#Qatar State Mosque

[emaadsidiki]

The Grand Mosque, Doha, Qatar.

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

by Douglas Murray

All of this money was used by Hamas leaders to buy themselves luxury condos in Qatar and other foreign climes. Inside Gaza, almost none of this money went to help Palestinians in Gaza. Rather Hamas used the funds they didn’t pilfer to build this underground terror network which comes out in hospitals, mosques, and other places that the international community regards as sacred, but which Hamas does not.

And why do I say “we”? Because American taxpayers are among the people who were fooled into sending money to these terrorists.

Since 2007, the US has sent over $400 million in taxpayers’ money to Gaza. That is all after the coup where Hamas seized power. These are the official figures released by USAID (United States Agency for International Development. USAID also says that it has paid more than $500 million between 2021 and the end of this year.

That money may also have gone to the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. And I can tell you from traveling there many times that I know where our taxpayer dollars went too. They went to the equally corrupt officials of Fatah who built themselves mansions that would cause envy to many homeowners in the Hamptons.

And even that isn’t the end of it. Because the US is also foolish enough to continue to fund the UN agency UNRWA. This is one of the most corrupt entities even at the UN. Which is saying something. And in 2021 alone the US was UNRWA’s largest single donor, shoveling an astonishing $338 million.

Other countries have also been taken for mugs.

The EU is spending more than $100 million in Gaza this year. But even the EU countries don’t give as much money to UNRWA as America does. The US is far and away the biggest donor. The next biggest is Germany with a mere $176 million going annually to the organization. In total, US agencies have funneled billions of dollars to Gaza in recent years. And all of this money has gone not to improving the lives of Palestinians, but to building palaces for Hamas and tunnels for their weaponry and terrorists.

Hamas officials have even said that they regard the tunnels as being for their terrorists. The rest of the world is meant to look after the actual civilians themselves.

I beg to differ. And I also beg American officials to wise up. Our taxpayer dollars have gone to a terrorist group every year since 2007. And now we know what we have got for it. An attack on our allies in Israel.

[cock-holliday]

The post you made about the celebrity/Biden letter honestly kind of has the same energy as that person who tried to argue that Neil Gaiman is a zionist, especially considering that the list is full of a majority Jewish celebrities.

I agree that the lack of condemnation of the Isreali government's genocide against Palestinian people doesn't look good and I also hate a lot of the wording of the letter, but I think getting into semantics over performative celebrity slackivism from mostly Jewish people who are ultimately calling for the placement of human life over politics doesn't feel like the place to be wasting energy. Especially when, despite how publicly unpopular it is, being publicly vague about politics is still job security in any field. Especially in the entertainment industry.

(dgmw, that doesn't make it "right" - like just look at Macklemore's incredible statement in comparison - but I also don't think people should be blamed for toeing a line but not crossing it because saying more in different ways could jeopardize their places in their profession, regardless of what that profession is)

Neil Gaiman has stated that he believes Israel has a right to exist and that he wants Palestine to either be a country or have full citizenship within Israel. Neil’s response is the sort of fence-sitting I expected from a celebrity—as the goals of Israel are counter to Palestine’s sovereignty. They do not want Palestinians to exist let alone be given equal or even better treatment. Is that sort of response completely removed from the reality of the situation? Yes. Does that make Neil a zionist? Not really.

The letter is much worse.

To begin with, the letter references “beheaded babies” which immediately shows the level of debunked misinformation the entire campaign is operating from. I expected a limp dick response from celebs: “we want no more death,” “we want everyone to leave peacefully”, “please bring the hostages home and end the conflict that definately started October 7th ty 🙏”

What we get is much more sinister.

No, I wouldn’t fucking dream of celebs en mass condemning Israel when they’re too chickenshit to even call for a ceasefire. I thought, foolishly perhaps, that we would get “we don’t need more bloodshed, please limit civilian casualties/exercise caution/show restraint” etc etc every buzzword they use for hostage situations.

The most chilling part of the letter is the implication that the ONLY source of violence is Hamas. The only cause of death for Israelis is Hamas. The deaths of Palestinians is Hamas or…what? Alternatives are completely absent.

Hamas tried to return hostages and Israel rejected them. The hostages who have been released are the result of a brokered deal with Egypt and Qatar—not Israel. It is looking increasingly like a number of casualties on October 7th are a result of Israel counter-striking, including SHELLING buildings holding the hostages. Israel has been bombing hospitals and mosques and churches across the country under the excuse that Hamas is hiding behind human shields—a tactic they have used for decades.

I expected spineless bothsidesing and empty expressions of a desire for peace alongside the concern for the hostages.

What the letter is is permission to do whatever “to save the hostages” that Israel does not give two shits about. They have killed their own hostages, denied their own hostages—and not for no reason! Israel has been using everything as a pretext for ethnic cleansing.

They have claimed places are hiding Hamas that weren’t, that hospitals they blew up were actually blown up by Hamas, that Hamas actually has chemical weapons and that’s why we have to level a neighborhood, that a civilian standing there was actually cause for violence—they get pissed when civilians don’t fight back because it’s hard to spin it as justified when they kill everyone anyway.

Israel has been attacking Palestinian settlements not controlled or connected to Hamas in any way—it is pretext.

This is Iraq WMDs all fucking over again and it makes me feel insane to watch it happen again.

“Do whatever you must to save the civilians” is implicit permission to do whatever the fuck Israel wants and fuck the hostages, they don’t care.

I fully expect celebs to protect their jobs over their interest in people’s lives—I know the cost of speaking out about Palestine, I have experienced it in the past and watched it happen for years. Silence would still be gross, but less gross than this.

If celebs sang a corny song about how ‘hey maybe Israel could pause the slaughter for a minute’ it would be infinitely less disgusting than this letter that blatantly shows

1. The celebs didn’t read it,

2. They are wiiiiiiiildly clueless to what is happening, or

3. They support genocide.

Which is it?

And *I* am Jewish, many people fighting the IOF are Jewish, many marches in the US and abroad are being organized by and heavily populated by Jews. That is not an excuse. Fence-sitting and handwringing are disappointing—a letter that will ultimately be justification for the continuation of massacres is appalling.

It is not “wasted energy” to explain why this is appalling.

[girlactionfigure]

🔅After Shabbat Report - ISRAEL REALTIME - Connect to Israel in Real Time

🔻Peace rockets of death over Shabbat…

Hezbollah - Even Menachem, Zarit, Shomera, Shtula 

Hezbollah - Shlomi

Hamas - Sderot, Ibim, Nir Am — launch site subsequently destroyed.

Hamas - Nachal Oz 

Hezbollah - Kiryat Shmona

▪️US SAYS ISRAEL NOT ALLOWED TO FIGHT UNLESS THEY SAY SO.. US Sec State Blinken: “The US needs to see a clear and implementable plan for action in Rafah. The US has not yet seen such a plan. We cannot support an operation that does not include a civilian protection and evacuation plan.”

▪️US SAYS CEASEFIRE CLOSER.. US Sec State Blinken: “The US government is working extensively with Egypt, Qatar and Israel to bridge the remaining gaps for the deal, discussions are ongoing as we speak. Israel has brought back a team to the negotiations and this underscores the urgency.”

A diplomat familiar with the discussions on the cease-fire agreement told CNN that "it will not be easy to convince the Israelis to agree to the latest terms of Hamas", adding that he is waiting for the Israeli answer and "is not celebrating yet”.

(( Hmm, can the U.S. force Israel to accept suicide terms?  They’re trying. ))

▪️TERROR - HEBRON SHOOTING.. An armed terrorist was identified shooting towards the Jewish section of  Hebron from the cemetery area. The terrorist was neutralized, IDF forces are searching for additional terrorists.  The terrorist was an imam of one of the Arab Hebron city mosques and a Hamas member.

▪️PROTESTS.. small groups of protestors causing major disruption: around a hundreds protesters blocking the Karkur intersection demanding that the government agree to the deal now and demanding that the government be replaced. Around 40 at nightly Ayalon south blocked to traffic by protesters demanding to reach a deal. 

They get a lot of media coverage giving the impression of major activity, and are given some extra leeway because distraught hostage families are sometimes involved - but are consistently small in number (hundreds).

▪️DOWNED SUICIDE DRONE FOUND.. in the north with warhead intact.  Police sappers blew it up.  If you encounter rocket or drone parts, contact police, dial 100.

▪️AID DROP.. now with pink parachutes so the civilians can try to avoid getting crushed.  UNSUCCESSFUL: Al Jazeera: One dead and several injured as a result of aid that was dropped today in Beit Lahia in the north of Gaza.

▪️AID HANDLING.. NBC report: Israel is considering hiring the services of American defense companies and contractors (meaning mercenaries) to secure humanitarian aid shipments inside Gaza.

▪️AIR TRAVEL.. Brussels Airlines will restart flights next week. EU airline Eurowings started flying to Israel this week.

🔸LET MY BABIES & WOMEN GO! -> https://www.israelhayom.com/2023/10/31/these-are-the-captives-held-by-hamas/

[mariacallous]

On Saturday, Hamas militants stormed into Israel from the Gaza Strip, killing hundreds of people and taking dozens of hostages. It was one of the most significant offensive by Palestinian militants in fifty years. In response, Israel bombed targets in Gaza, killing hundreds more, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the country was at war. President Joe Biden offered full-throated support for Israel; despite its sometimes rocky relationship with Netanyahu, the Biden Administration has recently been working to broker peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

I spoke by phone on Saturday with Nathan Thrall, the author of the book “A Day in the Life of Abed Salama.” Thrall previously worked at the International Crisis Group as the director of its Arab-Israeli project, and currently lives in Jerusalem. During our conversation, which has been edited for length and clarity, we discussed the calculations behind Hamas’s attack, why the political fallout in Israel is so hard to predict, and how the Israeli response may alter the future of Palestinian politics.

