Buffer zone’

Turkiye rejects plans to establish a buffer zone after the end of hostility in Gaza because it would be disrespectful to Palestinians, President Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters on a flight from Doha, Erdogan said Gaza’s governance and future after the end of hostility would be decided by Pales­tinians alone.

“I consider even the debating of this (buffer-zone) plan as disrespectful to my Palestinian siblings. For us, this is not a plan that can be debated, considered, or discussed,” Erdogan’s office quoted him as saying.

Calling for Israel to hand back territories it occupies and end settlements in those territories, he said: “Israel must remove the terrorists — which it markets to the world as settlers — from those houses and those lands, and think about how it can build a peaceful future with Pales­tinians.”

Erdogan said Israel had become “the West’s spoiled child”, and blamed Western support for Israel for the situation in the region.

Source: dawn.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.dawn.com/news/1795730/top-china-us-diplomats-discuss-gaza-situation

-----

 

Selangor Sultan wants all mosques, surau to prepare audited financial statements

07 Dec 2023

KLANG, Dec 7 — The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah ordered the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) to ensure all mosques and surau in the state prepare audited annual financial statements for inspection and review so that their management is through good governance.

He said administrators of mosques and surau who do not care about financial, procurement and asset management will cause the public to be less confident about the credibility and integrity of their administration.

Sultan Sharafuddin, after launching the Selangor Mosque and Surau Financial Management Guidelines 2023 at Istana Alam Shah, here today, expressed hope that mosque and surau administrators can comply and implement all the provisions outlined in the guidelines.

He also said that with the launch of the guide book published by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais), it is recommended that the current needs be compiled with several improvements to increase the level of efficiency and governance.

“Procurement management also needs to be managed with good governance so as not to involve leakage, distortion and misuse of power,” said His Royal Highness in a statement today.

He added that to ensure that the guidelines were understood, Mais and Jais have been asked to implement intensive and continuous training programmes by applying training methods appropriate to the administrator’s background.

“I am confident that mosques and surau which have a good financial management system will be more reliable and will continue to gain the trust of the community to continue to contribute.

“I hope that this guide book will serve as an important reference to improve the quality of financial management to raise the integrity and glory of mosques and surau as respected community institutions through good governance practices,” he said. — Bernama

Source: malaymail.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/12/07/selangor-sultan-wants-all-mosques-surau-to-prepare-audited-financial-statements/106311

----

 

Philippines names two members of pro-Islamic State group as bomb suspects

 06 Dec 2023

MANILA, Dec 6 — Philippine police today named two men suspected of being involved in a deadly blast that killed four people during a Catholic Mass in a southern city at the weekend.

Those suspected of orchestrating the attack in Marawi were members of Daulah-Islamiyah Maute, a pro-Islamic State militant group that took control of the city in 2017 and held it through five months of ground offensives and air strikes by the military.

The suspects were Kadapi Mimbesa, 35, and ArsaniMembisa, whose age was not determined, the police said at a news briefing. Both have outstanding arrest warrants for crimes such as murder and kidnapping.

The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for the blast, saying one of its members detonated the bomb.

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr had blamed “foreign terrorists” for the explosion.

“We’re going to file appropriate cases against the identified suspects along with other John Does,” said Brigadier General Allan Nobleza, regional police director. “We are mobilising our resources to make sure the perpetrators are put behind bars.”

The pair’s known address was in Lanao del Sur province, but they conducted criminal operations also in neighbouring Lanao del Norte province.

Kadapi Mimbesa has a pending warrant of arrest for kidnapping and illegal possession of explosives, with an arrest reward of 600,000 pesos (RM50,691), while ArsaniMembisa is wanted for murder, the police said.

Another suspect, the lookout, has yet to be identified. — Reuters

Source: malaymail.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2023/12/06/philippines-names-two-members-of-pro-islamic-state-group-as-bomb-suspects/106163

------

 

Malaysia police arrest man over statements backing diplomatic ties with Israel

DEC 6, 2023

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian police said on Dec 6 they have arrested a 36-year-old man and were conducting a sedition investigation over statements he made suggesting the country should establish diplomatic relations with Israel.

Malaysia, a majority-Muslim country, is a staunch supporter of the Palestinians and has criticised Israel’s actions in the Gaza war. Kuala Lumpur does not have diplomatic ties with Israel.

“The statement was made during an interview with an Israeli social media influencer Hananya Naftali that had been uploaded to TikTok,” Mr Mohamad Shuhaily Mohamad Zain, director of the police criminal investigations department, said in a statement.

The investigation is being carried out under the sedition act, communications and multimedia act, and the penal code, he said. The individual, Mr Victor Yong, has been remanded in custody for three days from Dec 6, he added.

A six-minute video clip of the interview between Mr Naftali and Mr Yong, who said he was Malaysian, circulated on social media this week, sparking uproar among local users who said his views did not represent the opinion of other Malaysians.

Checks show that the video of Mr Yong proposing the establishment of diplomatic ties between Malaysia and Israel was first published online on December 2021, said Malaysian Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil on Dec 6.

