@simonwfuchs.bsky.social
Associate Professor of Islam in South Asia and the Middle East at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem // Author of "In a Pure Muslim Land. Shi'ism between Pakistan and the Middle East" (UNC Press, 2019) // www.simonwolfgangfuchs.com
Perhaps the whole project of arming criminals and (reportedly) ISIS-linked elements to fight Hamas was not such a great idea from the start...
Leader of Israel-backed Gaza Militia Killed in Clashes, Security Source Says
www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...
Such a "deal" only seems to be working out in the head of the Israeli PM - especially if you demand to add a "buffer zone" to the already existing demilitarized buffer zone. #Syria
02.12.2025 14:01 โ ๐ 2 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0
Iranian society is undergoing dramatic changes in real time - while patriotism is going strong:
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/01/w...
Interesting talk by Sarah Wheat at the University of Erfurt on Monday, December 08, 04.15pm (also via Webex):
"A Factory in the Style of a Mosque: The Yenidze and the Paradoxes of German Orientalism"
Looking forward to speaking at FU Berlin in 10 days as part of their lecture series "Die arabische Welt: Geschichte, Kultur, Gesellschaft und Politik"
28.11.2025 13:19 โ ๐ 2 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Is this the new normal? In the night, the IDF raided the Syrian village of Beit Jinn on the slopes of Jabal al-Shaykh, trying to arrest 3 men. During an ensuing firefight, including helicopter gunships, 10 Syrians were killed & 6 Israeli soldiers wounded:
www.alarabiya.net/arab-and-wor...
"'As a result of this unprecedented mortality, life expectancy in Gaza fell by 44% in 2023 and by 47% in 2024 compared with what it would have been without the warโequivalent to losses of 34.4 and 36.4 years, respectively,' the researcher says."
www.mpg.de/25778228/112...
A Toniebox has become an essential feature of German children's rooms:
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/b...
This "dangerous" event in East Jerusalem was shut down by the Israeli police before it could commence today. Even cultural expressions of Palestinian identity seem to be perceived as threatening these days...
23.11.2025 16:23 โ ๐ 4 ๐ 1 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
The big question: will Hezbollah simply let this pass? Is the organization in a position at all too retaliate? Or is it still too weak? At any rate, this does not bode well at all. #Beirut
23.11.2025 13:55 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0Another ordinary day in the region:
22.11.2025 19:56 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
Yes, the US administration has publicly put its foot down to prevent a full-fledged annexation of the West Bank for now. Anything else, no matter how significant it is and how much private Palestinian land gets appropriated on the way, seems to be fine, however.
www.haaretz.com/west-bank/20...
The state of the "ceasefires" in #Lebanon and #Gaza.
20.11.2025 07:02 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 1
It's a very a good sign that the UN is relevant again - plus the mandate by the Security Council could finally sway countries to commit troops for Gaza.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/w...
Ich kann die Entscheidung der LMU zur Absage von "The Targeting of the Palestinian Academy" nicht nachvollziehen. Prof. Kaplony ist ein geschรคtzter Kollege. Es geht um Freiheit der Lehre & die Auseinandersetzung mit (unbequemen) palรคstinensischen Perspektiven:
www.sueddeutsche.de/muenchen/mue...
Today, Jerusalem experienced torrentuous, incessant rainfall. Water rushed down the slopes of the city everywhere. In Gaza, the lack of any actual efforts to provide people with proper shelter since the ceasefire went into effect became brutally evident.
15.11.2025 19:48 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 1 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0sweeeeeeet ๐ ๐
14.11.2025 18:14 โ ๐ 172 ๐ 14 ๐ฌ 40 ๐ 1
Fascinating insights into how #Pakistan in general (and the increasingly influential Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir in particular) poured millions of dollars into high-level lobbying campaigns to woo Trump:
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/w...
What an utter sham:
"Netanyahu has stood tall for Israel in the face of strong adversaries [..], and his attention cannot be unnecessarily diverted. Now that we have achieved these unprecedented successes,[..] it is time to let Bibi unite Israel by pardoning him." www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...
Surprise, surprise - the "peace" plan for Gaza is stalled, and there is no clear path forward:
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
This request by the Pakistani army to recruit from Aligarh Muslim University after Partition, as discussed in Laurence Gautier's "Between Nation and Community" (2024, p. 98), speaks to surprising attempts at cooperation and sharing of resources between India and Pakistan despite all the violence.
11.11.2025 16:53 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0Horrible incidents in both Islamabad and Delhi - my heart is with the victims in both cities!
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/11/w...
Absolutely, could not agree more!
10.11.2025 18:22 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
This is a very concerning development...
www.thehindu.com/news/nationa...
(5/5) (Gaza comes to mind) with the Third Temple becoming visible in the smoke. When a celebration of apocalyptic (and supposedly cleansing) violence invades a public cultural space and public money is used to promote and condone such works, alarm bells shouldย trulyย ring.
09.11.2025 22:29 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
(4/5) foundation for continuity and growth.โ While the exhibition contains pastoral scenes and settlement kitsch, what really disturbed me was one painting that you see here. โWith Fire You Will Rebuild Jerusalemโ. The painting shows Israelis soldiers walking through a completely ruined landscape
09.11.2025 22:29 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0(3/5) settlers in Sinai or Gaza. According to the curator, when these people met, magic happened: โThese artists took the soil of our homeland and from it they cultivated something meaningful. Something that nourishes | Something that strengthens | Something that connects us all and provides a solid
09.11.2025 22:29 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0(2/5) soil). According to the curator, the exhibition was supposed to bring together artists from two communities, namely residents of the โBinyamin and Eshkol municipalitiesโ. Binyamin comprises 47 West Bank settlements, Eshkol, which is close to the Gaza strip, has many inhabitants who were former
09.11.2025 22:29 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0(1/5)This evening, I went to the Jerusalem Theater for, as I assumed, a rather innocent purpose, namely, to listen to a performance of classical Indian music. Yet, the lobby of the venue, probably the most prestigious cultural space in the city, also hosted a group exhibition, entitled Adama (land/
09.11.2025 22:29 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0
