UAE summons Israeli Ambassador over violations at Al-Aqsa Mosque
The UAE has summoned the Israeli ambassador to the country, expressing strong condemnation over recent provocative actions against Palestinians in the compound of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Muslim Quarter of the Old City in Jerusalem.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the incidents a blatant violation of the sanctity of the holy city, and dangerous incitement against Muslims.
It has urged the Israeli government to take full responsibility and hold those responsible accountable, including officials, and act urgently to prevent Jerusalem from being used to fuel violence and extremism.
The UAE says these actions risk further escalation at a time when focus should be on ending the suffering in Gaza.
The Ministry also emphasised the need to respect the custodial role of Jordan over the holy sites in line with international law and long-standing agreements, and not to compromise the authority of the Jerusalem Endowment Administration that manages the affairs of Al-Aqsa Mosque, Qubbat Al Sakhrah, and the surrounding courtyards.
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— WAM English (@WAMNEWS_ENG) May 28, 2025
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Middle East Eye
28 minutes ago
- Middle East Eye
The quiet migration: Why Muslims are leaving India in staggering numbers
When *Taufeeq Ahmed boarded a flight from New Delhi to Canada in early 2020, he wasn't chasing a promotion, a degree or the promise of a better paycheque. Instead, he was trying to leave something behind - a heavy sense of unease that had been quietly building for years, and a fear that had finally become impossible to ignore. 'I lived close to Jamia Millia Islamia,' he said, referring to the prominent university in New Delhi where he used to study. 'During the anti-CAA protests, I saw police beating unarmed students, dragging them by their hair, firing tear gas into libraries. I had seen footage of this kind of state violence in Egypt or Hong Kong. But now, it was right outside my door.' The CAA, or Citizenship Amendment Act, was passed in 2019 by India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), sparking nationwide protests. The law fast-tracks Indian citizenship for non-Muslim refugees from neighbouring countries, drawing criticism for institutionalising religious discrimination. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters The protests at Jamia turned violent when police stormed the campus. For Ahmed, that moment ended any illusion he had of safety. 'That night changed something inside me,' he said. 'It wasn't just about policy anymore. It was personal. The fear was immediate and physical.' Vulnerability In the following weeks, the weight of that fear hardened into a more profound disillusionment. What Ahmed had once brushed off as isolated incidents - lynchings in distant towns, discriminatory remarks at workplaces, inflammatory speeches by politicians - now felt systemic and undeniable. The realisation that the institutions built to protect people were complicit, or worse, indifferent, left him questioning the very idea of belonging. 'I was totally disillusioned by the idea of our country. It is truly messed up in so many ways - inequality, environment, caste, urban planning. I can go on, but speaking as a Muslim, the hate that the majority population have for Muslims is unimaginable. The levels of Islamophobia are through the roof,' Ahmed told Middle East Eye. Today, Ahmed and his wife live in Toronto, where he says his faith is respected, not scrutinised. Muslims fear potential 'Israel-like' retaliation after Kashmir attack Read More » 'There are prayer rooms in public buildings, and accommodations during Ramadan exams. It is unimaginable in India,' he said. 'The contrast made me realise just how deep Islamophobia runs back home.' Ahmed's story is part of a broad but quiet trend: Indian Muslims leaving the country in growing numbers. While India's economic migrants and tech talent continue to dominate headlines, this exodus, driven by religious polarisation, is rarely discussed. 'I am selling my property here and shifting to Dubai. At least I will get some peace,' said *Karim Sadiq, a businessman based in Lucknow, the capital of India's most populous state. Sadiq says the police have been after him since he and his family volunteered for one of the anti-government protests. For fear of reprisal, he refused to divulge more details. 