“The video is from a YouTube video titled Malaysia And Israel – From Enemies To Allies? The video was created on Dec 17, 2021, not 2023,” he said.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim joined thousands of pro-Palestinian supporters in Kuala Lumpur in October to condemn Israel’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip, and has said he will not bow to Western pressure to reject Hamas. REUTERS

Source: straitstimes.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-police-arrest-man-over-statements-backing-diplomatic-ties-with-israel?close=true

------

 

Africa

 

Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corpsto Partner Hisbah Commission in Enforcing Sharia Law in Zamfara

December 6, 2023

The Zamfara State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, says it will collaborate with the Hisbah Commission to enforce Sharia Law in the state.

The Corps Commandant, Sani Mustapha stated this when a delegation from the Hisbah Commission paid him a courtesy visit in Gusau.

Mustapha averred that the Corps is ready to work closely with Hisbah in the quest to reduce the rate of criminal activities in the state.

He noted that Zamfara State is known for the practice of the Shariah Law and that the Hisbah Commission, which is the enforcement arm of the state government in ensuring that the tenets of the Shariah Law are maintained, will be supported in its operations.

The NSCDC commandant noted that the strict adherence to the Sharia injunctions could go a long way to eliminate social vices and insecurity in the state.

Earlier, the Hisbah Commission management led by the newly appointed Chairman of the Commission, Shiekh Umar Hassan Gusau, extolled the doggedness of the NSCDC in the fight against crime and insecurity in the state.

Gusau solicited the support of the NSCDC, especially in the areas of enforcement and arrest, in order to enhance the smooth operations of the Hisbah Commission.

Source: dailypost.ng

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://dailypost.ng/2023/12/06/nscdc-to-partner-hisbah-in-enforcing-sharia-law-in-zamfara/

----

 

Uganda accuses U.S. of pushing 'LGBT agenda' using aid after new round of sanctions

Dec 7, 2023

Uganda staunchly criticized Wednesday (Dec. 06) the United States’ recent expansion of visa restrictions on its officials, interpreting this as an attempt by Washington to enforce an "LGBT agenda" in Africa.

These new sanctions unveiled earlier this week target Ugandan individuals who were not formally identified. According to the U.S., they are responsible for “undermining democracy and suppressing marginalized groups, including the LGBTQ community.”

Henry Okello Oryem, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, insisted his country would not backpedal on the adoption of its bill.

He told the AFP that there was no doubt regarding the fact that “some groups in the U.S.A and in the West” seek to bring [Africans and Ugandans] “to accept same sex relations using aid and loans” as leverage.

Speaking to Reuters, he asked: "Why don't they impose the same sanctions on the Middle East countries which have the same or harsher laws against LGBT?" he said. "If they deny our MPs visas they will (go) to Shanghai, Guangzhou. There are very many beautiful places to visit."

The U.S. implemented an initial round of visa restrictions on Ugandan officials in June, in response to Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act. Following the U.S. restrictions, the World Bank also suspended new lending to Uganda in August.

The U.S. announced in late October it would exclude the east African nation from AGOA the African Growth and Opportunity Act starting from January 2024.

The law provides for heavy penalties for people who have homosexual relations and "promote" homosexuality.

The crime of "aggravated homosexuality" carries the death penalty, a sentence that has not been applied for years in Uganda.

Source: africanews.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.africanews.com/2023/12/06/uganda-accuses-us-of-pushing-lgbt-agenda-using-aid-after-new-round-of-sanctions/

------

 

Fraudulent Muslim-Muslim Ticket Was Sold To Us, Now Muslims Are Being Killed – Yusuf Knocks Tinubu, Shettima

6 December 2023

Justina Otio

A former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Usman Yusuf has lamented over the erroneous bombing of residents of Tudun Biri Village in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna.

Naija News reports that the army had erroneously dropped bombs in the village which led to the killing of over 120 persons.

Speaking on the unfortunate incident during an interview on Arise TV, Yusuf said the optics for the Nigerian Army as well as the presidency is not good.

He argued during the 2023 election Islamic clerics sold a fraudulent Muslim-Muslim ticket to Nigerian in the region.

The former NHIS fumed that Muslims are still being killed in the north despite the President and the Vice President being Muslims.

He said, “The Muslim clerics in the North came and sold this fraudulent Muslim-Muslim ticket and we have Muslim Vice President and Muslim President. Our people in the North are saying you are killing Muslims, inflicting a lot more pain on Muslims.

“You closed the borders along all the seven Northern states because you want to go to war with Niger. You are inflicting pain. Now you are killing Muslims. Look at the Military hierarchy, people are being mischievous. Look at the operational Military hierarchy and look at their religion. The military needs to be very careful and start doing damage control fast’’

Source: naijanews.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.naijanews.com/2023/12/06/fraudulent-muslim-muslim-ticket-was-sold-to-us-now-muslims-are-being-killed-yusuf-knocks-tinubu-shettima/

-----

 

Nigeria: UN calls for "impartial" investigation after deadly drone attack on civilians

Dec 7, 2023

The United Nations on Wednesday called for an "impartial investigation" after a Nigerian army drone strike accidentally killed at least 85 villagers celebrating a Muslim holiday on Sunday.

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights noted that "the authorities have described the deaths of civilians as accidental", but at the same time called for "all possible measures to be taken in the future to ensure the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure".

The Nigerian authorities "must review the rules of engagement and operational procedures to ensure that such incidents do not recur", added UN agency spokesman Seif Magango in a statement.

The High Commission "urged" Abuja to "conduct a thorough and impartial investigation" and "hold those responsible to account", while providing reparations to the victims and their families.

Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered an investigation on Tuesday after the army admitted that one of its drones targeting armed groups had accidentally hit the village of Tudun Biri, in the northwestern state of Kaduna, during the Muslim festival of Mawlid, which commemorates the birth of the Prophet Muhammad.

Most of the victims were women, children, and the elderly.

"We are particularly alarmed by reports that the strike was based on the living habits of people present at the scene, which have been misanalyzed and misinterpreted," according to the spokesman for the Geneva-based UN agency.

"We seriously question whether strikes based on +lifestyle+ are sufficiently compliant with international law," he continued.

Nigerian armed forces often resort to air strikes in their fight against bandit militias in the northwest and northeast of the country, where jihadists have been battling for over a decade. This conflict has left over 40,000 people dead and two million displaced since 2009.

Following this particularly deadly attack, the Nigerian army stated that its drone was a routine mission that had "inadvertently hit members of the community". It went on to say that the villagers had been mistaken for an armed group present in the area.

"Terrorists deliberately establish themselves in areas where civilians live, so that they suffer the consequences of their atrocities," the army had said in a statement. "The army considers every civilian death during operations as a tragedy".

Source: africanews.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.africanews.com/2023/12/06/nigeria-un-calls-for-impartial-investigation-after-deadly-drone-attack-on-civilians/

----

 

Sierra Leone arrests ex-president's guard over failed coup

DEC 6, 2023

The Sierra Leonean government announced on Tuesday the arrest of one of the main organizers of what it described as an attempted coup on November 26, and of two alleged accomplices.

These arrests bring to 60 the number of people arrested since these events, the vast majority of them military personnel.

"One of the organizers of the failed November 26 coup attempt, Amadu Koita, who was at the top of the wanted list, was arrested yesterday (Monday) at 11:30 pm" (local and GMT), Information Minister Chernor Bah told a press conference in Freetown.

A former military officer and bodyguard of Sierra Leone's ex-president Ernest Bai Koroma, Amadu Koita was widely followed on social networks, where he criticized the government of President Julius Maada Bio. He was sheltered by a policewoman and a policeman, who were also arrested, the spokesman said.

In the early hours of November 26, men attacked a military armory, two other barracks, two prisons, and two police stations, confronting security forces with weapons drawn.

The fighting left 21 people dead, including 14 soldiers, a policeman, a prison guard, a security guard, a woman, and three assailants, according to the Minister of Information.

Since 2020, the West African region has been marked by an increasing number of coups d'état, in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Guinea. On Saturday evening, Guinea-Bissau President UmaroSissocoEmbalo also denounced an "attempted coup" following clashes between the army and elements of the security forces on Thursday night.

Source: africanews.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.africanews.com/2023/12/06/sierra-leone-arrests-ex-presidents-guard-over-failed-coup/

----

 

Nigeria’s chief of army staff visits scene of deadly drone strike

DEC 6, 2023

Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff visited Tuesday (Dec. 05) Tudun Biri village where an army drone strike accidentally killed at least 85 civilians on Sunday (Dec. 03).

"The military said troops were carrying out aerial patrols when they observed a group of people and wrongly analysed and misinterpreted their pattern of activities to be similar to that bandits, before the drone strike.

Residents actually celebrated a Muslim festival.

"Having assessed the situation on the ground myself to be able to determine the kind of inquiry that will be conducted by the Nigerian army to forestall re-occurrence of this kind of unfortunate incident going forward," Lt. General TaoreedLagbaja said.

 And also to look around these communities, and even when extending beyond, to be able to determine the kind of operations we need to conduct going forward."

The incident has plunged residents of Kaduna State's Igabi district into mourning.

"I was inside the house when the first bomb was dropped... We rushed to the scene to help those affected and then a second bomb was dropped," resident Idris Dahiru told AFP.

"My aunt, my brother's wife and her six children, wives of my four brothers were among the dead. My elder brother's family are all dead, except his infant child who survived."

Medical bills

 The National Emergency Management Agency said 66 people were being treated at hospital.

General TaoreedLagbaja said the army would pay the medical bills of the wounded.

"The Nigerian army is a responsible organ of government and organisation and is willing to support our law-abiding citizens, more so that the unfortunate incident that happened on Sunday (Dec. 03), occurred as a result of an error on the part of Nigerian army personnel. So we are ready to take responsibility for the medical abuse of those ones in the hospital and also provide support to the entire community so that they can live their lives more worthwhile."

Nigeria’s army chief met with local community leaders to apologise.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered an investigation Tuesday (Dec. 05).

The UN human rights office urged the army Wednesdy (Dec. 06) to review rules of engagement and standard operating procedures

after the army acknowledged one of its drones mistakenly struck the village of Tudun Biri as residents celebrated a Muslim festival.

Nigeria's army often relies on air strikes in its fight against armed groups in the northwest and northeast of the country. Jihadists have also been fighting for more than a decade.

Militia gangs, known locally as bandits, terrorize residents committing crimes and kidnaping.

Source: africanews.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.africanews.com/2023/12/06/nigerias-chief-of-army-staff-visits-scene-of-deadly-drone-strike/

-----

 

Islamic finance segment hits $2.9 billion, says SEC

Anthony Otaru, Abuja

07 December 2023

The Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Lamido Yuguda, said the Islamic finance segment of the financial industry reached an estimated $2.9 billion as at the end of 2022 with outstanding Sukuk accounting for 57 per cent of the amount.

