Society

Best of Qantara.de 2023

The top ten most-read articles on Qantara.de

As 2023 draws to a close, the team at Qantara.de once again takes a look at the stories that really stood out over the past year. Here is a list of the ten articles published in 2023 that piqued your interest most over the past twelve months. Happy New Year to all our readers!
Palestinian Christians

Bethlehem: Gaza war mars Christmas festivities

Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, the supposed birthplace of Jesus, is usually busy over the Christmas season. This year, however, most festivities were cancelled because of the Gaza conflict.
By Tania Krämer
No festive season in the West Bank

Christmas muted in 'grieving' Bethlehem

Outside Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity in the Palestinian West Bank, the throngs of tourists and pilgrims who normally rub shoulders with costumed Santas and marching bands are missing this year
Destination Morocco

A magnet for migrant women?

Morocco has slowly transformed from a transit country to a destination country for sub-Saharan African migrants – almost half of whom are women
By Marco Simoncelli, Marco Valenca, Davide Lemmi, Oumar Sall
U.S. universities and anti-Semitism

Spotlight on freedom of speech

Since the eruption of the Israel-Hamas war, New York's Columbia University has been gripped by divisions over the conflict and rancour over where free speech ends and hatred begins
Life in Lebanon

Fighting sectarianism with cheap groceries

Two women in Lebanon's capital, Beirut, have founded a non-profit grocery store that offers goods at affordable prices. But their bigger vision is to break down political and religious segregation
By Diana Hodali
Cultural boycott of Germany?

The German anti-Semitism debate is increasingly off-key

These days, anyone opposing both anti-Semitism and racism faces a difficult choice, as numerous recent cases show. Where must we start in order to change this?
By Stefan Weidner
Turkey's "Noel Baba"

Questions and answers about St. Nicholas

The Feast of Saint Nicholas, observed on 6 December in Western Christian countries falls within the season of Advent. But who was this bringer of gifts?
Israel-Hamas war

Children bear the brunt of the conflict

While Hamas has released the majority of its child hostages taken on 7 October, it is believed that two remain in captivity. Meanwhile, thousands of Palestinian children are suffering under Israel's ongoing siege and renewed bombardment of Gaza
By Tania Krämer
Dialogue in Germany

An imam and a rabbi tour Berlin schools

Tensions are running high over the conflict in the Middle East. In German schools, as elsewhere, discussions are controversial and emotional. An imam and a rabbi are working together to promote dialogue and understanding in these turbulent times
By Christoph Strack
Israelis and Palestinians: "Standing Together"

"Help us move towards peace"

Since the war in Gaza, the grassroots movement "Standing Together" has become increasingly popular among Israelis and Palestinians. Founding member Itamar Avneri says they are calling for peace and independence for Israelis and Palestinians, absolute equality for all citizens – and true social, economic and environmental justice
By Ceyda Nurtsch
Esra Ozyurek on the German debate

"We must fight anti-Semitism and Islamophobia together"

Germany has long been a role model for the way it deals with Holocaust remembrance. But now this is being used to marginalise minorities, says Turkish ethnologist Esra Ozyurek
By Claudia Mende