Quarterly Magazine

Volume 3, Issue 3 - July 2021 / Dhul Hijjah 1442 ISSN 2632-3168 £5 where sold

Time to Uncover the Histories of Occupation and Oppression

OLSI JAZEXHI DENIJAL JEGI IAN ALMOND MASSOUD SHADJAREH ć How did Israel go from Liberating Lebanon Terrorism Got COVID: Why We Need to Get Pariah to become and Decolonising the Or, The Constant- Beyond Regimes of God’s Chosen Nation Discourse that Threat News-Culture Anti-terrorism, and in the Balkans? Occupies It We Live In Fast In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful he recent Israeli war on Palestinians cally the ‘threat’ of terrorism that most of Contents: has highlighted once more – despite us in the Westernised world had become the best efforts of powerful countries accustomed to on a daily basis for almost and compliant media – the brutality of the two decades. That is, until the beginning ITsraeli project of occupation. As with pre - of the pandemic. Having fallen off the 3 Olsi Jazexhi : vious such wars, the limelight soon fades news agenda almost entirely, Almond ar - How did Israel go from Pariah as ceasefires are called, and the ongoing gues that the Coronavirus crisis has ex - stifling of Palestinian life and aspirations, posed the news media as complicit in to become God’s Chosen by routine physical and psychological vio - promoting an exaggerated image of the Nation in the Balkans? lence remains invisible. The strategies – dangers society faces from ‘terrorism’. This military and political – that mask this bru - exaggeration serves the interests of elites, tality and injustice feature in two of this is - whilst simultaneously providing salacious sues’ articles. The tropes used to justify Denijal Jegić: ongoing news content that panders to the 6 such violence are identified in the dissec - needs of a 24-hour news cycle. He hopes Liberating Lebanon and tion of news media and political tropes Decolonising the that the hiatus is noticed by the average and processes that create the ‘threat’ of the news consumer, and that this is the start of Discourse that Occupies It Muslim / terrorist other. a more critical evaluation on the part of the Our lead essay focuses on the general public of the processes of big turnaround of Israel’s fortunes and posi - media organisations and the political tion in the Balkans, specifically in Albania Ian Almond: agendas they serve. and Kosovo. Olsi Jazexhi argues that the 10 Terrorism Got COVID: Our final essay looks at the bigger pic - lobbying by the Israeli government and the ture behind and ahead of the anti-terror - Or, The Constant-Threat cajoling of the US of Albania and Kosovo ism regime in the UK. Taking an overview News-Culture We Live In into striking vociferous pro-Israel alliances of 20 years of laws and policies, Massoud is a lesson for other Muslim majority coun - Shadjareh argues that in challenging each tries. Such shifting of political cultures – incoming piece of legislation or new policy, from countries which had had pro-Pales - Massoud Shadjareh : we have lost sight of the shift in social and 12 tinian governments, civil society and Why We Need to Get political mores. Those norms now sup - publics, to the current situation, was made Beyond Regimes of Anti- press political dissent across the spectrum with the help of well-worn Islamophobic terrorism, and Fast and police the thoughts and aspirations of tropes being adopted into official discourse many more than just the Muslims, for and used to silence dissenting voices, par - whom such laws and programs were ini - ticularly but not solely, amongst the reli - tially designed. From the appointment of gious Muslim population. Whilst much Islamophobes to key positions to the ever has been made of the recent ‘normalisa - widening scope for being branded an ex - tion’ between certain Arab states and Is - tremist, the political landscape in the UK rael, the lesser-known history of has narrowed, with Muslims now just one ‘normalisation’ in the Balkans is one that of many groups excluded from having any needs to be heeded and learned from. political and sometimes even social agency. The Alongside military partnerships, civil soci - As this edition goes to print, news that ety finds itself often criminalised on the a(nother) 11-year-old child has been re - ong View basis of Islamophobic tropes that recycle L Quarterly Magazine ferred to Prevent – by their teacher - based colonial motifs of the Muslim and Islam as on his comment that he wanted to ‘give violent, anti-Semitic and barbaric. alms to the oppressed’ – highlights the These tropes are also what has been in - level of thought policing that exists in this ternalised by mainstream media in its dis - country. It also evidences how the malign cussion – or in fact lack of discussion – of shadow of Islamophobia hangs large over Editor: the almost daily violence inflicted by Israel all social settings from which even children Arzu Merali on Lebanon. In our second essay in this are not safe. issue, Denijal Jengi argues that the colo - Shadjareh ends with a plea to Muslim nial project that is Isrćael relies upon the re - The Long View is a project civil society to end its internalisation of the cycling and reproduction of such and publication of Islamic narratives that have led it to capitulate in stereotypes, which serve to render invisible large part to the Prevent agenda, and team Human Rights Commission the military incursions perpetrated against up with other affected groups and like- (a limited company no 04716690). Lebanon. Decolonising the region, he ar - minded activists to challenge what has gues, relies on actors rejecting these tropes been happening. As all our contributors Web www.ihrc.org.uk and resisting the representation of them - argue, it is time to see and to make seen the E [email protected] selves and their aspirations. In this the fate injustices that have been hidden in plain Tel +44 20 8904 4222 of Lebanon and Palestine are intertwined, sight. Help us to do so by joining this con - where liberation is not solely about physi - versation. All views are the authors' own and do cal sovereignty but also language and not reflect IHRC's views or beliefs. meaning. Ian Almond highlights the pervasive - Arzu Merali Cover illustration by Alireza ness of ‘threat’ in our culture, and specifi - Editor Bahmanpour Join the conversation by emailing us on [email protected] , tweeting @ihrc or find us on Facebook. You can even send us an old fashioned letter to IHRC, PO Box 598, Wembley, HA9 7XH, UK. Or pop by to the IHRC Bookshop, (when the coronavirus crisis has subsided), for one of our events at 202 Preston Road, Wembley, HA9 8PA. We are still holding events online so tune in to www.ihrc.tv. Find out what events are coming up at www.ihrc.org.uk/events .

