Islamic Societies Review WEEKLY

Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Qatari Emir, in Tehran, met Iranian officials: Importance of dialogue to resolve regional conflicts maintain regional stability

Wednesday, February 19, 2025 No comments

Although the public statements seemed to emphasize the importance of the ceasefire in Gaza and need to rebuild Gaza and prevent its people from forced displacement, one must read between the lines to understand the role of Qatar in bridging the gap between Iranian leaders and the new leaders in Syria as being their top priority. The reason being Qatari deep connections to the armed group, HTS, which now control most of Syria. It is likely that Qatar will play a role in "normalizing the relationship to the extent that the Shia minority in Syria and the religious site revered by Shia Muslims are respected and protect. In return, Syrian leaders can expect Iran's help in helping speed up the rebuilding of state institutions that would be able to preserve Syria's territorial integrity. The coming days will determine how successful the Qataris in achieving this balancing act.

The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, confirmed - in a press conference with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian - that he is visiting Tehran at a time when the region is witnessing challenges that require consultation and coordination, stressing that the best way to resolve conflicts is through constructive dialogue.

The Emir of Qatar said that he held talks with the Iranian President that included many areas of cooperation, stressing the importance of exploring potential opportunities for cooperation.

He explained that the recent visit of the Iranian President to the State of Qatar contributed to developing relations between the two countries, adding that dialogues and understandings support stability in the region and enhance the prosperity of its countries and peoples.

The Emir of Qatar stressed - in the joint press conference - the need to adhere to the ceasefire in Gaza and continue the flow of aid, and he also spoke with President Pezeshkian about the importance of the success of the comprehensive political process in Syria.

Maintaining Stability

In turn, the Iranian president said that he held consultations with the Emir of Qatar on the current developments in the region.

Pezeshkian thanked Doha for its efforts in the ceasefire negotiations in Gaza and the release of Palestinian prisoners, stressing that during this meeting he emphasized the unity of Syrian territory and the right of the Syrian people to self-determination.

The Iranian president said that he believes that the countries of the region can work to achieve stability and security in the region, adding that strengthening and expanding relations in all fields with the countries of the region is one of Tehran's basic policies.

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad arrived in the capital Tehran on Wednesday on a visit accompanied by Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and an official delegation.

The Emir of Qatar met with President Pezeshkian and senior Iranian officials to discuss bilateral relations, regional developments, and ways to maintain the security and stability of the region, according to the Qatar News Agency (QNA).

The Qatari agency stated that this visit "is of great interest in light of the current circumstances and developments in the region, and what they require in terms of intensifying consultations at the highest levels, and coordinating visions and positions towards various challenges."

Iran's President Pezeshkian in a press conference with the Emir of Qatar in Tehran: We respect Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity

There is a convergence of views between Iran and our friend Qatar on regional issues.. The Islamic Republic believes that the countries of the region are capable of achieving security and stability in the region.. We respect the sovereignty of Syria and stressed the necessity of the participation of all segments of the Syrian people in determining its fate.. We appreciate Qatar's efforts in mediating to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.. We believe that all governments and peoples must do their utmost to defend the rights of the Palestinian people

Trump's views on the war in Ukraine posted on social media while Zelenskyy cancels visit to Saudi Arabia; Putin wants to restore trust

Wednesday, February 19, 2025 No comments

Trump's views on the war in Ukraine posted on social media while Zelenskyy cancels visit to Saudi Arabia; here are some key points from Trump's statement:

He stated that Zelensky, who “had modest success as a comedian,” could not have won the Ukrainian conflict, but the United States gave him money.
Called Zelensky a “dictator without elections” and accused him of refusing to hold a vote.
Stated that without the participation of the United States, Zelensky "will never be able" to negotiate peace with Russia.
Stated that Zelensky dragged the US into a war that "could not be won."
Zelensky "played Biden by the book" and now refuses to participate in the elections due to low ratings.
Accuses Zelensky of wanting to continue the conflict with Russia for financial gain.
At the same time, he emphasized that while Zelensky is hesitating, his administration is conducting “successful negotiations” with Russia on ending the conflict in Ukraine.

Zelenskyy's reaction shows that he is trying to find some grounding to push back, but is hesitating

We are not surprised when they say that 90% of aid is provided by the US. We understand that the truth is actually a little different. And I would like the Trump team to have more truth, because all this certainly does not have a positive effect on Ukraine.

They are bringing Putin out of isolation, and I think Putin, the Russians, want it very much. In the discussion with them yesterday, there were signals that they are being portrayed as victims. This is something new. I would not like to criticize official US representatives. But this is a war against you. Everyone admits this, even those who are loyal to the Russians. The Secretary of State says that this is a "conflict." This is official, they showed it to me. But this still needs to be verified. This is a softening of their policy.

