Premi

Interesting perspective https://www.sikhsangat.com/index.php?/topic/90982-isreal-attacks-the-changing-face-of-the-world/&do=findComment&comment=79236 Many people side with Jews not because of any love of the Jews or because of all the Muslim countries but primarily because they have been attacked by Muslims or have some historical animosity with Muslims. If it is really boiled down to the it's essential ingredients: it is muslim vs non muslim. The thing that worries us kafirs is that if Israel and Jews are done with, the Muslims will get emboldened and start on the rest of us. The Jews are a buffer against the Islamic onslaught. This is what could possibly happen: The whites of Europe at this current moment in time have no stomach for a fight, however if push come to shove, they will start to get organised and fight back. It is the government and the institutions like the media that allow Muslims to get away with all the actions. The European people and society is built on some degree of trust with their institutions but this is getting eroded. People talk about demographics but this is dependant on the democratic system. However, if the media and institutions were completely discarded by the host community and they take things into their own hands, no amount of muslim breeding is going to save the Muslims. They live in enclaves which can easily be enclosed and held under seige. For every terrorist attack, I would expect muslim enclaves to be completely extinguished. I expect eventually there will be a ban on Islam in society or at least a severe curtailment. The goal would be reduce the demographics considerably. New rules will be enforced on Muslims. Something of this effect: Leave Islam or leave for a muslim country. No muslim will be allowed to have more than 2 children. Any extra children, the child will be given to a non muslim family. Muslim men cannot have non muslim women to convert. Every Muslim female should marry non muslim man and no longer be muslim. Any threats by the muslim community means that those muslim men cannot breed and should be castrated, then further efforts should be taken to take more of their muslim women. Every sh1t stirring mullah will be taken away. Any bit of taqqiyah will be dealt with. These are a hotchpotch of stuff but these kind of things may eventually be implemented. Legally, Islam will be redefined as a banned political ideology rather than a religion. Once you take a Muslims ability to breed and to spread their ideology, they lose all their power

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/10/18/ministers-advice-frighten-public-pandemic-covid-inquiry/ Ministers went against advice not to frighten public during pandemic, Covid Inquiry told One behavioural expert said comments by Matt Hancock, the then health secretary, preyed on ‘fear and shame’ ByNeil Johnston18 October 2023 • 9:48pm Matt Hancock, the then health secretary, speaking in April 2020 CREDIT: PIPPA FOWLES/AFP Ministers went against advice not to frighten the public during the pandemic and opted for slogans that preyed on “fear and shame”, the Covid Inquiry has heard. Behavioural experts who worked on a committee supporting the Government said they repeatedly warned about the dangers of trying to scare the nation. The co-chairman of Spi-B, which reported to the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, told the Covid Inquiry that they did not agree with some government communications, including from Matt Hancock, the then health secretary, who on one occasion urged young people not to “kill your gran”. Prof James Rubin told the inquiry the Government was warned that frightening the public would not work, and denied he and his colleagues had tried to create a “culture of fear”. Advertisement The inquiry was shown messages revealed by The Telegraph’s Lockdown Files investigation in which Mr Hancock said he wanted to “frighten the pants off” the public. In the Whatsapp messages on Dec 13 2020, the then health secretary asked special adviser Damian Poole: “When do we deploy the new variant[?]”, in reference to a new mutation of Covid found in Kent. Asked if this was the sort of messaging his committee would advise, Prof Rubin replied: “No”. He was then questioned about a discussion between Mr Hancock and Simon Case, the Cabinet Secretary, over the tier system in January 2021, when the head of the Civil Service said: “Small stuff ridiculous, ramping up messaging, the fear/guilt factor, vital”. Asked if it was “completely in contrast” to recommendations he had given a few days before, Prof Rubin said his advice did not suggest that sort of messaging “at all”. Prof Rubin said advisers had written a paper where they “set out a specific list of areas that messaging might consider” such as thanking the public for their help and stating it was unfortunate the situation had changed - while also being clear about the risks. The inquiry heard he felt his advice and reports disappeared down a “black hole”. Fear ‘likely to be ineffective’ Prof Rubin, who was shown the messages where Mr Hancock suggested “we frighten the pants off everyone with the new strain”, said he knew civil servants were engaged and understood advice, but could not say whether ministers listened. “I think the stuff we were writing had an impact at a certain level, at an operational level, and that’s probably quite a good thing. At a ministerial level I don’t know. I’ve never met a minister. I don’t know how they operate. I don’t know what they read or what they don’t read.” In his written statement, he added that misunderstandings of advice on making the public aware of risks had led to suggestions that Spi- B had sought to orchestrate a “culture of fear” throughout the pandemic. He said criticism centred on “misreading” of advice and “glossing-over of the context at the time” and ignored reports which “repeatedly argued for the exact opposite.” Prof Rubin’s team had advised that “focusing on worry on risk perceptions in communication is not recommended” and that messages solely based on “information, authority or fear/disgust will also likely be ineffective”.

