Qantara Startseite Englisch - Dialogue with the Islamic world
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The murder of Ben BarkaNew revelations from Israel's archives
The book "L'Affaire Ben Barka" reveals new details about the assassination of Moroccan opposition leader Mehdi Ben Barka. Long-secret Israeli documents show the role of Mossad in one of the 20th century's most mysterious murders.
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Jafar Panahi's film "It Was Just an Accident"Humanism and humour
In the Iranian director's most critical film yet, Jafar Panahi presents a cross-section of society, takes aim at the practice of torture and shows fearless women claiming space. But there's still room for comedy.
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Historical photographs of SyriaAn obsessive archivist
Ahmed Hasan sold his house to pursue a passion for historical photographs. His collection traces Syria's history through everyday life.
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Education in SyriaReturning pupils face language barrier
Eleven-year-old Ali spent six years in Germany. Now back in Syria, he is struggling with Arabic, his native language, as the new government appears overwhelmed by the task of reintegrating returning schoolchildren.
Politics
More about Politics-
Syria's economyAusterity and liberalisation won't rebuild the country
Syria's government is pursuing economic growth through liberalisation, foreign investment and cuts to state spending. These moves benefit the new elite but won't lift the majority out of crisis.
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Religion in the armed forcesMilitary imams to be introduced in Germany
From 2026, Germany's Bundeswehr will recruit chaplains for Muslim soldiers, responding to calls from Islamic associations that go back over two decades.
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NATO in AfghanistanHopes of withdrawal fade
2015 was a troubled year for Afghanistan. With the Taliban and IS achieving temporary success within the country, NATO was forced to revise its troop withdrawal plans. A report by Waslat Hasrat-Nazimi
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India and Islamic StateEverything under control?
India, the country with the largest Muslim minority, is forever issuing assurances that it remains unaffected by the deadly threat posed by IS. Only time will tell, however, whether the escalating confrontation seen by many as a symbolic struggle between the West and Islam continues to give the subcontinent a wide berth. An essay by Ronald Meinardus
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Oman's succession problemNeither heir nor spare
Unmarried and childless, Qaboos bin Said Al-Said, Sultan of Oman, is something of a rarity in the Arab world. His reign has already lasted for 45 years. Confusion still remains, however, over the identity of his successor. What is clear is that whoever it is will not have it easy. By Anne Allmeling
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Geopolitics in the Middle EastA new century dawns
There is no doubt that the crisis-riven Middle East is beset by some unique challenges. As Jeffrey Sachs argues, however, these are not the Sunni-Shia political divide, the future of Assad or other doctrinal disputes, but rather the unmet need for quality education, job skills, advanced technologies and sustainable development
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Peace treaty signed by warring factions in LibyaThe steep road to national unity
Although the event was not the main focus of international attention, the agreement signed by Libya′s rival factions in the Moroccan coastal city of Skhirat this week is perhaps more important for Europe than the European summit meeting that took place the same day. By Karim El-Gawhary
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Islamic StateA year of territorial losses
Although 2015 has been a bleak year, characterised by numerous casualties resulting from the terrorist activities of IS, the last twelve months have seen Islamic State relinquish rather than gain ground. By Chase Winters
Society
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Egyptian feminist Nawal El Saadawi"Intersectional long before the term was coined"
A seminal feminist text by Nawal El Saadawi has been translated into English and German for the first time, over five decades after it first appeared in Arabic. Publisher and translator Sophie Haesen explains why it should be essential reading worldwide.
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War crimes in SyriaThe starvation of Yarmouk on trial
A new trial of Syrian war crimes suspects has opened in Koblenz, Germany. It's the first since the fall of Bashar al-Assad, and the first ever to charge starvation as a war crime.