Given the change of posture in Washington, Zelenskyy is still trying to figure out his next moves; and his first was to cancel his visit to Saudi Arabia, as per this news report:

– Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he has canceled his planned official visit to Saudi Arabia and indicated that a visit would happen in March instead after Kyiv was excluded from US-Russian talks in Riyadh on Tuesday.

Zelensky said on Monday that he was due to visit Saudi Arabia later this week.

“We were not invited to this Russian-American meeting in Saudi Arabia. It was a surprise for us. I think it was a surprise for many,” Zelensky told a news conference in the Turkish capital Ankara after the US-Russian talks in Riyadh.

“We are completely honest and open. I don’t want any coincidences. That’s why I won’t go to Saudi Arabia,” Zelensky said, adding that he would visit Riyadh on March 10.

Zelensky stressed that he wants the war to end “but we want it to be fair and for no one to decide anything behind our backs.”

He also stressed that “no decisions can be made without Ukraine on how to end the war in Ukraine, and on what terms.”

Meeting Erdogan in Turkiye, which became his destination after he canceled his visit to Saudi Arabia, he heard from the Turkish leader who told him that he supports Trump's proposal for peace because that intersects with Turkiye's plan which was proposed three years ago.

Erdogan: Trump's Ukraine initiative intersects with Türkiye's efforts

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the diplomatic initiative launched by US President Donald Trump to quickly end the war in Ukraine through negotiations intersects with the policy pursued by Turkey for the past three years.

During a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Ankara on Tuesday, Erdogan recalled previous initiatives by NATO member Turkey, which hosted negotiations between Moscow and Kiev twice in 2022.

Zelensky said that the United States, Ukraine and Europe must participate in the talks on providing security guarantees to Kiev in order to ensure a just peace.

Putin: The goal of talks with Washington in Riyadh is to restore trust

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the goal of the talks held by Russia and the United States in Riyadh is to "restore trust between Moscow and Washington," explaining that "it is difficult to resolve many issues, including the Ukrainian crisis, without raising the level of trust."

In statements to reporters, made on Wednesday, a day after the talks in Saudi Arabia, Putin confirmed that the meeting of the two delegations in the Saudi capital "was friendly," as he expressed his "appreciation for the results of the talks between the Russian and American representatives."

Putin added that the Russian delegation confirmed to its American counterpart during the talks that it is "open to joint work," announcing that Russia "will inform its friends in the BRICS group of the results of the Russian-American negotiations."

In the same context, Putin said that Moscow and Washington "have taken the first step to resume work in a variety of areas of common interest," explaining that this "includes the Middle East, taking into account the continued Russian presence in Syria and the Palestinian issue."

He noted that there are "many issues to be resolved, in which both the United States and Russia are involved, despite the fact that we, of course, attach fundamental importance to the situation on the Ukrainian track."

Regarding other issues, "such as the economy, joint work in global energy markets and space," Putin confirmed that they were "a subject of study and discussion during the meeting in Riyadh."

The Russian president also expressed "readiness to return to the negotiating table," stressing that Moscow "has never refused to negotiate on Ukraine, and does not impose anything on anyone."

In this context, Putin revealed that his American counterpart, Donald Trump, told him during the phone conversation they had on February 12, that "the United States proceeds from the fact that the negotiation process will be conducted with the participation of both Russia and Ukraine, and that no one excludes Ukraine from it."

In light of this, Putin considered that what he described as "the hysteria that has afflicted Kiev," due to its absence from the talks between Moscow and Washington in Riyadh, "is out of place."

As for the meeting with Trump, Putin confirmed that "the desire to hold the meeting is mutual between the two presidents," adding: "But I repeat, once again... we must prepare for this meeting, so that there is a result."

Putin expressed his "surprise at the restraint the US president has shown towards his European allies, who are behaving in an inappropriate manner," he said.

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Macron criticizes Trump plan: 2 million Palestinians cannot be asked to leave Gaza

Wednesday, February 12, 2025 No comments

French President Emmanuel Macron criticized his American counterpart, Donald Trump, for his plan to seize the Gaza Strip, noting that "Gaza is not an empty piece of land, but rather two million people live there."

Macron stressed, in an interview with the American network "CNN", that the solution to Gaza "cannot be through a real estate deal, but rather the best way is through a political process," so that "two million Palestinians cannot be asked to leave the Strip."

Macron stressed, in the interview conducted by "CNN" last Thursday (published on Tuesday), the need to maintain the ceasefire agreement in Gaza and resume the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, expressing his "respect for the Palestinians' desire to have their own independent state."