NHS doctor - who appeared on reality TV show - is struck off after making derogatory social media posts which included calling Brits who took Covid vaccines 'brainless half-wits' and Islam a 'religion for dirty old men' EXCLUSIVE: Dr Ricky Allen, who worked as a GP and hospital doctor in England for more than 30 years, said only a 'brainless halfwit' would get a Covid jab. 227 2.1k comments 2 videos NHS doctor Ricky Allen is struck off after making derogatory social media posts which included calling Brits who took Covid vaccines 'brainless half-wits' and Islam a 'religion for dirty old men' Dr Ricky Allen worked as a GP and hospital doctor for more than 30 years He said only a 'brainless halfwit' would get Covid jab in 'deplorable' online posts By EMILY CRAIG DEPUTY HEALTH EDITOR FOR MAILONLINE PUBLISHED: 07:45, 21 October 2023 | UPDATED: 10:51, 21 October 2023 View comments An NHS doctor who shared a string of anti-vaxx and derogatory social media posts has been struck off. Dr Ricky Allen, who worked as a GP and hospital doctor for more than 30 years, said only a 'brainless halfwit' would get a Covid jab and labelled Scottish people as 'despicable, stingy and small minded'. His swathe of insulting posts included calling Islam a 'religion for dirty old men' and suggesting there be 'machine guns every 200 yards' along Kent's coast and bodies that wash up 'burned on the beach'. ... One such post said: 'Only a brainless half wit would contemplate having an experimental and occasionally lethal chemical irreversibly and repeatedly injected into themselves because it MAY but likely wont reduce the chance of dying on the roads by one eighth (12.5%). There are evidently loads of such idiots about. Don't be one of them.' Another post stated: 'The greater mass of the British public, the thick, lazy brain dead farm animals that they are, have lapped up this Covid scam as it's been spoon fed to them by the media. 'They deserve all that's coming to them. It's natural selection at work.' He also posted 'derogatory' comments about religion, race, nationality, immigration, transgender issues, gender and same-sex relationships. Dr Allen admitted posting: 'The Scots are whinging again…A despicable, stingy and small minded race they are. And half of'em are drug addicts'. He also shared that 'I cannot help but think that Islam is the religion for dirty old men' and immigrants are 'illegal aliens' are 'a plague' and have turned Paris into an 'open sewer'. Dr Allen posted that the UK employs 'some really really s*** foreign 'doctors'' and has 'imported lots of filth into this country'. ... Another post stated: 'Never trust a Chinese. In Chinese culture it is entirely acceptable to lie shamelessly. The shame lies in not getting away with it'. The medic also waded into the trans row, stating that: 'Humans come as Male or Female, as dictated by their chromosome complement: XY or XX. 'Surgical scalpels, hormones, high heels, dresses and lipstick may alter the external appearance of gender confused (mad) individuals but their sex stays unchanged. 'To think otherwise is insane.' In a February 2020 post, he said: 'Men who live the fantasy of being a woman are perverts in the truest sense. Those that conspire with them and encourage others to believe the fantasy aren't much better.' Dr Allen also accused 'most male school teachers' of being 'sexual deviants of one kind or another' that should 'not be allowed near children'. ... He said the Government were using lies, fear, threats, bribery and shaming and that doctors were inaccurately claiming that the vaccine provided complete protection against the virus. ... 'Derogatory comments on religion and proponents of religion' 'Their whole religion is based on misogyny and paedophilia' 'They won't go to Heaven and get their 27 virgins if they've been b***** to death in a UK prison. Allah will in fact be very cross with them' 'I cannot help but think that Islam is the religion for dirty old men'. 'Derogatory comments on race, nationality and immigration' 'We seem to have imported lots of filth into this country' 'Yellow skinned people are inherently cruel, not just to animals but to each other. Look at the awful Japs. Cruel little creatures' 'I've seen so much imagery of the filthy Japs obscenities… The Americans pardoned the monkey Hirohito…'; 'Anybody who thinks otherwise places the disgusting, cruel Japanese over his or her own people'; 'I would say, that we do employ some really really s*** foreign 'doctors'; 'Is he one of those knife wielding little animals, almost always from recently imported ethnic groupings 'of colour' who are responsible for the record London murder rate? Sounds like he needs a slap, or possibly simply deport him'; 'They could have called it their Alluha Akbar knockdown sale'; 'We need to round up all radical Muslims living amongst us and place them into secure guarded camps'; 'They're not immigrants they're illegal aliens attempting a break in… Paris has become an open sewer because of them. They are literally a plague'; 'Machine guns every 200 yards along the