'I will take my family along soon after things are settled there (Dubai),' he added. According to a Pew Research Center analysis, India is the second-largest source of Muslim migrants globally, after Syria. Roughly six million Indian-born Muslims now live abroad. Though Muslims represent about 15 percent of India's population, they account for an estimated one-third of Indian emigrants, indicating a migration rate significantly higher than other religious groups. 'This isn't just economic,' said Dr Nizamuddin Ahmad Siddiqui, a legal academic and co-founder of Project Mishkat, which fosters Muslim public discourse. 'It is social, political, psychological. Indian Muslims increasingly feel like second-class citizens in their own country.' Rising hostility India's political climate under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP, which has been in power since 2014, has been marked by rising Hindu nationalism. Incidents of communal violence, discriminatory laws, and hate speech targeting Muslims have grown more frequent. Muslims in India have faced a range of challenges during this period, including mob lynchings over allegations of cow slaughter, campaigns against interfaith marriages often labelled as "love jihad", economic and social boycotts, and rising barriers to employment and housing. Hate speech by political leaders and the spread of Islamophobic narratives through social media have further fuelled hostility. In several instances, Muslim places of worship have been targeted, and there has been growing pressure on Muslim identity and practices in public life. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom recommended that the US government designate India as a "Country of Particular Concern" in its 2025 report, citing egregious systematic violations of religious freedoms. For Muslims in India, day-to-day life has become fraught. Ahmed says that after every major incident of violence against Muslims in the country, friends start reaching out, asking how to move to Canada. 'As a Muslim scholar, I no longer feel safe even expressing my views' - Kamran Ahmed, Delhi-based researcher 'Whenever something awful happens - a lynching, a hate crime - I get calls,' he said. 'But many have to give up because migration is expensive and hard. Not everyone can afford it.' For those who can afford it, though, the decision is increasingly clear. Kamran Ahmed, a Delhi-based research scholar, says he is using most of his and his parents' savings to move out of the country. The decision, he says, is heartbreaking but necessary. 'As a Muslim scholar, I no longer feel safe even expressing my views,' he said. 'I have faced veiled threats, professional exclusion, and constant surveillance. I want to work in a place where I can breathe and where I am not reduced to my religion.' His story is not unique. According to a study by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies in India, in collaboration with German think tank Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, 44 percent of Muslim youth reported experiencing discrimination because of their religion. Another study revealed that 47 percent of Muslims feared being falsely accused of terrorism. 'The normalisation of hate and the silence of institutions is making it impossible to live with dignity,' Kamran said. To be clear, migration for economic reasons is not new among Indian Muslims. Communities in Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, and Telangana have long histories of labour migration to the Gulf. However, experts say that what has also changed is the nature and intention behind this new wave. 'In the past, migration was temporary. People went to the Gulf for work and came back,' Siddiqui said. 'Now, they go to settle. They want their children to grow up in safer, more equitable societies.' He cites everyday examples of exclusion like being refused rental housing, facing suspicion for wearing a hijab or sporting a beard, or hesitating to pray in public. 'These might seem small,' he said. 'But together, they wear down your sense of belonging.' Institutions and identity under siege The sense of alienation is also tied to key flashpoints in India's communal landscape. The 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid - a 16th-century mosque claimed by Hindu groups - was a defining moment. Its aftermath left scars that festered for decades. The 2019 Supreme Court verdict awarding the site to Hindus further deepened disillusionment, even among those who had reconciled with the loss. More recently, disputes over places of worship like the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi and the Shahi Eidgah in Mathura have kept communal tensions simmering. 