MOSQUES AND MUSLIM HOMES TARGETED IN BOSNIA
Several Muslim-owned properties and a mosque in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Čapljina City, which borders Croatia, were targeted earlier this month in a wave of Islamophobic attacks. Imam AdemSuta, the head of the city’s Islamic Council, stated there had been numerous attacks against Muslims in Šurmanci town in recent days. “First of all, the windows of the mosque were broken, and then the windows and a door of the mosque were hit with an air gun,” said Suta, adding that attackers also targeted houses of Muslims. “Several attacks, breaking windows, and burglaries were also carried out on several private houses of Bosniaks, on that occasion, significant material damage was caused. The desecration of our religious building and the attack on the private houses of our congregations’ members is an attack on our religious and national identity,” emphasised the Imam of Čapljina. Moreover, he called on the domestic and international public to unequivocally condemn the aforementioned attacks, and on the competent police authorities to ensure the right to safety for Bosniaks in Šurmanci.
ISRAEL BOMBS JENIN IN LARGE-SCALE MILITARY CAMPAIGN
Israel has launched a large-scale military campaign in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin on July 3, conducting air strikes on several buildings as armoured vehicles advanced towards its refugee camp. At least three Palestinians were killed and 27 wounded, with seven in serious condition, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Medics say casualties are likely much higher but paramedics aren’t able to reach some areas because Israeli bulldozers are blocking them. According to local media, an official at the Jenin Governmental Hospital said: “We have not received this number of serious injuries since 2002.” The operation started around 1 am local time (11 pm GMT) when several homes in Jenin were bombed from the air. At least 15 air strikes have been carried out since, according to Israeli news website Ynet. Mahmoud al-Saadi, director of the Palestinian Red Crescent in Jenin, reportedly said that there was “bombing from the air and an invasion from the ground.”
TÜRKIYE CALLS FOR 12-MONTH EXTENSION OF CROSS-BORDER AID TO SYRIA
Türkiye has urged the international community to extend much-needed aid to millions in north-west Syria, as the current mandate is set to expire in just over a week. In January this year, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and its member states approved the current six-month authorisation, which is due to expire on 10 July. The approval and the lead up to it is a bi-annual issue that often becomes contentious due to objections by the likes of Russia and China. Addressing a UNSC meeting on Syria on June 29, Türkiye’s envoy to the UN, Sedat Onal, stated that “the UN and its humanitarian partners need predictability with a longer-term perspective to sustain their crucial operations.” He stressed that “under the current conditions, especially in northwest Syria, which suffered the most damage from the [6 February] earthquakes, the UN cross-border mechanism remains the only viable lifeline for millions of Syrians in need.” Instead of the usual 6-month extension, Onal called for a year-long extension, saying that the “Security Council’s extension of the mandate of the cross-border mechanism for 12 months will be critically important.”
HOUTHIS THREATEN TO LAUNCH OPEN WAR IF YEMEN TRUCE ENDS
The Ansarullah Houthi group has threatened to launch an open war on June 30 if the existing state of calm in Yemen ends. According to Al-Masirah television channel, speaking on behalf of the Houthis, the Minister of Defence of the group’s government Mohamed Al-Atifi warned: “The countries of the coalition (led by Saudi Arabia) confirmed that the truce, according to their request, will not remain in place, and the Yemeni armed forces will take a measured move to restore balance to the region.” During his visit to several fronts in the governorates of Taiz and Lahj, Al-Atifi added: “The solution is not in the hands of the coalition, but rather they are forced to have the solution in their hands.” Yemen has been experiencing a state of calm for more than a year amid continuing United Nations and international efforts to revive peace in the country, which has been witnessing a conflict between government forces and the Houthis since 2014.
ARAB PARLIAMENTARIANS CALL ON TUNISIA TO RELEASE GHANNOUCHI
Dozens of Arab and Muslim parliamentarians called on the Tunisian authorities to release detained parliamentarians, while calling on all parliamentarians in the world to stand behind their cause. In a statement issued by the International Islamic Forum of Parliamentarians and signed by 181 parliamentarians from various Arab and Islamic countries, they expressed their full solidarity with fellow imprisoned parliamentarians in Tunisia, denouncing the injustice inflicted on them. The parliamentarians stressed that the measures taken by the Tunisian authorities undermine freedoms, threaten the foundations of democracy in Tunisia, and even take it back to the practices before the Jasmine Revolution, which was praised by the world. It also perpetuates a state of frustration and despair among the Tunisian people, who have always been proactive in demanding freedom, social justice and national dignity, they added. The children of prominent jailed Tunisian judges and politicians have accused the European Union of betraying its values by whitewashing the regime of President Kais Saied in the vain hope that he can stem the flow of migrants to Europe.
HIJAB-WEARING US BASKETBALL CHAMPION WRITES BOOK FOR CHILDREN
Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir, the first Muslim woman to play major league basketball while wearing a hijab, is working on a children’s book about her experience. The book, titled “Lion on the Inside: How One Girl Changed Basketball,” will describe her journey as a young girl who has a great passion for basketball and her faith. The book focuses on the importance of young children understanding other races and religions. Bilqis played division 1 basketball. Division 1 is the highest level of competition in college sports in the U.S. and includes many of the largest and most well-known universities and athletic programs. Bilqis hopes the book will inspire young readers to become better citizens and advocate for a more inclusive world. She said that as a black Muslim woman, she does not see many on the basketball court or other playing fields who are like her. “I see the importance of being real, honest, and raw with our children; in a way they can understand.” Bilqis told news outlets.
MUSLIM NASA SCIENTIST WHO PUT ROVER ON MARS, DIES AT 77
Dr.FirouzNaderi, a well-known Iranian American scientist who held several technical and management posts at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and made a significant contribution to the creation of the country’s robotic space missions, passed away on 9 June 2023. Dr.Naderi underwent a life-altering incident two weeks ago that left him paralysed from the neck down. He sustained a fall in conjunction with a cardiac episode. He thus sustained a severe neck injury that included spinal cord damage. Surgery was needed to treat the resulting paralysis, and partial recovery was expected to take place within four to five months. He however died at the age of 77 after combating a devastating neck injury. Dr.Naderi was also an outspoken advocate for human rights and democracy in Iran. During the uprising against the government over the past year, he helped purchase and transfer about 100 Starlink satellite receivers to Iranian activists so they could log on to the internet without government restrictions.