Kent coast. Bodies washed up to be burned on the beach. No religious burials. Up to heaven with a breeze'; 'Well, I'm sure if you were to look at the racial demographics of these Labour member Britain haters you'd find that most are imported ethnics or their offspring, so Britain is not really 'their' country. They could just leave. Or be thrown out'; 'I wish they'd do all of those things to you. Please p*** off back to Guyana'; 'The Scots are whinging again…A despicable, stingy and small minded race they are. And half of'em are drug addicts' 'Never trust a Chinese. In Chinese culture it is entirely acceptable to lie shamelessly. The shame lies in not getting away with it'; 'She and her kids can always go back to the shit hole from whence they came. In Australia they'd be in an internment camp and damn right too' 'Never in the history of human enterprise were two atom bombs more wisely spent'. 'Derogatory comments on transgender issues' 'Humans come as Male or Female, as dictated by their chromosome complement: XY or XX. Surgical scalpels, hormones, high heels, dresses and lipstick may alter the external appearance of gender confused (mad) individuals but their sex stays unchanged. To think otherwise is insane' 'Trans girls aren't females. They are biological men who imagine themselves to be females. Deranged people support their absurd fantasy. You can imagine yourself to be what you want. It's your right. Doesn't mean you are though and it doesn't mean others should agree' 'Men who live the fantasy of being a woman are perverts in the truest sense. Those that conspire with them and encourage others to believe the fantasy aren't much better' 'It's a form of mental illness. Sadly some members of the medical profession collude with them in their fantasies. They should be struck off' 'There'll be loads out there, 'professional' and otherwise who will conspire with this women in maintaining her fantasy that she's a man. The child should be removed from her and placed with a normal family. Her male partner must be dead dodgy as well'. 'Derogatory comments on gender and/or same sex relationships' 'Most male school teachers are sexual deviants of one kind or another. They should not be allowed near children' 'Many females are hopelessly stupid and little more than life support machines for their own reproductive apparatus. They'll always find sad males to fertilise them and so can just keep banging'em out. Each child is a Free Money coupon' 'p****' 'Tweets inciting/supporting violence' 'Should have pushed the little tosser over the fence and stamped on his head' 'Take a flame thrower to them' 'A flame thrower should be used on that mob of journo scum' Other 'derogatory comments' 'Lots of w****** do use 'soft' medical diagnoses such as autism, ADHD, Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD), personality disorder, learning difficulties etc to excuse their behaviour when they are called to account, when the correct diagnosis is really 'a***hole'; 'And they all seem to be women. So much anger! Is Twitter a harbour for Mad Cow Disease?' 'And you sound like a bitter unhappy lady, possibly with some terrible relationship behind you, residual emotional and psychosexual problems and a bottle of Prozac at the bedside.' 'people often get themselves medical labels to excuse their a***hole behaviour. I see it all the time'. 'Poor unhappy lady has likely retired to bed with her book and some Prozac. I doubt there'd be a Mr [P]. She sounds as mad as a box of frogs.' 'Depression' is rife. Scratch away and you soon realise that they're not depressed, just a bit unhappy because they're not really being handed everything that they imagined in their childish self entitled fantasies.' 'Fat people should be denied all public stages. Their greed means that they are poor role models' 'There are a number of medical conditions which may cause overweight if untreated. However the vast majority of our fatties are plain greedy' 'Porkers often are an unhappy group, often not liking themselves, and therein lies their problem. They cheer themselves up by scoffing. There's nothing I can prescribe.' 'And over the years I've had thousands of fatties come to me asking what 'to take' in order to lose weight because they eat 'next to nothing'. I normally advise that they 'take' a trip to Somalia where there really is 'nothing' to eat.' 'The so called depressives were generally not really depressed but rather simply felt that they did not feel as happy as life owed them. it was then really for them to improve their situation rather than come along to the doctor to have their backs patted and their noses wiped.' 'Where are the Child and Adolescent Mentsl Heath Services when you need 'em? She'll be a self-harmer that one.' 'Exhibitionist nut cases. It's shameful how autistic youngsters and psychologically unhinged ladies are exploited by this movement'; '…now this nutty white professor 'black activist'… like so many other WOKE causes is driven forward by mentally deranged middle class white women. Mad Cow Disease has never gone away'.