Islamic banks followed with 42 per cent while the remaining one per cent was split between Islamic funds and takaful.

Yuguda disclosed this yesterday in a welcome address at an ongoing forum on non-interest capital market holding in Abuja.

According to Yuguda, the development shows that the Nigerian market makes up just 0.9 per cent of the global non-interest market, indicating the dire need for more growth. He added that with the country boasting a large population and a significant proportion unbanked, the long-term potential for Islamic finance in Nigeria is immense.

“The non-interest (Islamic) capital market (NICM) in Nigeria has undergone a transformative growth, becoming an integral part of our financial framework, offering a distinctive platform for ethical and shari’ah-compliant investments.

“The NICM contributes to the diversity of our financial markets in line with our revised capital market Master plan of 2021 – 2025”, he said.

The SEC DG explained that since the debut of Sukuk in Nigeria in 2017, the Debt Management Office (DMO) has raised almost N1 trillion to finance over 5,000 kilometers of critical roads and bridges.

He assured that NICM has a huge role to play in the current economic programme being pursued by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, hence it needs to be embraced by all stakeholders.

Declaring the forum open, the Minister of Finance and Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, called on stakeholders to come up with practical solutions that would assist the government in financial sustainability to reposition the economy.

Source: guardian.ng

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://guardian.ng/business-services/islamic-finance-segment-hits-2-9-billion-says-sec/

----

 

North America

 

CAIR Welcomes UN Chief’s Invocation of Rare Article 99 Over Gaza Genocide

Ismail Allison

December 6, 2023

(WASHINGTON, DC – 12/6/2023) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed the invocation of a rare clause ordering the UN Security Council to meet to discuss an urgent ceasefire in Israel’s ethnic cleansing and genocide in Gaza.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on the Security Council to “press to avert a humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza and unite in a call for a full ceasefire. Invocation of Article 99 allows the UN secretary-general to bring the attention of the security council to “any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.”

“We hope the invocation of Article 99 will lead to concrete international action to stop the far-right Israeli government’s campaign of ethnic cleansing and genocide in Gaza,” said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. “People worldwide are losing trust in governments and international institutions as they witness the daily destruction, slaughter and displacement of Palestinian civilians.”

Yesterday, CAIR condemned the shooting of an unarmed Palestinian man in the West Bank and an Israeli attack on another hospital in Gaza and said the Biden administration is actively participating in Israel’s “ethnic cleansing and genocide of the Palestinian people.”

The Washington Post confirms that premature babies were left to die in a Gaza hospital after Israeli forces ordered the building evacuated. CAIR previously called for UN and U.S. probes of Israel’s actions after horrifying video showed the babies’ decaying corpses, partially eaten by stray dogs.]

Earlier this week, CAIR condemned another “war crime of the day” – the slaughter of at least 50 civilians in airstrikes on two UN-run schools sheltering displaced Palestinians in Gaza.

Israel has killed more than 16,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children in Gaza in recent weeks. Many more have been killed by Israeli occupation forces and illegal settlers in the West Bank.  

CAIR noted that the Israeli government’s extremist leaders have declared that there are no innocent civilians in Gaza, justified cutting off water, electricity and other basic necessities because Palestinians are ‘human animals,’ embraced an ancient biblical verse about the mass slaughter of an entire city from animals to infants, demanded a million residents of northern Gaza leave their homes or face death, and announced that the aim of the bombing in Gaza was destruction rather than accuracy.

CAIR said a new report by Heritage for Peace detailing Israel’s ongoing destruction of Palestinian cultural sites shows its desire to entirely “eliminate Palestinian existence.”  

Washington, D.C., based CAIR also questioned whether Western leaders even regard Palestinians as “human” after more than 700 women, children and men were massacred by Israel within just the last 24 hours.  

Previously, CAIR condemned the latest “Israeli war crime of the day” after more than 100 men, women and children were killed in the bombing of residential buildings hosting displaced families in Gaza’s Jabalia refugee camp.   

CAIR also condemned the Biden administration for giving the Israeli government the “green light” to resume bombing Gaza and called on the United States to join other governments in demanding the resumption of the ceasefire and negotiations to secure a just, lasting peace.   

[NOTE: More than 100,000 Americans have used CAIR’s action alert to contact their members of Congress and call for an end to the violence and the renewal of U.S.-led efforts to end the occupation. SEE: Urge Your Members of Congress to Address Root Cause of Mideast Violence]     

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.                 

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertadesciviles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a losmusulmanesenlosEstados Unidos.  

Source: cair.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original              

https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-welcomes-un-chiefs-invocation-of-rare-article-99-over-gaza-genocide/

----

 

US Senate blocks Ukraine, Israel aid in row over immigration

Dec 7, 2023

WASHINGTON: Republican senators blocked a White House request for $106 billion in emergency aid primarily for Ukraine and Israel Wednesday as conservatives balked at the exclusion of immigration reforms they had demanded as part of the package.

The vote marked a significant defeat for President Joe Biden, who had warned Congress earlier in the day that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not stop with victory in Ukraine and could even attack a NATO nation.

The package would include roughly $60 billion to help Ukraine keep up pressure on Russia during the frigid winter months and around $10 billion for Israel in its conflict with Hamas militants, plus some aid for Taiwan.

