logo
#

Latest news with #PalestinianMuslim

What Pope Francis knew
What Pope Francis knew

Boston Globe

time23-04-2025

  • Politics
  • Boston Globe

What Pope Francis knew

I have several stories from the past couple of years when I have been blessed enough to meet with Pope Francis, but one in particular stands out, when, late last summer, he invited a small delegation to the Vatican to discuss issues of storytelling and peace in the Middle East. Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up Refugees and migrants rescued by members of the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms in the Mediterranean Sea in 2020. Sergi Camara/Associated Press Advertisement Our delegation of five met near the papal apartments in the Cortile del Belvedere in the Vatican. We walked over cobblestones damp from an early rain. We were greeted in the entryway and guided toward the elevators. It was a pristine building, well kept, high-ceilinged. As we turned a corner, we were surprised to see a large artwork on the wall. Six-and-a-half feet high, it was in the shape of a crucifix. It took a moment to realize that the giant cross was made of transparent resin and that the 'body' of the cross was not a body at all but an orange life jacket. Advertisement The artwork hung in the entryway to the pope's personal quarters, a startling symbol of the world's refugees. A life jacket, most likely belonging to an African refugee rescued, or maybe drowned, at sea, in the place of, or in tandem with, Christ on the cross. The artwork the author saw in the Vatican last summer. Colum McCann We knew then that we were there to meet a person who held the stories of others. Among our delegation were a Palestinian Christian, a Palestinian Muslim, and an Israeli Jew. We remained in the waiting room a considerable time while other parties came and went from behind the door. Time held itself. Toward late morning, we were the last delegation. Pope Francis stood from his chair to shake hands. He was 'deeply moved' to meet our Palestinian and Israeli delegates, he said. They were an important part of the peace movement, not just in the Middle East but around the globe. Then he sat to listen. What was most extraordinary about him was how the words seemed to enter him. Viscerally. Tranquilly. His was a gentle presence, but candescent too. He seemed to be accepting the words as gifts. A pang of pain went across the hood of his eyes as his visitors talked of occupation, genocide, apartheid. The dark abysses of the human condition that he himself had often spoken about. He wanted to hear these words in order to know what he could properly say to the rest of the world. It struck me that I had never seen words being accepted in the same way. The brutal realities. The common thread of pain. The anguish of the unsaid. The ignorance. The disinformation. He wanted to hear all this in order to know what he might say, at another time, to other people around the world. When he finally did speak, he did so quietly, with care, compassion, and startling humility. For common phrases — 'Thank you for coming,' 'I am very moved by your stories' — he used English, but for that which he truly wanted to say, he spoke to a Spanish interpreter. Advertisement 'You remind us that we still have light, even in the darkest moments.' 'The peacemakers must embrace one another first.' 'You have the ability to bring change into history.' There was humor too. When it was suggested that he might make a good candidate for the presidency of the United States, he quietly smiled and said, 'I am not quite sure that it would be a benediction.' To be in such a presence was a great gift, not just for the quality of the moment itself but for what it suggested for what might come after — the struggle for any sort of peaceful engagement in a shattered world. I was reminded of a line from Arabic poetry: 'Is there any hope that this desolation might bring us solace?' As we left, we passed the artwork again. It had become more crucifix than sculpture. The life jacket was, of course, representative of whoever had once worn it, but it also represented the lives that the Palestinian and Israeli delegation's families had lost, or the current realm of terror and global indifference. Pope Francis kissed the foot of a man at the Castelnuovo di Porto refugee center outside Rome in 2016. The pontiff washed and kissed the feet of Muslim, Orthodox, Hindu, and Catholic refugees, declaring them children of the same God. l'Osservatore Romano In the corner of the vaulted ceiling above where the crucifix hung, there was a small crack in the plasterwork. The paint was swollen and bubbling. This, in itself, was incredible in such a building: One did not expect there to be a blemish. Not only that, but the crack in the wall had allowed water to seep in. Advertisement It appeared to us, as we left the building, that the outside was seeking the inside and that the rainwater was looking for the life jacket. It was like the line from the Leonard Cohen song 'Anthem': There's a crack, a crack in everything / that's how the light gets in . It turned out that the crucifix was controversial to some who were critical of Pope Francis. Some right-wing critics said that he was 'deifying the poor and the marginalized.' But that was not something Pope Francis would have responded to. He had blessed the crucifix in 2019. He had embraced the wider meaning. He knew.

