Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Palestinian Christians make an Easter call for relief from war’s tightening grasp
By Mitri Raheb — March 29, 2024
(RNS) — An appeal to the world's Christians to pressure political leaders to find a way to peace.
In Jerusalem, Palestinian Christians observe scaled-down Good Friday rituals
By Julia Frankel — March 29, 2024
JERUSALEM (AP) — The city's streets were noticeably devoid of Palestinian Christians from the West Bank, who normally flock to the Holy City for the Easter festivities. Since Oct. 7, Palestinian worshippers have needed special permission to cross checkpoints into Jerusalem.
US Jews upset with Trump’s latest rhetoric say he doesn’t get to tell them how to be Jewish
By Peter Smith and Tiffany Stanley — March 26, 2024
(AP) – This week, Trump charged that Jewish Democrats were being disloyal to their faith and to Israel.
A prayer for finding balance in the Holy Land
By Thomas Reese — March 26, 2024
(RNS) — Cease-fire now; release the hostages now.
UN chief says it’s time to ‘truly flood’ Gaza with aid and calls starvation there an outrage
By Amr Nabil, Samy Magdy, and Sam Metz — March 25, 2024
RAFAH CROSSING, Egypt (AP) — He spoke a day after the U.N. Security Council failed to reach consensus on the wording of a U.S.-sponsored resolution supporting “an immediate and sustained cease-fire.”
Thousands of Christians attend Palm Sunday celebrations in Jerusalem against a backdrop of war
By Associated Press — March 25, 2024
JERUSALEM (AP) —The annual celebration came as the Israel-Hamas war rages on in Gaza. However, the conflict appeared to have had little effect on the procession, which swelled to a similar size as last year.
Lebanon’s displaced celebrate Ramadan amid fears that border conflict might become the ‘new normal’
By Abby Sewell — March 25, 2024
MARWANIEH, Lebanon (AP) — Those living at the Hotel Montana, which went out of business in 2005, are among an estimated 90,000 people from southern Lebanon who have been displaced by the near-daily clashes between the militant group Hezbollah and Israeli forces.
‘The Ally’: The cost of not being angry
By Beth Kissileff — March 21, 2024
(RNS) — A play that enables audiences to listen in on topics about which no one is able to speak courteously.
Israeli rabbinate under scrutiny as religious issues threaten government’s wartime unity
By David I. Klein — March 21, 2024
(RNS) — A complaint against the rabbinate's control of who is deemed Jewish comes as cracks are beginning to show in the sense of unity fostered by Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7.
Ramy Youssef constantly asks if jokes are harmful or helpful. He keeps telling them anyway
By Krysta Fauria — March 21, 2024
LOS ANGELES (AP) — In keeping with much of his previous work, “Ramy Youssef: More Feelings” doesn’t shy away from fraught topics, including religion, the upcoming presidential election and the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
All eyes on Rafah as Ramadan gets underway
By Omar Suleiman — March 13, 2024
(RNS) — Muslims have navigated war, famine and death in Ramadan, but we’ve never watched a genocide in real time.
Safeguarding Israel with Torah study
By Avi Shafran — March 12, 2024
(RNS) — The question of Haredi conscription is not a matter of political privilege but religious liberty.
With war in Gaza, American Muslims plan Ramadan of protest and activism
By Rhonda Roumani — March 8, 2024
(RNS) — 'Ramadan is not the month of taking a break or relaxation. It is a month of action and organization for us as an organization and as a community,' said an activist. 'We hope Ramadan will be a reinvigoration of the work we have been doing over the last five months.'
Biden’s pier for food aid into Gaza is no substitute for a Ramadan cease-fire
By Daoud Kuttab — March 8, 2024
(RNS) — The prospects for peace diminish with every passing day of Ramadan that goes without a cease-fire.
Jerusalem Palestinians prepare for Ramadan amid holy month’s uneasy politics
By Michele Chabin — March 7, 2024
JERUSALEM (RNS) — Ramadan will be more modest this year for Muslims conscious of the deprivation in Gaza and the lack of money in their own wallets due to the war.