2 The Long View - Quarterly Magazine July 2021 / Dhul Hijjah 1442 Israel's influence in the Balkans

How did Israel go from Pariah to become God’s Chosen Nation in the Balkans? Olsi Jazexhi looks at the often overlooked history of pro-Palestinian sentiment and pro-Israel lobbying in the Balkans. This history, he argues, is an essential portent for other countries. he demise of the Soviet Union con - Ummah. Turkey, Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, istan and Malaysia closed their embassies stituted a turning point in the rela - United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and Pak - and left the country. These policies were fol - tions of many Balkan states not only istan were some of the major Islamic coun - lowed by the government of Sali Berisha with the West, the United States and tries which opened embassies in Tirana and (2005 – 2013) during which time Albania es - NATO but even Israel. The establishment of supported Albanians with investments and tablished direct flights with Israel (2008). In US hegemony over the Balkans after the fall training. These relations made Israel suspi - 2011 Berisha declared Iran a Nazi state and Tof communism brought along major political cious towards Albania. kept the side of Israel at the UN against the changes in the perception of Israel and the The hostility between Albania and Israel Palestinians bidding for statehood. The Palestinian issue. If during the era of com - was publicly demonstrated in 1999 when warming of relations culminated in 2012 munism most socialist Balkan states, Alba - NATO intervened in Kosovo to stop the Ser - when the Israeli Foreign Minister, Avigdor nia, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia sided with the bian military suppression of ethnic Albani - Liberman announced the opening of the Is - Arabs and Palestinians, after the American ans. Israel did not welcome this. Its Foreign raeli Embassy in Tirana. A few months later, takeover of Eastern Europe most established Minister Ariel Sharon protested the U.S.-led in 2013, the government of Sali Berisha relations with Israel, 1 which before the 1990s bombing campaign against Yugoslavia, de - turned Albania into one of the major allies of was considered a tool of Western imperialism claring that NATO intervention could help Israel in the Balkans in its war against Iran. against the Arab peoples and states. transform an autonomous Kosovo into a It offered asylum to 210 members of the Albania was one of the strongest denun - springboard for Islamic fundamentalist ter - Iranian terrorist organisation the Muja - ciators of Israeli imperialism in the Middle rorism. Sharon warned the American Jewish hedin-e Khalq (MKO, MEK). The final set - East. Enver Hoxha described Israel as the leaders that Kosovo could “turn into a part of tlement of MKO ended in 2016 when Edi gendarmerie of US imperialism in the region, Greater Albania, and to serve as a base for Rama was Prime Minister and 3000 fighters armed to the teeth in order to make bloody radical Islamic terrorism—a core of which al - settled in the country. During the premier - wars against the Arabs. Socialist Albania ready exists there—that may spread through - ship of Rama, Albania became the only coun - which refused to have any diplomatic rela - out Europe.” try in Europe to host an ex-terrorist tions with Israel hosted and supported the Relations between Albania and the Is - organisation and a paramilitary base on its Palestinian resistance during the Cold War. lamic world changed after the civil war of soil. MKO and its cult-leader Maryam Rajavi Albanians compared the resistance of the 1997 sparked by the failure of pyramid used Albania to launch online and probably Palestinians against Israel to the Kosovar re - schemes in the country. 2 The Socialist Party even direct attacks against Iran and its sup - sistance against Serbian colonialism. Across of Albania which came to power in 1997 was porters in the world. On the other hand the the border in Yugoslavia, the Kosovar na - dominated by ex-Communist officials and leadership of the Sunni Muslim Community tional movement which struggled against Orthodox Christians. It accused the previous of Albania has been given over to the Fetullah Serbian occupation of Kosovo shared the government of Sali Berisha of “Islamizing the Gulen network, an organisation which is same views regarding Israel. The Palestinian country”. Fatos Nano, the chairman of the considered a terrorist organisation by Turkey, struggle against Israel and their intifada in - Socialist Party declared a war against the Is - but in Albania receives full government sup - spired the Kosovar leadership in their resist - lamic legacy of Albania. He declared that his port. 4 ance. The V sign for victory that Ibrahim government would reverse the effects of the Another important step that the govern - Rugova and his Democratic League of last 555 years of history – referring to the Ot - ment of Edi Rama undertook to further its Kosovo adopted during their protests against toman period - and would stomp out without anti-Islamic policies against the Muslim the regime of Slobodan Milosevic was taken mercy “political, ordinary and Islamic crimi - community was the establishment of the from Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian resist - nality”. After 1998 the Socialist Party and the Counterterrorism Police Directorate in 2014. ance. US Embassy in Tirana “launched a war on Its main work has been the mass surveil - After the fall of communism, relations the Arabs”. Hundreds of Arabs who were lance, blackmail and persecution of the Mus - between Albania and Israel continued to be working for Muslim NGOs or running busi - lim community and disruption of its social tense despite the establishment of formal nesses were illegally targeted, killed and ex - and political activities. Hundreds of imams diplomatic ties on August 19, 1991. Israel had pelled from the country. Albanians who had and Muslim believers have been blacklisted, always enjoyed good relations with Yu - finished their studies in the Islamic world sent to police stations and questioned about goslavia and this was not received well by the were also targeted. They were depicted as a their ideas about Palestine, Syria and Israel. Albanians of Kosovo and Albania. From 1991 threat to national security, put under surveil - Many are harassed and not allowed to leave to 1997 Albania established excellent rela - lance and some were jailed. 3 During the the country. In 2016 the counterterrorism tions with the Islamic World. It joined the United States’ “War on Terror” Albania sup - police arrested dozens of Albanian and Koso - Organisation of Islamic Conference and ported the US’ illegal torture and detention var Muslim and detained more than 200 on dozens of Islamic organisations, foundations, of Muslim prisoners. orders from the Israeli secret service, Mossad. banks and companies opened their branches The anti-Islamic policies of the Albanian Israeli security services claimed that they in Albania. Thousands of Albanian students governments were accompanied by the cool - were planning to attack the Israeli football went to study in the Islamic world benefiting ing of their relations with the Muslim world team which had come to play in Albania. To from generous scholarships from the Muslim and warming with Israel. Countries like Pak - appease Israel the government of Edi Rama

July 2021 / Dhul Hijjah 1442 The Long View - Quarterly Magazine 3 Israel's influence in the Balkans gave total control of the roads from Tirana to Saadi Shirazi Cultural Foundation was told Iran planned a “Nowruz terror plot” in Al - the city of Elbasan to the Israeli secret service to close all its activities. The director of the bania in March 2018, or that it plans to which landed in Albania to ‘protect its foot - foundation Ahmad Hosseini Alasat was de - commit terrorist attacks in the Balkans. Dr. ball team’ . Kosovo arrested 19 of its citizens clared persona non grata , ‘an agent of Iran’ Shaul was contacted by the author of this as well on behalf of Israel. The Albanians and and was deported from the country by article via e-mail (August 31, 2020) and in - Kosovars, who were arbitrarily arrested, were counter-terrorism police. vited for a debate on his findings about Al - tortured and beaten with guns. After four Since the opening of the Israeli embassy bania and the Balkans. To date he has not years in detention the group which Israel in Tirana in 2012, the relations of Albania responded to a request for a public conver - accused of planning a terrorist attack and Kosovo with Israel have reflected the sation about his allegations. against its football team was declared inno - war mentality of the Israeli state with its The attitude of Dr. Shaul Shay or other cent by Albanian courts - Israel having pro - Arab, Turkish and Iranian neighbors. Alba - research fellows of the International Insti - vided no proof against them. Albanians nia and Kosovo have become proxy regimes tute for Counter Terrorism (ICT) reflect the have been outraged by this Israeli infringe - which Israel uses in its war against Islamic general attitude of Israeli officials towards ment on their country’s sovereignty as well political movements and states. Israel has the Balkans. They are obsessed with Islam - as the mass arrests and police violence. They invited dozens of Albanian and Kosovar ophobia, war against Islam, Muslims, Pales - protested the brutal surrender of their gov - journalists to Israel as part of a public rela - tinians, Arabs, Turks and Iran. Most of their ernment to a foreign country which treated tions offensive to burnish its image as a officials who deal with the Balkans includ - them like Palestinians. Israel was accused of country of peace and tolerance. Apart from ing the present Israeli ambassador in humiliating and dividing the Albanians, journalists, Israel has called Albanian min - Tirana, ex-IDF captain Noah Gal Gendler while many social forums and fans’ groups isters and chiefs of counter-terrorism police are ex-military officials. During an interview have denounced the fascist behavior of Is - to Israel where they are instructed and that ambassador Gendler had with Gazeta rael and Edi Rama’s government. Well- trained to support Israel in its ‘war against Shqiptarja on May 12, 2021 when he was known public intellectuals like Fatos terrorism’. The International Institute for defending the Israeli bombardment of Gaza, Lubonja and Andi Bushati have called the Counter Terrorism (ICT) which is hosted by he said that his criteria for befriending the mass arrests on behalf of Israel clear viola - the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya in the Albanians was their support for Israel dur - tion of human rights and ‘a fascist act’. city of Herzliya in Israel ha s become one of ing the war. The declaration of ambassador However, Israel repeated the same vio - the most important Israeli institutions to re - Gendler summarises the desperate mental - lent behavior with Albanians even in 2018 ceive, train and host different security and ity which drives Israeli policies in the when its football team returned to play in public officials from Albania and Kosovo Balkans. Israel wants to recruit allies in its Albania. Mossad agents and 1500 Albanian who are taught how to fight Arab, Islamic wars against the Palestinians. Since the police turned the Elbasan Arena stadium and Iranian NGOs in the Balkans. The ICT, opening of their embassy in Tirana, Israel into a military zone in order to ‘provide which does not reveal its sources of funding, has indirectly supported the Iranian MKO safety’ for the Israeli players. The schizo - but receives grants from European and pos - and has tried to gain support from the Gu - phrenic behavior of Israel with Albanians sibly American institutions, behaves like an lenist run Sunni Muslim Community and was demonstrated even in November 2018 agent of Mossad and the Israeli Defense the Bektashi Muslim community. Gulenist when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Ne - Forces. Many of its lecturers are ex-IDF and Bektashi clerics have been invited to Is - tanyahu cancelled a planned visit to Alba - commanders or directors of Mossad. Its rael, sent to Jerusalem and Yad Vashem. nia ‘for security reasons’ and asked Albania founding director Boaz Ganor is an Israeli To convince the Arabs and Muslims to “take a harder hand against Iranian ac - government official on counter-terrorism that some Muslims have no problem with tivity in its territory.” In December 2018, and lecturer at the High Command Aca - Israel, the Israeli government has promoted Israeli media and security sources who in demic Courses of the Israel Defense Forces. the myth of Besa which claims that Alban - 2016 accused ISIS and Albanian Muslims The Board of Directors of ICT include Uriel ian Muslims saved Jews during the Holo - of planning an attack against Israeli players Reichman , a lieutenant of the Israeli Army caust. While this might be true of Albania in 2016, changed their story. Now they who fought against Egypt, Shabtai Shavit , (even though some of the Catholic clergy blamed Iran and its ambassador for plan - former head of Mossad, Aharon Scherf for - sided with Hitler and defended his extermi - ning the 2016 attack. Pressured by the mer director of Israel’s Foreign Affairs Divi - nation of the Jews), this is not true for Americans and Israel, Albania expelled the sion and senior official in Israeli prime Koso vo. Many Kosovars supported Hitler in Iranian ambassador. After the expulsion, minister’s office, Boaz Ganor and Tal Avner. his war against the Jews. The attempts of Is - Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Albania . In its articles and analysis ICT shows rael to manipulate Albanian Muslims into The attack on the Iranian diplomats was ac - open hostility and Islamophobia against supporting them against the Arabs has very companied by many open and false flag at - Balkan Muslims, the Arab World and Iran, often backfired. This is what happened on tacks that the MKO and Israeli media while it defends the Iranian terrorist cult the May 12, 2021 when the Bektashi Community carried out against Iranian cultural institu - Mujahedin-e-Khalq which it calls the “Iran - organised an iftar with the US and Israeli tions in Albania. As a result of this pressure ian opposition”. Dr. Shaul Shay an ex-IDF ambassadors in Tirana. This iftar which crit - Kosovar and Albanian authorities have colonel and intelligence officer who now ics dubbed the ‘iftar of shame’ was de - forced the cultural NGOs, Sufi orders and serves as Director of Research for the Insti - nounced by 50 Albanian imams in an open Darwish brotherhoods who were religiously tute for Policy and Strategy (IPS) at the In - letter. They condemned the Mufti of Tirana and culturally connected to Iran since the terdisciplinary Center (IDC) of Herzliya is for taking part in a gathering where the am - Ottoman times to cut all their ties. The one of the most interesting researchers who bassador of Israel, whose regime was killing Bektashi Muslim Community which over writes about the Balkans. Shaul’s analyses Muslims and desecrating Masjid al-Aqsa, the past three decades was heavily spon - are quite extraordinary. He writes about Is - was taking part. They asked for the resigna - sored by Iran, has since 2018 sided with Is - lamic terrorism and the Balkans on themes tion of the Mufti and a public apology by the rael and cut almost all its ties with Tehran. ranging from ISIS to Iran. His articles and Muslim Community of Albania. In 2015 Kosovan authorities closed down books are published in media throughout The strategy of winning allies in its war almost all the NGOs that were cooperating the Balkans. Quoting Yellow Press journal - against Arabs and Muslims can be seen even with Iran. In 2018 Albanian counter-ter - ism, local conspiracy theories and fake news in Israel’s relations with Kosovo. If in 1999 rorism police ordered all the banks to close articles he blames the government of Bosnia Israel stood against the independence of the accounts of Iranian institutions and in - for the “Talibanization” of the Balkans, Kosovo since Sharon feared “a ‘Greater Alba - dividuals in the country. The attack against claims that ISIS has plotted to poison the nia’ becoming a centre of radical Islamic ter - Iranian institutions culminated in 2020 water supply of Prishtina in Kosovo. Also, rorism”, after the establishment of US when Saadi Girl’s Private High School was by relying on fake news produced by the hegemony, Israel and the Americans have forced to close and leave the country and Mujahedin-e Khalq (MKO) he claims that done all they can to establish a secular anti-

