Qantara.de - Dialogue with the Islamic World

22/02/2025

Sports as a form of resilience: “For the first time in months, we can play and feel joy, free from the fear of airstrikes and shelling,” says 24-year-old Nagham Saidam as she prepares to spike the ball. From , reporter Doaa Shaheen shares the story of the camp’s girls' team. 👇

An amateur women's volleyball team in Gaza is offering displaced people a sense of peace amid the destruction. The women on the team dream of a lasting end to Israel's war on the enclave.

21/02/2025

🇩🇪 Germany votes on February 23rd – and everyone is talking about migration. The & plan a "fundamental shift," deportations to Afghanistan & Syria, and fewer rights for asylum seekers. Some of these demands resemble those of the . How do the main parties position themselves on , and , , and the future of Syria? An overview by Leon Holly 👇

Germany heads to the polls on 23 February. Where do the main parties stand on migration, Israel and Gaza, antisemitism and the future of Syria?

20/02/2025

The film "The Seed of the Sacred Fig", shot in , is representing Germany at the . It portrays political and generational conflicts in – but the roots of the movement go unmentioned, says Schayan Riaz 👇

Shot and set in Iran, "The Seed of the Sacred Fig" is this year's Oscar nomination from Germany. The film deftly portrays political and intergenerational conflicts in Iranian society but ignores the Kurdish origins of the "Women, Life, Freedom" movement.

15/02/2025

: In January, Germany's debate about alleged "criminal foreigners" moved up a gear when the candidate Friedrich Merz argued in an interview in "Die Welt" that withdrawing citizenship from people with dual nationality should be a legal possibility. Behind his demand lies a broader narrative which places dual nationals in Germany under general suspicion, driven by accusations of disloyalty to the German state and society. Read the full commentary by Mohammed Ali Chahrour👇

https://qantara.de/en/node/44295

06/02/2025

: In "The Many Lives of Ibrahim Nagui" Samia Mehrez follows the spirit of her grandfather, the pioneer of Egyptian romantic , through memory and in a journey that goes beyond his poetic legacy. A review by Marcia Lynx Qualey👇
https://qantara.de/en/node/44269

06/02/2025

Khalil Shikaki warns: Without a unified interim leadership, Palestine’s political crisis will persist. Elections are the only path to legitimacy—but Trump’s policies could further destabilize the region. Read the online👇

Khalil Shikaki has been conducting polls in Palestine since 1993. He argues that Palestinians need a unified interim leadership to pave the way for elections, and warns against Trump's destabilising plans for the region.

04/02/2025

has only partially withdrawn from southern . In the town , Karim El-Gawhary Arabesken witnessed the destruction left behind by the Israeli army.👇

The Israeli army is slowly and partially withdrawing from southern Lebanon. Returning residents are confronted by the destruction of their homes and local infrastructure. A view from the ground.

31/01/2025

: "We are in a transitional phase, much is still possible." activist Siamend Hajo criticizes the lenient stance of the towards the new Syrian rulers and advocates for a decentralized Syria.👇 now ONLINE!

As an advocate of a democratic, decentralised constitution, Siamend Hajo has been involved in the UN's Syria peace process for many years. Since Assad's fall, he has criticised the UN for kowtowing to the new rulers.

30/01/2025

In Germany the passes a against in education & academia. Thomas Herzmark has warned that it puts critical discourse —especially on — at risk and weaponises the protection of a minority. Read his full critique here👇

German lawmakers are considering a new draft resolution that claims to combat antisemitism in educational institutions. Instead, it presents a one-dimensional view of Jewish life and erases crucial space for debate on Israeli politics and Germany's role in Gaza.

26/01/2025

Trump’s second term could grant Israel even more freedom to push its territorial ambitions in , , and . At the same time, the future of the Gaza ceasefire remains uncertain. But with Trump’s unpredictable decision-making, no outcome can be taken for granted. Read the full analysis by Dr HA Hellyer 👇

https://qantara.de/en/article/us-middle-east-policy-there-trump-netanyahu-consensus

Trump's new administration could give Israel even greater freedom to pursue its territorial and political ambitions in Palestine, Syria and Lebanon, while the future of the ceasefire in Gaza hangs precariously in the balance.

24/01/2025

Syria after Assad's fall: Thousands of Syrian families continue to search for missing loved ones, feeling forgotten and abandoned by the new leaders. Journalist Andrea Backhaus talked to some of them. Read now!⬇️

https://qantara.de/en/article/search-syrias-missing-where-ahmed

Since the fall of Assad, thousands of Syrians who have been searching for disappeared relatives have been left feeling abandoned by the new rulers. Meanwhile, the process of collecting evidence of the regime's crimes remains unsystematic.

23/01/2025

Omar Marmoush transfers to Manchester City. With Mo Salah nearing the twilight of his career, Egyptians are hopeful that Omar Marmoush could emerge as the "next Salah" in English football. Journalist Mostafa Algritly dives into the rise of the star. Journalist Mostafa Algritly dives into the rise of the star. Read now!👇

The young Egyptian player Omar Marmoush has made headlines in the German Bundesliga and across Europe, drawing comparisons to his compatriot, the Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah.

17/01/2025

Sudanese comedian Mustafa Jorry has mastered the art of humour across languages and cultures. Next week, he reaches a new milestone, joining Egyptian comedy giant on stage in Paris. Mustafa Jorry

Sudanese comedian Mustafa Jorry has mastered the art of humour across languages and cultures. This month, he reaches a new milestone, joining Egyptian comedy giant Bassem Youssef on stage in Paris. How does he do it?

15/01/2025

: pioneer Joe Sacco chooses in his column ‘War on Gaza’ to point out the brutality and hypocrisy of the West. ⬇️

Trailblazing cartoonist and journalist Joe Sacco reflects on Western coverage of the war on Gaza, oral histories, and comics as a medium for critical journalism.

14/01/2025

"The dividing line in Syria was never between religion and secularism, but between authoritarianism and democracy."

British-Syrian activist Leila Al-Shami unpacks the debate in and explains why the last 13 years of grassroots must be recognised.⬇️

In Syria, secularism is a fiercely contested topic. Assad supporters are using the term to discredit the revolution, while their opponents seek to redefine it. Yet this debate must not overshadow the revolution's central demand: democratic participation.

28/11/2024

Palestinian criticism of : Rajaa Natour calls for a new form of resistance that moves beyond destruction and victimhood myths, paving the way for genuine national liberation.

Palestinians have the right to defend themselves against Israel's occupation. But that doesn't have to mean following Hamas—a group whose political vision has resulted in Gaza's systematic destruction. It's time to envision a different future.

28/11/2024

The : From an influential network to an ostracised group. Its rise and fall reveal the tensions between religion, power, and morality in . Article by
Salim Cevik.

https://qantara.de/en/article/turkeys-g%C3%BClen-movement-promise-islamic-moral-governance

28/11/2024

defames 'Woman, Life, Freedom' activists as 'soldiers of ' – war used as a pretext for repression. By Omid Rezaee

Iran and Israel are engaged in an unprecedented open military conflict. The regime is using the threat of war as a weapon against its own population. Activists from the "Women, Life, Freedom" movement are branded "soldiers of Israel".