'Every other week, there is a new controversy targeting Muslim history, culture, or existence,' said Siddiqui. He also cited new laws regulating Waqf properties and the push for a Uniform Civil Code as examples of legislative efforts that, he said, aim to weaken institutions central to the Muslim community. Why Indian Muslims must endure endless loyalty tests Read More » 'It's hard to fight on every front,' he said. 'The minute one issue fades, another takes its place.' In 2022, over 225,000 Indians renounced their citizenship, the highest number in recent history, according to India's Ministry of External Affairs. While the government does not provide religious breakdowns, anecdotal evidence suggests a disproportionate number of Muslims are among those quietly exiting. 'Around 30 percent of the cases that come to us are Muslims,' said Khwaja Mohammad, owner of Yaseen Travels, a visa and travel agency based in Telangana, a state with a Muslim population of less than 13 percent. 'People are also investing a lot in Middle Eastern countries like the UAE and also in Turkey, which was not the case earlier. It means they intend to stay long-term or settle in these countries,' Mohammad said. Apoorvanand Jah, a professor at the University of Delhi, however, cautions against framing the exodus as entirely religious. 'It is those with resources who are leaving,' he said. 'Muslims are part of that class too, but so are many others.' Still, he notes, disillusionment is rising, especially among young Indians who see no economic or social future in the country. 'This is the first time, since independence, that India's youth feels completely hopeless,' he said. 'The economy is adrift, and hatred fills the airwaves. Who would want to stay in such a place?' Can the rift be healed? Despite the exodus and alienation, many of those leaving say they would return - if the climate changed. Ahmed hopes to one day return to India to care for his ageing parents. "I want to go back to India because my parents are there, and they will need care and support as they grow older," he said. And even if they didn't need care and support, I want to spend more time with them." If and when he does return, Ahmed said he would likely settle in a city he considers safer, such as Hyderabad or Chandigarh. Staying in his hometown in Uttar Pradesh, a state ruled by the BJP, he explained, would mean living "a very subjugated existence". 'Living there means to just quietly endure the numerous, daily, progressively more virulent acts of microaggression that the country's majority will do to you,' he said. 'The economy is adrift, and hatred fills the airwaves. Who would want to stay in such a place?' - Apoorvanand Jah, professor Siddiqui believes reconciliation is possible, but only through institutional reform and societal reckoning. 'This is not something Muslims alone can fix,' he said. 'The onus is on the majority community, the judiciary, and democratic institutions to step up.' He draws on the words of BR Ambedkar, a key architect of the Indian Constitution, who warned that the majority must earn the trust of minorities. 'That trust has been broken,' Siddiqui said. 'Now it must be rebuilt, if not for Muslims, then for India itself.' As India continues to project itself as a global economic power, the exodus of some of its brightest and most vulnerable citizens tells another story. 'What is happening may not be loud. There are no mass protests, no refugee convoys. But it is real,' said Kamran. 'It is a quiet, growing migration that says as much about the future of Indian Muslims as it does about the state of Indian democracy.' *Names have been changed to protect the identities of those interviewed.
Middle East Eye
29 minutes ago
- Middle East Eye
Hit TV show Andor spurs viewers to draw parallels to Israel's war on Gaza
Fans of the Star Wars prequel series Andor have taken to social media this week to draw comparisons between Israel's war on Gaza and the show's narratives of occupation, resistance, and authoritarian violence. Set as a prequel to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the Andor series traces the formation of the Rebel Alliance and Cassian Andor's role within it, focusing on the rise of resistance against the Galactic Empire. It provides context to the political and social conditions that shaped the early rebellion and expands on characters and events that influence the broader Star Wars narrative. Following the first season, which aired in late 2022, Andor viewers took to their social media accounts throughout the last season, drawing parallels between the show and Israel's war on Gaza. Specifically likening the Empire to Israel and the US, and the Palestinians to the people of Ghorman. Make no mistake, this shit is real. Right now. Just today, Israel announced the complete elimination of Gaza. Open your eyes to what this show represents. Real life genocide. If we don't engage with that then there is no purpose. So let the aid in and free Palestine. #Andor — Andres Cabrera (@SquadLeaderAce) May 7, 2025 In an opinion piece published back in April for The Guardian, film critic Radheyan Simonpillai detailed the similarities that were also echoed among viewers. 