4 The Long View - Quarterly Magazine July 2021 / Dhul Hijjah 1442 Israel's influence in the Balkans

Muslim regime in Prishtina. aggression against Gaza. Prime Minister have sympathy for Palestine, as Niccolo In Albania as well as Kosovo, evangelical Albin Kurti and his Party, Levizja Per Machiavelli would have put it, “fear triumphs Christians have played a detrimental role in Vetevendosje (Movement for Self-Determi - over love.” lobbying for Israel. After the fall of commu - nation - LVV) have in the past issued docu - nism they have converted thousands of Alba - ments condemning the Israeli aggression nians into Zionist evangelicals. They have against Palestinians. During the latest Israeli Dr. Olsi Jazexhi is a Canadian-Albanian historian who specializes established hundreds of foundations, aggression in Gaza, LVV MP’s organised a in the history of Islam, nationalism and religious churches, organisations, radio stations and march in support of Palestine and con - reformation in Southeastern Europe. His even a university where they brainwash the demned the Israeli aggression in Gaza. How - interests cover nationalism, radicalism, terrorism, Albanians with love for “God’s chosen na - ever, the Kosovar government which was religious and ethnic identities in the Balkans and tion”, Israel. Organisations like Ambasada ousted from power by the Americans in in the late Ottoman Empire. He has taught Ndërkombëtare e Krishterë e Jeruzalemit në 2020 has learned its lesson. Making a stand history at University of Durres and Elbasan in Shqipëri - ICEJ Albania , pray for Israel and against Israel and being pro-Palestine in the Albania and now is teaching Ottoman history in lobby local politicians to support Israel Balkans is dangerous. The Americans will Malaysia. He is also a freelance investigative against the Arabs. US Embassies in Tirana come after you and you will be ousted from journalist. and Prishtina and the US government have power and probably end up in jail. been instrumental in forcing the govern - That is why politicians and the govern - 1 Abadi, Jacob. “ Israel and the Balkan ments of Kosovo and Albania to support Is - ments of Tirana and Prishtina have been sid - States .” Middle Eastern Studies, vol. 32, no. rael against the Palestinians. The promotion ing with Israel over the past years. Albanian 4, 1996, pp. 296–320. JSTOR, of Israel has come in two forms. One through authorities are aware of massive investment www.jstor.org/stable/4283829. Accessed 7 the promotion of evangelicals into Albanian scams that many Israelis and some Mossad June 2021. politics. An example is Erion Veliaj, the and military officials are running in Albania 2 mayor of Tirana and his group of evangelical but prefer to turn a blind eye. They believe Christopher Jarvis, The Rise and Fall of supporters who now are deputies in the par - that the Americans would never tolerate any Albania’s Pyramid Schemes, Finance & De - liament and top officials in government. politician, a prosecutor, a government or a velopment: A Quarterly Magazine of the They were promoted and funded by different political party in the Balkans that will dare IMF, March 2000. American institutions, inserted into politics for a moment to criticise what Israel does in 3 Jazexhi, Olsi. 2011. “The Muslim Commu - and now have great influence in the ruling the Middle East or what many Israeli officials nity of Albania from the Turkish Caliphate Socialist Party of Albania. The other example do in the Balkans. If any politician or public to the Turkish Djemat.” Presented at the is in Kosovo, where during the era of the figure thinks otherwise, he will face the con - Conference on Dealing with Change: Is - Trump administration top US state officials sequences and end up like Adriatik Lalla, Al - lamic Leadership in the Balkans and the like the evangelical Richard Grenell, Special bania’s Prosecutor General who made public Baltic, Sofia.Google Scholar Presidential Envoy for Serbia and Kosovo, the illegal requests that the US Ambassador Ambassador Philip Kosnett and Matthew was making to him against the President. 4 Olsi Jazexhi, “Albania” in the Yearbook of Palmer US Representative for Western Israel and the Americans are forcing Muslims in Europe, Vol 9, eds. Jørgen S. Balkans on Kosovo did all they could to con - Balkan countries to fear and cooperate with Nielsen, etc. Leiden, The Netherlands: E. J. vince the Kosovar government to sign a “Nor - them. While many people and politicians Brill, 2017. malisation Agreement” with Serbia and make Kosovo the first Muslim majority country to send its embassy to Jerusalem. In order to appease Israel, the Americans pushed the Kosovar government to designate Hizbullah as a terrorist organisation and Is - raeli lobbyists in Prishtina are requesting that even Hamas be officially designated a terror - ist organisation. The Americans’ pressure on the govern - ment of Kosova to move ever closer to Israel can be seen in their behavior towards Prime Whether playing make wonderful, stay amazed at Minister Albin Kurti, whose party officials believe or running around in the world and always seek to have declared in the pas their support for the the park, whether eating, understand each day. With Palestinians. When Kurti won the general sneezing or talking to Abu fantastic and engaging elections on February 17, 2021 he responded on the phone, Maryam has illustrations by Taha Abdalla. to a request by the Israeli Prime Minister something unique to say and Benjamin Netanyahu who invited him to also something special to Suitable for ages 3+ open the embassy in Jerusalem, by stating learn. Join her on her that his government will review the decision adventures and learn for opening the embassy, either in Jerusalem alongside her the short or Tel Aviv. The deputy leader of Kurti’s duas and invocations of Vetevendosje Party and former Minister of everyday Muslim life. Foreign Affairs, Glauk Konjufca said that the Kosser Abdul Aziz’s decision to open the embassy in Jerusalem debut is a collection of was not smart. Richard Grenell, the Evangel - Tales of six lively short stories ical representative of Trump who was the capturing the world of major architect of Kosovo’s Jerusalem em - Mini three year old mini bassy affair, went mad. He attacked Kurti on Maryam. Reminding twitter calling him an ‘anti-American’ who aryam children of all ages to had ‘resorted to terrorism’. M make Dua, be Facing all these open and hidden threats the government of Albin Kurti in Prishtina was forced to keep its embassy in Jerusalem By Kosser Abdul-Aziz, Buy the paperback or digital version from the and even supported Israel in its May 2021 illustrated by Taha Abdalla IHRC Bookshop online shop.ihrc.org shop.ihrc.org