How do you understand the timing of this attack?

In recent weeks, we have seen a resumption of the protests along the border fence with Gaza, a deterioration in conditions in Gaza, and withdrawal of support from Qatar, which works closely with Israel in managing Gaza. And there was the Israeli declaration that it was suspending work permits for Gazans, which the Gaza economy relies on. Those are all proximate causes of the timing.

But of course, it’s hard to imagine that Hamas could have pulled this off and surprised Israel in this way without a lot of planning. And in its messaging, Hamas is not emphasizing the conditions in Gaza. It’s emphasizing the Aqsa Mosque—the increased visitation by the Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and other Israelis to Al Aqsa and the open declarations of intent to build a temple there and so forth—which is self-serving for Hamas because it would rather be perceived as defending the greater Palestinian cause, and defending a Palestinian national symbol and a Muslim symbol, than as acting out of a more narrow interest to end the siege of Gaza.

At least one Hamas spokesman said on Saturday that this attack should be a warning for Arab states not to ally with Israel. We’ve seen increasingly close relations between Arab states and Israel recently, and now discussion about the normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, brokered in part by the United States. What do you make of that?

Clearly, this act by Hamas is suicidal. It is an attack of unprecedented scope, and Israel will retaliate to a greater degree than it has before, potentially leading to outcomes we haven’t seen before: not just a simple razing of Gaza by airplanes but also a ground incursion and potential reoccupation of parts of Gaza. So the decision to wittingly, knowingly, undertake this comes from a sense that there are no other options and that there’s nothing left to lose. And part of the reason that Hamas, and Palestinians in general, feel that they’re in such a desperate situation is that they have been entirely abandoned by those who should be their allies: the Arab states. The talks about the steps toward normalization with Saudi Arabia certainly inform the Palestinian sense that they have been abandoned.

When you say that the attack by Hamas was suicidal, do you mean it’s suicidal for Hamas? Do you mean it will cause pain and suffering for the Palestinian people?

All of the above. I think that the attacks are virtually guaranteed to bring civilian deaths on a greater scale than we have seen, and Hamas has put in jeopardy its rule in Gaza and the lives of its leadership to a greater extent than ever before. It’s hard to overstate how shocking these images are to the Israeli public. Gaza is made up of refugees from towns within Israel, and more than seventy per cent of the population of Gaza comprises refugees, so it’s something out of Israeli nightmares that the refugees are going to come storming back and take over their old towns.

That degree of shock and that degree of military failure by Israel—not simply that the attack took place but that you and I are talking now, more than twelve hours after it occurred, and reports are that Hamas fighters have taken over and are still controlling military bases outside Gaza—is incomprehensible to any Israeli. Politically, it is hard to imagine that this government will not feel a need to exact an extraordinary price in order to save face.

But to go back to my question: When you first said that this was suicidal, it was in response to something about Israel making peace with its Arab neighbors. What I thought you were going to say was this is going to invite an overwhelming Israeli response, which in turn is going to put pressure on the Arab states, especially Saudi Arabia, not to make deals with Israel right now because it’s just going to be so gruesome and awful, and therefore Hamas will have achieved something diplomatically even if it faces huge retaliation.

Perhaps Hamas can delay a normalization that’s in the works, but I don’t think that its actions will thwart a normalization that would’ve otherwise happened. Now, there are considerable obstacles to normalization, and there are real difficulties and outstanding issues. The Saudis greatly dislike the Biden Administration. They would rather hand this gift to a Republican Administration. There are many, many reasons to believe that a normalization isn’t as imminent as it’s been reported in the press. But I don’t think Hamas had any reasonable hope that it could make the difference between normalization happening and not happening.

Why do this then? You don’t need to convince me that Palestinians feel completely hopeless about the situation and feel a need to turn to armed resistance. But the people who run Hamas are perhaps less sentimental than you or I, and would worry about doing something that might be suicidal to their movement. That’s why I was somewhat surprised by this.

I have written all about the explicability of everybody’s actions in this conflict through rational self-interest. That was the subject of my first book. And this move by Hamas appears to me to be inexplicable. They have put themselves in greater jeopardy than at any point in their history. Of course, this is going to increase the support for Hamas and make them appear heroic to some people, and there are political gains to be made from this brazen act, but the risks are just too high. This is perceived by Israel as a qualitatively different act.

Hamas can launch a bunch of rockets—and we’ve seen this pattern, and it lasts anywhere from a few days to a few weeks—and they survive because, at the end of the day, Israel doesn’t want to reoccupy Gaza. That is considered from the Israeli perspective to be an extremely undesirable task and a bloody and costly one. However, Hamas understands that this attack would be perceived by the Israeli public and political leadership as being of a totally different order of magnitude. And therefore, Israel would consider acts that it had not in past escalations, including coming in with ground forces and reoccupying Gaza and trying to eliminate its leadership.

Does this make you think differently about Israeli military preparedness and the competence of the current Israeli government?

There has not been a military failure of these proportions since the 1973 war. In 1973, on Yom Kippur, Israel was surprise-attacked by Egypt and Syria, and there was a commission of inquiry into the military failure. It is the trope in Israeli politics of a misguided conception of your enemies and what they intend. And every Israeli military official has in his bones the lesson of 1973: to constantly question your premises and to be prepared for them to be challenged. So, not only does this call into question for Israelis the competence of their Army but also for every outside observer. It’s shocking. This is one of the strongest militaries in the Middle East. And a group of fighters from a besieged ghetto penetrated the fence and took over Israeli military bases.

There has been some criticism of Netanyahu’s government for harming military readiness with its domestic plans. What do you think of that argument?

With the judicial reform, you’ve had all of these reservists, in particular those from the Air Force, who said they’d refuse to serve when called up. So the protesters say that Netanyahu, by doggedly pursuing the judicial reform, is jeopardizing Israel’s security. And that’s the partisan claim that has been made recently.

It’s entirely self-serving. It’s a claim made by the opponents of the judicial reform. I don’t doubt that it has harmed Israel’s capabilities. But there is a rebuttal from Netanyahu and his allies, which is, O.K., let’s not dispute the fact that this reserve protest has harmed Israel’s security and its preparedness. But who’s to blame for that? Is it that we are to blame for it, for doggedly pursuing what we consider to be an entirely legitimate judicial reform? Or is it that these reservists crossed the line?

And I would imagine you find both sides of this debate to be missing the point?

Yes, I very much disagree with the entire premise of the protests over the judicial reform, which are based on the assumption by both sides that Israeli democracy is at stake. I do not see how any definition of democracy can include a situation in which one in ten Israeli Jews lives in the occupied territories and has full rights—voting rights, civil rights—and, when they go to and from their workplaces and their homes, they do not cross an international border. When the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics publishes the number of Jews and Arabs in the country, it lists the Jews living in the settlements. It doesn’t say that they’re living abroad. When the people vote in the settlements, they do not cast absentee ballots; in every sense, these people live inside the state of Israel alongside millions of people of a different ethnic group who are deprived of basic civil rights. That has existed for decades.

The 1973 war is considered as having had very long-term political consequences for Israel, and for the Israeli Labor Party, which was never the same afterward. How do you think this might register politically? For now, it appears that Netanyahu’s opponents are going to join him in a unity government while this war continues.

This is an enormous challenge to Netanyahu and to this government because of the scale of the failure. That said, the opponents of the current coalition are not very impressive politically, and Netanyahu has proved himself to be extremely adept and resilient. Even on the day of a catastrophe of this scale, I am unwilling to predict that that will lead to the demise of Netanyahu’s political career.

There were a number of consequences of 1973. One of them was internal, as you say. It was the beginning of the end for decades of Labor Party dominance. But the most important consequence of the 1973 war was that it pushed Israel to reassess its policy toward Egypt and toward holding on to Sinai. And it started to take steps toward reaching an agreement with Egypt; that happened iteratively at first, and then led eventually to the peace agreements with Egypt and the full withdrawal of the Israeli forces and settlements from Sinai.

As you’ve seen the statements from around the world, Europe and the United States especially, do you think the full-throated support we’ve seen for Israel is a sign that Israel has had some success diplomatically? Or is this event so shocking and horrific that you would expect this kind of reaction regardless? I was not surprised by the condolences sent, but there were not many calls for “an easing of tensions,” etc.

First of all, Western and U.S. support for Israel is unwavering, and that is entirely unsurprising. In terms of the absence of calls for restraint: those are often perceived by Israel as a signal to quickly end some bombing campaign in Gaza. The absence of it here I interpret to be the opposite: it’s a green light for Israel to take the retaliatory steps that we all are sure are coming.

I am not under the impression that Israel is in a difficult place diplomatically. There’s lots of chatter about how much the Biden Administration may not like working with the most right-wing Israeli government in recent memory and open racists in senior ministerial positions and so on. But, at the end of the day, what is the policy of the Biden Administration toward Israel? It just allowed Israel to enter the Visa Waiver Program, which was a coveted diplomatic victory, and it’s doing next to nothing to stop a forced displacement of more than eleven hundred Bedouin in the West Bank.

