Headlines:
- Germany: Leading Politicians Call for a European Islam
- Saudi Arabia, UAE to Attend US-Led Palestine Investment Meeting
- After Huge Win, PM Modi Responds to Imran Khan’s Congratulatory Tweet
Germany: Leading Politicians Call for a European Islam
Everyday measures are key to preserving the European way life, say Germany’s health minister and the premier of Schleswig-Holstein state. Jens Spahn and Daniel Günther want a faith that shares the continent’s values. Two senior German politicians have called for a more progressive form of Islam in order to align the religion with the European way of life. Health Minister Jens Spahn and Schleswig-Holstein State Premier Daniel Günther published the appeal Thursday in a guest contribution for the Rheinische Post regional daily. Instead of tolerating symbols of a reactionary, misogynistic form of Islam, we must promote the development of a European Islam, which shares our values, in order to preserve our free European way of life,” penned the two Christian Democrats. The topic of burkas is one of particular concern for both Spahn and Günther. “When women and girls appear fully-veiled at universities and schools, then we do not just have the option to resist, we must resist,” they wrote. The pair also spoke about “burdens on the local population” when “deportations fail” before emphasizing that integration was essential for a successful society. Both men are members of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrat (CDU) party. Spahn, who failed in a bid to become Merkel’s successor, is seen as a conservative, while Günther is on the liberal wing of the party. The joint declaration also called for the European idea to become tangible in everyday lives of EU citizens. [Deutsche Wells]
Ever since the age of the crusades, Europeans have been dreaming about changing Islam to fit into their way of life and after 900 years the same mantra is making a comeback amongst European politicians. These efforts are bound to fail in the same manner the endeavors of their ancestors failed.
Saudi Arabia, UAE to Attend US-Led Palestine Investment Meeting
Saudi Arabia and the UAE will participate in a conference next month in Bahrain aimed at encouraging investment in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, as part of US President Donald Trump’s long–awaited Israel–Palestine peace plan. The Peace to Prosperity conference, to be hosted on June 25–26 in cooperation with the US, has already been rebuffed by Palestinian officials and business leaders, who want their political demands met by any proposed solution to the conflict. The Palestine Liberation Organization and Islamist group Hamas have called for an Arab boycott of the meeting. The Saudi minister of economy and planning, Mohammed bin Majid Al–Tuwaijri, will attend, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said Abu Dhabi would also send a delegation. The Palestinian Authority has boycotted American peace efforts since late 2017, when Trump decided to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and recognized the latter as the capital of Israel, reversing decades of US policy. The Trump administration has sought to enlist support from Arab governments. But Saudi Arabia has assured Arab allies that it will not endorse any US plan that fails to meet key Palestinian demands, which include affirming East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state, the right of return for refugees, and a freeze on Israeli settlement construction. [Source: Arab News].
The Gulf countries are spearheading the support for Jewish state that obliterates any semblance of Palestinian statehood. Trump’s new Palestine is an attempt to buy off Palestinians with dollars from the Gulf countries.
After Huge Win, PM Modi Responds to Imran Khan’s Congratulatory Tweet
Determining the future course of India-Pakistan ties, which plunged to a low after a suicide attack at Pulwama in Kashmir killed 40 troops in February, is expected to be on the agenda of the new government in New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday responded to his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan’s congratulatory message and desire to work for stability in South Asia by saying he had always given priority to regional peace and development. The exchange on Twitter between Modi and Khan followed the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) sweeping India’s election. Determining the future course of India-Pakistan ties, which plunged to a low after a suicide attack at Pulwama in Kashmir killed 40 troops in February, is expected to be on the agenda of the new government in New Delhi. “I congratulate Prime Minister Modi on the electoral victory of BJP and allies. Look forward to working with him for peace, progress and prosperity in South Asia,” Khan tweeted. Hours later, Modi responded by tweeting: “Thank you PM @ImranKhanPTI. I warmly express my gratitude for your good wishes. I have always given primacy to peace and development in our region.” Khan said last month he believed there may be a better chance of peace with India if the BJP won the election. “Perhaps if the BJP – a right-wing party – wins, some kind of settlement in Kashmir could be reached,” he said in an interview. Tensions flared between India and Pakistan after the suicide attack by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) in Pulwama on February 14. India responded to the attack by conducting an air strike on a JeM camp at Balakot, deep inside Pakistan, on February 26. The next day, Pakistan retaliated by targeting Indian military facilities along the Line of Control (LoC). An Indian MiG-21 jet was downed in an engagement on the LoC and its pilot was captured and briefly detained before being handed over to India. Pakistan has made several peace overtures but India has maintained there can’t be talks till the neighbouring country cracks down on terrorists operating from its soil. On Wednesday, Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj exchanged pleasantries on the margins of a meeting of foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation at Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan. Qureshi told the meeting that Pakistan had delivered a “message of peace” by announcing the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor for Sikh pilgrims from India. He also emphasised the importance of “conflict resolution” for peace in South Asia. [Source: Hindustan Times].
The re-election of Modi is Khan’s first foreign policy success. Without Khan’s assistance over Pulwama Modi would have struggled to win India’s general election. At last, Trump may push the two pro-American leaders to resolve Kashmir and normalize relations.