Qantara Startseite Englisch - Dialogue with the Islamic world
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Syria after AssadAl-Sharaa and the global jihad
Jihadist groups around the world are watching Syria's transitional government closely. Al-Sharaa's takeover and moderate strategy are inspiring for some. Others view his pragmatism as betrayal and opt for violence.
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"Christ in the Rubble" by Munther IsaacThe Christian case against the war on Gaza
Munther Isaac, a pastor in the West Bank, objects to Bible-based justifications for war and describes Gaza as a "moral compass". In a new book, "Christ in the Rubble", he offers views that are polarising without being destructive.
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GazaCaught between starvation and deadly aid centres
In Gaza, survival now means facing not only bombs but also starvation. As some Palestinians risk their lives to receive aid from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, others turn to desperate measures to feed their children.
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Moroccan Gnawa festivalA Sufi tradition on the world stage
A festival in Morocco is bringing Gnawa music to the mainstream. Shaped by migration, slavery and a long struggle for recognition, the once marginalised Sufi tradition is now internationally renowned.
Politics
More about Politics-
Morocco-Algeria arms race"The solution requires political courage"
Tensions between Morocco and Algeria are fuelling a frantic arms race. Moroccan researcher Hicham Mouatadid traces the roots of the rivalry and calls for a solution that goes beyond the Western Sahara conflict to address regional security as a whole.
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Lebanese Civil WarThe postwar that never was
Fifty years since its outbreak, Lebanon's Civil War continues to shape its society and political system. The postwar era has been marked by violence, foreign occupation, political paralysis and economic crisis—raising the question: did the war ever truly end?
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Kurdish activist Siamend Hajo"We need to make use of Syria's transitional phase"
As an advocate of a democratic, decentralised constitution, Siamend Hajo has been involved in the UN's Syria peace process for many years. Since Assad's fall, he has criticised the UN for kowtowing to the new rulers.
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The National FrontEgypt needs reform, not a new party
As elections approach in Egypt, a group of prominent political figures, intellectuals and business people have launched a new party. Who will it represent and can it revive a weakened political system?
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US Middle East policyIs there a Trump-Netanyahu consensus?
Trump's new administration could give Israel even greater freedom to pursue its territorial and political ambitions in Palestine, Syria and Lebanon, while the future of the ceasefire in Gaza hangs precariously in the balance.
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Democracy and secularism in Syria's revolutionUnited, not homogenous
In Syria, secularism is a fiercely contested topic. Assad supporters are using the term to discredit the revolution, while their opponents seek to redefine it. Yet this debate must not overshadow the revolution's central demand: democratic participation.
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Israel in new Merkel memoir "Freedom"Merkel's reason of state
When Angela Merkel used the word "Staatsräson" in a 2008 speech to the Israeli Knesset, she may not have expected the enduring intensity of the debate it would ignite. In the new memoir "Freedom", the former chancellor reveals her idealised view of Israel, and her reluctance to acknowledge Palestinian perspectives.
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Trump and the Gulf StatesSkeptical optimism in the Gulf
Saudi Arabia and the Emirates hope to reap economic benefits from the Trump presidency. But the Gulf has learned that Washington cannot be relied upon. Meanwhile, the Saudis could push Trump to take a tougher stance towards Israel.
Society
More about Society-
German academiaWhen neutrality becomes complicity
German scholars of the Middle East often wear the mask of political neutrality. But both Western philosophy and the classical Islamic tradition insist that knowledge carries an ethical duty. A call for moral responsibility.
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Iran at warThe scapegoating of Afghan refugees
Amid conflict with Israel, Tehran's regime is fuelling mistrust of Afghan refugees. Yet they are among those most vulnerable to Israeli air strikes.
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Syrian architects' group Syrbanism"For a just reconstruction, the people must have a voice"
Since 2017, Syrbanism has been connecting architects and urbanists across the Syrian diaspora. In the wake of Assad's fall, founders Edwar Hanna and Nour Harastani travelled to Damascus to work on their vision of a democratic reconstruction.
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German elections 2025The myth of the "dual national criminal"
In this election campaign, people with "migrant backgrounds" are being depicted as a threat to public safety. The term "criminal foreigners" is being widely used, and candidates are calling for the revocation of dual citizenship. But these arguments have no basis in fact.
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Southern LebanonReturning to find ruins
The Israeli army is slowly and partially withdrawing from southern Lebanon. Returning residents are confronted by the destruction of their homes and local infrastructure. A view from the ground.
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The search for Syria's missingWhere is Ahmed?
Since the fall of Assad, thousands of Syrians searching for disappeared relatives have been left feeling abandoned by the new rulers. Meanwhile, the process of collecting evidence of the regime's crimes remains unsystematic.
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Arab footballers in GermanyIs Marmoush following in Salah's footsteps?
The young Egyptian player Omar Marmoush has made headlines in the German Bundesliga and across Europe, drawing comparisons to his compatriot, the Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah.
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Post-Assad Syria"Let freedom of the press be enshrined as sacrosanct"
The collapse of the Assad regime must not only mark the end of an era steeped in fear and oppression, but it must also serve as the dawn of a new chapter in the country’s history. Syrian independent media outlets publish their demands to the new government.
Culture
More about Culture-
"Carmen" on the Egyptian stageRewritten to fit the patriarchal script
A stage production of "Carmen", adapted from Prosper Mérimée's French novella, has captured the attention of audiences and critics in Cairo. While the French novella portrayed Carmen as a free-spirited rebel, the Egyptian adaptation tells a different story.
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"Dis-orienting the Maghreb" by Sadik RddadPlural identities in colonial Morocco
In his new book, Moroccan scholar Sadik Rddad revisits colonial-era British and American travel writing, challenging Edward Said's view of Orientalism and its flattening of Maghrebi identities.
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Claudia Mende's new bookA century of Arab feminism
For over a century, Arab women from Tunisia to Saudi Arabia have fought for their rights, against violence, and for autonomy over their lives and bodies. In her new book, Claudia Mende amplifies their voices.
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FairuzSongs for a Lebanon that never existed
Lebanese singer Fairuz, now a 90-year-old icon, began her career 70 years ago with mould-breaking musical theatre. Setting artistic milestones alongside the Rahbani brothers, she soundtracked the history of Lebanon through an era marked by suffering and war.
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On fleeing to GermanyPoems that strike a blow for freedom
The new collection "Sei neben mir und sieh, was mir geschehen ist" (Be beside me and see what happened to me) features works by 29 poets who arrived in Germany as refugees. Their texts, written in German, Arabic, Kurdish, Persian, and Ukrainian, provide insights into their experiences.
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Comic book author Joe Sacco"Gaza was where the West went to die"
Trailblazing cartoonist and journalist Joe Sacco reflects on Western coverage of the war on Gaza, oral histories, and comics as a medium for critical journalism.
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Tunisia's Carthage Film FestivalDecolonial cinema
The Carthage Film Festival in Tunis aims to counter the Global North's dominance in the world of film. Until Sunday, a diverse range of films from Africa and West Asia will be screened. But can the festival truly fulfil its own ambitions?
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Palestinian director Dima Hamdan"There is no pride when gay men are blackmailed"
Winner of the prestigious Iris Film Prize, Dima Hamdan's short film "Blood like Water" addresses how Israel uses the social stigma of homosexuality in Palestinian society to blackmail gay men.
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
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