July 18, 2014
For the last nine days, Israel has steadily increased its military aggression against Palestinians in Gaza. More than 260 Palestinians have been killed, with the United Nations reporting that 80 percent were civilians and 2,000 more have been injured. What has Congress’ response been to this bloodshed? Yesterday, the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee approved a defense spending bill that provides $621.6 million for Israeli missile defense, including a $351 million increase in funding for Israel’s Iron Dome system.
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READ MOREJuly 9, 2014
“No country can accept rocket fire aimed at civilians and we support Israel’s right to defend itself against these vicious attacks,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said yesterday. Since then, the Israeli military, including jets and naval gun fire, pulverized the Gaza Strip killing at least 13 people and injuring 90 others. Furthermore, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called up 40,000 reservists for a possible ground invasion and has begun moving convoys of tanks and armor to the Gaza border. -
READ MOREJuly 3, 2014
With the Fourth of July just around the corner, the savory smell of a barbecue blurring the lines between smoke and heat wave peaks excitement across the nation. The flags we wave perform as dazzling emblems of liberty and the fireworks we spark respond to John Adams’ requests for independence. But how far have we come in expanding upon and embodying the ideals of our Founding Fathers? Have we embodied and continued their work or merely paid homage through red, white and blue decor? -
READ MOREJune 20, 2014
The vile work of ISIS cannot and should not dictate how we deal with our fellow humans; indeed we must ensure that communities are immune from the depraved sectarian disease that seeks to destroy us all. Let us confess as Muslims that outside sinister forces have succeeded in creating division in the Muslim world and in Muslim communities throughout the world because we have not heeded, let alone applied, the Quranic mandate to prevent sectarianism. -
READ MOREMay 30, 2014
This week, President Barack Obama delivered the commencement address at the United States Military Academy in West Point, NY. There, he laid out his vision for a foreign policy strategy that would adapt to a changing global landscape. -
READ MOREMay 23, 2014
Following the world’s largest democratic elections, India’s new Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, will officially be sworn into office on Monday. Leader of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Modi won along with his party members who now make up the majority of Parliament. In the words of the New York Times, “critics fear that this will untie Modi’s hands to pursue the cultural agenda of the Hindu far right, a dangerous path in a country that is 15 percent Muslim and with sizable Sikh and Christian populations.” -
READ MOREMay 9, 2014
It is ironic that election season often highlights the rhetorical gravitas of candidates pandering for a cheap vote. Already during this election season, some candidates are deploying divisive and exclusionary speech to play on people’s fears and ignorance. Campaign season is just heating up and we are already witnessing name-calling and fear-mongering. -
READ MOREMay 2, 2014
It’s not the NBA playoffs that made the news this past week; Donald Sterling, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers was recorded arguing with his girlfriend over photos of her with Earvin “Magic” Johnson and other African American athletes. The recording captured Sterling making racist comments ranging from African Americans' roles in society to the treatment of Ethiopian Jews in Israel. Understandably, the nation is appalled that an owner of a national basketball team could hold such anachronistic views. However, why is it that comments on race spark such national outrage, but everyday institutionalized racism is ignored? -
READ MOREApril 25, 2014
On Sunday, April 13, I Am Change LA Fellow Abeer Gaber joined more than 50 community members for the Claremont Interfaith Working Group for Peace in the Middle East fourth annual Interfaith Seder at the Islamic Center of Claremont. The Claremont Interfaith Working Group for Peace in the Middle East began in 2006 as a group promoting dialogue among faith groups and individuals concerned about the future of our region and the world. -
READ MOREApril 25, 2014
With negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis nearing its deadline on April 29, the United States has once again suffered a setback in another round of peace talks. Following an announcement of a unity pact between Hamas and President Mahmoud Abbas, Israel cancelled a session of U.S.-brokered talks with Palestinians that had been set to take place Wednesday. -
READ MOREApril 18, 2014
This week, the Director of MPAC’s Washington, DC office, Haris Tarin, was part of a White House event at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government commemorating the tragic Boston Marathon bombing. -
READ MOREApril 11, 2014
Twenty years ago the world witnessed one of the most horrific acts of violence between countrymen in Rwanda. This week, the world is remembering the Rwandan genocide, an atrocity that claimed the lives of over 800,000 people in the span of three months. -
READ MOREApril 4, 2014
During the past few weeks, Washington, DC, has seen more drama than an episode of “House of Cards.” Remember when the Senate Intelligence Committee was spied upon by the very agency it was tasked to oversee? The CIA, afraid of looking bad, sabotaged Senate staffers who were investigating its torture techniques. A damning report set to be released soon by the same committee exposes the CIA’s efforts to exaggerate the effectiveness of enhanced interrogation (torture) techniques. -
READ MOREMarch 21, 2014
Ukraine, which can be translated as “borderland” or “on the edge” (due to the geographical location of the country), has been on edge for the past few weeks over the Russian invasion of the Crimean peninsula. The people of Crimea include a Russian majority (58%), and a Ukrainian (24%) and Tatar (12%, majority Muslim) minority. -
READ MOREMarch 14, 2014
The issue of NSA surveillance of civilians through implementing the data mining PRISM program, monitoring telephone records and planting software on personal computers has, over the past few months, launched a national debate about surveillance. However, while the public and media outcry has only risen, the outrage seems to be absent among the Senate Intelligence Committee members who oversee the intelligence agencies. -
READ MOREMarch 7, 2014
This week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to Washington, DC, to address the annual convention of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and meet with President Barack Obama to discuss various issues ranging from Iran to the current peace talks. -
READ MOREFebruary 21, 2014
The United Nations has warned that the Central African Republic (CAR) is heading toward a humanitarian disaster to the point that current sectarian violence between Christian and Muslim militias will end in genocide. Since December 2013, bands of Christian militia, known as anti-Balaka, have waged war on Muslims and their property and engaged in a violent campaign of “ethno-religious cleansing,” according to Amnesty International. French and African Union troops have been stationed in CAR since December but are overwhelmed with the 2.5 million residents requiring assistance and safety. -
READ MOREJanuary 31, 2014
For the athletes entering the Winter Olympics, it’s about the games. For the host city of Sochi, Russia, it’s also an exercise in homeland security. From Feb. 7 to the 23rd, the world will be watching as thousands of athletes from more than 80 countries showcase their skills and extraordinary talents in a competition among the world’s best athletes. Right now, days before the Olympics commence, the Russians have been ramping up their security in Sochi with more than 50,000 police, army and security officers. -
READ MOREJanuary 24, 2014
This week, Secretary of State John Kerry announced the departure of Farah Pandith, the State Department’s Special Representative to Muslim Communities. Pandith leaves after almost five years of service in that role. In 2009, then-Secretary Hillary Clinton appointed Pandith to “be responsible for executing a vision for engagement with Muslims around the world based on a people-to-people and organizational level.” -
READ MOREJanuary 17, 2014
The ongoing violence and persecution against the Rohingya people of Myanmar has become increasingly dire in recent months, yet it remains largely overlooked in the public eye. The recently introduced House Resolution 418 urges the government of Burma to end the persecution of the Rohingya people and to respect internationally recognized human rights for all ethnic and religious minority groups within Burma.