'In the new and final season of Andor, an occupied civilian population is massacred; their cries for help ignored by the Empire-run media, which instead paint the victims as terrorist threats to public safety. Meanwhile, the politicians who have enough backbone to speak out, and use the word 'genocide' to describe these aggressions, are met with violent suppression.' New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters 'Star Wars fans will be forced to reckon with how this story isn't about what happens 'a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away'. It's about what's unfolding right now in Gaza.' Just watched this series and kept saying it reminded me of Israel and Palestine. Especially the part where they demonize those people in collusion with the press to manufacture consent for their genocide / destruction of their planet. — Anna (@annaskiba16) June 2, 2025 Although it is not certain that Andors' creator Tony Gilroy had Gaza in mind when writing the second season, he did mention Palestine as an example of the history that informed the show in a 2022 Deadline interview. In addition, actors from the show, like Irish actress Denise Gough, who plays a villain in the series, have been vocal about their support for Palestine. 'Andor' actress: 'I refuse to stay silent on Gaza.' "We're being asked by Palestinian people to speak,' so those who don't speak out can't say 'I didn't know what to do' says Denise Gough. WATCH: — BreakThrough News (@BTnewsroom) May 31, 2025 A recent Reddit post, in which a social media user says they have 'never felt more on the side of the Palestinian cause', has brought the conversation on the parallels between the show and Gaza back into the limelight one month after the finale aired. 'It showed me the side of resistance we often grapple with, the side where resistance more often than not becomes an armed resistance when the peaceful part of resistance doesn't get you anywhere,' the post reads. 'When your land is taken forcibly, when your city is besieged, when your land, sea, and air borders are controlled by an occupying entity, and you are left with one choice, to fight back, even if the empire (Israel/US) is overwhelmingly stronger, more powerful, and better funded.' The person continued to write that although the story is fictional, it made them see that in 'fighting an empire, you do not get to choose the terms. You are forced into the shadows, pushed into impossible choices, and made to sacrifice lives so others might have a future'. 'Right now, in Gaza, people are making those same impossible choices. When your children are bombed to smithereens, starved to death, your hospitals destroyed, your homes flattened, and the world either watches in silence or arms your oppressor, resistance stops being about right or wrong. It becomes survival.' This brought about a flow of responses that agreed with the post's writer. 'There is a shot of Gorman with white buildings and a golden dome-like structure reminiscent of the dome of the Rock. I immediately thought of Palestine.' Others disagreed that there was a parallel between the armed resistance of Palestinians to that of Ghorman's Rebel Alliance. 'People comparing the rebellion to Hamas is definitely not what I thought I would see today yet here we are," one person responded. There are also those who argue that attempting to draw the parallel in the first place was futile. 'Human history doesn't have a narrative as simple as Andor and never will,' one person said. 'What happened on Oct 7th was unjust and horrifying and counterproductive. What is being done in response is unjust and horrifying and counter productive.' The Reddit post found its way to X, and one person posted a screenshot of the thread, joking that it would be the end of the series. nah, they're about to cancel this series — Sana Saeed (@SanaSaeed) June 1, 2025 While many joked that the show cannot be cancelled now that it's already done, others highlighted the irony of how the show was produced by Disney, which has historically aligned itself with being pro-Israel. "I still cant process that disney backed a show about resistance while staying silent on the real thing happening in Gaza," one social media user wrote on X. "Ironic doesnt even cover it."