Two days ago, the US president said he was "thinking of the Gaza Strip as a real estate deal," saying he would "own this land and keep the Strip for himself." Trump added on Monday that "the Palestinians will not have the right to return under the Gaza Strip control plan," claiming that they would "get much better housing."

It should be noted that French leaders, including former leaders, have expressed serious concerns about the way the war in Gaza was carried out, criticizing the deliberate killing of women and babies; a war they considered to impact the standing of their country and the West in general.

Sunday, February 09, 2025

Member of the Saudi Shura Council to Trump: The truth is clear and falsehood is confused"

Sunday, February 09, 2025 No comments

Member of the Saudi Shura Council, Yousef bin Trad al-Saadoun, published an article in the Saudi newspaper, Okaz, in which he advised Trump, if he wants to be a champion of peace and achieve stability and prosperity for the Middle East, "to move his beloved Israelis to Alaska and then to Greenland after annexing it."

al-Saadoun added: "The Zionists and their supporters must realize well that they will not be able to lure the Saudi leadership and government into the traps of media maneuvers and false political pressures."

He also claimed that the "official foreign policy of the United States will seek the illegal occupation of sovereign land and the ethnic cleansing of its inhabitants, which are the Israeli approach and are considered crimes against humanity. Anyone who follows the path of the emergence and continuation of Israel clearly realizes that this plan was certainly formulated and approved by the Zionist entity, and was handed over to their ally to read from the White House podium."

al-Saadoun's article is just one reaction of many to Trump's statement and to Israeli leaders' suggestion that Saudi Arabia should be home to Palestinians.

On Thursday, Benjamin Netanyahu said during an interview with Israel's Channel 14: "The Saudis can create a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia; they have a lot of land over there."

These statements seem to unite Arab regimes against any plans for the forced removal of Palestinians from their land.

Palestinian and Egyptian officials have condemned Netanyahu’s suggestion to establish a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia, calling it an attack on the Kingdom’s sovereignty.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry denounced the proposal as “racist and anti-peace,” labelling it a blatant violation of Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and stability. Hussein Al-Sheikh, secretary-general of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), said Netanyahu’s remarks disregarded international law and conventions, stressing, “The State of Palestine will only be on the land of Palestine.”

Egypt also slammed the comments as “irresponsible and unacceptable,” with its Foreign Ministry stating that Netanyahu’s remarks infringe on Saudi sovereignty and violate both international law and the UN Charter.

Saudi Arabia praises Arab governments for their support

The Saudi Foreign Ministry praised, on Sunday, the positions of Arab and Islamic countries in condemnation, disapproval and complete rejection of what the Prime Minister of the Israeli occupation government, Benjamin Netanyahu, stated regarding the displacement of the Palestinian people from their land.

In a statement, it considered that "these positions confirm the centrality of the Palestinian cause to Arab and Islamic countries," stressing its categorical rejection of Netanyahu's statements that "aimed at diverting attention from the successive crimes committed by the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian brothers in Gaza, including what they are exposed to in terms of ethnic cleansing."

It pointed out that this "extremist occupying mentality does not understand what the Palestinian land means to the brotherly Palestinian people and their emotional, historical and legal connection to this land, and does not consider that the Palestinian people deserve life in the first place."

The Foreign Ministry statement also stressed that "the brotherly Palestinian people have a right to their land, and are not intruders or immigrants who can be expelled whenever the brutal Israeli occupation wants."

It pointed out that these ideas are what prevent "peace," through "rejecting peaceful coexistence and rejecting peace initiatives, and practicing systematic injustice against the Palestinian people for more than 75 years, without caring about the right, justice, law, and values established in the United Nations Charter, including the right of man to live in dignity on his land."

The Saudi Foreign Ministry concluded its statement by emphasizing the right of the Palestinian people "which will remain steadfast, and no one will be able to take it away from them no matter how long it takes, and that lasting peace will not be achieved except by returning to the logic of reason, and accepting the principle of peaceful coexistence through the two-state solution."

Saudi Arabi's Statement:

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia appreciates the condemnation, disapproval and total rejection announced by the brotherly countries towards what Benjamin Netanyahu stated regarding the displacement of the Palestinian people from their land and the Kingdom values the positions that emphasize the centrality of the Palestinian issue to the Arab and Muslim countries.