Usually agree with you but his approach is generally very limited to ‘blame jatts for everything’

Naive thinking unfortunately

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/teen-attacked-in-queens-while-wearing-turban-in-hate-crime-assault-police/4772701/ 19-year-old (Sikh)attacked in Queens while wearing turban in hate crime assault: Police By Marc Santia and Brad Luck • Published October 16, 2023 • Updated on October 16, 2023 at 5:17 pm The NYPD is investigating a suspected hate crime after a man attacked another passenger on a bus in Queens harassing the young man over his turban and trying to remove it from his head, police said. Police said the suspect was riding on an MTA bus Sunday morning when he approached a male passenger who was wearing a turban and said, "We don't wear that in this country and take that mask off!" The suspect then punched the victim in his face, back, and in the back of his head, causing cuts and pain, according to police. Police said the man also tried to remove the 19-year-old's turban from his head before getting off the bus and leaving the scene on foot. The victim is a member of the Sikh faith. The assault happened near 118 Street and Liberty Avenue around 9 a.m. Sunday. Harpreet Singh Toor, the former president of the Sikh Cultural Society, said when the war between Israel and Hamas erupted last week, he feared an uptick in hate crimes even though the Sikh community is not involved in the conflict. "Why target us," he asked. "Just because we follow our faith? And we keep our articles of faith? Just because of that?”

https://www.foxnews.com/media/reno-nevada-declared-happiest-place-nation-based-off-community-outdoor-acess-quality-life Reno, Nevada declared 'happiest place' in the nation based off community, outdoor access, and quality of life Outside Magazine highlighted diversity and a commitment to combatting climate change as factors By Lindsay Kornick Fox News Published September 26, 2023 8:00pm EDT Reno, Nevada is one of "Happiest Places to Live in the U.S." according to an analysis by Outside Magazine. The lifestyle magazine released a list on September 18 that highlighted cities that it believed emphasized "community, better quality of life, and more outdoor access." Based on these descriptions, Outside writers ranked the "modern boomtown" of Reno as the best. "Once known for gambling and easy divorces, Reno is now a modern boomtown, with a whitewater park, multiple climbing gyms, a monthlong summer arts festival, a number of craft breweries, and urban art installations handed down from Burning Man, the late-summer gathering in the Black Rock Desert 140 miles north. The Biggest Little City in the World’s ample public land and mountain vibe make it a fun town for a populace hankering for just those qualities," the list read. The list was also based on additional details such as "diversity" and a commitment to combating climate change, as seen by further descriptions of Reno.

https://www.sportskeeda.com/mma/news-some-wear-turbans-tristan-tate-awe-punjabi-man-pummels-robber-stick "Some wear turbans" - Tristan Tate in awe after Punjabi man pummels robber with a stick ByAllan Binoy Modified Aug 02, 2023 17:24 GMT Here's what Tristan Tate had to say about the video: Take a look at the tweet:

Interesting discussion here https://www.sikhsangat.com/index.php?/topic/90982-isreal-attacks-the-changing-face-of-the-world/

https://www.easterneye.biz/british-sikh-woman-gets-death-penalty-in-india-for-killing-husband/ British Sikh woman gets death penalty in India for killing husband Ramandeep Kaur, 38, from Derby, was convicted of the murder of her husband, Sukhjit Singh, 34, during their vacation at his mother’s residence in India in 2016 Pramod Thomas 17 October, 2023 A court in India’s Uttar Pradesh’s awarded death penalty to a British Sikh woman for murdering her husband with the help of a friend seven years ago. Ramandeep Kaur, 38, from Derby was found guilty of murdering her husband Sukhjit Singh, 34, while they were on holiday in India in 2016. Her friend and accomplice Gurpreet was sentenced to life imprisonment with a fine of £2,960 by the court in Shahjahanpur on October 7. Singh was sleeping with his sons Arjun and Aryan, when he was killed by Kaur and Gurpreet, additional district government counsel Shree Pal Verma said. Arjun told the court during a hearing that his mother smothered Sukhjeet with a pillow and then, Gurpreet hit him with a hammer on his head. Then, Gurpreet took out a knife from his pocket and gave it to Kaur, who slit her husband’s throat, Verma said citing Arjun’s testimony. The prosecution said Sukhjeet, his wife, and sons Arjun Aryan visited his native place in Shahjahanpur in August 2016. Gurpreet, from Punjab, accompanied them. Singh was found murdered in the house on September 2, 2016. Hours after her sentencing, Kaur said she is being “framed” by her husband’s family members, a jail official said. Kaur said she will appeal against the capital punishment, according to the official.