How might Palestinian politics look different in a few months?

If there’s anyone who’s shaking in his boots right now, it’s Mahmoud Abbas. He is watching as city centers in the West Bank come out in support of Hamas and other groups in Gaza. He and the Palestinian Authority are perceived as working hand in glove with Israel to keep a lid on any kind of resistance to Israeli occupation. So this giant boost for Hamas’s popularity is extremely threatening to him, as is the increased violence that we see in the West Bank, both preceding Saturday’s events and immediately following them.

It suggests that the future is extremely unknown if this is extremely worrisome for both Hamas and Abbas.

A lot of it depends on how high a price Israel is willing to pay to really change the situation from the one that existed on Friday. And that’s what I meant by suicidal. If Hamas understands Israel—and I think that it does—it will have known prior to launching this attack that Israel was going to contemplate options it had never contemplated before.

What else have you been thinking about today?

I’m looking at the media coverage of this event. For a decade I was working at the International Crisis Group, and a lot of my job was to write a reactive report every time there was an escalation in Gaza, because all the world’s attention is on the issue as soon as we have any kind of a surge in violence. But we all turn our eyes away when that doesn’t exist. And the process, for me, of working at the International Crisis Group and writing the same report over and over again about the escalation, convinced me that I should leave the International Crisis Group and this sort of work. And that what I needed to do was to bring more attention to the root causes, which are ignored and we are just guaranteed to see more and more of these sporadic outbursts of violence, with civilians killed on both sides, because we refuse to focus on the actual causes of the violence.

When I was choosing a subject for a book, I wanted to explicitly draw the attention of the world to the structural causes. It was very tempting to choose something that is attention-grabbing, like bombings in Gaza, or attacks by Hamas. Those are the things people care about. But I deliberately chose something ordinary, something that happens all over the world—a car accident, a tragic collision involving a group of kindergartners on their way to a play area. What does it mean for something like this to take place in this specific system where the parents have different ability to visit their children in different hospitals depending on whether they have a green ID or a blue ID? And to explore the daily lives of the people who are trapped in the system that is the real driver of these explosions that grab our attention every few months or years.

[humusboii2thereturnoftheking]

A Morrocan ex-Muslim take on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

This is again taken from reddit, text was posted by user named u/Benjazzi. I found it a very insightful read and I hope you will too:

I'm from Morocco. I'm atheist but my entire family is muslim. When it comes to the Israel-Palestine conflict, some muslims, sadly, can really go insane. For them, it's our tribe (Palestine moslems) against the enemy tribe.

Israel bombed South Lebanon after Lebanon bombed them ? "It never happened"

Israel stormed the holy Al Aqsa mosque because people throwing rocks took refuge inside of it ? "I don't believe it"

Mass Rapes ? "Fake news. It never happened"

"Our tribe can do no wrong" is literally how many people think.

To be fair, Jews can be tribal. But it's frankly nowhere to the same extent. The Jewish press is full of critics of the Israeli government and debates. Honestly, I have found that as long as you don't sing "Death to Israel" and are respectful, you can have very constructive conversation with most Jews and Israelis, even if you are critical. That's because they have a tradition of debate. Sadly, the muslim world lacks this.

Saudi Arabia just bought Cristiano Ronaldo for $1 billion. I have seen people on arab social media argue that Saudi Arabia doesn't help Palestinians because... the Saudi Prince is a puppet on a jewish-american string. It's totally stupid. He has publically humiliated the President of the United States.

Why he doesn't help ? Well. The explanation is simple. He doesn't give a fuck. But the idea that a sovereign arab leader might not care about "our tribe" is so shocking and so disturbing that some people need to find sinister foreign hands to explain it.

Egypt is right now shooting people who try to leave Gaza. I have seen Egyptians argue that the Egyptian President is....secretly jewish. "Sisi is a jewish dog, his mom is jewish". I mean... really 🤔 ?

The idea that a sovereign arab leader might not care about "our tribe" is so shocking and so disturbing to them that many Egyptians have to find some insane conspiracy to explain it.

This is the kind of cognitive dissonance that I sadly see all around me.

NYT publishes an investigation critical of Israeli behavior? I post it online. Reactions on social media ? "Great job ! Fucking zionist pigs. The New York Times just exposed them"

NYT publishes an investigation critical of Palestinian behavior ? I post it online. Reactions on social media ? "Fuck your propaganda. New York Times is pure zionist filth"

"Our tribe can do no wrong".

A newspaper is reliable or fake... simply depending on how it portrays the tribe !!

Then you have Islamism on top of that. The cherry on the chocolate cake.

Read the comment I posted here :

The real problem today in our world is a guy called Sayed El Qutb.

He was an egyptian intellectual who is considered the father of ALL Islamists.

In his books, he argues that the best period for muslims was under the Islamic Caliphates, when the entire world respected and feared muslims. He believes the Islamic World went through cultural, political and economic decline due to not enough Islam. According to him, only a return to PURE Islam™ can make muslims great again. Sayed El Qutb endorsed creating an Islamic State based exclusively on Sharia Law. He praised violent jihad against the non-muslims (kouffars). He opposed secularism, gender mixing, and hated jews ("filthy pigs") and atheists.

He was hanged in 1964 for attempting to murder President Nasser. But his books have spread very successfully. Sayd Qutb is to islamists what Karl Marx was to communists. Al Qaeda, ISIS, Hamas, Hezbollah, Al Nosra front. All of their creators read his books and deeply admired him.

3 countries are particularly behind Islamism : Saudi Arabia, Iran and Qatar.

The first one is Saudi Arabia. In the 70s, using their oil money, they opened a special university called the University of Madinah. Anyone can go study there for free to become an Imam. Saudis will pay your tuition and boarding school. Your food ? They will pay for it. These imams all learned the ideas of Sayed Al Qutb. Westerners are filth, jews are vile pigs, women must obey men, women must be veiled, secularism is a form of mental disease.

After graduating , these Saudi-trained Imams were sent back to their country in Africa, Europe, or Malaysia, to spread Saudi soft power. And this happened for decades and decades. They were the most successful in 2 countries in particular : Pakistan and Egypt. In these countries, a generation of public school teachers received Saudi textbooks. Imagine the result on the general population.

The second country to blame for Islamism is Iran.

In 1979, a secular dictatorwas overthrowed and replaced by a religious dictator. Ayatollah Khomenei became Supreme Guide of the Revolution. He always wears a black turban on his head. That black turban means he is "sayyed", a direct descendent of Muhammed. Ayatollah Khomenei was a deep admirer of Sayed Qutb. He translated all Sayed El Qutb's work into Farsi to "educate iranian people".

His new Islamic regime started using their oil money to fund $$$ radical islamic groups all around the Middle East. In Irak, in Pakistan, Lebanon, in Syria. His successor, "Ayatollah Khamanei" has pursed his heritage. Iran published a Fatwa calling for any muslim who can to murder the UK poet Salman Rushdie for his books. Salman Rushdie has been forced to live in hiding for 20 years. He was recently stabbed during a literary festival in America.

In 1984, Iran published an official postal stamp paying tribune to Sayed El Qutb, calling him a true martyr of Islam. Also, several streets and avenues in Iran were named "Qutb" as a tribute.

The third country to blame is Qatar. They are the favorite headquarter of all islamists in the world today. Al Nosra Front, Al Qaeda, Hamas, The Afghan Talibans. You always find Qatar.

In Morocco, Qataris are big supporters of the local Islamists (حركة التوحيد والإصلاح)

I can testify that what Al Jazeera spreads in arabic is far far worse than what they actually say in english. They had a TV show with a guy called Youssef Al Qaradawi. This guy is a disciple of Sayed El Qutb. He tells people it's okay to beat up your wife, that jews are disgusting pigs, that Islam will take over Europe. His TV show was watched by 60 million people every week on Al Jazeera Arabic. 60 million people. Every week. In 1998, they published a documentary called "Ben Laden : One man standing against an empire"

Here is another thing you won't see in Al Jazeera English. Basically, the rape, slaughter and torture of Israeli civilians is just presented as "a wonderful victory" on Al Jazeera Arabic. That's it. They won't give any more detail. No pictures. Anyone who seriously studies the military tactics of Hamas, reading academic papers, comes to the conclusion that the Israelis - whatever you think about them - aren't actually lying. Hamas really does use Palestinians as Human Shields. It's never mentioned on Al Jazeera. Never. In fact, their "journalists" told a palestinian shouting this to shut his damn mouth.

Saudi Arabia, Iran and Qatar. These 3 countries have become the cancer of Islam.

And they have used their money to spread their influence, including in Morocco. Now the cancer has spread.

The question is how do we cure it? I don't know. I have small hopes for Saudi Arabia because even if their Prince is a dictator, he genuinely wants to improve his country. He is reforming textbooks to remove antisemitism, allowing women to drive, allowing music, ending forced gender segregation, etc... But the other two countries remain a major problem.

[silicacid]

Qatar slams Israeli plan to confiscate Palestinian land in occupied East Jerusalem

The Qatari Foreign Ministry has denounced Israel’s decision to expropriate Palestinian-owned land in and around Silwan to erect a cable car from the area to Abu Tor in West Jerusalem, going through the Old City in occupied East Jerusalem.