Monday, January 27, 2025

"Israel Is Meant to Be Jewish and Democratic; It Cannot Be Both"

Monday, January 27, 2025 No comments

There is no enduring end to cyclical violence without a political solution to the fate of the Palestinians. No one is seriously talking about the day after another Gaza war, unless they talk about political settlement, not security arrangement. The New York Times borrowed a line from John Kerry who argued that "Israel Is Meant to Be Jewish and Democratic. It Cannot Be Both." The NYT article interpreted that statement by invoking another maxim: "States Don’t Have a Right to Exist. People Do." Here are some excerpts from the article, referenced by similar views published in global media outlets.

Sunday, January 26, 2025

How the State Department Let Israel Get Away With Horrors in Gaza

Sunday, January 26, 2025 No comments

A detailed investigative reporting on what the US state department did and did not do during the Gaza war.

Read the report.

This comes when other news media outlets reported that "Former State Department officials concerned about the U.S. role in Israel's war in Gaza."

These developments happen as the extent of death and destruction in Gaza is now being examined, with reports that the 46,000 figure for deaths, could be much lower.

Gaza death toll an underestimate, Lancet study suggests
From the beginning of the war through June 30, 2024, Gaza's heath ministry said just under 38,000 people had been killed by traumatic injuries, but the Lancet's estimate — published in a peer-reviewed study based on data from health authorities, social media obituaries and an online survey — was that more than 64,000 people had been killed during that time.

Saturday, January 18, 2025

Islamic Societies Reviews' (ISR's) most popular news stories of 2024

Saturday, January 18, 2025 No comments

The year 2024 was another pivotal year in terms of events and coverage of those events. Here are the most popular news stories of 2024, as determined by what drew the most readers. We also have a collections of ISR MONTHLY.

Wednesday, January 08, 2025

Are the fighting in the north and the resisting in the south signs of disintegration of Syria?

Wednesday, January 08, 2025 No comments

Weeks since the fall of the Baath regime in Syria, one main armed faction, the most organized and powerful group—HTS, took control of the country. The group’s leader has been acting as the country’s leader and governments that supported the armed rebellion are accepting his role as the de facto leader. However, instead of starting a process of reconciliation, the new rulers are placing themselves in a positions that would allow them to control the future of the country. This approach appears to be pushing other groups to do the same: hold tight to whatever power they secured in the past 14 years and leverage such power to secure a significant role in the future. This trend may result in the breakdown of Syrian into at least three regions, similar to what happened in Libya. These are some of the signs that point to that possibility.

Violent clashes between Turkey-supported "National Army" and US-supported "SDF"

Newsmedia correspondents in Syria reported on Wednesday that a Turkish drone targeted a SDF vehicle in the countryside of Ayn al-Arab "Kobani" in the eastern countryside of Aleppo.

The report detailed that the vicinity of the Qarqozak Bridge, located south of the city of Ayn al-Arab "Kobani", was subjected to Turkish artillery shelling, while the factions of the "National Army", affiliated with Turkey, bombed the SDF sites at the bridge with missiles. A Turkish drone targeted a SDF rocket launcher in the village of Sakul in the countryside of Manbij, east of Aleppo.

In the same context, the media center of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) confirmed that "Turkish warplanes bombed Tishrin Dam and its surroundings with a number of raids, coinciding with attacks carried out by the mercenary factions affiliated with Turkey on villages north of Tishrin Dam and southeast of Manbij, where violent clashes are taking place between the forces of the Manbij Military Council and the mercenaries."

In Kobani, Turkish drones bombed a civilian car in the village of "Kirk-Girik", in addition to artillery shelling on the village of "Aslanki" south of the city.

According to the center, the danger of the Tishrin Dam collapsing is increasing, as the Turkish state bears any disaster that may befall the dam and other Syrian regions as a result of the Turkish air and artillery attacks that reached their peak during the morning hours today, and which continue until now.

The center confirmed that "the forces of the Manbij Military Council destroyed two vehicles loaded with Dushka weapons belonging to the mercenaries of the Turkish occupation north of Tishrin Dam during the ongoing clashes there."

The Turkish drone targeted a "Qasd" car in an airstrike in the vicinity of the city of Al-Malikiyah, northeast of Al-Hasakah, in the far northeast of Syria.

In Southern Syria, armed groups' leaders say they are not convinced to hand over weapons

The spokesman for the Southern Operations Room, which controls Daraa province, Nassim Abu Ara, said that the room’s fighters are not convinced by the idea of dissolving the armed groups announced by the new Syrian administration on December 25 of last year, when the new rulers confirmed that they had reached an agreement with the armed groups regarding their dissolution and integration under the Ministry of Defense.