Chuck Schumer, the Democratic Senate leader, had committed to holding a vote later on adding the border security measures demanded by Republicans in a bid to secure the 60 votes needed to get it over its first procedural hurdle.

But the 49-strong Republican minority in the 100-member upper chamber voted en masse against moving forward, pointing to a lack of government action on the estimated 10,000 migrants crossing from Mexico daily.

"Everyone has been very, very clear on this to say we're standing firm. Now is the moment," Senator James Lankford, a lead Republican negotiator on immigration and border issues, told Fox Business ahead of the vote.

"We're completely out of control at the southern border, and it's time to resolve this."

Biden has led the global coalition backing Kyiv, but support has been waning among Republicans in Congress, and the administration has warned that it will run out of money for more Ukraine aid in weeks unless lawmakers act.

The president has been under pressure from progressives to reject sweeping conservative demands on immigration -- which they say are akin to closing the border -- but he vowed in an impassioned televised address he would accept "significant compromise."

'This cannot wait'

"This cannot wait. Frankly, I think it's stunning that we've gotten to this point in the first place, where Republicans in Congress are willing to give Putin the greatest gift he could hope for," Biden said.

The Democratic leader was speaking after a video summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the leaders of G7 nations to discuss how to shore up western aid for Kyiv.

Zelensky warned the leaders that Moscow was counting on western unity to "collapse" next year and said Russia had ramped up pressure on the front lines of the war.

But the precarious prospects for the aid package had been clear since a classified Ukraine briefing for senators Tuesday that saw several Republicans walk out, angry that there was no talk of border security.

Zelensky had been due to address the meeting via videolink but canceled at the last minute.

In the Republican-led House, Speaker Mike Johnson, who voted against aid to Kyiv before he took on this job, has made clear he will not agree to sending any more money without "transformative" changes to border policy.

The Louisiana Republican has also declared that any Israel aid needs to be offset with spending cuts, a policy Democrats, the White House and most Senate Republicans oppose.

Centrist Democrat Joe Manchin -- often a thorn in the side of the White House -- voiced support for the security package -- but only because of Schumer's pledge that amendments on border security could be added later.

"In the greatest country on Earth, we do not have to choose between protecting our homeland and defending our allies," he said.

The State Department separately announced a stopgap $175 million tranche of new aid for Ukraine on Wednesday, including prized HIMARS rockets, shells, missiles and ammunition.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/us-senate-blocks-ukraine-israel-aid-in-row-over-immigration/articleshow/105796533.cms

-----

 

US House asks Pakistan to uphold democratic institutions, human rights

7th December 2023

Washington: A resolution has been introduced in the US House of Representatives urging Pakistan to uphold democratic institutions, human rights, and the rule of law, as the cash-strapped country prepares for general elections in February.

The resolution introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Mitch McCormick and Congressman Dan Kildee this week affirmed its strong support for democracy in Pakistan, including free and fair elections reflecting the will of the people of Pakistan.

It also called on the President and the Secretary of State to work with the Government of Pakistan to ensure democracy, human rights, and the rule of law are upheld.

The resolution that has been sent to the House Foreign Affairs Committee “urges the Government of Pakistan to uphold democratic institutions, human rights, and the rule of law, and respect the fundamental guarantees of due process, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and freedom of speech of the people of Pakistan.”

It condemns attempts to suppress the people of Pakistan’s participation in their democracy, including through harassment, intimidation, arbitrary detention, or any violation of their human, civil, or political rights; and condemns any effort to subvert the political, electoral, or judicial processes of Pakistan.

The resolution comes at a time when Pakistan, which is facing both political and economic instability, is preparing to hold the general election on February 8.

Source: siasat.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.siasat.com/us-house-asks-pakistan-to-uphold-democratic-institutions-human-rights-2929457/

-----

 

US supplied Israel with 10,000 tons of military equipment since Gaza war: Tel Aviv

 06 December 2023

The United States has supplied Israel with more than 10,000 tons of military equipment since the beginning of the occupying regime’s war on the besieged Gaza Strip, says Tel Aviv, which ceaselessly drops bombs on the densely-populated Palestinian territory.

In a statement on Wednesday, Israel’s ministry of military affairs said that the 200th cargo plane, since October 11, carrying military equipment for the army had arrived from the US in Israel.

“Since then, over 10,000 tons of military equipment was delivered to Israel since the beginning of the war,” it said.

According to the ministry, the US military equipment includes “armored vehicles, armaments, personal protective equipment, medical supplies, ammunition, and more.”

Last month, the American non-profit news organization The Intercept reported that US President Joe Biden has requested the removal of nearly every restriction on Israel’s use of the stockpiles of weapons and ammunition stored by the US in Israel.

US President Joe Biden requests the removal of nearly every restriction on Israel’s use of the stockpiles of weapons and ammunition stored by the United States in Israel, according to a report.

Israel resumed its brutal war on Gaza on Friday after the end of a week-long humanitarian pause with the Palestinian Hamas resistance group.

Israel launched the war on Gaza on October 7 after Hamas waged the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in response to the Israeli regime's decades-long suppression and devastation against Palestinians.

At least 16,248 Palestinians have been killed, most of them women and children, and more than 43,616 others injured since the onset of the current US-backed war.