Middle East Eye
29 minutes ago
- Middle East Eye
Trump fires slew of pro-Israel officials in America First 'course correction'
US President Donald Trump's course correction of his foreign policy team is shifting into overdrive with Iran hawks and staunchly pro-Israel officials axed, including one who drew the ire of "America First" Trump allies. The officials being dismissed are all those with previous track records opposing what are shaping up to be Trump's most significant Middle East endeavours: swiftly lifting sanctions on Syria and negotiating a nuclear deal with Iran. The reshuffle comes after Trump's landmark visit to Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar last month. In a speech in Riyadh, Trump tore into "interventionists" and the American "nation builders". Underscoring just how rapid the turnaround has been, the Middle East advisor at the White House National Security Council (NSC) who was photographed taking notes while Trump spoke to the leaders of Syria and Saudi Arabia in May was one of the officials fired. Eric Trager was notified late last month that he would be removed from his position, one former US official and one source with knowledge of the matter confirmed to Middle East Eye. His firing has been reported by several Israeli news sites. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters The latter source said Trager was still working on the NSC for now. Trager is an Iran hawk. He also wrote a book criticising the Muslim Brotherhood and Qatar. Unlike previous Middle East directors at the NSC, his influence in the White House was limited. US President Donald Trump meeting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh. Eric Trager is behind the president on the right, on 14 May 2025 (Bandar al-Jaloud/Saudi Royal Palace/AFP) He was dismissed as part of a wider Trump shakeup at the NSC, which The New York Times reported will see the organisation's headcount cut in half. Another notable firing was Merav Ceren, the NSC director for Israel and Iran, in late May. Ceren's biography at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank states that she worked at the Israeli Ministry of Defence, where she participated in negotiations in the occupied West Bank between Israel's Coordinator for Government Activities in the Territories, known as Cogat, and Palestinian Authority officials. Her appointment, first reported by Drop Site News in April, created a firestorm among America First media personalities. 'Neo-con Mike Waltz has now hired basically a dual citizen and former IDF official to work under him,' Conservative podcaster Clayton Morris, a former Fox News anchor, said in April, referring to Ceren. Some of Trump's most vocal defenders in the media, who exercise unprecedented influence in communicating his worldview, are media figures like Tucker Carlson and former advisor Steve Bannon. Morris is a friend of Carlson. Broad sweep The latest firings come after Trump brushed away his former national security advisor, Mike Waltz, by nominating him to be ambassador to the United Nations. Waltz was reportedly sidelined for consulting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on preemptively attacking Iran. 'Tensions between Trump and Netanyahu over Iran are real' - Marwa Maziad, Israel expert Trump's administration was divided between traditional Republican hawks and 'America First' isolationists like White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. The latest firing underscores the "America First" bent of Trump's foreign policy team. The NSC isn't the only place Trump is cleaning house. On Sunday, Israel's Channel 14 reported that Morgan Ortagus, the deputy to US envoy Steve Witkoff and the official overseeing the Trump administration's Lebanon portfolio, will be leaving her position. One source briefed on her departure told MEE that Ortagus had irritated Witkoff, her de facto boss. Trump looking for 'Iran doves' Overall, Trump's sweeping dismissals reflect how he is upending the traditional ways Republican presidents approached the Middle East. It's unclear how much Trump himself cared about these specific positions or the officials who filled them. He has been relying on close friends like Witkoff to negotiate with Iran and, more recently, the US ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, to manage Syria. Some speculate that the shakeup is a natural outcome of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio taking over as temporary national security advisor after Waltz's departure. Both Trager and Ceren were part of Waltz's team. But the axed officials are all united by a common thread. They are traditional hawks who have supported Israel's offensives in Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. All of the officials were critics of compromising with Iran to reach a nuclear deal. Trump announces pro-Israel commentator to Mideast post then ridicules her Read More » 'Trump's foreign policy team is undergoing a course correction in keeping with his own pivot,'Marwa Maziad, a professor of Israeli politics at the University of Maryland, told MEE. 'In March, Trump allowed [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu to relaunch his offensive on Gaza. Trump was not in the driver's seat,' Maziad said. The pivotal change for his administration came in mid-May when he visited the Gulf, bypassing Israel to seal economic deals with oil-rich monarchs. Trump struck a unilateral ceasefire with the Houthis even as they continue to attack Israel, and made a historic announcement to lift all sanctions on Syria. But the main theatre of diplomacy is the Iranian nuclear deal. 'Whether the staff reshuffling is related to these officials' views on Israel or not is besides the point. The tensions between Trump and Netanyahu over a potential strike on Iran are real. Trump is trying to take the wheel back from Netanyahu,' Maziad said. On Monday, Axios reported that the Trump administration provided a proposal to Iran for a nuclear deal that allows them to enrich a low level of uranium. Trump later undercut the story on Monday, saying he would not allow enrichment at any level. But one source briefed on the firings told MEE that they appeared in keeping with a White House that is looking for officials to follow Trump's desire for a deal. 'They are looking for Iran doves and people aligned to Vance,' the source said, referring to US Vice President JD Vance, who has emerged as the most prominent opponent of US military intervention in the Middle East.
