religion

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – On the Sunday before Christmas, Pope Francis said, “May the weapons be silenced and Christmas carols resound!” according to Kristina Molare at the Catholic News Agency. The Pope continued, in a clear condemnation of the Israeli government, “With sorrow I think of Gaza, of so much cruelty; of the children […]

Alawites

Shiite Latakia Falls to new Syrian Government, as Sheikhs call for Reconciliation and Recruits are Pardoned

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – On Monday, the Levant Liberation Council (Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham/ HTS) guerrilla forces extended their rule to Latakia, Syria’s major port, in the northwest of the country. One Syrian source maintained that there was an uprising of anti-Assad Alawites in Latakia, and that HTS rebels had not entered the city. Other […]

Featured

Killing One innocent Soul is the Same as Killing all of Humanity: Jewish and Muslim Teachings against Cosmocide

Juan Cole

The below is an excerpt from my essay, “The Sin of Cosmocide,” for Renovatio, the literary magazine of Zaytuna, the Muslim liberal arts college in Berkeley, Ca. It underlines how both Jewish and Muslim spiritual teachings forbid the killing of innocents who are guilty of no crime, and equate this deed to killing all humankind […]

Donald Trump

What could go Wrong? Some wealthy Jewish Americans risk alliance with Trump’s White Christian Nationalism

H. Scott Prosterman

Oakland, Ca. (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) – A small coterie of wealthy Jewish Americans are perversely giddy and glowing over convicted criminal Donald Trump’s election. In contrast, American Jews in less wealthy income groups overwhelmingly voted against the orange authoritarian. Still, he garnered about a fifth of the Jewish vote. How did he con […]

Christianity

Pope Francis Calls for Painstaking Investigation into Whether Israeli War on Gaza is a Genocide

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Pope Francis has a new book, Hope never disappoints. Pilgrims towards a better world. The English version is not out yet, but I was able to find the Italian. It calls for an investigation into whether the Israeli war on Gaza is a genocide. The Pope mentions Gaza on several […]

Christianity

Jordan Condemns Israeli Forces for Storming Jerusalem Church

Middle East Monitor

( Middle East Monitor ) – The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the Israeli occupation forces storming a church in the Sanctuary of the Eleona in occupied Jerusalem on Thursday and arresting two security guards employed by the French Consulate General in Jerusalem. The two guards were tasked with securing the area ahead of […]

Featured

Conservative Muslim Cleric in North Gaza denounces Hamas for violating Islamic Laws of War

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Rushdi Abualouf of the BBC reported on a new fatwa or considered legal opinion issued by the conservative Salafi scholar Dr Salman al-Dayah, who had once been a dean at the School of Islamic Law and Civil Law at the Islamic University of Gaza. The controversial opinion lambasted Hamas for […]

Arab Americans

Palestinian-Americans Help Make the US Great: A Reply to Giuliani at the Trumpie Madison Square Garden Hatefest

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The Great Trump Three Hours of Hate at Madison Square Garden on Sunday included a fatally unfunny comedian calling Puerto Ricans garbage and other racist swill directed at African-Americans, Hispanics and other groups. Trump alleged that a violent Venezuelan prison gang has taken over Times Square, which bears the same […]

Anti-Zionism

Protesting the Firing of Tenured Professor Maura Finkelstein for Criticizing Zionism

Committee on Academic Freedom

Committee on Academic Freedom | Middle East Studies Association | – Dear President Harring, Provost Furge and Professor Dowd: We write on behalf of the Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA) and its Committee on Academic Freedom to express our grave concern about the announcement by Muhlenberg College that it intends to terminate […]