Source: presstv.ir

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/12/06/715929/US-Palestine-Israel-Gaza-military-equipment-Hamas

----

 

CAIR-Minnesota Calls for Immediate Investigation into Death of Muslim Inmate in Brown County, Wisconsin

Ismail Allison

December 6, 2023

(MINNEAPOLIS, MN, 12/6/23) – The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Minnesota) today urged officials in Brown County and the state of Wisconsin to conduct a prompt and comprehensive investigation into the death of Abdullahi Abdi-Mohamed, a Muslim incarceree who died in a Brown County cell on Oct. 29, 2023. 

Abdullahi Abdi-Mohamed passed away under unclear circumstances while in custody, with no updates provided to his family about the cause of death or the events leading up to it. CAIR-MN is demanding immediate action to bring clarity and justice in this troubling case.

“We are deeply troubled by the lack of transparency and communication from Brown County officials regarding Abdullahi Abdi-Mohamed’s untimely death,” said Jaylani Hussein, Executive Director of CAIR-Minnesota. “His family and the community deserve immediate and complete answers. We call for a comprehensive investigation to uncover the truth and ensure accountability. This situation raises serious concerns about the treatment of Muslim incarcerees and the protection of their rights.”

BACKGROUND:

The family of Abdullahi Abdi-Mohamed, along with community members, have voiced their distress and confusion to CAIR-MN regarding the circumstances of his death in custody. They seek a prompt and thorough investigation to determine the cause of death and the actions taken by Brown County officials during his detention.

Abdullahi Abdi-Mohamed was arrested on October 27, 2023, booked into the Brown County Jail, and died on October 29, 2023, while in custody. His father confirmed that the family was unaware of any medical issues that could have led to his sudden death just two days after his arrest.

Washington, D.C., based CAIR offers an educational toolkit, called “A Correctional Institution’s Guide to Islamic Religious Practices,” to help correctional officers and administrators gain a better understanding of Islam and Muslims.   

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertadesciviles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a losmusulmanesenlosEstados Unidos.

Source: cair.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-minnesota-calls-for-immediate-investigation-into-death-of-muslim-inmate-in-brown-county-wisconsin/

-----

 

CAIR Calls on House Committee to Stop Ignoring and Downplaying Islamophobia, Anti-Palestinian Racism

Ismail Allison

December 6, 2023

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 12/6/23) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce to stop ignoring and downplaying anti-Muslim bigotry and anti-Palestinian racism after some committee members dismissed the seriousness of such bigotry during a hearing on antisemitism.

CAIR also publicly released a letter it sent to the committee in advance of the hearing that called on committee members to address several highlighted Islamophobic and anti-Palestinian bias incidents that have occurred on college campuses and schools nationwide, in addition to antisemitic incidents.

During the hearing, Committee Chair Virginia Foxx failed to discuss or raise concerns about Islamophobic and anti-Palestinian racism incidents on college campuses. Not only was there no discussion of the challenges faced by Muslim students, but Rep. Bob Good (R-VA) completely undermined the urgency and importance of the prevalence of islamophobia in the country.

Rep. Good stated that “it is wrong to suggest islamophobia and antisemitism are equivalent problems in this country.”

In a statement, CAIR Government Affairs Department Coordinator ShafiquilMuhshna said

“By downplaying the severity of Islamophobia and implying that it is somehow a lesser issue compared to antisemitism, the statement by Representative Good marginalizes and dismisses the very real challenges faced by Muslim students. Such rhetoric not only fails to acknowledge the breadth and impact of Islamophobia but also perpetuates an unequal hierarchy of discrimination.

“Such remarks not only perpetuate a harmful narrative but also contribute to the marginalization of Muslim communities. It is imperative to hold public figures accountable for statements that may perpetuate bias or contribute to an unequal portrayal of different forms of discrimination.

“The failure to address growing Islamophobia underscores a broader need for a more inclusive and nuanced conversation about the safety and well-being of all students, irrespective of their religious or ethnic backgrounds.

“The fact that Islamophobia was downplayed by a member of Congress is a direct example of political Islamophobia.”

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.          

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertadesciviles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a losmusulmanesenlosEstados Unidos.         

Source: cair.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-submits-statement-to-house-committee-on-education-hearing-addressing-campus-discrimination-emphasizing-urgency-to-combat-islamophobia/

-----

 

South Asia

 

Taliban arrests three commanders and 16 TTP fighters in Afghanistan

Fidel Rahmati

December 7, 2023

The Taliban captured three leaders and 16 Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters, as per the Express Tribune, a Pakistani newspaper.

According to the report, these Pakistani militants were apprehended in the border city of Kandahar.

The arrest of Pakistani Taliban members came as a result of Pakistan’s pressure on the Afghan Taliban to take decisive action against the Pakistan Taliban, Express Tribune reported.

Pakistan has repeatedly claimed that Pakistani Taliban militants have safe havens in Afghanistan and organize anti-government attacks in Pakistan from there.

Last month, Islamabad provided a list of militants to Taliban authorities in Kabul which accuses of organizing terrorist in Pakistan.

Following the recent series of attacks in the Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan demanded the extradition of a Taliban militant named Hafiz Gul Bahadur, who is accused of assisting a suicide bomber in organizing the attack.

He is alleged to have entered Pakistan with an Afghan ID card.

In the wake of this attack, Pakistan called for serious and immediate action against the planners and facilitators of the Bannu attack.