Qatar “considers this decision a flagrant violation of the principles and provisions of international law and the relevant UNESCO resolutions”, it said in a statement posted on X.

The ministry also called on the UN Security Council to take action to stop Israel from “changing the historical and legal status of Jerusalem”, adding that this step hinders the achievement of a two-state solution.

Daniel Seidemann, an expert on settlements in Jerusalem, said on X earlier: “The cable car is 1.4 kilometres [0.87 miles] in length and will whir above Palestinian homes in Silwan, adjacent to the Church of St. Peter Gallicantu on Mount Zion. Its terminal is located at settler headquarters near the Old City’s Dung Gate, less than 170 metres [185 yards] away from the Al Aqsa Mosque.”

[upismediacenter]

OPINION: Taking Israel’s GenoSide: The Media’s Uneven Coverage on Israel-Palestine

Photo credits: Anna Dalet

In the midst of a genocide, is staying silent and neutral a viable option? On October 7, war ignited again between Israel and Palestine, after an attack by Hamas, an Islamist militant movement and one of the two major Palestinian political parties. Israel retaliated by bombing schools, hospitals, refugee camps, and mosques, resulting in the death of thousands of civilians. To this day, Israel’s genocide is in full swing and they seem to have no intention in agreeing to a ceasefire. With this news, it is very alarming to see an uneven coverage of media being put out, especially since they are supposed to provide the public with complete and objective information. If the media only portrays a certain narrative—feeding us with biased information and the incomplete truth, how will we be able to form our opinions, take a stand and fight for the lives at stake?

We must call the Israel-Palestine “issue” for what it is. As defined by the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, a genocide is “any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such.” It is a "textbook case of genocide," Stockton University's Raz Segal, program director for genocide studies, concretely says. Segal believes that Israeli forces are completing three genocidal acts, including “killing, causing serious bodily harm, and measures calculated to bring about the destruction of the group.”

Looking back on Israel and Palestine’s deep and complicated history, it is clear that this war did not just start out of nowhere. For the past 75 years, Palestine has faced colonization, dispossession, and relentless oppression with the rise of Israel as a Zionist state. The long and violent conflict is rooted on issues over territory where both Palestinians, an Arab population, and Israel, a Jewish state, claim rights to the land. In 1947, the United Nations sought to divide the then British-ruled Palestine, giving each group a part of the land. However, the Arab countries objected. As Israel declared its independence in 1948, tensions rose over the territory, leading to several wars between Israel and Palestine, as well as surrounding Arab countries.

This provides context for the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas, quoted as the “deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust.” According to Israeli officials, Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on military outposts and communities in southern Israel, killing more than 1,400 Israelis and taking more than 200 hostages back to Gaza on October 7. But on the same day, Israel launched a relentless bombardment of Gaza that has killed more than 8,000 people, about 40% of whom are children. The onslaught greatly devastated Gaza’s health sector with most of its infrastructure being destroyed.

Since then, the Palestinian death toll has risen to over 18,000 with a staggering 70% of it being women and children. Living conditions in Gaza have been difficult with supply to food, water, medicine, electricity, and fuel, basic essentials for survival, being cut off by Israel's military forces. They even blocked humanitarian aid from reaching the civilians. The continuous bombing has caused over 80% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents to be displaced—their homes reduced to rubble and their families torn apart.

The Israeli government and Hamas agreed on a 4-day ceasefire, eventually extended to 6 days, in order to release prisoners and hostages. As the ceasefire ended last November 30, Israel continued to mercilessly bomb Palestine, targeting areas that have been previously described as safe, such as Southern Gaza. How the truce ended is unclear with both countries blaming each other. In a report by Reuters, “Qatar, which has played a central role in mediation efforts, said negotiations were still going on with Israelis and Palestinians to restore the truce, but that Israel's renewed bombardment of Gaza had complicated its efforts.” However, according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Hamas reneged on the commitments they have made causing the truce to end.

This called for an emergency UN General Assembly (UNGA), made up of 193 countries last December 13, wherein they adopted a resolution demanding immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, as well as immediate and unconditional release of all hostages—153 in favor, 10 against, 23 abstain. The UNGA have also previously voted on the proposed humanitarian truce last October where 121 members were in favor, 14 were against, and 44 abstained. Among those that remained against the ceasefire is Israel and its biggest ally, the United States. The members' overwhelming response and shift in votes prove that Israel’s genocide cannot be justified and must be put to an end immediately.

Now that the facts have been laid out, let us look at how mainstream media disseminates this information. Which brings us to the media’s uneven coverage on Israel-Palestine, particularly Western media, with news outlets such as BBC, Fox News, MSNBC, among others showing forms of bias towards Israel.

The historical context of what Palestinians have been going through for the past 75 years is purposely being left out and ignored on Western news outlets; only stating damages inflicted upon Israel, not even acknowledging the casualties that people in Gaza suffer from. Numerous Western correspondents have gone to Israel and written extensively about the suffering of Israeli families; yet, because Israel has prohibited international journalists from entering Gaza, they are missing such vital and crucial aspects of the story. They are highlighting the Israeli narrative and the grief of families in Israel, while Palestinian families can only mourn in silence. “They are not just covering the Israeli narrative, but they are living the Israeli narrative.” Taghreed El-Khodary, an analyst from Gaza, told news network Al Jazeera.

Journalists from BBC, a UK-based broadcasting corporation, have expressed their criticisms on the news channel’s pro-Israel stance and insufficient coverage of Palestinian civilians in the form of an open letter. The 2,300-word statement called out BBC’s “double standard in how civilians are seen”, how the corporation was “investing greater effort in humanizing Israeli victims compared with Palestinians, and omitting key historical context in coverage”, despite being “bold” and “unflinching” in its reporting of alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine. The letter also demanded that the corporation better reflect evidence-based findings from official humanitarian sources and organizations to give equal treatment to all civilians in its news coverage. Another group of journalists from Australian media outlets had written an open letter, calling on Australian newsrooms to undertake eight steps to improve coverage, including “adhering to truth over ‘both-sidesism’” and “applying as much professional skepticism when prioritizing or relying on uncorroborated Israeli government and military sources to shape coverage as is applied to Hamas.”

Social media clamor plays a big role in spreading information about Palestine’s situation, especially to the younger generation. Despite content supporting Palestine being censored, people find a way to push through and still talk about the situation across various platforms such as X, or formerly known as Twitter, educating the audience about the situation of Palestinians that are often being shunned by news corporations. Hashtags such as #FreePalestine and even the watermelon emoji became a way for people to spread awareness about Israel committing genocide in Palestine, which was not at first shown on mainstream media due to numerous administrations’ inaction.

Foregrounding the narrative of Israel has led to the spread of misinformation and disinformation. Fake stories arose, such as claims of seeing babies being beheaded by Hamas, with the information even reaching the White House. The false narrative began when a reporter from i24, a news channel located in Israel, quoted a lone Israeli soldier who claimed that he had seen decapitated babies. The Prime Minister of Israel's Spokesperson, Tal Heinrich, later repeated the soldier's claims. US President Joe Biden, despite not having seen any pictures nor receiving any confirmation, had continued to repeat the false allegations. But the following day, there was zero evidence to be presented, forcing the White House to retract Biden’s remark. Israel also regularly attempts to cast doubt upon the number of Palestinians getting killed in Gaza without providing any concrete proof, but according to the Human Rights Watch, the Gaza Ministry of Health bases its death tolls on the best available data from hospitals and morgues, aiming for transparency by publishing all the names, ages, and other identifying information of Palestinians killed. Getting at the truth is especially complicated by Israel’s refusal to grant international journalists visas to enter Gaza, leaving local Palestinian reporters to cope with the few resources that they have.

There is also an evident difference in labels and terminology used to describe each side that suggests the presence of bias and prejudice. In some media coverage and news articles written, Palestinians “die” while Israelis are “killed”. The term “victim” is often used to describe the Israeli side when being reported, compared to when Palestinians are being referenced. In reports written by BBC, terms like “massacre” and “brutality” are only used for Hamas, painting them as the exclusive provocateurs and perpetrators of such violent acts.

Additionally, the US remains supportive of Israel’s violent advances, justifying them by saying their relentless bombing is an act of self-defense, and the media is evidently taking their cues from this narrative of the US administration, lacking strong points in criticizing Israel or urging a call for ceasefire. There are no explicit rules on how to portray the Israel-Palestine conflict, but there is “a culture of fear in our institutions here about talking honestly and freely about this,” says journalist Abdallah Fayyad. In addition, The Nation's Acting Senior Editor Jack Mirkinson expresses that, to show support for Palestine brings many different risks, such as being ostracized in the broader media world, or being labeled a terrorist sympathizer.

We can see that the mainstream media is doing little to air out the truth and is not pushing American officials to condemn Israel and its military campaign. In fact, these very networks continue to air interviews with American politicians who urge the bombing of Palestine. For example, US Sen. Lindsey Graham, appearing on Fox News said "we are in a religious war here, I am with Israel. Do whatever the hell you have to do to defend yourselves; level the place." While those that speak against Israel are being censored, such as Noura Erakat, a Palestinian-American human rights lawyer, who appeared live on CBS and ABC, only to have the segments pulled from playbacks online.