Islamophobia is on the rise across America. Silence can no longer be an option
Islamophobia is on the rise across America. Silence can no longer be an option

Yahoo

time07-04-2025

  • Politics
  • Yahoo

Islamophobia is on the rise across America. Silence can no longer be an option

A 6-year-old Palestinian Muslim boy in Illinois was brutally murdered in 2023 — stabbed 26 times by the family's landlord, according to police, in a crime authorities later determined was motivated by anti-Muslim hate. Just one month later, three Palestinian students were targeted and shot while walking in the streets of Vermont. Six months later, police said, a 3-year-old nearly drowned at the hands of a woman who made racist remarks toward the child's Muslim family in Euless, Texas. These tragic incidents are part of a troubling pattern of growing Islamophobia in the United States. Here in Austin, that has meant Muslim students — like myself — feel unsafe and increasingly face Islamophobic attacks. In some ways, the experiences my Muslim friends and I have had at the University of Texas mirror those of any other student. We put on our burnt orange shirts and yell our lungs out for the football team. We cram for exams at the Perry-Castañeda Library. And we value our faith. But some days, hate makes itself known. In October, while I was praying at Nueces Mosque, a man threw large rocks at the mosque, damaging it and scaring a community member. We called the police and filed a hate crime report. Days later, a friend was walking back from campus when someone drove beside her and yelled that she was a terrorist. Worse: Bystanders who should have stood up for her simply stared. That made her feel isolated and alone, she told me later. These are two of the many hate incidents that have recently occurred in Austin. Community members regularly say they don't feel safe walking in the streets of Austin. The numbers show that our experiences are part of a broader, disturbing pattern. Last year, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) received 8,658 complaints of anti-Muslim discrimination from across the country — the highest numbers since CAIR started tracking them in 1996. These complaints, along with numerous other reports, show Muslims and mosques all across the country have faced vandalism, threats, attacks and arson. The rise in Islamophobia has often been met with silence from political leaders. In fact, many of them are fueling hate against Muslims. Take Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, who baselessly accused the Arab American Institute of supporting terrorism at a hearing last fall addressing hate incidents. 'You should hide your head in a bag," Kennedy told the group's director. This damaging rhetoric, when pushed by public figures, provides avenues for anti-Muslim discrimination and can embolden people to act against Muslims. Likewise, the media often associates Muslims with violence and extremism. U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat and the first Palestinian Muslim woman to serve in Congress, has faced these stereotypes. In September, a cartoon published in the National Review depicted Tlaib with an exploding pager, a reference to an attack on Hezbollah using pagers. The racist cartoon was an Islamophobic depiction of a political figure that reinforced harmful stereotypes, further dehumanizing Muslims and justifying hate against them. Federal officials have been slow to respond, creating the impression that they do not care about Muslims. One month before the Trump administration began, the Biden Administration released a national strategy to combat Islamophobia. This plan came too late, as Islamophobia had been rising in the United States since 2023, and the Trump administration would not take it seriously. If we ignore the rise of Islamophobia in the United States, then we ignore the core values on which this country was built: religious freedom, equality and liberty for all. This hate has grown from the inaction and complicity of our political leaders, media and fellow Americans. It is time we made a stand now and push back against this hate through concrete action. Silence can no longer be an option. Only by confronting this issue can we make America a place for everyone. Abdullah Alsawfta, a Palestinian Muslim American graduate student at the University of Texas' LBJ School of Public Affairs, grew up in Dallas. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Islamophobia is on the rise. Silence cannot remain an option | Opinion