In an interview with Agence France-Presse, Abu Ara confirmed that the fighters are hesitant to disarm and disband their ranks as ordered by the new rulers, noting that he and those with him are "an organized force in the south, possessing heavy weapons and equipment, and led by officers who defected from the army of the former regime," suggesting that they be merged as a military body with the Ministry of Defense. Abu Ara added that the "Southern Operations Room" led by local leader Ahmed al-Awda includes thousands of men who have no Islamic affiliation, and sources close to the group indicated that al-Awda enjoys good relations with Russia, as well as Jordan and the Emirates.

Tuesday, January 07, 2025

Israeli government committee: Turkey-backed Syria may pose greater threat than Iran

Tuesday, January 07, 2025 No comments

An Israeli government committee said Monday that Turkey could pose a greater threat to Israel than Iran in Syria if it backs a hostile “Sunni Islamist” force in Damascus.

Ankara has emerged as a major beneficiary of the collapse of Bashar Assad’s government in Syria last month, following an offensive by rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and other Turkish-backed Syrian groups.

Since then, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has pledged all forms of support, including military and security assistance, to help the new Syrian caretaker government establish public order in the country under the leadership of Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Julani.

The “Committee to Evaluate the Defense Establishment Budget and Balance of Power,” headed by former National Security Council head Yaakov Nagel, is commonly referred to in Hebrew media as the Nagel Committee or the Nagel Committee.

The committee was established in 2023, before the outbreak of the Israeli war on Gaza, with the aim of making recommendations to the Defense Ministry on potential areas of conflict that Israel could face in the coming years.

The committee said that “the origins of the rebels and their leaders,” some of whom were previously associated with groups such as Al-Qaeda, should not be ignored.

For this reason, we must take into account that Israel may face a new threat emerging in Syria, which in some respects may be no less dangerous than the previous threat. This threat may take the form of a radical Sunni force that also refuses to recognize the existence of Israel,” the committee said.

Moreover, since the Sunni rebels will exercise political power by virtue of their central control in Syria, they may pose a greater threat than the Iranian threat, which has been limited by Israel’s continued actions, as well as the restrictions imposed on Iran by the sovereign Syrian state.

The committee warned that the problem could intensify if the Syrian force effectively becomes a proxy for Turkey, “as part of Turkey’s ambition to restore the Ottoman Empire to its former glory.”

We must prepare for war with Türkiye

Israeli media reported that a government committee recommended in its report to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, yesterday, Monday, to prepare for a possible war with Turkey, in light of growing concerns in Tel Aviv about Ankara’s alliance with the new administration in Damascus after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime.

The Jerusalem Post quoted the committee’s report as proposing to increase the defense budget by up to NIS 15 billion ($4.1 billion) annually over the next five years, to ensure that Israeli forces are equipped to deal with the challenges posed by Turkey, as well as other regional threats.

The committee also recommended several measures to prepare for a possible confrontation with Turkey:

Advanced weapons: Acquiring additional F-15 fighter jets, refueling aircraft, drones and satellites to enhance Israel’s ability to carry out long-range strikes.

Air defense systems: Enhancing multi-layered air defense capabilities, including the Iron Dome, David’s Sling, Arrow and the newly operational laser defense system.

Border security: Building a fortified security barrier along the Jordan Valley, which would represent a major shift in Israel’s defense strategy despite the potential diplomatic fallout with Jordan.

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office said in a statement on Monday that Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich had received the Nagel Committee's recommendations.

According to the statement, Netanyahu said, "We are in the midst of a fundamental change in the situation in the Middle East. We have known for years that Iran poses the greatest threat to us, both directly and through its proxies."

He continued, "Of course, we were keen to hit this axis hard. But we have seen the reality that: First, Iran is still there, and second, additional forces have entered the field, and we always need to be prepared for what may come."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had warned - a few weeks before the Syrian armed opposition overthrew the regime of Bashar al-Assad - that Israeli military moves in Syria could pose a direct threat to Turkey's security on its southern border.

Monday, January 06, 2025

Indonesia now has full membership in BRICS

Monday, January 06, 2025 No comments

Indonesia has officially joined the BRICS group of major emerging economies as a full member, the Brazilian government said in a statement on Monday, a bloc that brings together emerging economies including China, India and Russia.

The Brazilian Foreign Ministry said the most populous country in Southeast Asia “shares with other members the desire to reform global governance institutions and contribute positively to cooperation within the Global South.”

Indonesia’s candidacy was approved at the 2023 BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Brazil will assume the presidency of the group in 2025. BRICS comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, but is expanding to include other countries.

Indonesia formally put in request for BRICS membership last year during the organization's meeitng in Russia.

After the announcement from Barizil, China released its own statement saying that it "welcomes and warmly congratulates Indonesia on becoming a full member of BRICS", according to a foreign ministry spokesperson.