The unjust media coverage by Western countries can be attributed to the fact that Israel’s genocide is funded by the most powerful imperialist country, the United States. According to Al Jazeera, “the US has given Israel more military assistance than any other country since World War II, providing aid worth more than $124bn.” They have also been giving $3.8bn each year in military assistance under a 10-year plan that began in 2016. Signed by the previous US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, the plan, that is still being supported by current US President Joe Biden, makes Israel the largest recipient of American aid. It aims to financially support Israel’s defense systems against rockets fired by groups like Hezbollah and Hamas.

By backing and arming Israel, the US maintains an ally in the Middle East, being deeply rooted from a 75-year partnership that was built on mutual interests and shared democratic values since Israel’s declaration of independence. Maintaining this relationship with Israel holds strategic value for it helps maintain access to the regional oil supply that the US is dependent on. The US also remains to be Israel’s top trading partner with an annual bilateral trade of nearly $50 billion in goods and services. This proves that the US is only interested in conserving power and gaining money, instead of denouncing Israel’s crimes and advocating for the safety of innocent civilians.

With the inconsistent information spread out across various platforms, we must be persistent in seeking out the story from not just a single perspective to unveil the complete truth. With each passing day, the number of lives at stake continues to rise, an increasing number of Palestinians are slaughtered and injured, a great portion of them being innocent civilians. Carrying out a genocide does not effectively resolve any conflict, and only results to destroying and wiping out an existing nation’s population.

As students, we need to realize that we must not belittle our role and what we are able to contribute to this issue. Living in the modern world of technology, things such as social media play a big part in spreading information. A light can be shed upon the struggle for Palestinian Liberation, giving them a voice, so that people from all over the world can know their stories. We must stand with Palestine and fight for their freedom by conducting research, spreading awareness, taking part in mobilizations, and calling for action from our government and international institutions. By arming ourselves with the truth, we can save the lives of those fighting for freedom. // by Daphne De Ramos and Grace Gaerlan

SOURCES:

Al Jazeera. (2023, November 3). US House passes $14.5bn military aid package for Israel. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/3/us-house-passes-14-5bn-military-aid- package-for-israel 

Al Jazeera. (2023, December 12). UN General Assembly votes overwhelmingly in favour of Gaza ceasefire. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/12/un-general-assembly-votes-overwhelmingly-in-favour-of-gaza-ceasefire 

Beauchamp, Z. (2023, November 9). What are Israel and Palestine? Why are they fighting? Vox. https://www.vox.com/2018/11/20/18080002/israel-palestine-conflict-history-overview-map 

Davis, J. H. (2016, September 13). U.S. Finalizes Deal to Give Israel $38 Billion in Military Aid The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/14/world/middleeast/israel-benjamin- netanyahu-military-aid.html 

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict | Global Conflict Tracker. (n.d.). Council on Foreign Relations. https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/israeli-palestinian-conflict 

Media coverage of Israel and Gaza is rife with deadly double standards. (2023, October 23). The New Humanitarian. https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/editorial/2023/10/23/ media-coverage-israel-and-gaza-double-standards 

Narea, N. (2023, October 13). US-Israel support: How the US became Israel’s closest ally. Vox. https://www.vox.com/world-politics/23916266/us-israel-support-ally-gaza-war-aid 

Nashed, M. (2023, October 29). Western coverage of Israel’s war on Gaza – bias or unprofessionalism?  Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/29/ western-coverage-of-israels-war-on-gaza-bias-or-unprofessionalism 

United Nations. (2023, December 12). UN General Assembly votes by large majority for immediate humanitarian ceasefire during emergency session. UN News. https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/12/1144717 

U.S. Relations with Israel - United States Department of State. (2023, January 30). State Department. https://www.state.gov/u-s-relations-with-israel-2/ 

Scahill, J. (2023, December 14). Joe Biden Keeps Repeating His False Claim That He Saw Pictures of Beheaded Babies. The Intercept. https://theintercept.com/2023/12/14/israel-biden-beheaded-babies-false/ 

Burga, S. (2023, November 14). Is What’s Happening in Gaza a Genocide? Experts Weigh In. Time. https://time.com/6334409/is-whats-happening-gaza-genocide-experts/ 

Salem, S. & Al-Mughrabi, N. (2023, December 2). Scores reported killed in Gaza as fighting shatters Israel-Hamas truce. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/gaza- negotiators-try-get-israel-hamas-agree-extend-truce-again-2023-12-01/ 

Safdar, A. (2023, November 23). As Israel pounds Gaza, BBC journalists accuse broadcaster of bias. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/23/as-israel-pounds -gaza-bbc-journalists-accuse-broadcaster-of-bias 

Demirci, Z. (2023, November 24). BBC reporters criticize broadcaster over its pro-Israel bias, coverage of Palestine. Anadolu Agency. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/bbc-reporters-criticize- broadcaster-over-its-pro-israel-bias-coverage-of-palestine/3063212 

Letter from Journalists to Australian Media Outlets [open letter]. (2023, November 24). Tasmanian Times. https://tasmaniantimes.com/2023/11/letter-from-journalists- to-australian-media-outlets/ 

Al Jazeera. (2023, November 11). US media on Israel-Gaza: What’s lacking? [Video]. https://www.aljazeera.com/program/the-listening-post/2023/11/11/us-media-on-israel-gaza-whats-lacking 

[unhonestlymirror]

Interview with Rami Aman - a Palestinian peace activist from Gaza. In 2015, he founded a series of regular chats, Skype With Your Enemy, in which hundreds of Israelis and Palestinians from the Gaza Strip communicated with each other. In 2020, Hamas arrested Rami Aman for organizing these chats. The activist was tortured. After an international campaign involving 70 public organizations, as well as UN representatives, Aman was convicted and immediately released from prison. Two years ago, he managed to leave Gaza for Egypt:

- After two months of war, Israel and Hamas reached an agreement on a truce and an exchange of hostages - 50 Israeli women and children for 150 Palestinian prisoners (convicted for terrorism). The truce even lasted several days. Can this be considered the result of an Israeli military operation?

- Hamas has been offering just such a deal since the early days of its attack. Now look what it asks in exchange for hostages. No withdrawal of Israeli tanks from Gaza, no return of the million Palestinians displaced from southern Gaza, no peace. No! They are only interested in the exchange of hostages for prisoners and humanitarian aid. They are interested in keeping people in UN schools in the south, not bringing them home. Hamas doesn't care about the Palestinians in Gaza, it uses them for its propaganda.

Hostages are Hamas's last cards. Therefore, now it will play for time, stretch out the truce, release the hostages gradually, “find” them here and there. Pretend that they are negotiating with Islamic Jihad, which allegedly holds some of the hostages. Although, in fact, this is a lie - Hamas controls them all. It's a game.

Hamas does everything to influence public opinion. During the October 7 attack, it claimed in its press releases that it had made a giant breakthrough, with the militants almost on their way to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Naturally, ordinary people living on the border of the sector rushed after the militants to Israel. For those whose relatives were killed or injured during clashes along the fence on the border of the sector, a burnt Israeli tank or tractor is already a victory. What emotions do these people evoke now when they are seen on video in Israel and around the world?

Then Hamas took advantage of the Palestinians when Israel began bombing the sector. They started shouting about the victims of the bombing. In fact, Hamas leaders don't care how many Palestinians die. Palestinian lives are worthless to it. Just like the Israeli ones. Hamas is not interested in the Palestinian population of Gaza. Qatar is not interested in it either. How many millions of dollars in aid has Hamas received from Qatar? Not a single factory was built in Gaza with this money. They simply gave out money as alms.

- Is there any hope that after the end of the war, power in Gaza can be transferred to the Palestinian Authority administration?

No. But that's not even the problem. The Palestinian Authority, Fatah, Hamas, and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) do not represent the Palestinians. They all care only about themselves because they make a lot of money by continuing the conflict. We haven't had elections since 2006. We need to elect new leaders who represent our communities and who care about their real needs. We need to start all over again.

Nobody cares about the Palestinians. Hamas doesn't care about them. They don't care about Qatar. Israel wants them to go somewhere on their own. Israeli peace activists care more about the fate of the Palestinians than Hamas.

- But will Hamas return to power in this case? Many people say that the population of Gaza is indoctrinated by Hamas...

- Those who say this have forgotten how Hamas came to power in Gaza. It simply started with repressions. First, they killed several thousand people and mutilated several thousand more - you know, when they shoot you in the knees as punishment. And they continued to rule through repressions. Every year, they killed several hundred people for political reasons. Hamas security came to see me every year, and every year, they demanded that I confess that I was an Israeli spy.

For example, in 2006, there were five thousand Christian Arabs living in Gaza, and now there are about a thousand left. It was only in the 2010s that Hamas stopped pressuring Christians to show that they were not ISIS. But thousands of Christians left.

In 2019, there were mass protests in Gaza against Hamas rule. They were suppressed by force, and a thousand people were arrested. There were protests before the attack. Hamas felt it could lose control of Gaza. And those who say that all Gazans are indoctrinated by Hamas should note that thousands of Gazan businessmen interacted peacefully with the Israelis every day. Thousands of people went to Israel to work.

Hamas controls the media, and with their help makes everyone believe that Gaza is Hamas. But that's a lie. People in Gaza hate Hamas now. But they have nowhere to go.

.

Let me remind you that the main sponsor of HAMAS is... the terrorist state, the russian federation itself. Iranian regime and all this shit gets money from russia. HAMAS has a headquarters in moscow. HAMAS uses the same exact tactics as russian occupiers.