Israeli forces restrict Palestinian worshipers access to Al-Aqsa Mosque on third Friday of Ramadan
Israeli forces restrict Palestinian worshipers access to Al-Aqsa Mosque on third Friday of Ramadan

National News

time21-03-2025

  • Politics
  • National News

Israeli forces restrict Palestinian worshipers access to Al-Aqsa Mosque on third Friday of Ramadan

NNA - Israeli occupation forces imposed strict restrictions on the entry of Palestinian Muslim worshipers coming from the West Bank to the occupied city of Jerusalem to perform the third Friday prayer of the holy month of Ramadan in the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Local sources reported a significant deployment of Israeli troops around the Qalandiya checkpoint to the north of Jerusalem, the Zeitoun checkpoint to the east, and Bethlehem to the south. Thousands of worshippers were turned back and denied access to the city under the pretext of not having the necessary permits. The soldiers further checked citizens' IDs and prevented men under the age of 55 and women under the age of 50 who had obtained "special permits" from entering Jerusalem. Despite this, thousands of citizens have poured through the checkpoints since this morning in an attempt to reach Al-Aqsa Mosque. The sources added that the occupation forces closed the gates of the Qalandia military checkpoint and prevented anyone from entering for about half an hour before reopening them. They detained a journalist and interrogated him on the spot after obstructing the work of the press crews at the site. The occupation authorities have already been imposing strict restrictions on entry of worshipers to the Old City of Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque since the outbreak of the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Palestinian people in early October 2023.--WAFA ============R.H.

Israeli Occupation Tightens Grip on West Bank and Al-Quds: Raids, Demolitions and Oppressive Restrictions
Israeli Occupation Tightens Grip on West Bank and Al-Quds: Raids, Demolitions and Oppressive Restrictions

Al Manar

time07-03-2025

  • Politics
  • Al Manar

Israeli Occupation Tightens Grip on West Bank and Al-Quds: Raids, Demolitions and Oppressive Restrictions

The Israeli regime has been tightening the grip on occupied West Bank and Al-Quds, with occupation forces stepping up raids and arrests on Friday, as well as imposing oppressive restrictions on prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque on the holy month of Ramadan. Palestinian media reported heavy restrictions on prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Al-Quds. Al-Manar correspondent in Al-Quds reported that the oppressive Israeli measures were hindering the access of prayers in the holy compound. Palestinian Muslim worshipers wait at the Israeli military checkpoint of Qalandia on their way to Al-Aqsa Mosque for prayers on the first Friday of Ramadan. Israeli occupation authorities announced that only men above 55 and women above 50 from the West Bank would be allowed… — Quds News Network (@QudsNen) March 7, 2025 However, thousands of worshipers performed prayers on the first Friday of Ramadan holy month, despite the restrictions. The Islamic Waqf (Endowment) Ministry in Al-Quds said that about 90,000 worshippers performed the first Friday prayer of Ramadan at Al-Aqsa Mosque. 'Israel' Refuses to Hand over Ibrahimi Mosque Meanwhile on Friday, the Palestinian Waqf Ministry said that Israeli occupation authorities refused to hand over sections of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Al-Khalil's (Hebron) old city, as is customary on Fridays during Ramadan, calling the move a 'dangerous and unprecedented' step. Israeli forces barred Palestinian journalists from the courtyards of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron. Earlier, the Palestinian Waqf Ministry said the occupation refused to hand over the mosque — a Ramadan Friday custom — to allow Palestinians full access. — The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) March 7, 2025 For his part, Hamas official Haroun Nasser Al-Din called on Palestinians in the occupied territory to 'mobilize and rally' to protect the Ibrahimi Mosque. The Israeli occupation's 'continuous and escalating steps constitute a blatant attack on the status of the Ibrahimi Mosque, and a blatant and dangerous violation within the series of ongoing attacks on Islamic sanctities', Nasser Al-Din added. West Bank Raids, Demolitions On the other hand, the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) went ahead with raids and demolitions in several areas across the West Bank. Palestinian media reported on Friday that the IOF raided the city of Tubas. Earlier at dawn, the occupation forces raided Nablus, as they stormed a mosque in the Old City and prevented Fajr prayers. ⚡️BREAKING: Israeli forces stormed Al-Nasr Mosque in the Old City of Nablus in the West Bank, burning Qur'an and eventually setting the mosque on fire. Civil defense crews were deployed to the scene following the incident. — Suppressed News. (@SuppressedNws) March 7, 2025 On its turn, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said Israeli soldiers have begun the demolition of 16 buildings in the Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarem in the northern West Bank. The move comes after dozens of homes were recently demolished in Tulkarem and Jenin. In a statement, UNRWA said these large-scale demolitions are 'an alarming new pattern', have 'an unprecedented impact on Palestine refugees' and 'seek to permanently change the characteristics of the camps in the northern West Bank'. Yesterday, the Israeli Security Forces began the demolition of over 16 buildings in Nur Shams Camp in Tulkarm, northern #WestBank. These large-scale demolitions are an alarming new pattern. People now face the prospect of having nowhere to return to. Full statement… — UNRWA (@UNRWA) March 7, 2025