I think the reality is more like what Chatanga says and the caste thing is dieing down gradually

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/17/sweden-warns-country-facing-biggest-threat-after-brussels-attack Sweden warns country facing biggest threat after Brussels shooting Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson says Europe cannot be ‘naive’ after killing of two Swedes in Belgian capital. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has called on the European Union to bolster its border controls and internal security [TT News Agency/Fredrik Sandberg via Reuters] Published On 17 Oct 202317 Oct 2023 Sweden’s prime minister has warned that his country is facing the biggest threat in its modern history after a gunman in Brussels killed two Swedes in an attack that authorities are investigating as terrorism. “Sweden has in modern times never been under as big a threat as now,” Ulf Kristersson told reporters on Tuesday. Kristersson said Sweden and the European Union needed to bolster their borders and internal security to prevent dangerous individuals from staying in the bloc. “Every indication is that this is a terror attack, targeting Sweden and Swedish citizens, just because they are Swedes,” he said, adding that the region “can’t be naive.” Two Swedes were shot dead in Brussels and another was wounded on Monday night as Belgium hosted Sweden in a Euro 2024 qualifying football match. The accused gunman, a 45-year-old Tunisian national, was shot dead by Belgian police on Tuesday. Belgian Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne said the suspect was living in the country illegally and was known to Belgian police in connection with people smuggling. A man who identified himself as a member of the armed group ISIL (ISIS) earlier posted a video of himself claiming responsibility for the attack.

https://www.warwickshire.police.uk/news/warwickshire/news/2023/october/man-jailed-for-nine-years-after-being-found-guilty-of-rape---warwick/ Man jailed for nine years after being found guilty of rape - Warwick From the courts In the community Published:10:3005/10/2023 A man has been jailed for nine years after being found guilty of raping a teenager in a Warwick car park. Sheikh Mahmood used a social media platform to talk with a teenage girl before arranging to meet her on the evening of 10 February. When the victim – a 13-year-old girl – got into his car, Mahmood is understood to have taken her to a secluded car park where he raped her. The girl returned to her friend’s house where she told her what had happened, and having reported the incident to police, an investigation began. Phone work quickly identified Mahmood (pictured below) as the account holder, and he was arrested by officers at his home in West Bromwich the next day. The 27-year-old, of Whitehall Road, was subsequently charged with raping a girl aged 13/14/15 and following a four-day trial at in August, was found unanimously guilty by the jury. He also admitted supplying a controlled drug of class B – cannabis to the same girl on the night of the offence. Appearing at Warwick Crown Court on Monday (2 October), he was sentenced to nine years in prison. Detective Constable James Stone-Fewings said: “This was a hugely traumatic incident and I’d like to commend the victim for the bravery she has shown in coming forward. “Our specially trained officers have supported her since the beginning of the investigation but understandably, it has been, and continues to be, an incredibly challenging time for both her and her family. “Mahmood has shown no remorse throughout, and thankfully has been convicted of this appalling crime. The length of his sentence reflects the need to protect the public from him. “We will always investigate thoroughly and do everything in our power to bring offenders to justice. "I also hope Mahmood’s conviction will provide reassurance to other victims of sexual offences and give them the confidence to report, safe in the knowledge that they will be listened to and supported.”

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/13/blinken-warned-lawmakers-azerbaijan-may-invade-armenia-in-coming-weeks-00121500 FOREIGN RELATIONS Blinken warned lawmakers Azerbaijan may invade Armenia in coming weeks He also said State isn’t planning to renew a long-standing waiver that allows the U.S. to provide military assistance to Baku. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, speaks during a press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City, on Oct. 5, 2023. | Marco Ugarte/AP Photo By ERIC BAZAIL-EIMIL and GABRIEL GAVIN 10/13/2023 04:31 PM EDT Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned a small group of lawmakers last week that his department is tracking the possibility that Azerbaijan could soon invade Armenia, according to two people familiar with the conversation. The call indicates the depth of concern in the administration about Azerbaijan’s operations against a breakaway region in the west of the country and the possibility of the conflict spreading.