All the problems will disappear if we PARTITION RUSSIA, if we cut russia on pieces so it's unable to sponsor grief all around the world.

[tourismguideqatar]

What to buy in Doha? An Incredible Compilation of best gifts to buy in Qatar

No one can deny that Qatar is a rich Middle East country having specialties that any traveler would like to bring back with them after their stay. Qatar, with its stunning scenery from the sea to the desert, eye-catching skyscrapers, gorgeous mosques, state-of-the-art museum architecture, and delicious food, has exclusive tall shopping malls and Souqs (traditional markets). The famous market in Qatar for shopping is Souq Waqif. This article will be a treat if you to know What are the Best Gifts to Buy in Doha, Qatar for your friends and family. Below is the compilation of the best gifts to take home with you:

What Best Gifts to Buy in Doha

1. Qatari Pearls

Qatar has a long history of being known for its pearling banks, which harbor the growth of the best-known pearls in the world. There are a lot of jewelry shops selling Qatari pearls. Pearls have always been a natural gift of the Middle East. For sophisticated women and ladies, nothing compares to wearing a piece of elegant, designed pearl-embedded jewelry. If you are fond of jewelry, Qatar is the best place to buy it!

2. Sweet Treats

How can someone forget to take sweet treats for your loved one? The cherry on top of the meal is the sweets. Qatari sweets have a unique flavor of their enriched culture in them. Visitors must undoubtedly relish these exquisite desserts essential to Qatari cuisine. Their traditional desserts are Umm ALI, Kunafah, Basbosa, Muhallabia, etc. The famous sweets you can buy in Qatar for your loved ones are Khanfaroosh, Qatayef, and a wide range of Baklava. Also, don’t forget to buy some chocolate, pistachio, and nutty dates from home. Trying their traditional desserts is a must!

3. Fragrance

The national scent of Qatar is oud. You can smell the lovely, smoky aroma everywhere you walk, from homes and cars to souks, hotels, and shopping centers. Oud, also called “Wood of the Gods” is a musical instrument made from the sticky heartwood of the rare agarwood tree. You must buy oud perfumes for your family.

How can one forget Qatar’s famous “Bukhoor”? A fragrant wood called bukhoor is frequently used in Qatar to produce traditional incense. After slicing it into small pieces, a pot filled with hot coals is filled with wood. As soon as the coals are fired, the Bukhoor gives forth a lovely aroma. They are fabulous souvenirs. If you are visiting Qatar, a Bukhoor pot is an ideal gift to buy in Qatar for anyone you know who appreciates Qatar.

4. Decorative Wooden Boxes

Beautifully crafted wooden boxes are among the best traditional Qatari artifacts. The ornamental wooden boxes are stunning and practical for storing more miniature goods like pearls, jewelry, etc. They are also the best decoration pieces. You can customize it by adding some jewelry or chocolates to make it a perfect gift. They are available in many sizes and forms. You can get them at Souq Waqif and various shopping centers in Doha.

5. Scarves and Shawls

The ideal Qatari gifts are scarves and pashminas. Qatari shawls and scarves come in a range and are beautiful, elegant, and diverse. In the winter, pashminas are a fantastic way to stay warm. They are woven from delicate wool known as “fine cashmere wool” and are renowned for their enduring warmth in traditional market.

Also, the variety of scarves is wide. They are smaller and can be used as a wrap, although pashminas are typically larger. Why not get a pashmina or scarf as a memento of your trip to Qatar because the country is known for its delicate fabrics? If you are visiting Qatar, you must buy these.

6. Arabian lamps

Why not light someone’s room with a beautiful and elegant Arabian lamp? Undoubtedly, Arabian lights are lovely and give any personal space a dreamy and enchanted feel. The smaller hanging lights are less expensive and simpler to get home. But you could be tempted to invest in a lovely metal-base swan-neck table lamp. Whichever option you select, be careful when packaging because all the lights are pretty fragile. They should ideally be transported in your hand luggage. You can get your hands on them from Souq waqif in any shopping mall.

7. Dry fruits and nuts

Wait! While taking other gifts, why not give your loved ones a nutritious gift? In Qatar, there are wide different varieties of dry fruits that offer a wide range of nutrients. Some are scrumptious, while others have medicinal qualities. They can be utilized in various ways and are simple to handle because they are dry. The famous dry fruits in Qatar are almonds, pistachio, cashew, apricot, walnuts, dates, prunes, figs, hazelnut, etc. A wide range of dry fruit varieties is available in local markets. Gift your loved one to add macronutrients to their lives.

8. Arabic coffee and traditional arabic coffee pot

If you want to take back the rich culture of the Middle East, how can you miss Arabic coffee? Arabic coffee is a universal welcome expression due to its potent cardamom flavor and yellow, tea-like consistency. It is often served in Qatari Majlis. You can take home an Arabic coffee mix, and whenever you miss Qatar’s rich culture, arrange a similar Majlis in your home and enjoy the aroma of the Middle East. It is the best thing to buy in Qatar. Don’t forget to buy a traditional arabic coffee pot.

9. Al Sadu weavings

The beautiful handwoven fabric called Al Sadu is created from camel and goat hair. Al Sadu fully encapsulates Qatar’s rich history and culture, making it the best souvenirs of Qatar. The Bedouin tribe, nomadic, has been using this weaving technique for thousands of years to make tents, carpets, blankets, and cushions. You can find these traditional handicrafts from the Corniche end of Souq Waqif to find some weavers and a shop selling specific types of Al Sadu Weavings.

10. Qatar’s famous glass art

Qatar has some of the world’s most stunning beaches; it should be no surprise that its sand is as astonishing. The artists from Qatar have converted this sand into beautiful glass art. The elaborate motifs are carved into shards of glass filled with beach sand from Qatar. The result is a magnificent work of art that perfectly depicts Qatar. This is a must thing you should buy in Qatar for your loved ones. These artpieces are available in different shapes.

What to buy at Doha airport?

Doha airport, also known as Al-Hamad International airport, is considered the best-known airport in the world. The lamp bear is the biggest attraction at the airport. The duty-free shops at Doha’s airport are plentiful and will be familiar to any seasoned international visitor. Below are must things you should buy in Hamad International airport in Doha:

· Perfumes

If you want to buy some best fragrances in Qatar, Doha airport is where you can get them. Not only Qatar’s traditional perfumes, but you can also get your hands on international brands. Doha airport has all famous brands such as Gucci, Hugo Boss, Dior, etc. You can get perfumes at the 24-seven convenience stores also.

[missalice1929]

Israel’s war on Gaza: List of key events, day 154:

So, in honor of international woman day on March 8, 2024. I decided first to give an update on the Pregnant woman and other woman in Palestine in the Gaza Strip and then bring forth other new on Palestine, Joe Biden, and Israel attacks in Gaza and West Bank.

AL JAZEERA News Articles on the Key events, in day 154.

Link to the Articles:Israel’s war on Gaza: List of key events, day 154 | Israel War on Gaza News | Al Jazeera

Quote from the wholes Articles:

-Fighting and humanitarian crisis:

On Friday, Gaza’s Health Ministry spokesperson Ashraf al-Qudra said about 5,000 women were still giving birth every month in the territory, in conditions that he said were “harsh, unsafe and unhealthy”.

About 60,000 women, meanwhile, were going through their pregnancies without proper healthcare and suffering dehydration and malnutrition, he said.

On Friday, three rockets were fired from Gaza at the Israeli city of Sderot. Israeli officials say that one of the rockets landed within the city limits, while the other two struck outside of it, with no reports of damage or injuries from the attack.

-Regional tensions and diplomacy:

On Thursday, US President Joe Biden delivered his State of the Union address in which he announced that his administration would build a “temporary pier” off the coast of the Palestinian territory to facilitate aid deliveries.

He also urged Israel to allow more aid into the Gaza Strip, but he stressed that he has been a “lifelong supporter” of the United States ally. “No one has a stronger requisition than I do. I challenge any of you here,” he said.

An organiser with the “uncommitted” campaign in the US, which seeks to pressure Biden over his support for Israel amid the Gaza war,  told Al Jazeera that she is unhappy with the speech.

“I think that he further alienated voters who already were feeling like the president hasn’t been listening,” said Asma Mohammed, an organiser with the “no preference” voting campaign in Minnesota.

Meanwhile, regionally, Bill Burns, the director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), is said to have arrived in Qatar in what may be a last-ditch attempt to secure a truce deal before Ramadan, CNN reports, citing an unnamed US official and a source close to the trip on Thursday.

The US, Jordan, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have airdropped more aid into northern Gaza. The UAE’s military said on Thursday it delivered 53 tonnes of food and medical aid.

-Violence in the occupied West Bank:

Local media are reporting on Friday that Israeli forces have stormed the town of Urif, south of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, and rearrested a freed Palestinian prisoner.

Al Jazeera Arabic is also reporting that Israeli forces have erected iron barriers at the Lion’s Gate in the vicinity of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem to prevent people from attending Friday prayers there.

Youtube Video about Palestinian woman in Gaza:

[bllsbailey]

HUGE WIN: Israeli Drone Strike Takes Out Multiple Hamas Leaders Who Were Meeting in Lebanon

A joint Mossad/IDF military intelligence operation in Lebanon has led to the death of numerous top Hamas leaders.

