Muslims across the United States are observing Ramadan under rising fears tied to immigration raids, anti-Muslim rhetoric, and war in the Middle East. Community members in places like Paterson, New Jersey, and Minneapolis say many are striving to maintain the Ramadan spirit while grappling with myriad concerns affecting their communities. In Minnesota, an imam says a mosque has canceled communal iftar meals after local businesses took an economic hit from the federal government's immigration crackdown. National groups are sharing know-your-rights guidance for mosque leaders. Leaders also point to harsh anti-Muslim vitriol during the current election season. Even so, many communities keep praying, fasting and supporting one another.
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Palestinians in Gaza are reacting to a possible shift in the world's attention away from the Israel-Hamas ceasefire to a new regional conflict with Iran. Israel closed all crossings into the territory of over 2 million people in the wake of its new strikes on Tehran. The Israeli military body overseeing civilian affairs in Gaza said it closed the crossings because they cannot not be safely operated under fire. It said crossings would reopen as soon as the security situation allows. Palestinians fear new lack of access to food and other basic necessities from the outside world. Memories of hunger during last year's Israeli blockade remain fresh. The latest conflict comes days after U.S. President Donald Trump rallied billions of dollars in pledges for Gaza’s reconstruction.
A new Gallup poll shows that American sympathies in the Middle East have shifted dramatically toward the Palestinians after decades of overwhelming support for the Israelis. That shift accelerated during the war in Gaza. Fifty-four percent of Americans sympathized more with the Israelis three years ago compared with 31% for the Palestinians. Their support is now about evenly balanced between the Israelis and the Palestinians. The numbers reflect how support for Israel has become deeply contentious in the U.S. with profound implications for American politics and foreign policy. The changing sentiment has been largely driven by Democrats who are now much more likely to sympathize with Palestinians.
AP Wire
Iran has pushed back against U.S. President Donald Trump’s pressure tactics ahead of critical talks in Geneva over Tehran’s nuclear program. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman dismissed Trump's remarks at the State of the Union as “big lies.” Meanwhile, Iran's parliament speaker said on Wednesday that the U.S. could either engage in diplomacy or face the wrath of Iran if it attacks. America has assembled its biggest deployment of aircraft and warships into the Middle East in decades, part of Trump’s efforts to get a deal while Iran struggles at home with growing dissent following nationwide protests last month.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is opening up about his Jewish faith at a pivotal moment in his political rise. The Democratic governor is eyeing a reelection this fall in one of the nation’s most important swing states. If he wins, it could propel him into the very top of his party’s presidential nomination fight. But he’s also navigating physical and political risks that have threatened his family’s life and his standing in a party that’s deeply divided by Israel's war in Gaza. Shapiro spoke about these challenges in a recent interview with The Associated Press.
Tens of thousands of Palestinians gathered under heavy Israeli restrictions at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound for the first Friday prayers of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, including some who were allowed to enter from the occupied West Bank. The Ramadan prayers at Al-Aqsa, in Jerusalem's Old City, took place for the first time since a shaky ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas went into effect in October. Israel restricted the number of Palestinians allowed to enter from the West Bank to 10,000 on Friday, and only allowed men over 55 and women over 50 as well as children up to 12. It has imposed similar restrictions in the past, citing security concerns.
Iran held annual military drills with Russia as a second American aircraft carrier drew closer to the Middle East. Both the United States and Iran are signaling they are prepared for war if talks on Tehran’s nuclear program fizzle out. President Donald Trump said Thursday he believes 10 to 15 days is enough time for Iran to reach a deal. But talks on its nuclear program have been deadlocked for years, and Iran has refused to discuss wider U.S. and Israeli demands that it scale back its missile program and sever ties to armed groups. Indirect talks held in recent weeks made little visible progress, and one or both sides could be buying time for final war preparations.
AP Wire
President Donald Trump is in Georgia Thursday for a trip designed to help boost Republicans’ political standing heading into the midterms. In the battleground state, the president is expected to zero in on economic issues. The White House has long said Trump would focus more on the economy, and he frequently complains that he doesn’t get enough credit for it. But recent months have been dominated by other issues, including deadly clashes during deportation efforts in Minneapolis. Trump began the day by announcing at his inaugural Board of Peace meeting that nine members have agreed to pledge a combined $7 billion for a Gaza relief package and five countries agreed to deploy troops for an international stabilization force.
AP Wire
President Donald Trump has announced at the inaugural Board of Peace meeting that nine members have agreed to pledge $7 billion toward a Gaza relief package. He also says five countries have agreed to deploy troops as part of an international stabilization force for the war-battered Palestinian territory. While lauding the pledges, Trump faces the unresolved challenge of disarming Hamas, a sticking point that threatens to delay or even derail the Gaza ceasefire plan that his administration notched as a major foreign policy win. The dollars pledged on Thursday, while significant, represent a small fraction of the estimated $70 billion needed to rebuild the Palestinian territory decimated after two years of war between Israel and Hamas.
Ramadan has begun in Gaza under a fragile ceasefire deal, but many say the joyous spirit of the month has disappeared. They grapple with the hardships of their daily lives and the grief and losses of the Israel-Hamas war. One displaced family is breaking its fast with meals from a charity kitchen and some soup. The father is sad that he cannot provide for his large family. He says the war has deprived his family of many things and prays for safety and security. While the heaviest fighting has subsided, there has been almost daily Israeli fire in Gaza.