Features https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/10/3/are-kosovo-and-serbia-on-the-brink-of-war Analysis: Are Kosovo and Serbia on the brink of war? An escalation into a conflict in the Western Balkans was averted but the likelihood of future flare-ups remains high. By Dimitar Bechev Published On 3 Oct 20233 Oct 2023 On September 24, armed Serb paramilitaries ambushed a police patrol near the village of Banjska in the northern part of Kosovo, killing one police officer. The gunmen then fled to a monastery near the Kosovo-Serbia border, where police forces engaged with them in a firefight. Three armed Serbs were killed; the rest were either arrested or managed to flee. It was one of the worst episodes of violence in the country since the end of the Kosovo war in 1999. In the aftermath of the incident, Belgrade and Pristina traded blame. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that the Kosovo government’s “terror” had driven the Serb minority in the northern part of the country to an “uprising”. Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti accused Serbia of supporting financially and logistically “organised crime” groups attacking his country – something Belgrade denied. On September 29, White House spokesperson John Kirby said that Serbia was massing an unprecedented number of forces at the border. With 4,500 NATO troops stationed in Kosovo through the KFOR peacekeeping mission, the threat of military showdown with the West as well as with Kosovo may have appeared real. But there was no further escalation. After a phone call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Vucic announced he had called on some troops to withdraw from the border. The incident did not spark an armed conflict but it did reveal a few important realities. First, Belgrade continues to use the Kosovo issue to take attention away from domestic problems; second, Vucic may be losing control over his Serb allies in northern Kosovo; and third, the momentum in the Kosovo-Serbia negotiations has been lost, which could result in more flare-ups. After a phone call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Vucic announced he had called on some troops to withdraw from the border. The incident did not spark an armed conflict but it did reveal a few important realities. First, Belgrade continues to use the Kosovo issue to take attention away from domestic problems; second, Vucic may be losing control over his Serb allies in northern Kosovo; and third, the momentum in the Kosovo-Serbia negotiations has been lost, which could result in more flare-ups. Vucic’s domestic troubles Over the past few months, the Serbian president and the cabinet, dominated by his Serbian Progressive Party, have faced growing public discontent. Two mass shootings in Serbia triggered weekly antigovernment protests. Public anger has focused on the country’s sizable security apparatus, which was helpless in preventing a mass shooting in the very heart of the Serbian capital, and on Vucic’s loyal media which have fostered the cult of wanton violence. Protesters have demanded resignations at the interior ministry, the Security Intelligence Agency (BIA), the media regulator and two pro-government TV channels, Pink and Happy. There have also been demands for early elections. Facing the mounting pressure, Vucic has indicated that there may be early polls for parliament and local councils in December. The incident in Kosovo was a welcome distraction for the president. Shifting the domestic conversation to the plight of the Serbs in northern Kosovo and flexing muscles is his trademark strategy of political survival. It was not the first time he manufactured the appearance of going to war to protect Serbs. Chances are, it won’t be the last one, either.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/13/why-israel-palestine-conflict-history What are the roots of the Israel-Palestine conflict? The horrific events over the last week are the culmination of a decades-long clash in the disputed region of the Middle East Israel-Hamas war – latest updates Chris McGreal Fri 13 Oct 2023 19.02 BST As with almost everything to do with this conflict, it depends on whom you ask. Some will begin with the Romans. Others will start with the late 19th-century Jewish migration to what was then the Ottoman Empire – to escape the pogroms and other persecutions in eastern Europe – and the rise of Zionism. Or the Balfour declaration by the British government in 1917 in support of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine and the ensuing conflicts with Arab communities there. But the starting point for many people is the United Nations’ vote in 1947 to partition land in the British mandate of Palestine into two states – one Jewish, one Arab – following the destruction of much of European Jewry in the Holocaust. Neither the Palestinians nor the neighbouring Arab countries accepted the founding of modern Israel. Fighting between Jewish armed groups, some of which the British regarded as terrorist organisations, and Palestinians escalated until the armies of Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan and Syria invaded after Israel declared independence in May 1948. With Israel’s new army gaining ground, an armistice agreement in 1949 saw new de facto borders that gave the fledgling Jewish state considerably more territory than it was awarded under the UN partition plan. What happened to the Palestinians who were living there? About 700,000 Palestinians were expelled or fled – about 85% of the Arab population of the territory captured by Israel – and were never allowed to return. Palestinians called the exodus and eradication of much of their society inside Israel the Nakba, or “catastrophe”, and it remains the traumatic event at the heart of their modern history. Arabs who remained in Israel as citizens were subject to official discrimination. They were placed under military rule for nearly two decades, which deprived them of many basic civil rights. Much of their land was expropriated and Arab Israeli communities were deliberately kept poor and underfunded. What is the Palestine Liberation Organisation? In 1964, a coalition of Palestinian groups founded the Palestine Liberation Organisation under the leadership of Yasser Arafat to pursue armed struggle and establish an Arab state in place of Israel. The PLO drew international attention to its cause with high-profile attacks and hijackings. How did the occupied Palestinian territories become occupied? In 1967, Israel launched what it said was a pre-emptive defensive war against Jordan, Egypt and Syria, as they appeared to be preparing to invade. The attack caught Arab governments by surprise and saw Israel achieve rapid victories including seizing the Sinai peninsula and the Gaza Strip from Egypt, the Golan Heights from Syria, and the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan. The six-day war was a spectacular military success for Israel. Its capture of all of Jerusalem and newly acquired control over the biblical lands called Judea and Samaria in Israel opened the way to the construction