Saleh al-Arouri, the leader of Hamas' military operations in the West Bank and the man responsible for facilitating money and weapons transfers for the group since the 1980s, and others were killed when the building in which they were meeting with other "resistance factions" in Beirut was bombed.

— Eli Kowaz (@elikowaz) January 2, 2024

Reports indicate that Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas' deputy political director in Gaza, Abu Amar, head of Hamas forces in southern Lebanon, and Hamas spokesman Osama Hamdan were also killed, but those identities have not been confirmed.

— Khaled Hassan (@Khaledhzakariah) January 2, 2024

According to journalist Yossi Melman, the targeted strike was part of a Mossad/IDF military intelligence joint operation.

About six weeks before the October 7 surprise attacks, al-Arouri gave an exclusive interview to Lebanese news outlet  Al Mayadeen in which he said the group was coordinating with "all relevant parties" in preparation for an "all-out war." He alleged that some in Netanyahu's government wanted "a major conflict" and would conduct assassinations and "tak[e] control of the Al-Aqsa Mosque" to start it.

"The leaders of the occupation government, with their extremist policies, will cause an all-out war in the region." "Smotrich desires a major conflict that would allow him to displace Palestinians from the West Bank and the '48 territories. Some in the cabinet are considering actions such as taking control of Al-Aqsa Mosque and dividing it, along with assassinations, knowing that this would lead to a regional war." The battle for liberation in the West Bank is currently on the table, and Palestine has now entered the era of resolving this conflict, as evidenced by the attempts at the Judaization of the West Bank and the deportation of Palestinians, Al-Arouri pointed out. The breakout of an all-out war is inevitable at this point, he continued. "We are preparing for an all-out war, and we are closely discussing the prospects of this war with all relevant parties."

Between the time of that interview and October 7 Israel did not carry out assassinations or take control of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, yet this attack occurred anyway, much to al-Arouri's delight.

— Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) January 2, 2024

On October 20, USA Today reported that Israel had "launched an international manhunt" for al-Arouri. The article, headlined "He's a key link between Hamas and Iran. Now Israel is hunting the world to find him," contains some other interesting nuggets that haven't been highlighted enough regarding Hamas' capabilities (emphasis mine):

They’re pursuing him not just for his insider knowledge of the attack but for his ties to others – possibly those “relevant parties” he cited in August. The attack went far beyond what was expected from Hamas alone. A mass border invasion. Drones and paragliders. Withering rocket fire. Precise raids on military surveillance, communications and intelligence hubs. Those plans bear the hallmarks of sophisticated backers from the outside. Current and former intelligence officials say Arouri sits at a strategic intersection of three entities: Hamas; Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based terrorist group that is considered the world’s most formidable; and Iran, the world’s deadliest state sponsor of terrorism. 

Al-Arouri had been expelled from both Qatar and Turkey because of his terrorist activities, and the U.S. government announced in 2018 that it would pay a reward of $5 million for information leading to his arrest. His page at Counter Extremism Project lists quite the resume:

Saleh al-Arouri was a U.S.-designated Hamas military leader and financier who was reportedly expelled from Qatar in June 2017.

Hamas elected Arouri as deputy leader of its political bureau in October 2017.

Arouri had facilitated money and weapons transfers for Hamas since the 1980s and helped found the West Bank branch of Hamas’s military wing.

Arouri allegedly coordinated the June 2014 kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank, which sparked that summer’s conflict between Israel and Hamas.

He also reportedly created and ran Hamas’s bureau in Turkey until his expulsion from the country in 2015.

The U.S. Treasury accused Arouri of serving as “a key financier and financial facilitator for Hamas military cells planning attacks and fomenting unrest.”

In November 2018, the U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice program offered a $5 million reward for information leading to Arouri’s arrest.

Rewards for Justice poster of Saleh Al-Arouri. pic.twitter.com/i2hepyxDoI— FJ (@Natsecjeff) January 2, 2024

An important point to remember when considering the legality of this killing is that Israel officially declared war against Hamas, a political and legal entity that is the official governing body in Gaza, after the October 7 attacks, and al-Arouri was a commander in Hamas' military.

It's widely expected that the "resistance factions" will attempt some kind of retaliation against Israel for this strike; coordination for such will be more difficult since al-Arouri was a lynchpin for communications and money and weapons transfers. The IDF says they are prepared for any retaliation.

“The IDF is in a very high state of readiness in all arenas, in defense and offense. We are highly prepared for any scenario. The most important thing to say tonight is that we are focused and remain focused on fighting Hamas.” - Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, IDF Spokesperson pic.twitter.com/3D6ImrjymE— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) January 2, 2024

Back to that August interview with the Muslim Brotherhood propaganda outlet. In it, al-Arouri said:

"We are believers, and we hope to conclude our lives with martyrdom, which we hold in high esteem, and that is the great victory in our eyes."

It's heartwarming that the IDF could assist al-Arouri in meeting that goal.

[mamthamurti]

Middle East LGBT Rights and Issues

Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari betrays the Quran

The increasing influence of charitable organizations from oil-rich monarchies has found fertile ground in supporting the construction of mosques in certain European countries. Whether they are genuinely charitable or serve as elements of ethical standards control is a matter of debate.

An international organization focused on human rights issues for LGBTQ+ individuals has highlighted in its report that Qatar's judicial system is characterized as dual and introduced by the British. This system is divided into Sharia and civil courts, with civil courts primarily dealing with family law. However, it's important to note that supporting LGBTQ+ communities' charities in other Arab countries is not legally prohibited, thus showcasing the role of personal desire and moral stance.

A compelling illustration of the translated intent is that Qatar funded the construction of a mosque in Copenhagen. Former Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani himself transferred over 20 million euros from his account. This mosque doesn't align with the strict version of Islam but introduces a contemporary form of new relationships. The Danish Islamic Council (Dansk Islamisk Rad) was chosen to advance this concept. The representative from DIR overseeing the mosque's construction was Mohamed Al Maimouni.

It should be noted that he was chosen not by chance, but specifically for his position towards the LGBT community:

‘The Danish Islamic Council was renowned for its ‘moderate understanding of Islam’ and adhered to an ‘Islamic philosophy based on adaptation to the society you are in’.

‘Islam in Qatar is not the same as Islam that will be in Denmark. Of course, there are certain principles that remain unchanged regardless of place or time. However, other aspects can be adapted everywhere, regardless of where you reside’.

‘In Islam, homosexuality is indeed considered improper. However, it is perceived as a condition where someone may be unwell, and they should not necessarily be subject to exile’.

Mohamed Al Maimouni has previously spoken at meetings organized by the Sabaah association (a Danish LGBT organization), where he stated:

‘It's crucial not to exclude homosexual Muslims; in fact, a devout Muslim with homosexual inclinations should receive proper support and therapy.’

‘Homosexuality is considered haram according to the Quran, similar to alcohol and pork. However, individuals who consume alcohol and pork can still be Muslims. In Denmark, religious communities are obliged to accept and support people who are struggling with homosexuality.’

It's possible that these comments didn't create a nurturing environment, but the presence of Arab figures at the mosque opening holds significant importance. Former Emir of the country, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, attended alongside his close partner, Qatar's Minister of Religious Affairs, Gheit bin Mubarak Ali Omran Al-Kuwari, who is related to the family of Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari.

The publication of the official research on LGBT+ rights and issues in the Middle East has brought attention to quotes attributed to Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, endorsing and promoting LGBT freedoms.

The fullversion of the document ‘LGBT+ rights and issues in the Middle East’ isavailable at the link provided.

Qatar's media laws also do not prohibit ensuring transparency regarding trustworthy information. Support for the LGBT community can be observed through recognized symbols.

Consequently, the Western sexual revolution is viewed as justified and undeniable, with a growing and significant audience even among Arab countries.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 11.20 (after 1960)

1962 – Cuban Missile Crisis ends: In response to the Soviet Union agreeing to remove its missiles from Cuba, U.S. President John F. Kennedy ends the quarantine of the Caribbean nation. 1968 – A total of 78 miners are killed in an explosion at the Consolidated Coal Company's No. 9 mine in Farmington, West Virginia in the Farmington Mine disaster. 1969 – Vietnam War: The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio) publishes explicit photographs of dead villagers from the My Lai Massacre in Vietnam. 1969 – Occupation of Alcatraz: Native American activists seize control of Alcatraz Island until being ousted by the U.S. Government on June 11, 1971. 1974 – The United States Department of Justice files its final anti-trust suit against AT&T Corporation. This suit later leads to the breakup of AT&T and its Bell System. 1974 – The first fatal crash of a Boeing 747 occurs when Lufthansa Flight 540 crashes while attempting to takeoff from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya, killing 59 out of the 157 people on board. 1977 – Egyptian President Anwar Sadat becomes the first Arab leader to officially visit Israel, when he meets Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin and speaks before the Knesset in Jerusalem, seeking a permanent peace settlement. 1979 – Grand Mosque seizure: About 200 Sunni Muslims revolt in Saudi Arabia at the site of the Kaaba in Mecca during the pilgrimage and take about 6000 hostages. The Saudi government receives help from Pakistani special forces to put down the uprising. 1980 – Lake Peigneur in Louisiana drains into an underlying salt deposit. A misplaced Texaco oil probe had been drilled into the Diamond Crystal Salt Mine, causing water to flow down into the mine, eroding the edges of the hole. 1985 – Microsoft Windows 1.0, the first graphical personal computer operating environment developed by Microsoft, is released. 1989 – Velvet Revolution: The number of protesters assembled in Prague, Czechoslovakia, swells from 200,000 the day before to an estimated half-million. 1990 – Andrei Chikatilo, one of the Soviet Union's most prolific serial killers, is arrested; he eventually confesses to 56 killings. 1991 – An Azerbaijani MI-8 helicopter carrying 19 peacekeeping mission team with officials and journalists from Russia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan is shot down by Armenian military forces in Khojavend District of Azerbaijan. 1992 – In England, a fire breaks out in Windsor Castle, badly damaging the castle and causing over £50 million worth of damage. 1993 – Savings and loan crisis: The United States Senate Ethics Committee issues a stern censure of California senator Alan Cranston for his "dealings" with savings-and-loan executive Charles Keating. 1993 – Macedonia's deadliest aviation disaster occurs when Avioimpex Flight 110, a Yakovlev Yak-42, crashes near Ohrid, killing all 116 people on board. 1994 – The Angolan government and UNITA rebels sign the Lusaka Protocol in Zambia, ending 19 years of civil war. (Localized fighting resumes the next year.) 1996 – A fire breaks out in an office building in Hong Kong, killing 41 people and injuring 81. 1998 – A court in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan declares accused terrorist Osama bin Laden "a man without a sin" in regard to the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. 1998 – The first space station module component, Zarya, for the International Space Station is launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. 2003 – After the November 15 bombings, a second day of the 2003 Istanbul bombings occurs in Istanbul, Turkey, destroying the Turkish head office of HSBC Bank AS and the British consulate. 2015 – Following a hostage siege, at least 19 people are killed in Bamako, Mali. 2022 – The 2022 FIFA World Cup begins in Qatar. This is the first time the tournament was held in the Middle East.