July 2021 / Dhul Hijjah 1442 The Long View - Quarterly Magazine 5 Decolonising Lebanon Liberating Lebanon and Decolonising the Discourse that Occupies It Whilst mainstream media has (often reluctantly) been forced to report major Israeli wars and attacks on Palestinians, the daily incursions into Lebanon are rarely acknowledged. This normalisation of colonial violence against the people of Lebanon is intertwined with the oppression of Palestinians, and the physical and ideological resistance to the former are also intimately linked to the liberation of the wider region argues Denijal Jegić. he sounds of Israeli fighter jets can countries. More than 200 people died, resulted in any meaningful action being disturb the peace on any day in thousands were injured, and around taken against Israel. Lebanon. Israel invades Lebanon, 300,000 lost their homes. Israel remains unashamedly transparent on average, several times a day by The explosion came at a time of about its invasions. When one of its military land, sea, and mostly by air, in flagrant heightened insecurity. Lebanon is in the grip aircraft was intercepted on February 3, violation of Lebanese sovereignty and of a financial crisis, economic collapse, and 2020, the Israeli “Air Forces” stated on Tinternational law. Israeli war planes have political instability, all compounded by the Twitter: “A short while ago, during routine long become part of the Lebanese airscape. Covid-19 pandemic. IAF UAV activity over Lebanon, anti-aircraft These invasions rarely make the headlines in Given the presence of Israeli war planes missiles were fired towards the UAV. The mainstream media, nor do they trigger any and the memory of past Israeli air strikes, aircraft was not hit and continued its mission impactful reaction from the international many assumed an Israeli involvement in the as planned.” It matters little to Israel that its community. In fact, the illegal Israeli disaster. This was initially ruled out and de - military presence in Lebanon is illegal. incursions are part and parcel of a structural nied by Israel, but the circumstances around aggression and tell a decades-long story of the explosion are still under investigation. settler-colonialism and terrorism. The History of Israeli Violence Israeli drones regularly spy on civilians, in Lebanon while Israeli fighter jets break the sound Routine Violence Israeli violence is not restricted to barrier, perform mock raids, and use The routine presence of Israeli fighter Palestine. Israel has never defined its borders Lebanese airspace for attacks on Syria. jets in Lebanon exemplifies the and it keeps extending its already contested Following the devastating Beirut port normalisation of colonial violence. sovereignty beyond Palestine. Since the state explosion on August 4, 2020, Israeli war In the first five months of 2020 alone, of Israel was established through an ethnic planes flying at low altitude caused much the Lebanese government registered over a cleansing known as the Nakba, i.e., the unease. Residents of Beirut witnessed one of thousand Israeli violations. According to the forced expulsion of the majority of the greatest non-nuclear explosions in United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon Palestinians from Palestine in 1948, it has history, when 2,750 tons of stored (UNIFIL), a daily average of 12.63 airspace also been in an official state of war with ammonium nitrate caught fire and caused violations was recorded between June and Lebanon. Israel’s aggressions on Lebanon catastrophic damage in the city. The October 2020. Lebanon’s repeated cannot be detached from its oppressive powerful blast was felt in neighboring complaints to the United Nations have not policies in Palestine. The indigenous people

NEW PUBLICATION Making a series of bold recommendations, this report is aimed at policy Muslim Experiences of makers and those interested in tackling Hatred and Discrimination social inequality and in Germany injustice. Saied R. Ameli, Ebrahim Mohseni Buy the latest in the Ahoeei and Arzu Merali DHMIR series to find out more on Islamophobia in Germany. Buy it from shop.ihrc.org

6 The Long View - Quarterly Magazine July 2021 / Dhul Hijjah 1442 Decolonising Lebanon in Palestine and Lebanon have been targeted with a group of far-right Christian Lebanese would create pretexts for further incursions for both standing in the way of the Israeli forces in attempts to crush Lebanese and through constant provocations and, in the project and for actively resisting it. Palestinian resistance, at a time when the case of a reaction, military attacks that are As part of its ongoing campaign of Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) usually presented as the self-defense of an infiltration into Lebanese territory, the Israeli was increasingly gaining international alleged victim. military has on numerous occasions fired recognition. In the summer of 1982, Israel The 2006 war was a brutal reiteration of phosphorus bombs across the Lebanese conducted a large-scale invasion of Lebanon, this colonial tactic. Israel launched a large- border. For example, in August 2020, it besieging the western half of Beirut, killing scale military invasion, which was yet again targeted the small village of Hula sparking around 20,000 civilians. presented as defense, exploiting the fires that kept citizens awake at night. In The well-documented genocide of Sabra rhetorical framing of resistance as terrorism. 1948, Zionist forces had carried out a and Shatila gained particular international The war saw the intentional destruction of massacre in the same village. Most women attention. On September 16, 1982, Israeli civilian infrastructure and homes, and children were expelled and the male military captured the Sabra and Shatila particularly in Dahiye, the Southern Suburbs population executed. refugee camps in western Beirut. Under the of Beirut, i.e., a densely populated residential Hula is not an isolated case. It is one of supervision of Ariel Sharon and command of area which Israel presents as a “terrorist” many places that sustained a decades-long Elie Hobeika, around 150 Lebanese stronghold. The heavy destruction of civilian brutal Israeli military occupation and Christian Phalangist fighters massacred the infrastructure and organised killings of witnessed ongoing repetitions of Israeli inhabitants of the camps over three days. civilians became known as the “Dahiye” (or violence. More than 3,000 Palestinian refugees and Dahiya) doctrine. Israeli military As a result of the 1948 Nakba, thousands Lebanese civilians, most of whom were commander Gadi Eizenkot threatened that of Palestinians sought refuge in women, children, and elderly, were killed, the strategy “will happen in every village neighbouring countries, including Lebanon. tortured, sexually assaulted, and/or from which Israel is fired on.” Israel would Israel initially presented its incursions into mutilated. A journalist, Janet Lee Stevens, “apply disproportionate force on it and cause Lebanese territory as acts of “retaliation” reported : “I saw dead women in their houses great damage and destruction there,” since against organised Palestinian resistance. For with their skirts up to their waists and their “these are not civilian villages, they are example, in 1968, the Israeli military raided legs spread apart; dozens of young men shot military bases... This is not a the airport of Beirut, destroying 14 passenger after being lined up against an alley wall; recommendation. This is a plan. And it has planes belonging to various Lebanese children with their throats slit, a pregnant been approved.” airlines, causing millions of dollars in woman with her stomach chopped open, her After being tested on Lebanese civilians, damage. Israel claimed its raid was a eyes still wide open, her blackened face the doctrine was implemented in Gaza. “response” to an attack on an Israeli airplane silently screaming in horror; countless babies Israel’s invasions have constantly created conducted two days before by the Popular and toddlers who had been stabbed or ripped new refugee experiences and made many Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The apart and who had been thrown into garbage Lebanese internally displaced people within United States criticised that particular Israeli piles.” their own country. Thus, today’s airspace attack, as there was no proof to suggest any Israel tried to downplay its involvement violations are but a manifestation of this involvement by Lebanon. and eventually found that Sharon carried a decades-long structure of violence. Since its invasion of Lebanon in 1978, personal responsibility for the massacre. He Israel has been trying to provoke reactions was removed as “defense” minister. However, that would provide it with a pretext for Sharon would still continue his political Colonial Rhetoric and increased military action. This has been a career, holding various positions in the common pattern. Throughout these years, government and eventually becoming prime Genocidal Threats the Israeli regime would attack civilians and minister two decades later. Israel continued Through colonial rhetoric, Israel is destroy civilian infrastructure in Lebanon, to hold South Lebanon under illegal military constantly creating its imagery of the Orient. usually presenting atrocities as response or occupation until the year 2000, with the help As a Western outpost that is still in the self-defence. As Israel consolidated its role as of its proxy, the South Lebanon Army. From process of establishing its own narrative and a regional power and became increasingly the Khiam torture camp to the Qana founding myths, Israel defines itself as central as a proxy for U.S. endeavours in the massacre , people in Lebanon have suffered superior in regard to the backward, native Middle East, Western criticism of Israel various injustices under the terror of Israeli ‘Other’. In many ways, the Israeli project is decreased. occupation. Israel even bombed the the contemporary culmination of Orientalist Israel played a destructive role in the synagogue in Beirut. narratives. Lebanese civil war. Seizing on internal While Israel formally withdrew from As Palestinian intellectual Fayez Sayegh conflict within Lebanon, Israel aligned itself Lebanon, it has never left. The Israeli regime outlined in his seminal work Zionist

NEW PUBLICATION Caterina Aiena’s compelling report, Saving Grace: State based on IHRC and Social Attacks on fieldwork, a robust analysis of Migrants and Human international laws and Rights Defenders in Italy obligations and practical By Caterina Aiena recommendations, is a must read for anyone Download the report for free interested in the so- www.ihrc.org.uk/category/publications/reports/ called migrant crisis.

