Tensions around Jerusalem and the remainder of the occupied Palestinian territories increased towards the end of September and during the first week of October following clashes between Palestinians defending the sacred Masjid al-Aqsa and Israeli security officials.

Rising tensions around Jerusalem culminated at the beginning of October with Israeli forces closing-off the sacred al-Aqsa mosque compound. At least seven Palestinians were wounded and seven arrests were made, as clashes sparked off at the Lion’s gate entrance to the old City of Jerusalem.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas buckled under international pressure to defer the draft proposal at the Human Rights Council seeking to endorse all of the recommendations from the UN fact finding mission resulting in the Goldstone report. This deferral has been a heavy blow to the Palestinian people and activist organisations around the world that have campaigned for years to bring Israel to justice for alleged war crimes.

Sunday 8 March 2009 was International Women's Day and the essay below marks that occasion by focusing on the stoicism, resilience, loyalty and sacrifice of Palestinian women

The report produced by the Centre for Social Cohesion titled ‘Islam on Campus’ is disregarded by Friends of Al-Aqsa (FoA) and all those who know and support us as being nothing more than a witch-hunt. The aims of Friends of Al-Aqsa since its foundation more than 10 years ago has been to peacefully raise awareness about the human rights abuses being perpetrated against the Palestinian people on a daily basis by the Israeli occupation. FoA literature has been distributed throughout the UK by many Palestine Solidarity organisations, both Muslim and non-Muslim.
 
“It is without a doubt that Friends of Al-Aqsa has been targeted as we are a successful organisation using all available legal and democratic means to further the Palestinian cause. Although our literature is distributed far more widely amongst non-Muslim organisations, the fact that CSC has focussed on the Federation of Student Islamic Societies only confirms our suspicions that this is a witch-hunt intended to discredit and raise suspicion about yet another successful and legitimate Muslim organisation in Britain,” said Ismail Patel, Chair of FoA.
 
This Report seeks to raise unfounded suspicion about FoA and FOSIS, both of which operate nationally and provide necessary platforms for British Muslims to be politically aware and active. The Report makes reference to numerous FoA publications. Those confirming well documented Israeli war crimes against Palestinians are described as ‘alleged’ crimes within the report, including the building of illegal settlements on occupied territories. Such paltry understanding of the issues around the Israel/Palestine conflict makes the findings of the Centre for Social Cohesion all the more absurd.
 
ENDS

Annapolis: As expected, the meeting of politically destitute players who know their time is up achieved nothing of any substance

Ismail Patel

Hazel Blears' new measures only patronise Muslim women: better to tackle the issue affecting all of us - discrimination 

Rajnaara Akhtar

The use of the term 'Islamist' in reference to Muslims who use extreme and indiscriminate violence to further their political causes is gaining currency. This term as a substitute to what was an even more offensive expression 'Islamic terrorist' gives rise to both challenges and misunderstandings.

By Ismail Patel, Chair, Friends of Al-Aqsa in The Muslim Weekly

Not all doctors are saintly creatures. We have an array of examples of those who have acted in contravention of the Declaration of Geneva to consecrate their lives "to the service of humanity". Harold Shipman was one such example of evil. Therefore we should not be so bewildered by the fact that recent terrorist incidents may have involved doctors; nevertheless, many of us are bewildered. 

Rajnaara Akhtar in The Guardian Comment is Free

The Independent, Ismail Patel

The Muslim News, Ismail Patel

Interview with Ismail Patel, The Islamic Times

Friends of Al Aqsa

Ismail Patel - 18th March 07 - Comment is free.. - Guardian

Ismail Patel - Commentisfree.guardian - March 12, 2007