of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, which became central to the conflict. Israel placed the Arab population of the West Bank under military rule, which is enforced to this day. When did Hamas enter the picture? The PLO was a generally secular organisation modelled on other leftwing guerrilla movements of the time, although most of its supporters were Muslim. A Palestinian boy stands behind a picture of senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh during a rally marking the 28th anniversary of Hamas’s founding, in Gaza City on December 2015. Photograph: Mohammed Salem/Reuters Islamist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood had previously avoided armed conflict and were largely dedicated to working for a more religious society. But that position shifted under the leadership of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, a charismatic quadriplegic living in Gaza who helped found several Islamist organisations in Gaza including Mujama al-Islamiya, which won support by establishing a network of social services including schools, clinics and a library. Shortly after the outbreak of the first intifada, Yassin used support for Mujama al-Islamiya as the foundation for the formation of Hamas in 1987 in alliance with other Islamists. Israel has always denied encouraging the rise of the Islamist movement in Gaza but it saw the groups as a way of undermining support for the PLO and recognised Mujama al-Islamiya as a charity, allowing it to operate freely and build support. Israel also approved the creation of the Islamic University of Gaza, which became a breeding ground of support for Hamas. What was the first intifada? Israel regarded the Palestinian population under its control as largely quiescent even as it went on expanding Jewish settlements in Gaza and the West Bank and expropriating Arab land. Palestinians were also treated as a cheap source of largely manual labour inside Israel. That illusion was shattered in 1987 as young Palestinians rose up. The uprising was marked by mass stone throwing. The Israeli army responded with large-scale arrests and collective punishments. The intifada is largely recognised as a success for the Palestinians, helping to solidify their identity independently of neighbouring Arab states and forcing Israel into negotiations. It also strengthened Arafat’s hand to make compromises with Israel, including adopting the principle of a two-state solution. Whatever happened to the peace process? As the first intifada wound down in 1993, the Oslo peace process started with secret talks between Israel and the PLO. Israel’s then prime minister, Yitzhak Rabin, signed an agreement with Arafat aimed at fulfilling the “right of the Palestinian people to self-determination” although Rabin did not accept the principle of a Palestinian state. The Oslo accords established the Palestinian National Authority, granting limited self-governance over patches of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Further negotiations were intended to resolve issues such as the status of Jerusalem, the future of the Israeli settlements and the right of return for the millions of Palestinians still classified as refugees after their forebears were never permitted to return to their homes. Some prominent Palestinians regarded the accords as a form of surrender while rightwing Israelis opposed giving up settlements or territory. Among Israelis, the political charge against Oslo was led by future prime ministers Ariel Sharon and Benjamin Netanyahu, who fronted rallies at which Rabin was portrayed as a Nazi. Rabin’s widow blamed the two men for her husband’s assassination by an ultranationalist Israeli in 1995. What caused the second intifada? Peace negotiations sputtered along until the failure of Bill Clinton’s attempts to broker a final deal at Camp David in 2000, which contributed to the outbreak of the second intifada. The uprising was markedly different from the first intifada because of widespread suicide bombings against Israeli civilians launched by Hamas and other groups, and the scale of Israeli military retaliation. By the time the uprising ended in 2005, more than 3,000 Palestinians and 1,000 Israelis were dead. The political ramifications of the intifada were significant. It led to a hardening of attitudes among ordinary Israelis and the construction of the West Bank barrier. But it also prompted then prime minister Ariel Sharon to say that Israel could not go on occupying the Palestinians’ territory – although he did not say that the alternative was an independent Palestinian state. Is Gaza still occupied? One consequence of the second intifada was Sharon’s decision to “disengage” from the Palestinians beginning in 2005 with the closing of Israeli settlements in Gaza and parts of the northern West Bank. It is not clear how much further Sharon would have gone with this policy as he had a stroke and went into a coma the following year. The status of Gaza since the disengagement remains disputed. Israel says it is no longer occupied. The United Nations says otherwise because of Israel’s continued control of airspace and territorial waters, and also access into the territory, along with Egypt. Israeli has also blockaded the enclave since Hamas came to power in 2006. In addition, many Palestinians in Gaza do not see themselves as a separate entity from the rest of their territories in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and so argue that as a whole they remain occupied. Why does Hamas control Gaza? Hamas won the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections in part because of a backlash against the corruption and political stagnation of the ruling Fatah party. The Hamas leader Ismail Haniya was appointed prime minister. Israel began arresting Hamas members of the Palestinian parliament and imposed sanctions against Gaza. Deteriorating relations between Hamas and Fatah resulted in violence. An agreement to form a national unity government fell apart and Hamas led an armed takeover of Gaza while Fatah continued to control the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. There have been no elections since. Hamas has continued to attack Israel from Gaza, mostly using rockets until the latest ground incursion. Israel has maintained a tight blockade of the territory which has contributed to deteriorating living conditions and deepening poverty. Where are we now? Although western governments still pay lip service to a two-state solution, there has been no progress toward an agreement under Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who has repeatedly said he will never accept a Palestinian state. His present government includes far-right parties that openly advocate the annexation of all or part of the West Bank to Israel and the continued governance of the Palestinians without full rights or the vote. Israeli and foreign human rights groups say Israel has increasingly carved out a form of apartheid in the occupied territories. Hamas’s killing of more than 1,200 Israelis now moves the conflict into uncharted territory.