July 2021 / Dhul Hijjah 1442 The Long View - Quarterly Magazine 7 Decolonising Lebanon

Colonialism in Palestine (1965), Israel displayed in an opinion piece by Ariel they will send Hizbullah back to their caves emerged as “an alien state” “in the land link Sharon, which the New York Times in south Lebanon. I am telling you that we between Asia and Africa without the free published shortly before the Sabra and will return Lebanon to the Stone Age,” he consent of any neighboring African or Asian Shatila genocide: “Israel’s troops entering said in reference to the 2006 Israeli war on country.” (Sayegh 17) It should be mentioned Lebanon were greeted as liberators for Lebanon.” He added: “We don’t want war, that Sayegh’s work was published by the driving out the terrorists who had raped and and we have no interest in destroying Research Center of the Palestine Liberation pillaged and plundered. Our soldiers were Lebanon, but we will not accept a Lebanese Organisation in Beirut, which was attacked welcomed despite the casualties that were the assault on us. and looted by Israel, when it invaded the inevitable result of fighting against P.L.O. Benny Gantz threatened in 2021 he Lebanese capital. In his detailed terrorists who used civilians as human would make Lebanon pay a “heavy price” and reconstruction of Zionist colonial efforts, shields and who deliberately placed their inflict it with “enormous destruction” if war Sayegh elaborates on both the colony’s weapons and ammunition in the midst of broke out. transnational dependence on Western apartment houses, schools, refugee camps These non-exhaustive examples show powers and its exclusivist segregation in the and hospitals.” how the justification for genocidal actions is Levant: “Not only its vital and continuing Notably, at that point, Sharon was being constructed in advance. The threats of association with European Imperialism, and already responsible for decades of violence large-scale devastation are regularly its introduction into Palestine of the practices against Palestinians, including massacres accompanied by the allegation that Israel of Western Colonialism, but also its chosen and destructions of villages. At the height of does not want war, but would be forced to pattern of racial exclusiveness and self- Israel’s terrorist campaign in Lebanon, he invade, occupy, and attack. The Israeli segregation renders it an alien society in the had prime access to major news outlets. regime is preparing the ground for blaming Middle East.” The recycling of this narrative is visible potential future victims for their own The narrative that Israel has employed to in the constant creation of threats of genocide. justify its actions has remained rather destruction aimed at Lebanon. The rhetoric Neither the Israeli threats of destruction simplistic throughout the decades. In fact, it employed by Israeli politicians in recent years nor the ongoing airspace violations seem to is largely based on continuous re- amounts to threats of genocide. cause political issues internationally. They imaginations of Orientalist myths and Naftali Bennett , a far-right politician rarely become major events in the media. Islamophobic fantasies that are used to who headed numerous Israeli government Despite Beirut being a prominent hub for dehumanise the indigenous people who ministries, and at the time of publication has Western, anglophone media outlets, represent obstacles in Israel’s settler-colonial just become Prime minister, for example in journalists, correspondents and reporters, endeavor. Exploiting the linguistic 2017, identified “[t]he Lebanese Israeli violence in Lebanon remains rather conceptual metaphor that equates resistance institutions, its infrastructure, airport, power marginal in mainstream English-language with terrorism, Israel constructs Lebanese stations, traffic junctions, Lebanese Army media. In fact, the illegal presence of the and Palestinians in advance and bases” as “legitimate targets if a war breaks Israeli military in Lebanon seems posthumously as legitimate targets of state out.” He targeted the Shia population in normalised. It does occasionally become a violence. Civilians are, thus, depicted as particular: “Lebanon’s civilians, including the news story, but only when Hizbullah shoots terrorists, while civilian infrastructure, Shi’ite population, will understand that this down a drone or the Israeli army issues a including mosques, churches, hospitals and is what lies in store for them if Hizbullah is statement. residential buildings are presented as entangling them for its own reasons, or even weapons factories, human shields, and at the behest of Iran.” terrorist strongholds. Bennett played an active role in the The Fear of Indigenous Within this narrative, Israel appears as a Israeli occupation of Lebanon and Resistance fragile, white, European outpost in an participated in the Qana massacre and 2006 allegedly dangerous area of the world. invasion of Lebanon. Later, he boasted: “I’ve Currently, Israel focuses on the Lebanese Indigenous people are constructed as killed lots of Arabs in my life and there’s no resistance movement Hizbullah, attempting inherently evil, whose threatening character problem with that.” On another occasion, he to portray it as a “terrorist” organisation. This emanates from their culture, religion, or threatened to send Lebanon back to the is in large part due to Israel’s fear of ethnicity. As a consequence, any Israeli Middle Ages. Hizbullah. The movement initially emerged aggression, in Beirut, Jerusalem, Damascus, Another example is the recent Israeli as a popular resistance from the context of or elsewhere, is presented as necessary self- Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz, who told the civil war and foreign occupation and defence or the restoration of freedom and Saudi media in 2017: “What happened in eventually facilitated the liberation of the order. 2006 will be a picnic compared to what we occupied Lebanese territory in May 2000. These propaganda efforts are lucidly can do. I remember a Saudi minister saying Throughout the years, Hizbullah has become ROHINGYA APPEAL

The Rohingya are fleeing violence and persecution, and desperately need your support. IHRC Trust is raising funds to help deliver critical aid to Rohingya refugees who have fled to Bangladesh and Malaysia.

To donate please call +44(0)208 904 4222 or visit https://donations.ihrc.org.uk/Rohingya-Appeal

8 The Long View - Quarterly Magazine July 2021 / Dhul Hijjah 1442 Decolonising Lebanon a provider of social and economic services on the United States, the governments of were killed and over 70,000 were displaced and a strong political party that represents a Israel, the UAE, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia as a result of Israeli attacks. The crisis significant part of the Lebanese population. appear as natural allies. highlighted the apartheid structures in the It is a powerful regional non-state actor that Israel and its Gulf partners have justified 1948 territories, as Palestinian citizens of works in accordance with the Lebanese army. their economic and political cooperation as Israel become victims of state-sponsored Hizbullah, which emerged a century prosperous developments toward alleged violence, which again showed that all after the onset of settler-colonial Zionism, peace and stability. In fact, the attempt to Palestinians in historic Palestine are continues to represent a significant deterrent reframe Israel’s settler-colonial expansion as subjected to state violence and violence by against Israel’s endeavours and is the a quest for peace is itself a colonial tactic that settlers who are protected by the state. primary reason Israel’s continuous colonial has been accepted quite successfully, at least The crisis was a setback for the Israeli efforts have largely failed in Lebanon. in the Euro-American sphere. The rhetoric regime. Besides its only strategy being the In fact, Lebanon is the only successful of “peace” in Western Asia has usually meant indiscriminate bombardment of case of liberation from Zionist occupation. Western-backed peace for the Israeli Palestinians, Israel’s propaganda efforts Hizbullah showed the Israeli army its own coloniser and, thus, capitulation to and suffered. The recycling of the same weakness. An example is the battle of Bint cooperation with Israel. The recent discourse Orientalist tropes to justify the killing of Jbeil in 2006. During its invasion of around peace further obscures the Gazans did not prevent people around the Lebanon, several Israeli brigades and underlying violence of colonisation and world from taking to the streets to protest in battalions totalling around 5,000 troops apartheid. Even in Lebanon, anti-Palestinian solidarity with Palestine. When Lebanese tried to take over the town in South Lebanon. and anti-Iranian rhetoric as well as at least and Palestinians gathered at Lebanon’s They were opposed by about a hundred covert sympathy for Israel has at times been Southern border, a 21-year old Lebanese Hizbullah fighters in a battle that lasted 19 part of political and media discourses driven protester, Mohammad Tahhan, was days. Hizbullah successfully defended the by particular ideologies. martyred by Israeli forces. town and defeated Israel. The crisis lucidly displayed Israel’s As a result of its own contested existence, fragility and its continuous dependence on the colony is in perpetual fear of resistance. A Way Forward Western-backed state violence and Within this context, Israel’s daily incursions subjugation of the indigenous people. into Lebanon can effectively be read as a Despite its global prominence in In a speech on the occasion of the quest for control and containment. oppressive policies, Israel never managed to Liberation and Resistance Day on May 25th, defeat Lebanon. The current political and marking the 21st anniversary of the economic crises and isolation as well as liberation of Lebanon, the Secretary-General A Transnational Outlook Lebanon’s significance for various regional of Hizbullah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and international actors are increasing the praised the Palestinian resistance and Besides its human rights violations in pressure. Israel’s regional hegemony, its saluted Yemeni solidarity. He reaffirmed that Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria, the Israeli Western and Arab alliances, and the the resistance in the region is strengthened regime has established itself as a notorious colonised dominant media discourse on today. Warning the Israeli regime, he said producer of racist strategies and technologies victims of Israeli violence, have a negative that any violation of Islamic and Christian far beyond the Levant. It has become a impact on Lebanon. sanctities would be faced by resistance not model for far-right movements in many The liberation of Lebanon cannot be only in Gaza but would entail a regional war parts of the world and has forged alliances detached from the liberation of Palestine, not for Al-Quds. with oppressive regimes. least because of Israel’s structural and The latest events emphasize how Recent geopolitical developments in transnational violence. The intimate intertwined people and resistance in Western Asia have benefitted Israel. In the connection between Lebanon and Palestine Palestine and Lebanon and beyond are and last months of the Trump presidency, the was again reiterated during the Israeli reaffirm that decolonization and liberation Israeli regime publicly announced its regime’s latest war against Palestinians in are concepts that extend beyond current “normalisation” with several dictatorships. May 2021. With violent expulsions of borders. What was hailed internationally as a Palestinians from their homes in Sheikh milestone in “Arab-Israeli” peace efforts is Jarrah in occupied East Jerusalem, attacks rather a publicising of already existing ties against Palestinians and the storming of the Denijal Jegić between Israel and unelected leaders, who Al Aqsa Mosque, the Israeli regime created is a writer based in Beirut, Lebanon. He holds a have never been in conflict and whose another crisis that extended into Gaza. PhD in American Studies and is currently a decisions do not necessarily reflect the will of Resistance efforts by Hamas were met with postdoctoral researcher in communication and their populations. Through their dependence Israeli airstrikes. More than 240 Palestinians journalism. His work focuses on colonialism, resistance, and media representations. NIGERIA APPEAL

