Brazil’s Ministry of External Affairs, the Itamaraty, on 23 July issued a note saying it viewed the “escalation of violence between Israel and Palestine” as “unacceptable,” and that Brazil “strongly condemns the disproportionate use of force by Israel in the Gaza Strip.”
The note said Brazil’s ambassador in Tel Aviv, Henrique Pinto, had been recalled, a move that Brazil’s Globo News website labelled “exceptional,” adding that such a tactic was “taken when the government wants to show its discontent and believes that the situation in [the] other country is extremely grave.” Brazil has also summoned the Israeli Ambassador to Brazil, Rafael Eldad.
Brazil was one of 29 countries in the UN Human Rights Council that voted on 23 July to investigate Israel over its military offensive in Gaza. The United States voted against the inquiry and 17 countries abstained.
MUSLIM ACADEMICS CALL FOR UNITY AGAINST ISRAELI STRIKES
Muslim intellectuals from Iraq, Palestine, Egypt and Turkey have jointly condemned Israel’s aggression on Gaza Strip accusing Israel of being “primarily liable” for the massacre of Palestinians.
“Unity brings triumph so I call upon all groups in Gaza to band together. The Gazan people should continue the resistance,” said Dr. Nawaf Al Takruri, Secretary General of the Palestine Scholars Association reading out a joint declaration on behalf of Muslim scholars during a press conference at Istanbul headquarters of Turkish IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation.
US LAW ENFORCEMENT UNFAIRLY TARGETED MUSLIM-AMERICANS
Two leading rights groups on 21 July alleged that U.S. law enforcement agencies coerced, and in some cases paid, Muslim-Americans to plot terrorist attacks they were then prosecuted for. Human Rights Watch and Columbia Law School’s Human Rights Institute investigated 27 of the nearly 500 federal terrorism cases since September 11, 2001, and uncovered tactics that question the U.S.’ counterterrorism practices.
“Since the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington DC, the United States government has failed to meet its international legal obligations with respect to its investigations and prosecutions of terrorism suspects, as well as its treatment of terrorism suspects in custody,” the report alleges. Many of the cases involve law enforcement agencies sending an informant into a Muslim-American community who then targets individuals and suggests that they take part in terrorist activity, or encourages them to act.
MCB RESPONDS TO PETER CLARKE’S “TROJAN HORSE” LETTER REPORT
The Muslim of Council of Britain has welcomed the Education Secretary Nicola Morgan’s assurance that the government supports ‘the right of Muslim parents to be involved in their children’s schools and their commitment to take leading roles in public life.’ The Education Secretary was responding to the latest report issued by Peter Clarke, who was asked to investigate Birmingham schools following the so-called “Trojan Horse” letter.
The letter purports to outline a plot by Muslims to takeover schools and impose extremist or hard-line views of Islam. The document proved to be a fake, but accusations of an extremist plot still persists. The Muslim Council of Britain unequivocally condemned all terrorism and extremism and said they have not seen any evidence to date of such activities in Birmingham schools.
INDONESIAN PRESIDENT-ELECT JOKOWI CALLS FOR UNITY
Joko “Jokowi” Widodo was declared the winner of Indonesia’s presidential election on 22 July, bringing the promise of major reforms to the world’s third largest democracy. The Elections Commission, known as KPU, said the Jakarta governor had won by just over six percentage points, with 53.15 per cent of the nearly 130 million votes cast on July 9.
“This victory is a victory for all the people of Indonesia,” the president-elect told hundreds of supporters gathered at a port on the outskirts of the capital Jakarta, chosen to emphasise his commitment to Indonesia’s maritime potential. “With humility, we ask the people…to go back to a united Indonesia,” he added.
IMAM SHOT DEAD BY THUGS IN UGANDA
Gunmen shot dead and robbed an imam in Uganda on 19 July, making off with an unspecified amount of money. New Vision reported that Twahir Kamisi, the 42-year-old the imam of Masjid Sharaf in Mbiko was killed after being shot in the neck. A witness said three bullet cartridges were recovered at the scene, saying that the thugs were brandishing AK47s. It is believed to be the third recent armed robbery in the area.