Latest news with #Al-Ketbi
Memri
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Memri
Emirati Political Analyst: We Must Remove The Extremist Hamas From Power In Gaza; Its October 7 Attack Violated Both Islamic And Human Values
In his March 22, 2025 column in the Saudi news portal Elaph, titled "Hamas and the Strategy of Collective Suicide," Emirati political analyst Salem Al-Ketbi accused Hamas of espousing an extremist ideology and of provoking Israel into an all-out war in Gaza despite being aware that it is the Gazan civilians who would pay the price. As part of its extremist outlook, he said, Hamas uses civilians as human shields, places its military facilities in dense population centers and in hospitals and schools, commandeers the humanitarian aid delivered to Gaza and uses the suffering of the Gazans to gain political leverage – all while its leaders live abroad in fancy hotels and villas. Al-Ketbi added that this extremist outlook underpinned Hamas' October 7 attack, in which Israeli civilians were deliberately targeted and taken hostage, in flagrant violation of universal norms and of the Islamic rules of warfare, which forbid targeting civilians and mutilating bodies and require hostages to be treated with humanity and respect. He also slammed Hamas for using religious terms like 'jihad' and 'martyrdom' to justify its violence and terror. Al-Ketbi concluded by stressing that Hamas must be removed from power in Gaza and replaced with a political force committed to humane values, to democracy and to the welfare of the citizens. Salem Al-Ketbi (Image: The following are translated excerpts from his article: [1] "The facts on the ground indicate that Hamas employs a strategy of using the civilians' suffering as a political bargaining chip while ignoring the humane principles it purports to represent. "On March 18, 2025, Israel resumed its offensive in the Gaza Strip – after a fragile two-month ceasefire – as part of its ongoing efforts to get back its hostages and the bodies of [Israelis] who were killed in the October 7, 2023 attacks, in which 1,200 Israelis were murdered and 251 were taken hostage. "What are the real motivations behind Hamas' strategy in the current conflict with Israel? An objective analysis of its actions reveals an extremist mentality that transcends the boundaries of armed resistance and is tantamount to using civilians as pawns in a strategic conflict. Hamas' extremist mentality was plain for all to see in its October 7, 2023 attacks, which were a flagrant violation of international norms and conventions. The strategy of 'collective suicide' stands out as one of the most dangerous behaviors Hamas has adopted, because the movement is fully aware of Israel's military advantage, yet despite this it deliberately provoked Israel and dragged it into an all-out military confrontation, knowing that the price would be paid by the Palestinian civilians. "One of the most extreme manifestations of Hamas's behavior is the use of civilians as human shields. [Hamas] deliberately places military facilities and weapon depos in densely populated civilian areas and its rocket launchers in hospitals and schools. The issue of the Israeli hostages is another blatant example of Hamas' criminal mentality, for they use them as bargaining chips and refuse to comply with international initiatives for their release, except under impossible conditions. "What, I wonder, is the true human price paid by the Gazans for Hamas' conduct? The answer reveals a multidimensional human tragedy in which the Gazans find themselves trapped between the hammer of the Israeli military offensive and the anvil of Hamas' exploitive policy. According to reports from the field, the resumption of hostilities in March 2025 caused the death of over 500 Palestinians in just a few days, casualties that joined the approximately 48,000 [Palestinians] who have been killed since the beginning of the war in October hospitals and medical centers in Gaza are dealing with a disaster amid a severe shortage of drugs and medical equipment, while the people suffer an unprecedented food crisis. "What makes this crisis worse is Hamas' conduct, which includes commandeering some of the humanitarian aid and channeling it to its own people, thus depriving the civilians of their right to receive this aid. Meanwhile, the movement leaders live abroad in fancy hotels and villas, far from the daily suffering faced by the simple folk [in Gaza]. "Does the conduct of Hamas – [a movement] which is known to be a product of the Muslim Brotherhood ideology and [touts] religious slogans – conform to the Islamic principles it purports to represent? An objective analysis of its conduct on the ground reveals a clear contradiction between its religious pretentions and its actions, which contravene the essence and the fundamental values of Islam. Islam is based on a system of values that gives top priority to protecting people and safeguarding their dignity. The Prophet Muhammad laid down clear rules of conduct during war, which forbid hurting civilians and non-combatants and mutilating bodies, and call for the humane and respectful treatment of hostages. Hamas violated these principles in its October 7, 2023 attacks, in which it deliberately and directly targeted Israeli civilians. Its actions, which included kidnapping civilians and holding them hostage, contravened the Islamic principles regarding the treatment of hostages. In addition, it uses Palestinian civilians as human shields, while Islam emphatically respects human life and forbids exposing people to danger. "But the most un-Islamic and troubling issue is Hamas' use of religious discourse to justify its behavior. It uses religious terms like 'jihad' and 'martyrdom' to justify violent actions, while disregarding the strict laws set out by the Islamic shari'a for the term jihad… "One of the saddening paradoxes is that Hamas, which purports to defend the Palestinian cause, actually hurts this cause with its terrorist actions, which blacken the international image [of this cause] and detract from the support it receives. For attacking civilians, taking hostages and using civilians as human shields are actions that contravene universal human values. "This tragic state of affairs gives rise to the most pressing question: What lies in Gaza's future if Hamas remains in power there? The answer requires a fundamental change in the accepted approach to the Gaza issue. [It requires] giving top priority to the needs and rights of the civilians, removing Hamas from power in the Strip, and finding an alternative political [power] that is committed to humane values and to the principles of democracy and seeks to realize the interests of the people and improve their lives." [1] March 22, 2025.