Currently there are thousands of children, women and men suffering as the result of the violence of the Nigerian police and army. Members of the Islamic Movement have been routinely targeted, with over 1500 killed in the last three years alone. They have left behind dependents who are often destitute and shunned. Families are left without enough income for basic necessities like food and clothing, children loose out on education.

To donate please call +44(0)208 904 4222 or visit https://donations.ihrc.org.uk/Nigeria

July 2021 / Dhul Hijjah 1442 The Long View - Quarterly Magazine 9 The terrorism bogey

Terrorism Got COVID: Or, The Constant-Threat News-Culture We Live In The Coronavirus pandemic has had the effect of exposing the news culture that permeates first world life in a variety of ways, argues Ian Almond. Looking back at the development of the idea of ‘threat’, and the media’s role in supporting political narratives, he suggests the break from non-stop coverage of ‘terrorism’ stories the pandemic has cause, may be a turning point in the way we understand and consume new media in the West. e haven’t heard from the ter - soberly, is that the easy way COVID has half-aware of: most of us have some sense rorists for a while. The subject knocked terrorism off its number one media that the stream of images and warnings we which was a daily staple of our spot exposes something quite profound are seeing across our screens (be it in our liv - newsday until 30 th March, about the news world we live in: news – and ing rooms, in our laps or on top of our hands) 2020– not a day passed by without some ref - the extent to which the artifice of crisis-cap - have some element of artifice about them. erence of a possible threat, a planned threat, italism, thriving on a breaking-news, five And yet, even our cynicism cannot remove aWn arrest or an actual attack – disappeared story news day, has been revealed by actually their frequency, their intensity, their ubiquity. from our screens over a year ago for reasons having to deal with a real crisis for once. Most of us know that our media is managed, which are, in one sense, quite obvious. Up to The idea that our media keeps our atten - that it is owned by incredibly powerful com - a year ago, for most of us, the biological fact tion by constantly alerting us to threats is panies, and that its corporate visions have of our good health was a comfortable given hardly new – the most visceral example I re - our personal well-being and education quite in our lives – at least, in our developed, member feeling was back in the summer of low on their agenda. But this knowledge, salaried, first-world lives. The virus whose 2006, when the World Cup came to Ger - even in the most politically conscious of us, name we did not even know in 2019 has many, and a German media flooded our is a knowledge of the mind – and our bodies, come to dominate our news schedule – no screens for months leading up to it with hor - their nerves and their stomachs and their item of daily news appears to be free of its ror scenarios about the bird flu – Die Vogel - skins – have a different knowledge. They re - influence. grippe ! – and how society was on the brink spond pre-reflectively to images – whether it Just to be clear from the outset: Coron - of collapse. Then the World Cup arrived, is a man sneezing on a plane, a tattoo on a avirus is real, our attempt to respond to it is Klose and Zidane started scoring their goals, forearm or a woman in a hijab – and these real, and this is no anti-lockdown, conspir - and the bird flu literally disappeared from responses are not always rational. acy-theorist attempt to diminish the deathly one week to the next. I never heard of it There are some well-known studies of reality of a viral disease. again. the disparity, in Western media coverage, be - What I am suggesting however, quite It is a mechanism we are forever dimly tween the statistical likelihood of actual

US BOOKS - NOW ON OFFER The New Colonialism: the US Model of Human Rights

With contributions from: Saied R. Ameli, Ramon Grosfoguel, Mary K. Ryan, Saeed A. Khan, Sandew Hira, Tasneem Chopra, Rajeesh Kumar, Laurens de Rooij and Sohail Daulatzai.

Available from shop.ihrc.org and amazon.co.uk . Contact [email protected] for more details and trade orders.

10 The Long View - Quarterly Magazine July 2021 / Dhul Hijjah 1442 The terrorism bogey threats and the percentage they share of the ghurt and derail our train – was no longer that they have to report on a factual set of de - average media day. Cancer and heart disease, something we were reminded of once a day velopments that can only be marginally in the US, are responsible for nearly two on the six o’clock news or in the newspaper skewed to reflect their own political interests. thirds of all deaths, and yet they take up fif - headlines over our breakfast. Our phones So-called “Islamic terrorism” was a win-win teen percent of news media coverage. Terror - and laptops now deliver a constant sense of for the Daily Mail and the Telegraph – it ful - ism and homicide, which make up barely one imminence, so that our connectedness to filled all functions of the usual threat-story percent of all deaths, constitute easily half of the world of instant media has amplified (distraction from corruption/internal scan - the news Americans consume. In other our sense of whatever threat we are being dal, social cohesion, legitimation of preju - words, the phenomenon we are constantly warned about. dice, reinforcement of popular authoritarian warned about, whose developments fill our The different thing about COVID, of tendencies), but with the added bonus of screens and whose sinister aims legitimize a course, has been its reality. Unlike terror - making people suspicious/resentful towards whole range of security measures , actually ism, we are infinitely more likely to en - Muslims, foreigners and lefties thrown in. has little to do with the very real threats to counter it as a phenomenon – if not by There was something supremely useful the well-being of ourselves and our children actually contracting it, then by knowing about choosing one community and relent - – heart disease, cancer, road accidents. Up someone who has. Whatever our frustra - lessly circulating stories which connected until a year ago, we lived this social truth as tions may be with the lockdown, most of us every social evil one could imagine right back a daily contradiction – being constantly know the seriousness of the disease – and to one source. warned and updated on a possible threat its ability to kill. Perhaps it is this which has The disappearance of terrorism for a which, statistically, was as likely to happen most effectively removed the terrorist from year, however, affords us a valuable moment as breaking our neck in the bathroom or its no.1 media spot – what we have, in other in our development as a society. Rarely do we being electrocuted by a kitchen appliance. words, is the irony of a cry-wolf, constant- have the chance to see, so crudely and explic - When did this threat culture start? A threat news culture which now actually has itly, how artificial and constructed our news- lazy google of the word ‘threat’ on the a genuinely global threat to deal with and world is. Rarely does the opportunity arise to Google Books Ngram viewer – certainly no report on. see the truth-taps of the media turned on and scientific truth in itself – shows a constant The arguments that terrorism has re - off so abruptly. Once the terrorists recover upward trend, with an exponential rise ceded because of the pandemic, or because from their case of COVID – and they will, as starting in the 1930s, and jumping again in there is not enough news-oxygen to publi - soon as the virus is under control, you can be the mid 90s to its present dizzy peak, which cize their attacks, are unconvincing. That sure we will suddenly start to hear about sus - it has maintained for fifteen years. 9/11 is terrorist networks everywhere have put pected networks and sleeper cells all over too easy an answer – in the early 80s, novels their plans on hold because there is no reg - again – we will see them on the news once like Don Delillo’s White Noise were already ular bus service, or no pop concerts, seems more, leading the four or five stories of the satirizing the way a constant sense of threat to be a little difficult to believe (it doesn’t day the media has decided to tell us about. I moulded Western societies. In the 1950s, seem to have stopped criminality in any sig - write these words, I admit, with a certain the widespread hysteria about McCarthy - nificant way ), as is the assumption that ter - kind of naïve optimism – based on the idea ism and “Reds under the Beds” was used to rorist attacks are so easily disabled by the that people notice processes, once they see give American society a sense of social co - possibility of a busy newsday. The truth is them in action. When they understand why hesion. One might argue that some kind of rather that there was never a comprehen - that process happens, what makes it happen bogeyman has always been used to remind si ve, global, constant threat to begin with – and with what results, they never quite view a society what We Are All Supposed To Be - only a series of inflated fears, fed by a much it in the same way again. If anything ‘good’ lieve In – and that the manipulation of this smaller number of actual situations and un - can come from something as awful as the fear is as old as fear itself. derstandable concerns, but to hysterical di - Coronavirus, it will be the nugget of cynical But with the invasive ubiquity of our mensions which never really connected with wisdom our year-long holiday from ‘terror - 24-hour breaking-news day, subsequently statistical reality, because they were never ism’ has brought us. enhanced by the immediacy of the smart meant to in the first place. phone, the threat to our society – increas - Even if most tabloid journalism here in ingly, the masked/bearded terrorist who the UK is grateful for COVID, as it is for most Ian Almond is Professor of World Literature at Georgetown will bomb our schools and spike our yo - crises, the billionaire-owned press will be sad University in Qatar

NEW from Algorithm “Imam Dawud Walid’s life’s work – in his previous publications, in

the present volume and over the

decade that I have known him –

commends him as a soldier

against satanic racism and

especially its most perfect

historical expression: white

Blac kn e s s supremacy. This volume, by

framing a religious response to

what must be understood as a

and Isl a m satanic spiritual attack, should SS BLACKNE be widely read and taught.”