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The IS manifesto for womenBaiting the jihadi brides
It is not only men who are joining the ranks of "Islamic State", women are too. Many are being encouraged to do so by the manifesto of the IS women's brigade al-Khansaa, which has been translated into English and German. Primarily aimed at Muslim women with limited education, the IS ideal is not very far removed from role models that prevailed in conservative social strata in the West until well into the twentieth century. By Stefan Weidner
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Abla Fahita: an Egyptian media phenomenonThe taboo-challenging puppet
The TV puppet Abla Fahita is causing a furore in Egypt. On her new show, "Live from the Duplex", she frequently and unashamedly addresses taboo topics – a fact that divides opinion in Egyptian society. Elisabeth Lehmann reports from Cairo
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The Virtual Iftar Project"It is harder to ignore, vilify or harm those with whom we have broken bread"
The Virtual Dinner Guest Project is an international multimedia initiative that brings people across various cultures together at the dinner table. Breaking bread and barriers in one go, this platform launched the Virtual Iftar Project across Europe during the month of Ramadan, which has just ended. Roma Rajpal Weiß spoke to the project founder, Eric Maddox, about the project and about cultural tension between Muslims and non-Muslims
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Abducted civilians in EgyptThe disappeared
Again and again, one hears reports of young people simply disappearing in Egypt when out on the street, at university or out for dinner with friends. Esraa el-Taweel is one of them. After a protracted search, her family finally tracked her down in a Cairo prison. Elisa Rheinheimer-Chabbi has the details
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Interview with author and essayist Pankaj Mishra"Secularisation has really created a void of understanding"
Societies around the world are in turmoil, with religious and social groups pitted against each other in many countries. Examples include the Arab Spring, social revolt against oppressive regimes, the rise of IS, the call from some in Europe for Islam to reform, and the emergence of right-wing movements such as Pegida. Julis Koch spoke to Indian author and essayist Pankaj Mishra about the root causes of this tension and lack of understanding
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Young women and start-ups in GazaGetting down to business
Twelve months ago, Gaza was mired in a conflict that left 2,251 Palestinians dead and more than 100,000 homeless. The economy of the Gaza Strip has not even begun to make a recovery. Despite this bleak outlook, some young people – and some young women in particular – refuse to give in and are looking to launch start-up companies. By Ylenia Gostoli
Culture
More about Culture-
Literature in YemenThe last bastion of beauty
Yemen's cultural scene has been hard hit by years of war, but not completely silenced. While many writers and intellectuals have left the country, the small literary club Alamaqah remains active, a testament to the resilience of Yemeni culture.
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Architecture in LibyaReclaiming a vanishing colonial heritage
As Benghazi’s Italian-era architecture slowly disappears, an exhibition brings together architects and artists rethinking the city’s history — reassessing the colonial past without celebrating it.
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Rabih Abou-Khalil and his new album ''Hungry People''Hunger, Not Just for Food
After devoting himself to femininity with "Songs for Sad Women" and to Atlantic melancholy with "Em Português", it was probably inevitable that his new work would finally mirror current events in the MENA region. Oud master Rabih Abou-Khalil explains to Stefan Franzen how he combines a plastic chicken, fish & chips and a bankers' banquet into a musical feast with political-surreal features
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Jabbour Douaihy's Novel ''June Rain''Forgetting by State Decree
Jabbour Douaihy's new novel revolves around the trauma of Lebanon's civil war. The story deals with the power of recollection, the effects of history, and how one must constantly affirm one's own past anew. Andreas Pflitsch has read "June Rain" for Qantara.de
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Interview with Youssef ZiedanRevolution Means Breaking with Authority
Youssef Ziedan is a bestselling Egyptian author, philosopher and scholar of history. He is also director of the Manuscript Division of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the New Library of Alexandria. In this interview with Susanne Schanda, he says that being revolutionary is also about asking questions of authority
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Turkish Pianist and Composer Fazil SayUp in Court for Insulting Islam
Last week, the court case against the celebrated Turkish pianist and composer Fazil Say began in Istanbul. Say faces charges of spreading anti-Islamic comments via Twitter. Supporters and critics alike say that the case highlights Turkey's shortcomings in terms of freedom of expression. Thomas Seibert has the details
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Saudi Prize for TranslationsBig Words, Big Prize-Money
In Berlin, Saudi emissaries have presented the world's largest prize for translation. But the show and the obsequious ritual that go with the prize seem to be more important than anything else: one previous winner has only received a fraction of the prize-money he was promised. According to Werner Bloch, it was a bizarre event
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Amir Hassan Cheheltan's ''Tehran, Skyless City''Reflecting the Dark Side of Iran's Capital
In "Tehran, Skyless City", Amir Hassan Cheheltan describes the journey through life of an underdog who arrives in Tehran as an uprooted, orphaned inmate of a home and with a high degree of criminal energy, rises through the ranks to become the director of a torture prison. A review by Volker Kaminski
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
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