https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-sikh-hindu-muslim-taliban-restrictions/32559175.html August 22, 2023 By Freshta Negah Abubakar Siddique 'Forced To Dress Like a Muslim': Taliban Imposes Restrictions On Afghanistan's Sikh, Hindu Minorities When the Taliban seized power in 2021, there were concerns that some of Afghanistan's tiny non-Muslim minorities could vanish. Two years on, those fears are becoming realized. Afghanistan's last-known Jew fled the country shortly after the Taliban takeover. Meanwhile, the Sikh and Hindu communities are believed to have shrunk to just a handful of families. Under the Taliban, Sikhs and Hindus have faced severe restrictions, including on their appearances, and have been banned from marking their religious holidays in public, leaving many with no choice but to escape their homeland. "I cannot go anywhere freely," Fari Kaur, one of the last remaining Sikhs in the capital, Kabul, told RFE/RL's Radio Azadi. "When I go out, I'm forced to dress like a Muslim so that I can't be identified as a Sikh," she said, in reference to the Taliban's order that all women must wear the all-encompassing burqa or niqab. Kaur's father was killed in a suicide attack targeting Sikhs and Hindus in the eastern city of Jalalabad in 2018. The attack reportedly led as many as 1,500 Sikhs to leave the country, including Kaur's mother and sisters. But Kaur refused to leave and stayed in Kabul to fulfil her father's dream that she finish school. In March 2020, 25 worshipers were killed when Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) militants stormed a Sikh temple in Kabul. Following the attack, most of the remaining members of the minority left Afghanistan. Again, Kaur refused to leave. But now, more than two years after the Taliban seized power, she said the lack of religious freedom under the militants has left her no choice but to seek refuge abroad. "We have not celebrated our key festivals since the Taliban returned to power," she said. "We have very few community members left behind in Afghanistan. We cannot even look after our temples." History Of Persecution There were up to 100,000 Hindus and Sikhs in Afghanistan in the 1980s. But the war that broke out in 1979 and the onset of growing persecution pushed many out. During the civil war of the 1990s, the Taliban and rival Islamist groups pledged to protect minorities. But many Sikhs and Hindus lost their homes and businesses and fled to India. During its first stint in power from 1996-2001, the Taliban caused an international uproar after the militants announced that all Sikhs and Hindus in the country would be required to wear yellow badges. The Taliban prohibited Sikhs and Hindus from building new temples. They were also forced to pay a special tax called jizya, which was historically imposed by Muslim rulers on their non-Muslim subjects. Following the U.S.-led invasion in 2001, Sikhs and Hindus were granted the same rights as other Afghans and also received seats in the parliament. When the Taliban regained power in August 2021, it attempted to assuage the fears of non-Muslim Afghans. The militants visited Sikh and Hindu temples to try and assure the remaining members of the communities of their commitment to their safety and well-being. But the Taliban's draconian restrictions on Sikhs and Hindus have forced many to seek a way out of their homeland. 'Extreme Desperation' Many of the Afghan Sikhs and Hindus who have left the country have moved to India, where most face a life of poverty. "We abandoned our country out of extreme desperation," said Chabul Singh, a 57-year-old Sikh man who left Afghanistan with his wife and two sons several years ago. The family now lives outside the Indian capital, New Delhi, where Singh and his young sons eke out a living by doing menial jobs. "In Afghanistan, our distinctive turbans gave us away, and we were killed both by the Taliban and Daesh," he told Radio Azadi, referring to IS-K by its Arabic acronym. Sikhs often wrap their hair, which they are not supposed to cut, in a turban. Despite his family's struggles in India, Singh said returning to Afghanistan is not an option. "In Afghanistan, our Muslim brothers often asked us, 'Why have you come from India?'" he said. "But here in India, they ask us, 'Why don't you go back to Afghanistan?'" Niala Mohammad, the director of policy and strategy at the nonprofit Muslim Public Affairs Council in Washington, said the situation for religious minorities in Afghanistan -- including Hindus, Sikhs, Bahai's, Christians, Ahmadis, and Shi'ite Muslims -- has deteriorated sharply under Taliban rule. "The situation continues to deteriorate as political extremist factions that claim to represent Islam, such as the Taliban, ascend to power in the region," said Mohammad, who was previously the South Asia analyst for the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. "This exodus of diverse religious groups has left a void in the country's social fabric."