Memri
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Memri
Emirati Political Analyst: U.S. Universities Have Become A Platform For Spreading Extremism, Hate And Antisemitism On Behalf Of Terrorist Organizations
Following the arrest in the U.S. of Mahmoud Khalil, a key figure in the pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, Emirati political analyst Salem Al-Ketbi warned that American universities and academic institutions have become a strategic platform used by extremist organizations to spread their ideas and even recruit supporters. Writing on March 16, 2025 on the Saudi website Elaph, Al-Ketbi stated that this is a broad and troubling phenomenon, whereby extremist and terrorist organizations use U.S. immigration laws to infiltrate American universities and form student cells whose members are eventually likely to receive U.S. citizenship, making it difficult for the U.S. to act against them. Some foreign students, he stressed, come to the U.S. not just to study but also to incite hatred and antisemitism, as part of a broader strategy to foster extremism on campus. Behind this strategy are countries, chief of them Iran, which fund terrorist organizations like Hamas while also employing charities and student organizations to recruit support for terrorism and cultivate a new generation of activists who promote extremist ideas without even realizing they are extremist. The extremist organizations, Al-Ketbi added, manipulate the academic discourse to justify their activities and ideology in the guise of humanitarian action. He called on the U.S. universities to reexamine their policy regarding foreign funding and activism by foreign students, and formulate clear guidelines for monitoring activities that transcend the boundaries of free speech and can become means for promoting extremism. Mahmoud Khalil (Image: The following are translated excerpts from his article. "On March 8, [2025] the American authorities arrested Syria-born Palestinian Mahmoud Khalil, a student activist and a high-profile mediator in the protests at Columbia University in support of the terrorist Hamas [movement], after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers raided his home. The arrest came after the U.S. State Department ordered to revoke his student visa because he was a key figure at the sit-ins on the Columbia University campus and in the negotiations between the student protesters and the university authorities. But [Khalil's] case goes beyond mere student activism: it sheds light on the way extremist organizations use America's immigration laws to insert their people into American society and build support networks [whose members] may later work to attain [U.S.] citizenship… "Mahmoud Khalil was one of the prominent faces of Columbia University's Apartheid Divest (CUAD) movement that called to boycott companies that support Israel and stop investments in them. As the tensions surrounding the war in Gaza increased, the demonstrations in which Mahmoud Khalil participated drew harsh criticism from supporters of Israel, who accused him of promoting 'Hamas' terrorist propaganda.' Although his lawyers denied these accusations and no real evidence has been found of 'financing' terrorism, his case sparks a debate about a graver issue: the way the American immigration laws are used facilitate the infiltration of terrorist elements and the establishment of cells supporting [terrorism, whose members] will hold American citizenship in the future, making it difficult to pursue them. "Mahmoud Khalil is not an isolated case. The American universities – which attract students from all over the world – have become a strategic target for extremist organizations, because the student visa programs allow foreign students from various countries, including Palestinians, to attend them. But some of these students don't come just to study, but also to disseminate extremism and to foment hatred. "In 2019, for example, an investigation of the American National Security Agency into a network of foreign students at the University of California revealed that they had used their academic positions to spread the extremist ideas of Al-Qaeda and that there were other cases of this sort, like that of a Pakistani student at New York University who turned the university's student dorms into centers for recruiting young people to ISIS. These examples demonstrate how the universities can be used to inculcate extremist ideology. "The troubling fact is that these universities are usually incapable of uncovering these instances or coping with them, due to their commitment to the principles of freedom of expression. Moreover, the competition between the world's universities makes them less conservative in their choice of students, which leaves them open to exploitation by foreign countries and elements. The extremist organizations exploit the concentrations of students and the culture clubs as fronts for disseminating their ideas. For example, groups were formed such as Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) or Columbia University's Apartheid Divest (CUAD), which purport to promote humanitarian issues but usually [just] serve as a platform for disseminating discourse that is antisemitic or supportive of terrorism. "In 2023 a student group at the University of California, Berkley sparked controversy when it organized a conference on 'Resistance to the Occupation,' at which Hamas' attacks against Israeli civilians [on October 7] were praised. Furthermore, in 2024, the university advertised a course [to be taught during the] 2025 spring semester that described Hamas as 'a revolutionary resistance force combating settler colonialism' – although it later deleted the course description. [Also], on two separate occasions the university faced lawsuits alleging antisemitism on campus. In November 2023 the Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, a nonprofit organization, filed a lawsuit against the university alleging that its authorities turn a blind eye to antisemitism. "These methods and conferences indicate that this is not just an academic debate, but is part of a wider strategy to disseminate extremist ideologies on university campuses. This may seem natural in a country that believes in democracy and freedom