M SLA By Imam Da w u d Walid AND I

Dr. Rudolph Bilal Ware - Associate Professor of West Africa, Islamic Knowledge & Spirituality, Dawud Walid African Diaspora at the University of Buy it from shop.ihrc.org California – Santa Barbara

July 2021 / Dhul Hijjah 1442 The Long View - Quarterly Magazine 11 Recharting our future

Why We Need to Get Beyond Regimes of Anti- terrorism, and fast From the unabashed appointment of an Islamophobe to review the UK’s counter-terrorism laws, to the social engineering intentions and impacts, the British government continues to marginalise Muslims. Massoud Shadjareh argues that getting beyond the agenda set by the Prevent policy by looking at the bigger picture of what has happened as a result of two decades of counter- terrorism is an urgent exercise on the part of Muslim civil society. n the not too distant past, when white Shawcross as the ‘independent’ reviewer of what you wish for. Shawcross is a far more colonialists wanted to buffer them - the ‘counter-terror’ Prevent programme is ferocious animal, his appointment a clear selves from the consequences of the not the first time in recent years that the signal from the government to the Muslim oppressive treatment they inflicted on fox has been put in charge of the hen community that there will be no respite their conquered victims, they employed house. Prevent is the part of the UK gov - despite the huge opposition to Prevent intermediaries to do their dirty work. We ernment’s anti-terrorism CONTEST pro - across society. hIad the Uncle Tom of pre-emancipation gramme that is concerned with addressing Between 2012-2018 Shawcross America and the corresponding ‘chamcha’ the underlying triggers of terrorist activity. presided over the Charity Commission in colonial India who served as middlemen The ‘Prevent Duty’ refers to the obligations during which time he made it his business between ruler and ruled and also acted as this strategy places on public bodies, which to systematically victimise Muslim organ - role models for aspiring subjects. are collectively charged with having ‘due isations. In a damning report, the think These days we call them sell-outs or co - regard to the need to prevent people from tank Claystone found that Muslim chari - conuts and they are two a penny in the cor - being drawn into terrorism’, a task that ties were the subject of 38 per cent of all ridors of Whitehall and Westminster. now includes promoting ‘Fundamental disclosed statutory investigations initiated Their role is still pretty much the same ex - British Values’ (FBV). after 1 January 2014 and still ongoing at cept that in an age where racial and reli - Despite widespread criticism from civil 23 April 2014 despite Muslims represent - gious persecution is less overt these useful society and the Muslim community, ing less than 5% of the national popula - idiots help to manufacture a façade of Shawcross was appointed earlier this year tion. It accused the Commission of equality, their token presence shielding to lead the review after the government institutional bias. Never far from the fore - their paymasters from criticism. was forced to remove its first choice Lord front of anti-Muslim hatemongering, the However, it’s a sign of how far Islamo - Carlile following a successful legal chal - Eton and Oxford-educated Shawcross is a phobia has become institutionalised and lenge on the grounds that as a staunch darling of the far right, the ‘respectable’ mainstreamed when the government no supporter of Prevent, he could not be con - face of fascism. According to his writings, longer considers it necessary to keep up sidered independent. As things turned out, “Islam is one of the greatest, most terrify - appearances. The appointment of William Carlile’s removal was a case of be careful ing problems of our future. I think all Eu -

ON OFFER Looking at the RAND corporation, the Brookings Institute and the Political Islamophobia Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Saghaye-Biria overviews these at American Policy Institutes: three think tanks’ obsession with Islam and Muslims since the Islamic Battling the Power Revolution in Iran in 1979. She discusses the implications for Muslim societies of the direction of of Islamic Resistance travel proposed. by Hakimeh Saghaye-Biria Hakimeh Saghaye-Biria is an Assistant Professor at University of Tehran, Faculty of Islamic Available from shop.ihrc.org Knowledge and Thought. and amazon.co.uk.

12 The Long View - Quarterly Magazine July 2021 / Dhul Hijjah 1442 Recharting our future ropean countries have vastly, very quickly duty for public sector workers to imple - normative social reference points for Mus - growing Islamic populations.” And in 2014 ment Prevent by identifying those at risk lims in order to make them more secular, he told the Sunday Times, “The problem of of extremism, effectively making every less conservative and more politically com - Islamist extremism and charities... is not public official a spy and every Muslim a pliant. According to Fahid Qureishi , it is the most widespread problem we face in suspect. Cases which are deemed to re - what Foucault identified as a process of terms of abuse of charities, but is poten - quire further intervention are referred to ‘soul training’ that was aimed at the auto - tially the most deadly.” the ‘deradicalisation’ program known as matic functioning of power: to transform Putting Prevent in the hands of a rabid Channel. Figures published by the Na - individuals so that they monitored their Islamophobe is only likely to make a toxic tional Police Chiefs Council show that the own behaviour in line with prescribed so - programme even worse. It’s not just Mus - number of Muslims referred to Channel cial norms, to the extent that there was a lims who have challenged Prevent. In April almost doubled in the first year after the realignment of the boundaries between the 2016 the UN Special Rapporteur on the duty came into force, to 2810 in 2015/16 ‘acceptable’ and ‘unacceptable’, and the Freedom of Assembly, Maina Kiai, said from 1541 in the previous financial year ‘normal’ and ‘abnormal’. that Britain’s anti-terrorism (of which Pre - (accounting for 68% of all referrals). The extent to which Prevent has also vent is a key part) policies were counter- helped change the landscape for genuine productive, undermining democracy and Muslim community engagement with gov - victimising the Muslim community. In Oc - ernment cannot be understated. As a gate - tober the same year, a report by the George The extent to which way for funding for community projects Soros funded Open Society Initiative con - Prevent has also the money it has disbursed has infected ev - cluded that Prevent undermined Muslims’ erything from youth clubs to mosque com - right to manifest their religion, often tar - helped change the mittees up and down the country, geting them for displaying increased reli - normalising the treatment of the commu - giosity. Another report in July 2016 by landscape for genuine nity through a security lens. But more im - RightsWatch UK called for Prevent to be portantly the “change or be sidelined” logic abolished saying that a strategy that “alien - Muslim community that underpins Prevent has seeped into all ates vulnerable children is counterproduc - engagement with government dealings with Muslim civil so - tive and inconsistent with the very ‘British ciety activists and organisations. Invita - values’ that the Government is supposedly government tions to closed government consultations, promoting.” appointments to committees and research Like many other opponents of Prevent, cannot be understated commissions are now conditional on Mus - IHRC has long recognised that it is more lims internalising security and socialisa - than a counter-terrorism tool. It is also an Critics have not failed to notice the dis - tion objectives. The 2018 review of aggressive social engineering and spying tinctively colonial modus operandi at play ‘Shariah councils’ is a case in point high - exercise relying on surveillance and intru - here by which minoritised communities lighting an instance where the government sion to transform attitudes in the Muslim are set against themselves and effectively appointed panel failed to include any community. The programme was intro - controlled and moulded via a policy of di - CSOs or individuals that could be said to duced in 2003 as part of a four-part vide and rule. First demonised and identi - be representative of the Muslim commu - counter-terrorism strategy, evolving over fied as problematic the majority is then nity. Those who refuse to toe the govern - time into a showpiece of muscular liberal - contrasted with a selected class of opinion- ment line are effectively delegitimised, ism. Today Prevent requires Muslims not making collaborators held up as ideal often finding themselves on the receiving only to show deference to prescribed Muslims. The ‘counter-terrorism tsar’ Sara end of hostile media smear campaigns de - norms but to actively promote “fundamen - Khan and the members of the now defunct signed to jeopardise their funding sources. tal British values”. It has also broadened anti-extremism think tank, the Quilliam Even where Muslim CSOs face no appar - the definition of extremism to cover what Foundation, typify such quislings. ent barriers to participation such as in is deceptively called “non-violent extrem - Shunned and discredited in their own public consultations they often find their ism” such that today extremism covers communities, they are promoted by the expertise and views ignored. An IHRC such innocuous things as those who op - state as model Muslim citizens to be fol - briefing in 2019 reported that: “It has be - pose government policies or hold norma - lowed and emulated. These individuals come standard practice for recent govern - tive or conservative Islamic views. The and organisations readily internalise offi - ments to ignore genuine Muslim voices in policing of communities has also been cial objectives and thereby serve the ulti - consultations that directly relate to their widened. Since 2015 it has been a statutory mate aim of Prevent which is to change the communities. Instead, officials have