In response to concerns, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry also announced last week that the Afghan Taliban government had given “specific assurances” to neutralize the threat posed by the Pakistani Taliban.

Following their arrest, these individuals have been moved to a Kandahar prison. The Taliban’s claim of their arrest is seen as an effort to demonstrate action against the Pakistani Taliban.

Source: khaama.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.khaama.com/taliban-arrests-three-commanders-and-16-ttp-fighters-in-afghanistan/

-----

 

Islamic Emirate Never Sought to Harm Other Countries: Deputy PM

Nazeer Shinwari

December 6, 2023

The Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, Abdul Salam Hanafi, said that the Islamic Emirate never sought to damage other countries, and urged the neighboring countries to be politically neutral towards Afghanistan.

Speaking at a gathering in the Academy of Science of Afghanistan, the Deputy PM said the Islamic Emirate wants to have good relations with all countries and that the foreigners should also not interfere in internal affairs of the country.

“We never seek the construction of our [country] through the destruction of our neighbors. We want both Afghanistan and neighbors to be built up. We have the same hope from our neighbors,” he said.

Hanafi said that the Islamic Emirate does not want to be a member of any of the "coalitions," referring to Afghanistan's history and neutrality in World Wars I and II.

“All Afghans are respected in our country. For the Afghans who are abroad due to some concerns, the Islamic Emirate’s message is to return to their country because there is no threat to them,” he said.

The acting Minister of Hajj and Religious Affairs, Noor Mohammad Saqib, told the gathering that research should be continued in various sectors in a bid to pave the way for development in the country.

Abdul Baqi Haqqani, head of the National Examination Authority, said that Afghanistan needs experienced and academic people.

“There is a need for our youth to go out of the country and learn good experiences there and use it in Afghanistan,” he said.

Hanafi also highlighted the increased security in the country as well as efforts to counter narcotics.

Source: tolonews.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-186373

------

 

UN experts urge protection for Afghan nationals in Pakistan

Fidel Rahmati

December 7, 2023

UN experts issued a statement on Wednesday, urging the protection of Afghan nationals currently in Pakistan. They highlighted the alarming risk of human rights violations that Afghan nationals forced to leave Pakistan since November 1st may face upon their return.

“They said the Afghan nationals most likely to be affected include women and girls, victims of trafficking, religious and ethnic minorities, former Government officials, persons with disabilities, older persons, and other refugees and migrants – “documented” or “undocumented,” the experts said.

“We wish to caution the Government of Pakistan that the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP), which came into effect on 1 November 2023, does not include provisions for individual assessment of irreparable harm and risks that may be faced by Afghan nationals who are forced to return to Afghanistan,” the experts added.

“Afghan nationals, in particular, women and girls, face risks of being trafficked or re-trafficked in the country or during displacement. Persons belonging to religious and ethnic minorities are particularly at risk of persecution upon return,” they warned.

“We are concerned that the adoption of the Plan and failure to ensure effective protection for Afghan nationals may violate the absolute prohibition of refoulment under customary international law,” the UN experts said.

The experts are deeply concerned about the Plan’s potential harm to Afghan women and girls due to ongoing gender persecution in Afghanistan. Deportees may face child marriage, trafficking, and loss of rights.

They also express alarm about forced evictions and arrests of Afghan nationals in Pakistan in 2023. They emphasize the need for adherence to international law, including non-refoulement and non-discrimination in migration regulation.

The experts emphasized the importance of providing assistance and protection, including access to asylum rights, without discrimination, regardless of documentation held by Afghan nationals.

Pakistan, having hosted Afghan nationals for over two decades, was urged to continue protecting them, ensuring the rights of migrants, refugees, trafficking victims, and those fearing persecution, including gender-based persecution.

They called upon the international community to offer support for hosting Afghan refugees, promoting increased resettlement opportunities, and rights-based family reunification. The experts have also engaged with the Government of Pakistan on these concerns.

Source: khaama.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.khaama.com/un-experts-urge-protection-for-afghan-nationals-in-pakistan/

----

 

Schools Failing Boys: The Taliban’s impact on boys’ educaiton in Afghanistan – Human Rights Watch Report

Fidel Rahmati

December 6, 2023

Human Rights Watch has released a report detailing the state of boys’ education in Afghanistan under Taliban control.

The report, titled “Schools are failing boys too, the Taliban’s impact on boys’ education in Afghanistan,” was published on Wednesday, 6 November.

According to the report, the Taliban’s restrictions on education have not only affected girls but have also caused significant harm to boys’ education since the group came to power.

While the media has focused on the ban on girls’ education beyond the sixth grade and their exclusion from universities, the serious consequences of the Taliban’s actions on boys’ education have received less attention.

“While the Taliban have not prohibited boys’ education, they persistently undermine the educational system in Afghanistan. By effectively prohibiting girls’ access to secondary and higher education, the Taliban’s harmful and discriminatory gender-based practices not only deny Afghan girls their right to education but also have adverse effects on boys. Under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which Afghanistan ratified in 2003, governments are obligated to ensure “the elimination of any stereotyped concept of the roles of men and women at all levels and in all forms of education,” the report said.

Dismissal of female teachers

Human Rights Watch reveals that the Taliban has expelled all female teachers from boys’ schools. This has led to male students being taught by unqualified male teachers or even forced to attend classes without instructors.

