Muslims

The Muslim World League has issued a call for the establishment of a Palestinian state and urgent international action to end the suffering of civilians in Gaza. The announcement, reported by Arab News, underscores growing pressure from global Islamic and humanitarian organisations for a political resolution to the conflict and improved humanitarian conditions in the territory.

Attention is turning to a core weakness in the Gaza peace plan: international stabilization forces require troop contributions, but few countries have committed to sending soldiers. Analysts warn that without participating nations, monitoring the ceasefire and disarming Hamas will be difficult. Debate centres on which states, particularly Arab and Muslim-majority countries, are willing to put personnel on the ground in Gaza.

Religious leaders from Sudan's Nuba Mountains, both Christian and Muslim, have jointly issued a call for an end to the war ravaging the country. The united appeal across faith lines highlights local efforts to push for peace as fighting between Sudan's army and the Rapid Support Forces continues to displace millions and deepen a humanitarian crisis.

King Abdullah II of Jordan addressed the United Nations while facing renewed scrutiny of his country's complex historical relationship with the Palestinians. Jordan, home to a large Palestinian population and custodian of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, has long played a central role in regional diplomacy. Observers note that this history influenced the framing and reception of the king's remarks.

The Cato Institute's Alex Nowrasteh reports that legal immigration from majority-Muslim countries has fallen 96 percent since 2024. The sharp drop follows changes in US immigration policy, including tightened vetting, travel restrictions and reduced visa issuance affecting nationals of Muslim-majority nations. Immigration analysts are highlighting the scale of the decline and debating its legal, economic and diplomatic consequences.

Commentators are accusing public figures and media of ignoring antisemitism rooted in radical Islamist ideology, calling it the 'elephant in the room' in debates over rising anti-Jewish sentiment. The argument is that concern over antisemitism focuses on other sources while this strand is downplayed for fear of appearing discriminatory. Critics of the accusation counter that such claims risk stigmatizing Muslims broadly.

On this day, Israel marks the anniversary of the Second Intifada, the Palestinian uprising that began after Ariel Sharon visited the Temple Mount, known to Muslims as the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, in September 2000. The visit sparked deadly clashes that escalated into years of violence, leaving thousands dead and shaping Middle East politics for years.

Georgetown University has released "Seasons of Fury: Four Families and the Rise of Islamophobia in America," a project that traces the rise of anti-Muslim prejudice in the United States through the stories of four families. The work highlights personal experiences of discrimination and places them within broader social and political trends.

A church construction project in Indonesia has been stalled through a permit technicality, according to a report. The issue highlights ongoing tensions some Christian communities face in obtaining building permits in parts of the country, where local objections can hold up official approvals for years.

Pope Leo XIV's visit to France is generating wide commentary, including reaction from journalist Patrick Cohen and a La Croix piece offering a Muslim perspective on the pontiff's speeches and appearances during the trip. The visit has sparked discussion across French media about interfaith relations and the new pope's first messages to the country.

Attention is turning to the Crimean Tatars, the indigenous Muslim people of Crimea, and their precarious position caught between Russia, Turkey and Ukraine. Since Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, many Tatars have faced repression under Russian rule, while Turkey has voiced support and Ukraine considers them part of its citizenry. Discussion focuses on their historical deportations, current displacement and role in the wider conflict over the peninsula.