Issues in Politics
York University President Mamdouh Shoukri Comments on Upcoming Middle East Forum
A controversial conference set for next week at York University in Toronto, Canada on options for statehood for Israeli and Palestine has provoked a backlash from several Jewish groups who see it as an attack on the Jewish state, masquerading as academic debate. Their campaign to cancel the event has outraged some faculty associations, who…
Switzerland debates Islam and minarets
The debate over the integration of the Muslim community into Swiss society is not new and has long been the subject of considerable political tension. The most recent controversy is no different and has already fuelled a heated discussion on whether the construction of minarets in Switzerland should be banned. The Democratic Union of the…
French Press Compares Obama and Sarkozy’s Positions on Islam
In the wake of U.S. President Barack Obama’s address to the Muslim World in Cairo, the French press compare the two leader’s leadership style, particularly their rhetoric on Islam. President Sarkozy similarly addressed the Muslim world in Riyad in January 2008. Le Monde concludes that the French President remained far more neutral and secular in…
Aga Khan Granted Honorary Canadian Citizenship
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that Shah Kari al-Hussayni – the 49th Aga Khan – will receive the rare award of honorary Canadian citizenship to recognize his efforts in working toward that goal. He founded the Aga Khan Development Network, an organization that has brought better health care, education and urban and rural development…
Green Party Leader speaks out against growth of Islamophobia
The leader of the Green Party Dr Caroline Lucas MEP has spoken out against the growth of Islamophobia in the UK. “The Green Party’s view is clear: everyone in Britain must be free to follow their chosen faith, or none, fully confident that their right to do so will be vigorously upheld by government.” Dr…