A twelfth-grade student stated that out of sixteen teachers in his school, fourteen were women. After the Taliban takeover, four male teachers fled Afghanistan, and new male teachers were hired to replace them.

The report highlights that the new male teachers often spend class time discussing religion, the Prophet of Islam, and the “victory of the Taliban in the jihad against America and the West.”

Physical Punishment of Students

Human Rights Watch also raises concerns about the significant increase in physical punishment of male students in schools under Taliban control. Students have been subjected to beatings for various reasons, such as hairstyle, clothing, and possession of mobile phones.

Some students reported witnessing their classmates being physically abused on a daily basis for various pretexts.

The report strongly condemns the use of physical violence against students, as it violates their human rights and inflicts unnecessary suffering, humiliation, and psychological harm on children.

Harmful changes in the curriculum

Human Rights Watch mentions a previous report by the “Committee for the Review of Contemporary School Curriculum” published in the month of November last last year. This report revealed the Taliban’s intentions to make changes in the school curriculum, including promoting sectarianism, condemning international organizations like the United Nations, banning Nowruz celebrations, restricting cultural events, and criticizing certain figures.

Although it remains unclear whether the recommendations of the “Committee for the Review of Contemporary School Curriculum” have been fully implemented in current school curricula, Human Rights Watch suggests that the Taliban’s recent actions align with similar concerns expressed by students.

A student mentioned that since the Taliban’s rise to power, there is no noticeable difference between religious schools and regular schools.

The report concludes by highlighting the urgent need for international countries and organizations associated with the United Nations to demand that the Taliban end the ban on girls’ education and cease violating boys’ rights to quality education.

According to Human Rights Watch, the Taliban’s actions have not only created a humanitarian and economic crisis in Afghanistan but have also resulted in the abandonment of education by many male students who are now working to support their families.

Human Rights Watch calls on countries and UN-related entities to press the Taliban to prioritize education for all and prevent the loss of hope for the future in Afghanistan.

Source: khaama.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.khaama.com/schools-failing-boys-the-talibans-impact-on-boys-educaiton-in-afghanistan-human-rights-watch-report/

-----

 

WFP warns of uncertain future for returning Afghan migrants from Pakistan

Fidel Rahmati

December 6, 2023

The World Food Program (WFP) has announced that alongside over six million internally displaced people in Afghanistan, newly returning migrants from Pakistan are facing an uncertain future.

On Wednesday, the organization stated on its social media platform X, cautioning about the uncertain future of returning migrants from Pakistan.

The World Food Program has emphasized that “they [migrants] have nowhere to go and don’t know how to spend the winter.”

This comes as Pakistan’s decision to expel over 1.7 million “illegal” Afghan migrants from Afghanistan has faced international backlash.

Previously, the United Nations and human rights organizations expressed concerns about the expelled migrants’ situation, particularly with the onset of winter.

Recently, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees expressed concern about the situation of returning migrants, calling for a halt to their expulsion during the winter season.

However, according to reports, since the start of the expulsion process from Pakistan, more than 400,000 individuals have already returned to Afghanistan.

Source: khaama.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.khaama.com/wfp-warns-of-uncertain-future-for-returning-afghan-migrants-from-pakistan/

------

 

Key Afghan-Pakistani border crossing closed amid gate construction dispute

Fidel Rahmati

December 6, 2023

A key border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan closed on Wednesday due to a dispute over constructing a new gate, a Pakistani official said.

The Torkham border is currently closed for travellers and traffic due to a verbal clash between border security forces from both countries.

“We are constructing a new gate near the border crossing, and the Afghan Taliban raised objection to the sign board ‘Welcome to Pakistan’,” a Pakistani official at the border said, as cited by Anadolu.

Meanwhile, Pakistani media outlets have stated that the closure of the Torkham border came in response to objections raised by Taliban forces, who installed a sign at the entrance of the crossing. In reaction to this objection, Pakistani border guards closed the crossing.

It is reported that the objection by the Taliban regarding the installation of the sign at the Torkham border crossing led to the subsequent closure of the crossing by Pakistani border authorities.

Taliban officials have also stated that Pakistan has closed this crossing.

Quraishi Baloun, the Information Officer of the Department of Information and Culture in Nangarhar province, said that Pakistani officials have closed the Torkham border crossing in Nangarhar province.

According to this Taliban official, the group opposed the installation of this sign, and as a result, Pakistani border guards closed this crossing.

Pakistani authorities have not made any official statements on this matter so far.

This comes in the context of previous closures of the Torkham crossing for cargo trucks for various reasons, resulting in significant financial losses for traders.

Torkham is the most important border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan, where hundreds of cargo trucks transport commercial goods daily. The closure of this border crossing has raised concerns among traders.

The Torkham crossing has been closed while the interim government of Pakistan has recently implemented a severe plan to deport Afghan citizens, and thousands of Afghans are being forcibly expelled from the country daily.

The closure of the Torkham crossing comes at a time when Asef Durrani, Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, had reported on his meeting with Juliette Walsh-Noyes, Deputy Secretary of State for South and Donald Blome, U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan, regarding Afghan migrants.

Source: khaama.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.khaama.com/key-afghan-pakistani-border-crossing-closed-amid-gate-construction-dispute/

-----

 

URL:    https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/up-madrassas-foreign-funds-conversions-terrorism/d/131270

New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism