In 2006, I was able to travel to Israel for the first time. Even as a child, I had learned from my father about the spiritual legacy of the Jewish people, the land God had given them, and how He had protected them. And, best of all, during that amazing year, I was able to set foot on the land myself. There I began to meet and come to know Israelis as friends and allies, and to see with my own eyes the biblical heritage I had inherited as a Christian believer.
Read MoreZohran Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo clashed sharply over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on Thursday night, in the first televised debate for New York City mayor, their first major showdown since the young democratic socialist stunned the former governor in the Democratic primary.
Read More(ANALYSIS) What’s striking about this ceasefire is not just how tentative it is, but how deeply entwined the experiences of Jews and Muslims have become — not in harmony, but in suffering. Both communities claim moral righteousness. Both grieve their dead. And both are trapped in narratives of fear and survival that often leave little room for compassion or compromise.
Read MorePresident Donald Trump celebrated the implementation of a Gaza ceasefire with the return of the last hostages after two years. “This is the historic dawn of a new Middle East,” he said. “After so many years … the skies are calm, the guns are silent, the sirens are still, and the sun rises on a Holy Land that is finally at peace, a land and a region that will live, God willing, in peace for all eternity.”
Read MoreTwo years after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and the start of the Jewish state’s military campaign in Gaza, a growing number of Americans are expressing skepticism toward Israel’s actions and the U.S. response to the conflict, according to a new survey. It reveals that 39% of Americans say Israel is going too far in its military operations against Hamas — an increase from 31% a year ago.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Weakened militarily and politically after two years of war with Israel, Hamas is facing growing pressure — from both Palestinians and the international community — to accept a U.S.-backed peace plan proposed by President Donald Trump. The group has already agreed to release the remaining Israeli hostages and hand over control of Gaza to a technocratic Palestinian body.
Read MoreThe upcoming “FIFA Unites: Women’s Series” marks the convergence of sports, politics, religion and human rights. For the Afghan refugee players, it’s a real chance to reclaim their place in the game. For FIFA, it’s a test of whether its commitment to women’s soccer extends beyond symbolic support — and whether it is willing to confront the contradictions within its own global family.
Read MoreU.S. evangelicals are as supportive of Israel as they were four years ago, Infinity Concepts and Grey Matter found in their latest poll, although findings portend a possible generational shift.
Read More(ANALYSIS) More recently, a 2021 study from the University of Southern California’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative looked at 200 popular movies and found that Muslim characters were either completely missing or shown as violent. Despite the consistency of negative representations of Muslims on television following the rise in Islamophobia, the post-9/11 climate actually saw the introduction of more diverse Muslim characters.
Read More(ANALYSIS) As Algeria tries to assert itself on the international stage as a civilizational bridge, the country’s Christian community continues to face renewed challenges. In late July, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune traveled to Italy to meet with both Pope Leo XIV and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The latter meeting produced a joint initiative to seek UNESCO World Heritage status for several historic sites in Algeria linked to early Christianity.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Recognition of a Palestinian state is likely to dominate proceedings at the U.N. beginning this week when world leaders will gather for the annual general assembly. Of the 193 existing U.N member states, 147 already recognize a Palestinian state. But that number is expected to swell in the coming days, with several more countries expected to officially announce such recognition.
Read More(ANALYSIS) A United Nations commission — the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel — concluded that Israel has committed acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Emma Stone and Javier Bardem think that, by pledging to boycott Israel’s film industry, they’re helping Palestinians. Instead, they’re actually helping a man they likely despise: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Read More(ANALYSIS) For now, it would be premature to declare that that moment has arrived. Yet it would be incautious, too, to ignore the warning signs. The latest terrorism in Jerusalem may not be the turning point. But unless the trajectory changes — unless there is a serious Israeli effort to address Palestinian grievances, rather than inflame them — the explosion everyone fears may soon become impossible to prevent.
Read More(ANALYSIS) If this administrative pattern continues, it risks institutionalizing practices that allow for both arbitrary denial of citizenship rights and arbitrary exemptions from legal violations. The consequences are especially grave in a country with diverse migrant histories and weak birth registration infrastructure. For many Indians without birth certificates, this could mean being subjected to unpredictable and discriminatory scrutiny.
Read MoreA Muslim convert who said he saw a vision of Christ while napping at a Ugandan mosque is recovering after his relatives beat him and destroyed his home. While Uganda is not included in Open Doors’ World Watch List of the 50 countries that are the worst persecutors of Christians, Uganda ranks 72nd in the world for Christian persecution.
Read MoreCristiano Ronaldo’s engagement in Riyadh highlights Saudi Arabia’s evolving — but still inconsistent— social norms. Once governed by strict Islamic law, the kingdom has relaxed restrictions under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s reforms. Ronaldo and partner Georgina Rodríguez live openly as an unmarried couple — something that remains risky for ordinary Saudis, especially women.
Read More(ANALYSIS) A coalition of civil society organizations announced the launch of the People’s Tribunal for Women of Afghanistan, an initiative to address the impunity for the dire situation of women and girls in Afghanistan.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Among the little-noticed aspects of the 2024 U.S. election is Muslims’ substantial 33% vote for Donald Trump — with a remarkable 42% backing from those who attend mosque weekly. That’s an increase from past elections.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The situation in Gaza requires urgent attention and response from the international community — to prevent further civilian suffering and death. While some steps have been taken to provide humanitarians assistance, as it stands, the steps appear to be too little and too late to address the current and ever-growing needs of the population.
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