News and Analysis (12/14/20)

After upholding the death sentence of French-based journalist accused of instigating nationwide economic protests in 2017, Ruhollah Zam, was executed on Saturday. The EU and UN released statements condemning the execution, and German and French envoys were summoned to Iran as a result:

• Iran Summons EU Envoys for Protesting Reporter’s Hanging (AP)
• UN Human Rights Chief ‘Appalled’ at Iran Execution, Questions Trial Process and Verdict (UN News)

Following the ruling in the SCOTUS favoring three Muslim men after being placed on the no-fly list, Americans are reminded of Obama’s policies that have affected Muslim disproportionately:

• Anti-Muslim Policies Forged Under Obama Flourished Under Trump. What Will Happen Under Biden? (MSNBC)

Before Airbnb’s recent IPO, Amnesty International called on the company to remove properties in Palestine referring to them as “war crime[s] under international law” after failing to disclose properties in the West Bank when filing a Registration Statement:

• Amnesty International Calls on Airbnb to Withdraw Rentals in Occupied Palestine Before Trading Publicly (Jurist)

Despite the recent neglect of Kashmir by representatives in New Delhi, the newly-elected Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir says, “Kashmir and Jammu are the ‘two eyes’ of the Union Territory of J&K, and going ahead, for overall progress, both have to work together without” favoritism:

• Kashmir, Jammu Our Two Eyes, Can’t Favour One Over Other: Manoj Sinha (Indian Express)

Denmark’s immigration and integration minister attempts to justify the move with the allegation that the country has “problems with people from the Middle East and North Africa”:  

• Denmark to Classify Immigrants from Muslim Countries Separately in Crime Statistics (The Local)

Iran officially releases a statement claiming that Israel assassinated Mohsen Fakhrizadeh late last month in the hopes of starting a war late into Trump’s presidency:

• Iran President Says Israel Was Behind Killing of Scientist (Yahoo News)

A Jewish-American writer raised “on the post Holocaust redemptive creation myths around the founding of the State of Israel and its subsequent policies” hopes to put her “historical memory, which encompasses anti-Semitism, racism, mass murder, trauma, and loss” to serve “ongoing act of co-resistance”:

• ‘Writing for the Sake of Collective Survival’ — the Emotional Brilliance of the Palestine Writes Festival (Mondoweiss)

Following six years of war in Yemen, Iran reintroduces their peace initiative plan to “America and the enemies of Yemen”:

• Iran’s Yemen Peace Initiative Still on the Table: Diplomat (Tehran Times) 

Netanyahu is concerned over recent talk of President-elect Joe Biden returning to 2015 nuclear deal with Iran: 

• Netanyahu: ‘Business as Usual With Iran’ Will Be Mistake (Bloomberg) 

Johaer Jilani