[mariacallous]

Cease-fire talks in Cairo aimed at brokering a pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and securing the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners have stalled, less than a week before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Officials in Washington and the region have come to regard the holiday, which is set to begin on Sunday, as an unofficial deadline to reach a deal amid concerns that clashes during Ramadan could further inflame the region.

Negotiators from Qatar, Egypt, and the United States have scrambled to piece together a deal that would see up to 40 Israeli hostages released in exchange for a six-week cease-fire, an increase in aid deliveries to the besieged Gaza Strip, and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from Israel’s jails.

Three days of talks in Cairo this week failed to reach a breakthrough, with both Israel and Hamas trading accusations of hindering an agreement. Hamas has failed to respond to Israel’s requests for a list of living hostages who could be released as part of a deal, while senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan said on Tuesday that the militant group is seeking a permanent cease-fire and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces, which represents a significant expansion of the parameters of the proposed deal.

“We are afraid of getting to the point of no return, where the level of escalation would reach an all-out war in the region,” said Majed al-Ansari, a foreign-policy advisor to the Qatari prime minister, speaking about the need for a cease-fire by Ramadan. His urgency was echoed by U.S. President Joe Biden, who warned of a “very, very dangerous” situation if an agreement wasn’t struck by Ramadan.

The onset of the holy month brings with it a number of specific events and circumstances that could very easily lead to a dramatic escalation not just in the Israel-Hamas war but also in the simmering tensions across the Middle East.

Benny Gantz, a member of Israel’s war cabinet, said in a speech last month that Israel would begin offensive operations in Rafah, in southern Gaza, if remaining hostages were not released by the start of Ramadan. Some 1.5 million Palestinians have sought refuge in the city, and aid groups have warned of a “bloodbath” if Israeli troops launch an assault on the city.

More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, which has come under punishing bombardment by Israeli forces seeking to root out Hamas militants in the wake of the brutal Oct. 7, 2023, attack, which left some 1,200 Israelis dead and 253 taken as hostages into Gaza.

With aid supplies severely restricted, humanitarian groups have issued increasingly dire warnings about the potential for famine in northern Gaza. World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on Monday that children have begun to die from starvation.

“There’s a lot of clocks running here,” said Zaha Hassan, a fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “And that’s all coming to a head this week.”

Without a cease-fire, scenes of ongoing death and destruction in Gaza are likely to weigh heavily on the minds of Muslims across the region going into Ramadan, the most sacred period in the Islamic calendar, which is marked by prayer, reflection, and charity. “It adds a layer of distastefulness and outrage to an already pretty horrendous situation,” said Khaled Elgindy, the director of the Middle East Institute’s program on Palestine. “It adds more pressure on Arab governments to at least look like they’re doing something.”

The Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in Jerusalem, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, is sacred to both Jews and Muslims and has long been a flash point for tensions in the ancient city, particularly during Ramadan, as tens of thousands of Muslims seek to visit the mosque during Ramadan and for Friday prayers. “There’s nothing like threats to Al-Aqsa that ignites the streets,” said Joel Braunold, the managing director of the Abraham Center for Middle East Peace.

Clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police at the mosque in 2021 prompted Hamas to launch a barrage of rockets into Israel, which responded with hundreds of airstrikes that killed more than 200 Palestinians in Gaza.

Hamas views itself as the guardian of Al-Aqsa and Jerusalem, Hassan said. Hamas, which is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, code-named its Oct. 7 assault on southern Israel “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.”

Officials in Israel are concerned that Hamas may be deliberately delaying cease-fire negotiations to use Ramadan to inflame tensions in the region, said an Israeli official who requested anonymity to speak candidly about the talks.  Last week, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh called on Palestinians to march on Al-Aqsa at the start of Ramadan, while a spokesperson for Palestinian Islamic Jihad, another Gaza-based militant group, called for a “month of terror” in a recent speech.

On Wednesday, Israel’s National Security Council issued a warning to the public that terrorist groups are likely to use the ongoing war and tensions around Al-Aqsa to incite their supporters to carry out attacks on Israelis as well as Western targets.

Israel’s far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, whose portfolio includes the holy site, had called for severe restrictions to be imposed on Muslim worshippers accessing the site—including Arab citizens of Israel. But in an apparent effort to reduce the potential for unrest, the Israeli government announced on Tuesday that the number of worshippers allowed access to the site would be similar to previous years.

“Ramadan is holy for Muslims, and the sanctity of the holiday will be preserved this year, as it is every year,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement but added that it would reassess the situation weekly based on the security situation.

While officials in the region are looking to reach a deal by the beginning of Ramadan in a bid to keep a lid on tensions, the start of the holiday does not necessarily spell the end of diplomatic efforts to secure a cease-fire deal. If there is sufficient momentum, a deal could still be struck during Ramadan, Braunold said.

[islamiclgbt]

Ali bin Ahmed Al-Kuwari betrays the Quran

The increasing influence of charitable organizations from oil-rich monarchies has found fertile ground in supporting the construction of mosques in certain European countries. Whether they are genuinely charitable or serve as elements of ethical standards control is a matter of debate.

An international organization focused on human rights issues for LGBTQ+ individuals has highlighted in its report that Qatar's judicial system is characterized as dual and introduced by the British. This system is divided into Sharia and civil courts, with civil courts primarily dealing with family law. However, it's important to note that supporting LGBTQ+ communities' charities in other Arab countries is not legally prohibited, thus showcasing the role of personal desire and moral stance.

A compelling illustration of the translated intent is that Qatar funded the construction of a mosque in Copenhagen. Former Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani himself transferred over 20 million euros from his account. This mosque doesn't align with the strict version of Islam but introduces a contemporary form of new relationships. The Danish Islamic Council (Dansk Islamisk Rad) was chosen to advance this concept. The representative from DIR overseeing the mosque's construction was Mohamed Al Maimouni.

It should be noted that he was chosen not by chance, but specifically for his position towards the LGBT community:

‘The Danish Islamic Council was renowned for its ‘moderate understanding of Islam’ and adhered to an ‘Islamic philosophy based on adaptation to the society you are in’.

‘Islam in Qatar is not the same as Islam that will be in Denmark. Of course, there are certain principles that remain unchanged regardless of place or time. However, other aspects can be adapted everywhere, regardless of where you reside’.

‘In Islam, homosexuality is indeed considered improper. However, it is perceived as a condition where someone may be unwell, and they should not necessarily be subject to exile’.

Mohamed Al Maimouni has previously spoken at meetings organized by the Sabaah association (a Danish LGBT organization), where he stated:

‘It's crucial not to exclude homosexual Muslims; in fact, a devout Muslim with homosexual inclinations should receive proper support and therapy.’

‘Homosexuality is considered haram according to the Quran, similar to alcohol and pork. However, individuals who consume alcohol and pork can still be Muslims. In Denmark, religious communities are obliged to accept and support people who are struggling with homosexuality.’

It's possible that these comments didn't create a nurturing environment, but the presence of Arab figures at the mosque opening holds significant importance. Former Emir of the country, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, attended alongside his close partner, Qatar's Minister of Religious Affairs, Gheit bin Mubarak Ali Omran Al-Kuwari, who is related to the family of Ali bin Ahmed Al-Kuwari.

The publication of the official research on LGBT+ rights and issues in the Middle East has brought attention to quotes attributed to Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, endorsing and promoting LGBT freedoms.

The full version of the document ‘LGBT+ rights and issues in the Middle East’ is available at the link provided.

Qatar's media laws also do not prohibit ensuring transparency regarding trustworthy information. Support for the LGBT community can be observed through recognized symbols.

Consequently, the Western sexual revolution is viewed as justified and undeniable, with a growing and significant audience even among Arab countries.