ON OFFER Read the latest research What's Going from IHRC, looking at the impact of anti-Muslim on Here? hatred in the USA. US Experiences of Islamophobia between Buy the paperback or Obama and Trump digital version from the IHRC Bookshop online By Saied R. Ameli and Saeed A. Khan shop.ihrc.org

July 2021 / Dhul Hijjah 1442 The Long View - Quarterly Magazine 13 Recharting our future sought out deferent and conformist CSOs Alex Elwick and Raza Kazim also notes its before the education secretary Gavin and activists that serve as an echo chamber gagging effect on teachers and children. Williamson deployed the red herring of in - for government intentions.” They point to the on-line training module creased anti-Semitism to scare schools into The official redrawing of the bound - endorsed by the DfE that lists markers for denying pupils their rights to free expres - aries of free speech as an instrument for re - someone’s vulnerability to radicalisation: “a sion. At the Bushey Mead Academy in Le - socialising Britain’s Muslims properly need for identity, meaning and belonging… icester, staff called in police to monitor a began with the Terrorism Act 2000 a desire for status… a desire for political or peaceful playground protest and one (though earlier legislation in 1997 paved moral change”, all of which are so vague teacher reportedly told a pupil, “this is why the way) introduced at the turn of the mil - and inextricable from the process of grow - people don’t like Muslims”. UK broadcaster lennium. In the wake of the Al-Qaeda in - ing up that they reduce the space for young Channel 4 reported on 25 June that some spired attacks against the US in 2001 and people (especially from suspect communi - pupils had been referred for intervention later, other western countries, politicians ties) to espouse certain political positions. under the Prevent programme. This is opportunistically accelerated what Thus, searching for radical change goes nothing new. Prevent views support for amounted to a criminalising of dissent from being a process of self-discovery in causes seen as “Muslim” as “risk factors” for mainly in relation to expressions of sup - young people to becoming a marker of terrorism. In 2016, teenager Rahmaan port for the right of oppressed populations Mohammadi was questioned by anti-ter - to resist state aggression or to pursue self- rorism police for wearing a “Free Palestine” determination. The new legislative envi - badge to school. In his letter Williamson ef - ronment had the intended effect of forcing Two decades since its fectively set out the parameters of accept - people to self-censor when discussing is - able expression on the issue, demanding sues such as P alestine and the invasion of introduction, that schools don’t work with or use mate - Iraq. Prevent has taken this to another there are clear signs rials supplied by groups which do not level. The programme’s pervasive surveil - that Britain’s strategy to recognise Israel’s right to exist and even lance means that few areas of civilian Mus - going as far as to recommend by name sev - lim life remain outside its purview. And transform the religious, eral pro-Zionist organisations. The mes - with a lower ‘thoughtcrime’ threshold political and social sage was clear: Mainstream Muslim views based on an elastic concept of ‘non-violent are extremist and should be ignored. extremism’ the dragnet is wide enough to attitudes of its Muslim Two decades since its introduction, cover just about anything the authorities population is yielding there are clear signs that Britain’s strategy decide it should. The thinking that drives to transform the religious, political and so - Prevent is brutally simple: if people are results, accelerated by a cial attitudes of its Muslim population is forced under pain of criminalisation to ad - wider political assault yielding results, accelerated by a wider po - just their views and speech within limits litical assault on multiculturalism. Evi - prescribed by the state, in time undesirable on multiculturalism. dence is mounting that many sections of thoughts will be washed out of the target Muslim society have either been silenced or population. their risk to others, and of their vulnerabil - are moderating their behaviour to ward off Certainly, Prevent has had a muzzling ity to extremists. For their part, teachers scrutiny. While there are still isolated ex - effect at all levels of education with stu - often avoid any attempt to discuss the very pressions defying the new order such as the dents and teachers alike self-censoring to issues which ostensibly gave rise to Pre - direct action tactics of pro-Palestine sup - avoid being ensnared. Research led by Scot vent: extremism and terrorism. The au - porters picketing or shutting down arms Bauman found that “applied within uni - thors express a certain degree of surprise factories, by and large, Prevent’s ubiquitous versities, Prevent faces the additional accu - that schools can pass Ofsted inspections of gaze has effectively blunted the militancy sation of compromising academic freedom, their implementation of Prevent without so that characterised the community’s politics and cases have come to light of course ma - much as mentioning some of the harrow - before the new millennium. This threatens terial being ‘flagged’ as ‘high risk’ and aca - ing events that take place around the world the very foundation of our presence in this demics being deterred from researching or about which pupils can readily access in - country and demands a concerted and spir - teaching certain ‘sensitive’ topics. We en - formation via traditional media and social ited response. Unless Muslims push back countered a number of examples in our media. They write: “We have been struck against the course hewed out for them, field research for this project, including that safeguarding seems to operate as a within a couple of generations the values Muslim students self-censoring in their mechanism for removing the politics from and positions that we currently consider working and personal lives in order to a process which is fundamentally about mainstream are likely to be seen as minor - avoid being stigmatised as suspicious.” In evaluating young people’s emerging politi - ity or fringe. On one level this involves 2019, the human rights group Liberty said cal views”, thus creating a situation drawing a line in the sand to say we will Prevent had had a “chilling effect” on black whereby children are aware of global events have nothing whatsoever to do anymore and Muslim students, provoking self-cen - but unable to understand them. with malicious, Islamophobic government sorship for fear of being labelled extremist. Without doubt the prospect of failing initiatives that legitimise or promote our It said , “the Prevent guidelines, which re - the Prevent test lies behind the overzeal - social re-engineering. On another it means quire administrators to identify and limit ousness displayed by some schools in organising and engaging more closely with speakers with extremist views, were them - putting down the first signs of any pro- like-minded groups to challenge a strategy selves the biggest hurdle to the operation of Palestine activities among pupils during that is the thin end of a wedge that ulti - free speech within university communi - the recent round of Israeli aggression in the mately threatens everyone’s cherished free - ties”. Government guidelines for how Holy Land. Certainly, some schools were doms. higher education institutions should im - keen to quash any outbursts, however plement Prevent which cite among “con - minor, and remind students that school tentious topics” things such as “vocal was not the right setting to express their Massoud Shadjareh is a veteran human rights activist and support for Palestine”, “opposition to Is - political views - a stance that they were re - campaigner based in London, UK. In 1997, raeli settlements in Gaza”, “criticism of minded was at odds with their readiness to with a group of colleagues, he founded Islamic wars in the Middle East” and “opposition embrace student activism on the Climate Human Rights Commission. He has headed to Prevent” have led to universities can - Change and Black Lives Matter issues. various campaign with organisation, as well as celling many planned events and speeches. Pupils around the country found them - participated in cross community campaigns A review of the evidence of how Prevent selves reprimanded and even suspended and projects. This article is an extended works in practice in schools by Lee Jerome, for showing solidarity with Palestine, even version of a piece published on 5Pillars.com.

14 The Long View - Quarterly Magazine July 2021 / Dhul Hijjah 1442 If you're suffering discrimination, unfair treatment or harassment at work, we're here to support you and help you to seek justice. You may also be entitled to financial compensation.

Contact us for affordable expert legal advice and assistance. For more information, including other funding options, or to speak to our team please contact us.

202 Preston Road, Wembley HA9 8PA, United Kingdom T: 020 8904 4222 E: [email protected]

www.ihrclegal.org.uk

Open Monday to Friday, 10am to 6pm

ur bani for the Oppressed

Fulfil your Qurbani and help the oppressed that are victims of state violence SMALL LARGE 1/7 and genocide. COUNTRY ANIMAL ANIMAL SHARE Nigeria £75 £525 £75 Bangladesh £100 £700 £100 Yemen £110 £770 £110 You can donate your Qurbani by visiting our website The Prophet Muhammad said “Whoever offers a sacrifice after https://donations.ihrc.org.uk the (Eid) prayer has completed his Please place your orders by rituals (of Eid) and has followed the no later than 15th July 2021 way of the Muslims.” - Hadith Please Donate Now

The Long View is a project and publication of Islamic Human Rights Commission (a limited company no 04716690). Web www.ihrc.org.uk IHRC Trust E info@ihrc,org 202 Preston Road Tel +44 20 8904 4222 Wembley, HA9 8PA All views are the authors' United Kingdom own and do not reflect Charity No: 1106120 IHRC's views or beliefs. www.ihrc.org.uk