Al-Aqsa attacks, Sheikh Jarrah & Gaza with Dr Azzam Tamimi

Smart Muslima

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For Muslims, Ramadan’s routine of prayer, reflection and dua was interrupted by the horrific acts of savagery perpetrated by the Israelis against Palestinians. It started with the Sheikh Jarrah land grab, the latest episode in the ongoing project of settler colonialism, and then the sanctity of Al-Aqsa was defiled by police officers hell-bent on provoking the sentiments of worshippers. The savagery by which the occupying power acted was caught on smartphones and communicated to the world. Until now the state has acted with impunity, probably cognisant that the Arab leaders have abandoned the Palestinian cause and worse still have enabled it through pacts and treaties to curry favour with America.

We Muslims like to believe that the world sees justice for what it is and responds to injustice, but the issue of Palestine and the hypocritical response of the West is a constant reminder that America and Europe care little for humanity when their allies and interests are undermined. The steady building of settlements and confiscation of Palestinian land over the past few decades, the billions of dollars of military aid, the willingness to use the UN veto to protect Israel - it is clear for any right-minded person that the international system hides behind a façade of human rights and international law.

The first step to making a change is to understand the issues. It is one of the maladies of the modern age, that we live in an information-saturated world yet often can’t move beyond headlines and sound bites. The modern liberal society is weighed down by ignorance and superficiality. This week we discuss the politics of Palestine with the veteran commentator Dr Azzam Tamimi. Dr Tamimi is no stranger to the debate, he has thoughtfully and with consistency raised the issues of Palestine at immense personal cost. Like many academics, he has been blacklisted and banned from university campuses – yet remains a reasoned and thoughtful commentator on the issue within the Muslim community globally. I ask him about the current context, the role of Hamas and his views on their strategy, his take on Sheikh Jarrah and the Biden administration’s place in the conflict.

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