of expression. But if we look a little deeper, we find that there is blatant foreign interference in the matter. What's more, several countries, including Iran but also others, have played a significant role in assisting the [Hamas] movement and in strengthening its presence in the U.S. Iran, which is considered one of Hamas' biggest financers, along with several other countries, used its financial networks to transfer funds to American charitable associations, [funds] that are later used to support [Hamas]. For instance, in 2012, a U.S. State Department investigation exposed a funding network designed to support Hamas via American charitable associations. This network enabled Hamas to expand its influence within these associations and use Palestinian and other foreign students to spread its ideas. "If the charitable associations and humanitarian organizations are a traditional mechanism that is being used by dubious elements to finance terrorism, then the universities and academic institutions have been turned by the extremist organizations into a strategic platform for disseminating their ideas and recruiting supporters. This exploitation goes beyond financial or logistic assistance; it is aimed at infiltrating young minds and creating a new generation of activists who espouse extremist ideas without realizing [that they are extremist]. "Furthermore, some rogue states and extremist organizations use the academic discourse to justify their activity by organizing conferences and debates about 'human rights' that present extremist ideologies as acceptable and justifiable. This manipulation of the academic discourse makes it difficult to differentiate between legitimate criticism of international policy and incitement to violence. "Exploiting universities as platforms for disseminating extremism is certainly nothing new, but [fighting it] has become more complicated due to globalization and freedom of movement. This leads us to wonder whether the American universities will reexamine their policy regarding foreign financing and monitoring political activity by foreign students on campus. Will clear guidelines be formulated for monitoring activities that cross the boundaries of freedom of expression and become tools in the service of extremist ideologies? Universities are not only institutes of learning, but are also a mirror of society and must be kept from falling prey to political or terrorist exploitation." [1] [1] March 16, 2023.
Sharjah 24
12-03-2025
- Sport
- Sharjah 24
Al Dhaid 30th open Ramadan Championship draws 240 players
Al-Ketbi emphasised that the championship is one of the most important events hosted by the Al Dhaid Cultural and Sports Club at the shooting range. Now in its 30th year, it is a community event that promotes joy, excitement, and competition. According to Sharjah 24, the competition is divided into four categories: junior shooter (14 years or below), youth (15 to 20 years), men's (21 to 50 years), and senior (51 years or older).
Sharjah 24
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Sharjah 24
Islamic Forum presents "Contested Sources of Legislation"
The seminar is scheduled for two days, Tuesday and Wednesday, as part of the Forum's initiative to foster scholarly dialogue on contemporary jurisprudential issues and to offer methodological perspectives that aid in revitalising religious discourse. Various significant themes On the first day, the seminar explored a number of important themes. The first theme, "Agreed-Upon and Contested Sources of Legislation," looked at the historical and methodological reasons for these differences. This gave a deeper look at how different schools of law interpret legislative sources. The second theme, 'Juridical preference and its contemporary applications," examined the application of this principle in relation to current jurisprudential developments, providing insights into its significance in the present context. The sessions on the second day will concentrate on two more themes. The first topic, "Public Interest and Its Contemporary Applications," will explore the significance of public interest in formulating Islamic rulings and emphasise its crucial role in tackling modern challenges. The second section, "Preventing the Pretexts and Its Contemporary Applications," will explore strategies to avert detrimental pretexts in addressing today's social and economic challenges, highlighting its practical relevance in current issues. Relevance and seminar's goals Dr Ahmed Al-Ketbi, Head of Media at the Forum, highlighted the importance of the seminar and its goals. He clarified that the event seeks to address jurisprudential differences concerning sources of legislation and emphasise their influence on a variety of Islamic schools of thought. He emphasised the significance of connecting jurisprudential principles to modern realities via practical applications, encouraging dialogue among various schools of thought, and offering balanced viewpoints that integrate religious constants with the awareness of evolving times and situations. Dr Al-Ketbi stated that hosting this seminar aligns with the Forum's strategic vision to refresh Islamic jurisprudence and adapt it to contemporary needs while maintaining religious principles. This also serves as a pragmatic approach to engaging contested sources in addressing intricate societal challenges, including the digital economy, family dynamics, modern healthcare, and beyond. Participants highlight Forum's contribution Participants commended the Islamic Forum for its contribution to enhancing jurisprudential awareness and fostering an accurate understanding of the principles of Islamic legislation. The Forum was praised for its initiatives in establishing a platform for meaningful dialogue and promoting research that tackles modern challenges within a robust religious framework. Forum's ongoing initiatives The Islamic Forum in Sharjah maintains its lead in promoting Islamic knowledge through the organisation of specialised scientific seminars aimed at researchers and individuals interested in Sharia. The Forum, through these initiatives, offers a platform for meaningful scholarly dialogue and enriches jurisprudential research that tackles contemporary issues grounded in strong religious foundations.
