Government & Politics

Macron, hard-line interior minister agree to disagree on immigration crackdown after first meeting The meeting was described as an opportunity to share perspectives — without the goal of reaching an agreement.

(Politico) When Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau headed over to the Elysée palace to meet President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, he wasn’t looking for commonality. He went to stand his ground. Macron and Retailleau spoke face to face for the first [time] since […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Outcry after researcher says prominent French mayor ‘appears Muslim’ Israeli-Gaza conflict is hugely sensitive topic in France, home to Europe's largest Muslim and Jewish communities

(National-UAE) Senior French officials have rallied behind Karim Bouamrane, a prominent mayor of Moroccan origin, in response to remarks widely viewed as racist by a researcher who said he is “Muslim in appearance” and suggested his popularity comes from his refusal to […]

Government & Politics

France’s interior minister says he ‘does not rule out’ banning the Muslim Brotherhood Right-winger Bruno Retailleau, appointed in September, also advocates for a new criminal offence to fight 'insidious' political Islam in the country

(Middle East Eye) The new French interior minister, Bruno Retailleau, has declared that he is not ruling out classifying the Muslim Brotherhood as a “terrorist” group and banning it, while advocating for the establishment of a new criminal offence to fight political […]

Government & Politics

The French government wants a new immigration law for 2025 The new measures, which could include extending detention and limiting regularisation for migrants, may spark further divisions in the French Parliament.

(Euronews) The French government is pushing for a new immigration law by early 2025, according to spokesperson Maud Bregeon, who announced the plans on BFMTV. The move comes just a year after the last immigration bill, which faced sharp divisions in Parliament […]

Government & Politics

New York eatery spreads Netanyahu photo on floor for customers to step on Palestinian-American shawarma joint introduces 'floor of shame' of images of prominent world leaders, with owner asking patrons to step on them to receive service

(Ynet) Popular Palestinian shawarma restaurant King of Falafel and Shawarma located in New York is asking diners to step on a picture of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as they enter. The eatery’s owner placed images of political leaders including Netanyahu and U.S. […]

Government & Politics

FM says ‘Iranian terrorist proxies’ might attack Israeli athletes, tourists in Paris Katz thanks France for ‘unprecedented’ measures to protect delegation to Olympics; hackers say they posted personal info of athletes, claiming they are covert IDF agents

(Times of Israel) Foreign Minister Israel Katz sent a letter to his French counterpart Stéphane Séjourné on Thursday, warning him of an Iranian-backed plot to attack Israeli tourists and athletes at the 2024 Paris Olympics. “There are those who seek to undermine […]

Internet

Fake video of threat to Olympic Games appears to be from Russia, researchers say Microsoft’s Threat Analysis Center, which reviewed the video at NBC News’ request, said it appears to have come from a known Russian disinformation group.

(NBC) A video spreading on X and Telegram of a man purporting to be a Hamas fighter threatening the Olympics in Paris is part of a Russian-linked disinformation campaign meant to disrupt the event, according to researchers at Microsoft. On Telegram, Hamas […]

Islamic Law

Experts: Muslim Brotherhood pursues caliphate in Europe using soft power The Islamist organisation has infiltrated EU member states and spread its agenda through various innocent-looking organisations.

(European Conservative) An expert on Islamism has highlighted the dangers to Europe of the Muslim Brotherhood through its emphasis on legal rather than “terrorist” methods. Dr. Lorenzo Vidino told a recent European conference how the Brotherhood is a “social network,” united by […]

Government & Politics

French government opposes Muslim Brotherhood (finally) France’s interior minister calls for an institutional battle to prevent French society from falling into the 'Islamic matrix.'

(European Conservative) France’s minister of the interior, Gérald Darmanin, has announced in the press that he wants to “fight back against the Muslim Brotherhood.” According to territorial intelligence, the Muslim Brotherhood, which aims to establish a global caliphate, has doubled its numbers […]

Children & Teens

Paris Olympics: 16-year-old arrested after he said he wanted to ‘die a martyr’ at Games France previously raised its security alert to its highest level ahead of hosting this summer's Olympic Games amid concerns the event could be overshadowed by security incidents.

(Sky News) A 16-year-old boy has been arrested by anti-terrorism police in France after he allegedly said on social media he wanted to “die a martyr” at the Olympic Games in Paris this summer. A spokesperson said on Wednesday the boy was […]

Government & Politics

France slashes Olympics opening ceremony crowd size amid terror attack fears French President Emmanuel Macron asked for capacity to be reduced to half of what was initially planned for showpiece event.

(Politico) France has scaled down the Paris 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony which will take place in July on the River Seine, amid concerns over a theoretical Islamist terror attack. Boats carrying each nation’s flag-bearers will pass on the water in the […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

In Britain, shockwaves from Israel-Hamas war are jolting domestic politics The United States and several European nations have been caught up in toxic debates that have altered election campaigns and led to eruptions of inflammatory language over the conflict.

(NY Times) Inside Britain’s Parliament, lawmakers jeered, booed, and stormed out of the House of Commons to protest the speaker’s handling of a vote calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. Outside, a crowd of pro-Palestinian demonstrators projected the slogan, “From the river […]

Academics & Education

Bereaved father from 2012 Toulouse attack: ‘We’re not safe but life goes on’ Yaacov Monsonego, director of the Ohr Torah (formerly Ozar Hatorah) school in the French city, lost his daughter Myriam to the terrorist shooting.

(JNS) On March 19, 2012, Mohammed Merah, a French-Algerian supporter of al-Qaeda, carried out a shooting attack on the Ozar Hatorah Jewish school in Toulouse, killing a teacher, Rabbi Jonathan Sandler, his two sons, Gabriel, 3, and Aryeh, 6, and an 8-year-old girl, Myriam […]

Academics & Education

Germany trains new generation of Muslim leaders In a groundbreaking move, Germany trains its own Muslim religious leaders, fostering a deeper connection with local communities. Muslim associations across the country are seeing a generational change and reorientation.

(Deutsche Welle) Osman Soyer is a religious affairs officer who was sworn into office this month in the Sehitlik Mosque in Berlin’s Neukölln district. He is one of 28 young men and women who have been trained as “religious representatives” by DITIB, […]

Clerics & Preachers

France to cease acceptance of foreign-appointed imams starting 2024 France’s history of controversial measures has fueled concerns that this latest move is a continuation of policies targeting Islamic practices.

(Morocco World News) French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin has announced that France will no longer accept new “detached imams” from foreign countries starting on January 1, 2024. The announcement follows President Emmanuel Macron’s 2020 decision to end the presence of around 300 […]

Demonstrations

‘Clash of civilizations’ looms over EU elections Far-right parties are cashing in on decades of campaigning against Islam and migration, as they move to the center ground.

(Politico) Geert Wilders may be just the tip of the iceberg. Following the anti-Islam politician’s shock election win in the Netherlands, European elites are nervously scanning the political landscape for signs of what’s to come — including further surprise wins from far-right […]

Demonstrations

French Jews worry Muslim unrest could see Macron flip on Israel, putting them at risk Reversing his stated support for Israel, the president demanded an end to ‘killing babies,’ triggering fears that he’s bowing to local pressures and thus inciting antisemitism

(Times of Israel) On a solidarity visit to Israel last month, French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to stand by Israel for the duration of its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. “I want to assure you that you will not be […]