Creating new perspectives since 2009
Items by Ismail Patel
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Al-Aqsa: The moment of peril is here. Will the Muslim world act?
An exclusive investigation by Middle East Eye last week revealed that both US and Israel were coordinating to remove Jordan’s custodianship over Islam’s third holiest site. This is not a diplomatic manoeuvre. It is the culmination of a systematic campaign to erase the Islamic presence in Occupied Jerusalem and a…
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The Muslim victim who wasn’t there: Golders Green and the ‘ghost logic’ of Islamophobia
“As I was going up the stair, I met a man who wasn’t there. He wasn’t there again today. I wish, I wish he’d go away.” Scholars David Tyrer and Salman Sayyid open their 2012 essay on race and Islamophobia with this nursery rhyme about a haunting. Reading the British…
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Double standard for Jerusalem: When Christians are heard and Muslims are silenced
Israel’s treatment of Jerusalem’s holy sites in early 2026 exposed deep colonial and racist hierarchies in the city. In late February, Israeli authorities closed access to both Masjid Al-Aqsa and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. They cited security concerns tied to the ongoing Israel–US war on Iran. For Palestinians…
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The Met decision to criminalise intifada chant is a blunt attempt to muzzle anti-genocide activism
When the Metropolitan Police declared it would arrest anyone chanting “globalise the intifada” after the Bondi Beach killings in Australia, it did more than just shift the boundaries of public order policing. It blurred the crucial line between violent incitement and political expression, while openly revealing its own partiality. Within…
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UK recognition of Palestinian state distracts from what is right
The current debate over recognising a Palestinian state is a dangerous distraction. It lets Keir Starmer and his government look like they are doing something bold while sidestepping consequential questions. Will the UK hold Israel accountable for the genocide in Gaza? Will it stop supplying arms, intelligence and diplomatic cover…
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Starmer’s dangerous message: Palestinians can only have their basic rights if Israel allows it
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s announcement on Tuesday that the UK intends to recognise a Palestinian state by September presents itself as a significant diplomatic shift. However, a closer examination reveals this to be a conditional statement, not a genuine step towards justice or an end to the brutal realities in Gaza and the Occupied West Bank. This move…
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London police crackdown on Gaza protest evokes 19th-century repression
The policing of a weekend protest in London against Israel’s genocide in Gaza was alarmingly heavy-handed, bearing troubling echoes of the repression faced by early 19th-century reformers in the country. Then as now, the state’s approach to suppress dissent raises urgent questions about the balance between security and civil liberties. On Saturday,…
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The flawed UN has inspired a global day of action to stop the genocide in Gaza
Global civil society is increasingly galvanising solidarity with the Palestinians as Israel’s genocide in Gaza continues. Activists for justice and peace from around the globe have designated 13 January as a global “day of action” for Gaza. The call for global action follows nearly 12 weeks of demonstrations held in…
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Israel-Palestine war: Israel’s claim of ‘self-defence’ has zero legal legitimacy
Since the Hamas-led attack of 7 October, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has repeatedly stated that Israel has an absolute “right to defend itself“. White House spokesperson John Kirby went even further, saying that there were “no red lines” that Israel could cross in its assault on Gaza. With these utterances, the US and the UK have given…
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Israel-Palestine war: How Braverman is fuelling UK Islamophobia
As Israel intensifies its massacre of Palestinians in Gaza, an institutionally Islamophobic narrative is being promoted in the UK. Almost immediately after the conflict erupted, Home Secretary Suella Braverman stigmatised those seeking justice and peace, advising British police to consider whether flying the Palestinian flag or chanting slogans could be…
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Israeli attack on Al-Aqsa is an insult to Muslims worldwide
Masjid Al-Aqsa has been in danger since the Israeli Occupation of East Jerusalem began in 1967. Since the occupation, the Israeli authorities have allowed Israeli extremists to intimidate and violate the sanctity of Masjid Al-Aqsa. However, in the past decade, the attacks on Masjid Al-Aqsa have been directed by the…
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Aqsa Week and the Sufi connection to Al-Aqsa Sanctuary: Rabiah Al-Basri, Imam Ghazali and Baba Farid
The Quran states that the land of Al-Aqsa is “blessed”. The Sufi interpretation of “blessed” land is not a reserve for material gain or exclusively for humans, but the land is “blessed” to benefit all creations. It also includes deeds performed within Al-Aqsa being more generously blessed. Hence, blessed land…
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Aqsa Week and the Sufi connection to Al-Aqsa Sanctuary: Abd Al-Ghani Nabulusi and Ibrahim ibn Adham
The occasion of Aqsa Week (24 February to 2 March) reminds me of how the Sufis celebrate the love of Masjid Al-Aqsa – the Al-Aqsa Sanctuary in Jerusalem. Before discussing two great Sufis, Abd Al-Ghani Nabulusi and Ibrahim ibn Adham, it is essential to note that Sufis from across the…