Murder trial to begin for Illinois man charged in fatal stabbing of Palestinian American boy
Murder trial to begin for Illinois man charged in fatal stabbing of Palestinian American boy

Yahoo

time24-02-2025

  • Politics
  • Yahoo

Murder trial to begin for Illinois man charged in fatal stabbing of Palestinian American boy

The trial for the Illinois man charged in the fatal 2023 stabbing of a 6-year-old Palestinian American boy in what prosecutors call a hate crime is set to begin in Will County on Monday. Joseph Czuba, 71, is accused of stabbing Wadea Al-Fayoume to death and seriously injuring the boy's mother, Hanaan Shahin, 32. He has been charged with murder, attempted murder, aggravated battery and hate crime in connection with the attack. Czuba pleaded not guilty to the charges in October 2023. He was ordered detained until trial. Wadea was stabbed 26 times and died in the hospital. Shahin was seriously injured after she was stabbed more than a dozen times as she called for help and tried to protect her son, investigators have said. The stabbings occurred on Oct. 14, 2023, days after the Hamas attack on Israel in which about 1,200 people were killed around 250 taken hostage, according to the country's officials. Israel's subsequent offensive has killed more than 48,000 people in Gaza, according to health officials in the enclave. The attack was investigated as an anti-Muslim hate crime. Prosecutors have said Czuba targeted the mother and son because of their Muslim faith. The day after the attack, then-President Joe Biden denounced the stabbings. 'The child's Palestinian Muslim family came to America seeking what we all seek — a refuge to live, learn and pray in peace,' he said at the time. George D. Lenard, the public defender representing Czuba, said by phone Thursday night that he does not comment on cases while they are pending. Shahin and her son rented rooms from Czuba at his home in Plainfield Township, Illinois, about 40 miles southwest of downtown Chicago. Czuba's wife told investigators that days before the attack, her husband said he wanted Shahin and her son to 'move out of the home.' That same day, Czuba confronted Shahin about the situation in the Middle East, according to court documents. Just before he attacked her, Czuba told Shahin 'he was angry at her for what was going on' in Israel, Assistant State's Attorney Michael Fitzgerald wrote in the petition requesting that Czuba be detained. Shahin 'stated she responded to him 'let's pray for peace,'' and that 'Czuba gave her no chance to do anything' before he attacked her with a knife, according to the petition. Family friend Yousef Hannon told NBC News at the time that Shahin didn't expect Czuba would hurt her son because he had been like a grandfather to Wadea and had even built him a tree house. 'The child, when he saw Czuba, ran to him for a hug and instead was stabbed 26 times,' Hannon said. Czuba's wife, Mary Czuba, told investigators that her husband had become obsessed with the war between Israel and Hamas, authorities have said. Shahin told police she had been texting Czuba's wife earlier that week about his 'hatred for Muslims.' This article was originally published on

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store